K-On! Blu-Ray US vs. JP screenshot comparisons (vol 1)

As a follow-up to yesterday’s Blu-Ray comparison, I have prepared a series of screenshot comparisons between the Japanese Blu-Ray and Bandai’s North American edition. I’ll say this; if there is one aspect in which the US release does not disappoint, it’s in the video quality. To my eyes, the screenshots from the US disc are remarkably similar, damn near identical, to the ones from the Japanese disc. In fact, in several of these pictures I can’t see any difference at all, and in the ones I do the loss of quality is almost imperceptible even under close scrutiny. And these are single frame screenshots – when in motion, I can’t imagine anyone would be able to tell any difference in video quality at all. But feel free to judge for yourself.

Japanese screenshots on top, US screenshots below. Click to view full size.

RAWK!

It's a bird! It's a plane! No, it's... a tired old Superman reference that hasn't been funny in twenty years.

Sparkle, sparkle.

HD is so awesome! The grain is clearer than ever!!

Yui narrowly escapes being raped by Krauser-san.

The power of moe summons a demon rabbit to assist in the stylish musical number.

If a performance by Sakura High's Light Music Club can't calm the inmates down, nothing can.

"Sleepwalking, shmeepwalking! I'm getting tired of following her around!"

Our first glimpse into Ritsu's personal life.

The members of the Light Music Club! Going on a train ride!

This one time at band camp, I played with fireworks and pretended to play guitar.

Ritsu's death marks the beginning of the infamous "Mio on the lam" arc.

And there you have it.