Blue Seed Perfect Collection

Review by schally

Released 6/18/02
Eps. 1 - 26
4 Discs

Quality: 4/5

The picture is very crisp. The sound is also quite good, though there are a few instances where some of the dub voices are difficult to make out (though this can usually be attributed to the VA mumbling or to the screams of the masses in the background). The subtitles are not as clear as I would have liked--having a thicker black border around the yellow text probably would have helped.

Menus: 5/5

The menus are very classy-looking and quite easy to navigate. The episode lists are on the main screen, which helps cut down on the numbers of menus you would have to cycle through to watch a particular episode.

Extras: 3/5

Like most of the ADV DVDs I've dealt with, the Blue Seed Perfect Collection doesn't have a whole lot in the way of extras. The DVDs include three languages (Spanish, English, Japanese) but only English subtitles. The Omake Theaters are included along with several character biographies for each disc and several previews and trailers. Though I was pleasantly surprised with the Spanish language option, I was disappointed that there wasn't more information regarding the mythology of the show or Yuzo Takada and his work.

Packaging: 1/5

To its credit, the Blue Seed Perfect Collection comes in a compact, four-section plastic case and each of the DVDs are embossed with different characters. The case is rather flimsy, however, and doesn't open (or snap shut) very easily. Due to its flimsy nature, the case doesn't really offer any protection for the DVDs except to keep out dust. I would recommend keeping your copy on a shelf somewhere, lest someone accidentally step/sit on it and destroy the Blue Seed goodness inside. There is only one DVD insert, which is a sheet with a picture on the front and the names of the DVDs and the different episodes on the back. The inside of the case is simply bare plastic. Since ADV didn't bother with any decent inserts or inner packaging, the inside of the case looks very empty. Frankly, I've seen bootlegs with better packaging. In addition, the DVD prongs are extremely tight, making the DVDs difficult to remove without force. I am paranoid that one of these days I'm going to accidentally break one of the DVDs by pulling it too hard.

Overall: 4/5

Blue Seed Perfect Collection is a solid DVD collection overall, though the packaging leaves much to be desired. Considering what people are paying for it, ADV could have at least packaged it in a sturdier case. If you're a hardcore Blue Seed fan who wants their favorite show on DVD, these little details won't bother you. But in all honesty, there's no real advantage to buying the collection over the individual DVDs, with the exception of any price variations.