| Video: G&M is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1. The anamorphic widescreen image is sharp and clear, with good detail. The colors are bright, and flesh tones are natural. There is no appreciable print damage. There is some grain in FX shots, but that’s par for the course. It looks very good, even when compared to Toho’s own region 2 version. Grade: A-
Audio: There are two audio options: The original Japanese language, and a Cantonese dub, both in Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo. The Japanese sounds good, with clear dialogue, music, and sound FX. (Speaking of sound FX, Godzilla’s roar no longer has a cool growling undertone as in the previous two films, and his ray has a chintzy new sound as well.) The Cantonese track is equivalent in quality. International fans will no doubt stick with the Japanese. Grade: B+
Extras / Menus: The only extra is a trailer for the subsequent Heisei Godzilla film, Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II. It’s presented in non-anamorphic widescreen, has Japanese and Cantonese 2.0 audio, with non-removable English and Chinese subtitles. The menus are fullscreen still images, with no sound. There are animated film clips in the chapter select windows. Everything is labeled in both English and Chinese, so navigation is easy. Grade: C-
Final Analysis: The English subtitles are decent, and the box says that they’re based on the Japanese version, not the dub. Like all of Universe’s Heisei releases, the English subs are displayed simultaneously with Chinese text, but it’s easy to get used to. This is also a complete print that includes the end credits that were cut from Sony’s release. With better specs than Sony’s R1, and more affordable than Toho’s R2, this is an attractive alternative for U.S. fans. Highly recommended. Final Grade: A |
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