Dragon Ball Kai?!?!?!?!!?!?!??!
I thought that getting an iPod touch for my anniversary present would be the untouchable, absolute peak of my day....and it was...
but hearing news of the new Dragon Ball Kai from my dear well-informed cousin was....very close to that peak. XD
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All info from Daizenshuu EX. Here's the news from Jump (so far):
The DBZ TV series is receiving an extensive "refresh" for Japanese television airing
This is a celebration of the 20th anniversary of DBZ
While based on the original animation production, it is being updated with new technology
This includes extending the frames for formatting on an HD 16:9 display (note: not cropping the image)
The original Japanese cast is re-grouping to re-voice the show (where available, and unfortunately not including those that have passed on, such as Hirotaka Suzuoki [Tenshinhan])
Sound effects are being updated
Unlike the general show, the OPs and EDs are being completely redone
While not in the above announcement, other reports are noting that the number of episodes is being reduced from 291 to approximately 100
This begins 05 April 2009 @ 9 am
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I am absolutely looking forward to hopefully new scenes and scenes being re-animated. I'm not sure if this "based on original animation" means that they'll just clean up old frames or re-do backgrounds to fit 16:9, but I'm REALLY hoping for re-animation like what they did for the OP for the "Yo! Return of Son Goku and Friends" special.
I'm also incredibly excited that they'll re-gather the original cast!! That's just TOO DAMN awesome. It's so sad to watch the remastered DBZ boxsets with the same original Japanese mono track. Excellent voice acting deserves better than mono! >.<
And I'm hoping that the reduction from 291 episodes to 100 is true because there is a LOOO~T of bullshit in DBZ that could be done without, such as episodes upon episodes of screaming, staring, recycled battle frames, ridiculously long re-caps, flashbacks, fillers, etc.
Holy shit, this is the best anime news since EVER. (Well, ever since the new FMA season was announced, but I love DB SO MUCH MORE)
My excitement cannot be contained...
so it might take on the form of many fanarts sometime in the near, near future...