Many of you may be wondering the same thing I was when these releases hit stores. Are these Blu-rays an upgrade over the Disney releases? They are, in my opinion. However, are they worth purchasing again? Probably not. But, for hardcore fans, maybe. Here's why.
First, picture quality. GKIDS has completed new 4K scans for these Blu-rays. In my opinion, it shows. The image is a bit cleaner. The details and colors do differ in some respects from the Disney releases. In comparing some scenes from Nausicaa, Castle in the Sky, and Princess Mononoke, I prefer the GKIDS releases. Is it a huge difference? No. But it is there. The reds are more intense and look red, not orange. And in Nausicaaa, the colors differ in scenes from the Disney Blu-rays. Actual color grading differences. Plus, the GIDS releases have more shadow details.
The packaging and presentation on these releases tops Disney's with ease. The slipcovers are beautiful, with many of the releases using the same artwork as previous releases, with some exceptions, like Princess Mononoke. I also prefer the Nausicaa art here over Disney's. Each release is in a quality keepcase (not eco case) with art inside the back cover, so that when you open the case, you see a beautiful image from the film. The discs have art on them as well. I prefer the design on the GKIDS discs over Disney's, although, the Disney DVDs sometimes had very nice art as well. Lastly, the GKIDS releases also come with a small booklet that has some art and words from the creators behind the films.
The menus on the GKIDS releases fall short of the Disney releases. They are not animated. There is no music. But, they are clean and simple. It would have been nice to have at least had music playing in the background like the Disney releases. Some releases include new extras. Many, if not all, extras from the Disney releases are ported over, but some may not be HD, as is the case on Nausicaa. As you can see from the descriptions, the Disney dubs are ported over to these releases as well. Plus, you get Japanese audio tracks, although, I have not confirmed if these are the original Japanese audio tracks, as I know that was a problem on some previous releases.
Overall, I prefer the GKIDS Blu-rays, but if you have the Disney releases, you probably should save your money. However, if you're like me and you love the films and want the best presentation possible (video and packaging) and you find them on good sale, like they were on release at Best Buy, then it may be worth it to you.
