Last season, Mekakucity Actors was one of the more popular shows to hit Japanese airwaves. The tale of gifted people brought together by fate, seeking the truth was a hit with viewers across the globe. The characters were likeable, the story was told well. While it wasn’t something that would blow people’s’ minds, the show was generally attractive. Well, for the most part, at least.
Episode 9 was a bit of an exception, though. The episode saw a massive drop in production quality. By massive, I mean that the infamous Yashigani episode from Lost Universe looked outright competent in comparison.
This week, episodes 9 and 10 hit Blu-Ray. Normally, when a show hits Blu-Ray, studios touch things up for the release. They fix up odd frames, tweak the visual style, and generally ensure that the show looks as good as possible before people put their 7,500 – 8,500 yen down.
But what happens when the episode in question is an irreparable mess?
For a high-profile show, the fixes can be quite drastic. In Mekakucity Actors‘s case, the studio basically re-animated the episode from scratch. The difference between the broadcast and release versions is so great, that one couldn’t fault a person for thinking they were two separate shows.
We’ve collected a number of before and after comparisons below, so you can see for yourself just how much things changed in this release. (click images for full size)
