Future Boy Conan (1978)
未来少年コナン
TV series • Animation, Action & Adventure, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Family
Cast: Noriko Ohara, Mieko Nobusawa
Best video release
Best audio release
Any of the Blu-rays, they're all the same with only minor differences (Dynit 4K Blu-ray is 24-bit). Previous sources are from an inferior transfer, and minor censorship.
Compare the discs
About the series
After the great disaster of 2008, a war that destroyed the planet, the world is now largely ocean with the continents having sunk. Conan lives on a remote island with his grandpa and nature, never having seen another human being. But one day a mysterious girl, Lana, washes up on his beach. The two become quick friends, but she’s soon kidnapped and taken to Industria, a technological remainder from the world before. Conan leaves his island in pursuit, braving new lands and many hardships with new friends and enemies just beyond the horizon.
- Alternative Titles
- Conan, the Boy in Future
TV series
Original TV Version: Japan LaserDisc, US OOP Bandai DVD for English dub
"Remix" Remaster: Italy Dynit Blu-ray, US Funimation/Crunchyroll Blu-ray for English dub
The "Remix" remaster has slightly different cuts for some episodes, and completely redone audio mixes. The original TV version of the English dub also has an entirely different audio mix from either the Japanese mix or the "Remix" remaster.
Japan Disney 4K Blu-ray for the original Japanese audio with the best English subtitle translation
US Funimation Blu-ray for the Bandai dub
Manga Entertainment UK Blu-ray for the Manga Entertainment dub
4K remastered US theatrical re-release in 2024 courtesy of GKIDS with either the Japanese audio with Disney's English subtitles or the English dub by Bandai
Not yet confirmed for a US home video release
Japan "4K Remastered" Disney Blu-ray has the original 6.1 mix
Japan Disney 4K Blu-ray for the DTS:X remix
Funimation US Blu-ray for the Bandai dub
Manga Entertainment UK Blu-ray for the Manga Entertainment dub
Italy Dynit Blu-ray has the best picture quality but has no English subtitles or original theatrical 6.1 mix.
All "4K Remastered" and 4K Blu-ray releases (including from Disney) are taken from a 35mm filmout rather than the original digital source, and then heavily DNR'd, destroying original detail and making lines smearier than before. The Japan Disney 4K Blu-ray is the least bad presentation of the 4K remaster, being encoded with a very healthy bitrate and HDR10+ metadata, and with a top-notch DTS:X remix, with the original 6.1 mix included on the pack-in "4K Remastered" Blu-ray.
The film has multiple English subtitle translations, and the Disney subtitles done by Linda Hoaglund and Judith Aley with Aura are often seen as the best translation, with these subtitles present on the Japan Disney 4K Blu-ray, making this the definitive option for viewers who want to watch the film in Japanese with English subtitles.
Director: Katsuhiro Otomo
Video format: 1080p Blu-ray
Sources: vimeo.com (opens in a new tab) · YouTube (opens in a new tab) · Imgur (opens in a new tab)
Japan 4K Blu-ray beats the other 4Ks and includes English subtitles
All 4K releases are upscales of the same master with a substantial amount of DNR.
1988 Pioneer JP LaserDisc for the original 1988 home video audio
2001 Dynit IT Blu-ray for the 2001 remix
2009 Bandai Visual JP Blu-ray / 2011 MHE UK Blu-ray for the Hypersonic remix
1992 Criterion US LaserDisc for the 1988 Streamline English dub
Due to budgetary constraints, the original theatrical mix was mono. It was replaced with Dolby Surround for all subsequent releases and was never re-released.
LaserDisc is the best souning version of the original home video mix, as all later releases attentuate bass significantly and lower dynamic range. Comparison
The Japanese audio was remixed in 5.1 twice, first time in 2001 for the DVD release, and second time in 2009 for the BD release ("Hypersonic" remix). While the 2001 remix remains mostly faithful to the 1988 mix, the 2009 Hypersonic remix is highly revisionistic. However, its fidelity is outstanding, and despite many changes made, it's a worthwhile alternative experience for fans of the film. The 4K release includes the Hypersonic mix, but with a tonne of unnecessary noise reduction and unbalanced levels.
Comparison between mixes, list of changes between mixes
Director: Makoto Shinkai
Director: Makoto Shinkai
More Animation on Blu-ray
Director: Kenji Iwaisawa
Video format: 1080p Blu-ray
TV series
Video format: 1080p Blu-ray
Directors: David Hand & Ben Sharpsteen & William Cottrell & Larry Morey & Perce Pearce & Wilfred Jackson
Mono track is on the included Blu-ray; 4K Blu-ray missing original mono. LaserDisc probably better
Director: Satoshi Kon
Sources: Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab)
Directors: Chris Appelhans & Maggie Kang
"Sing-Along Edition" not included on the Criterion 4K Blu-ray, only available on Netflix Streaming
Director: Masaaki Yuasa
Director: Mamoru Oshii
Bandai JP 4K Blu-ray
Sources: slow.pics (opens in a new tab)
All 4K releases are sourced from the same mediocre transfer provided by Bandai, with various amounts of tweaks. Japanese disc presents it with the least tinkering.
The best attempt at improving it comes from the German/French releases from KSM/All the Anime, both of which use the same master with HDR regrading (original grade is SDR in HDR container), tasteful regraining and sharpening, in an attempt to breathe some life into the middling transfer, making for an arguably more pleasing viewing experience.
All earlier releases are from an even worse transfer, with significant black crush, with the exception of a Japanese TV airing, which doesn't suffer from that issue, but instead is heavily sharpened and suffers from poor encoding.
Comparisons: JPN UHD, USA UHD, FRA/GER UHD, ITA UHD (tonemapped), JPN UHD, USA UHD, FRA/GER UHD, ITA UHD, ESP UHD (PQ), All 1080p BDs, HDTV, HDTV filtered
Original matrixed stereo mix: Bandai JP 4K Blu-ray
Most discs include this track with comparable fidelity (which is excellent).
Dolby Atmos remix: Lionsgate US 4K / All the Anime FR 4K
6.1 remix (from Ghost in the Shell 2.0): KSM DE 4K / All the Anime FR 4K
All tracks on the Lionsgate US 4K replace the original ending song with the one heard on the English dub. As the Atmos track on the FR 4K is just a port, it also has this song replaced.
Japanese 4K includes English dub and subtitles.
French/German 4Ks are not English friendly, with no dub or subtitles.
French disc includes the Atmos track, but the German disc does not.
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