Unboxing [UK]: Freedom - Complete Series: Collector's Edition (BD/DVD)

Next unboxing title for this post is the seven episode original video animation, Freedom.

Note that this post has been updated (3rd June 2015) to reflect the new blog format and add additional notes to the release.

Freedom is a seven episode original video animation directed by Shuhei Morita (Kakurenbo) and character designed by Kasuhiro Otomo (Akira). This OVA focuses on humanity living on the moon after years when the earth became inhabitable, or so they seem...

This UK release is the second time Freedom has been released on Blu-ray, the first was back when Beez Entertainment had the license and now Manga Entertainment has rescued the license for both DVD and Blu-ray. To celebrate the release, Manga UK has released a Collector's Edition version containing both the Blu-ray and DVD versions plus some exclusive postcards. Alongside all seven episodes is the prologue known as 'Freedom Previsited' which is only in Japanese so you will need to turn on the English subtitles for that segment even when you play them all in English.

The extras are placed on the same disc as the Blu-ray and as a second disc for the DVDs. There are tons of extras included with this collection. There are screenshots below that show the inside contents plus the postcards. This package is also in a slipcase, its nicely as well. The case itself is still a Blu-ray case.

As a comparison between this version and the Beez/Bandai/Honneamise/Japanese Blu-ray Disc Box version, the latter is still the more superior. Manga UK's release has compressed all of the episodes and extra content onto one disc which has affected the video quality slightly (the bitrate is much lower than usual). In addition there are also some defects included in this release; there are numerous occasions of out of sync subtitles across a couple of episodes and while the prologue is Japanese language only, going into it with English dub selected means you aren't going to be able to understand it without the subtitles turned on. An easy way to fix this would've been adding a signs-only/subtitle track for the dub so that users don't have to force themselves to manually change the subtitles. A nice collector's edition release but with poor authoring.

Blu-ray Specs:

Languages: Japanese, English

Audio: DTS MA 2.0 [Japanese], DTS MA 5.1 [English]

Video: 1080p HD Native 16:9

Region: B

Subtitles: English [Japanese language, On-screen Text/lyrics]

Subtitles Locked: No

Discs: 1

DVD Specs:

Languages: Japanese, English

Audio: Dolby Digital 2.0 [Japanese], Dolby Digital 5.1 [English]

Video: SD PAL 16:9

Region: 2

Subtitles: English [Japanese language, On-screen Text/lyrics]

Subtitles Locked: No

Discs: 2

Plot Synopsis (via Manga UK):

In the year 2041, mankind created their first space colony on the moon. But after a freak cataclysm devastated human civilisation on Earth, the republic of the moon built a domed megalopolis known as Eden. Now in the year 2267, a boy called Takeru spends his time engaging in hover-craft races against rival street gangs, unaware that he is about to embark in the journey of unearthing Eden's origin.

Extra Content:

Prologue

Introduction Trailer

FREEDOM Digests 1-7

Talking About FREEDOM Session 1 & 2

FREEDOM in The USA Part 1 & 2

Another Vehicle Race

Nissin Cup Noodle TV Commercial Digest

FREEDOM: The Hope

Fly Me To The Moon Part 1 & 2

Next Episodes Trailers

Messages From The Characters

Opening and Closing Credits

Freedom is available as a Blu-ray/DVD combo pack and DVD standalone by Manga Entertainment. The original Japanese Blu-ray Disc Box also contains the English and Japanese audio/subtitles.