As a result of the project to improve image quality for the latest HD DVD video compression technology with the aim of globally marketing anime software titles, Bandai Visual Co., Ltd., Memory-Tech Corporation and Microsoft Co., Ltd. have agreed to release the following 4(four) HD DVD titles during 2007: “Freedom”, a brand new digital OVA series, and feature-length anime movies “Royal Space Force-The Wings of Honneamise”, “Patlabor The Movie”, and “Patlabor 2 The Movie”.

The participation in recent VC-1 image tuning of Bandai Visual, with its strong track record in high-end animation production and packaged DVD sales, has enabled the creation of high picture quality titles. And the three companies are contributing to the building of services that make use of next-generation formats such as HDiT. Memory-Tech will handle the service infrastructure for the development of high definition products, and Microsoft will support HD DVD solutions for partners and users.

The above 4 titles will be used for:
1) Improvement of image quality with VC-1 video compression technology aimed at the creation of HD DVD products
2) Use of HDiT authoring to add value to HD DVDs and develop promotion plans
3) Collaboration on new business models based on HDiT network functions, Managed Copy and other functions that combine of packaged media with networks

About Freedom

A science fiction anime series whose use in Nissin instant noodle TV ads generated a lot of buzz. The drama unfolds on the Moon’s surface in the city of Eden, the last human settlement, and focuses on a youth whose actions threaten to shake the freedom and peace of Eden. The scale of the story and the dynamic action have earned the series high marks. Bandai Visual is confident that this work, which uses the latest concepts and technology to combine 3D-CGI with the 2D animation that has long been a key strength of Japan’s anime industry, is ideal as a technology development source for the next-generation medium of HD DVD. (Produced in 2006)

About “Royal Space Force-The Wings of Honneamise”

Bandai Visual’s first ever anime movie for theater distribution, and the electrifying movie debut of the GAINAX creators who went on to give the world “Neon Genesis Evangelion”. The kingdom of Honneamise on an imaginary planet serves as the stage for telling the tale of the young men belonging to the Royal Space Force, a non-combat military unit. A feature-length anime movie that boasts an elaborate story and ultra-detailed artwork combined with an other-worldly music score by Ryuichi Sakamoto. (Produced in 1987)

About “Patlabor The Movie”

The memorable first theater edition of “Mobile Police Patlabor”, directed by Mamoru Oshii who made his name with “Ghost in the Shell”. Set in a turn-of-the-century Tokyo (1998-2002) in which human-shaped construction work robots called “Labors” wander the streets and cybercrime has become endemic. The movie, a science fiction anime classic, is peppered with thrilling action as it tells the realistic story of a police squad that uses its own arsenal of Patlabor robots to combat crime. (Produced in 1989)

About “Patlabor 2 The Movie”

The second feature length movie to emerge from the wildly popular “Mobile Police Patlabor” series, and wizard director Mamoru Oshii’s disturbing vision of Tokyo in a state of siege against terrorists. Using ultra-detailed artwork and computer graphics, and a scenario in which one mystery gives rise to another, Oshii creates a picture of war-torn Tokyo with a deeply thematic plot that takes the movie beyond the realm of most anime. (Produced in 1993)

VC-1 is a video codec specification that has been standardized by the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) and implemented by Microsoft as Windows Media Video (WMV)9. Formal standardization of VC-1 represents the culmination of years of technical scrutiny by over 75 companies, leading to a codec that is well-documented, extremely stable, easily licensable, and accepted by the industry.

HDiT is a specification of interactivity adopted by HD DVD. It supports various features for great interactivity including high definition graphics with transparency and animation, picture-in-picture, network, etc to create exciting user experience. HDiT is based on the open-standard technologies and being used on most of the existing HD DVD titles in the world.

Managed Copy is a part of the AACS specification which is adopted by HD DVD. It is a function which will allow users to make legal copy of the content through authentication process over network. It will bring new user value and business model with great flexibility of supporting multiple formats of the content and business scheme.

Comments of participating companies

Bandai Visual

“We are excited to be working with Microsoft and Memory-Tech” said Akio Maeda, senior managing director of Bandai Visual. “Bandai Visual has always prided itself on delivering the highest quality home entertainment packages in the anime field. We hope that this opportunity to explore the possibilities of the HD DVD media will enable us to give the best possible value to our customers in the new format.”

Microsoft

“In our collaboration with Bandai Visual and Memory-Tech, who are the both industry leaders, we would like to improve the quality of one of the greatest animation works in Japan to the level which meets next-generation’s expectation. As broadband infrastructure expands, we believe our collaboration will result in creation of dynamic and attractive media realized thru integration of network interactivity and managed copy technology driven by HDiT advancement, in addition to the high picture quality enabled by VC-1.”
Kazuo Sakai, General Manager, Digital Entertainment Partner Group. Microsoft Co., Ltd

Memory-Tech

“Memory-Tech will work with Bandai Visual and Microsoft to develop a complete one-stop service (encoding, authoring, disc replication and HDiT network infra-structure) for creating new HD-era packages with the kind of high picture quality and HDiT navigation that is sure to attract consumers.”
Shinoharu Kawasaki, President & CEO, Memory-Tech Corporation