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Feature Presentation:
Special thanks to ADV Films for sending a copy for a review for this site. This is the final volume & the last three episodes of this series. As we left off, Mireille is after Kirika, trying to stop the ritual of NOIR, however, she plays a bigger role. It's the final showdown.
Video:
ADV Films did a very great job. I found no problem, the image are clear & the color looks perfect. To top things off, the series is feature on Widescreen format. If you got a Widescreen TV, you're going to enjoy this even more. The episodes are on a different track, so there will be a small loading time when you move on to the next episode. I do note that you can skip all those warnings & logos when you first load the DVD by just pressing the "Menu" button on your remote control.
Dubbing: English:
The dubbing is really great. Keeping the same style as the previous volumes, there is alot of French accent in most of the characters that interact with the main characters. They pick the cast very well. It's about 80% of the original Japanese.
Audio 01: English 5.1:
Unable to test it, since I don't have a 5.1 surround system, I can't really say much.
Audio XX: English 2.0:
Just letting you know, there isn't an English 2.0 audio track on this DVD. This is artificially made from the 5.1 audio track, that's why I noted it as "XX". I found no problem with the audio, but I bet it would be alot more interesting with the 5.1.
Audio 02: Japanese 5.1:
Unable to test it, since I don't have a 5.1 surround system, I can't really say much.
Audio XX: Japanese 2.0:
Just letting you know, there isn't an Japanese 2.0 audio track on this DVD. This is artificially made from the 5.1 audio track, that's why I noted it as "XX". I found no problem with the audio, but I bet it would be alot more interesting with the 5.1.
Subtitle:
ADV Films have selected a great font, very easy to read. They use yellow for the introduction, ending themes & the Japanese dialogue & white for Japanese signs & text. There are two tracks of subtitling. One track is for the sign subtitling & the other one is for the Japanese dialogue. I might note that every even numbered episodes, the intro & ending subtitles are in English, while the odd numbered episodes are in Japanese, for you to do some karaoke!
Menu Option:
The menu is also in widescreen format, but if got just a regular full screen TV, it will display in that format with no problem. The menu is really simple. I think the image came from the main theme. It's just a plain blue background. There isn't a "Play All" feature, just the selections of the 3 episodes on this volume, "Screen Access", "Set Up" & "Extras". When you select one of the episodes, you get a guy getting shot. The menu is actually back to normal, unlike the problems on Volume 06. The main theme is playing in the background. Other sections, there wll be different animation & other background musics will be played.
DVD Extras:
Again, you get the same non-credit opening & ending. Now, it's really pointless. This is something really cool, an interview with the English dubbing cast, who played Mireille, Kirika, Chloe & Athena. Also, again, another set of production sketches related to the episodes on this volume.
Packaging:
Keeping the same style as the other volumes, you still get the white background. I think this one is my favorite, you see Mireille & Kirika holding the swords of NOIR. In the back, you get to see Mireille & a very cute Kirika on the side, with a screenshot from each episode. The insert is now back in order, using the same picture as the back cover. Again, there is also a little something extra, a secret message box, but you need a special kind of glasses to read it. Inside the insert, there is more production notes on how the series was created, lots of information on the series is right there. On the DVD disc, it's pretty plain, all black, with the same picture of Mireille & Kirika as on the cover & "Noir" as the title.
PC Viewing:
Watching it on the PC is the same as watching it on the TV. Very clean, no problem at all, very little pixel (little squares popping in & out), both normal mode & full screen mode. The sound is just great. Since the episodes are on different tracks, it will take time to load when you move on to the next episode. Like on your regular DVD player, you can skip the warnings & logos when you load the disc, just use the "menu" option to go to the menu screen.
Overall DVD Rating:
The final showdown. The last three episodes & the end of the series, but will there be a second season to this dramatic series?
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