The Digital Video Drug (ED! #15)

I'm not sure yet, but I think I may have finally found an addiction.
Nothing bad, just good honest technology. That technology is DVD.

Okay, DVD has been around for a while. It's not exactly new. And while it's just like me to squander my money on something new and technological and expensive, DVD is something I've been holding off on.

There really is absolutely no reason to buy DVD unless there's something that you want to see on it. And for ages, there wasn't anything.

Sure, I could enjoy Armageddon or Independence Day or all manner of huge boomy sci-fi movies in the comfort of my own home, getting the full home cinema experience that only DVD provides.

But I have a 14 inch telly. It's not even stereo. (What would the point be? I have cable!)

It's true, it's true.

So for all these reasons and more, I had not submitted to the allure of DVD. Okay, when South Park was available, that got me quite close to the edge, but I resisted.

And ever since then, I've been looking for a reason to get DVD.

And then I found it. The other night.

Remember all those times I've talked about my favourite Japanese animated series, Tenchi Muyo?

I heard they released it on DVD. In a box set.

Now I already OWN Tenchi Muyo on VHS. I bought all seven tapes. And two more of the "Pretty Sammy" spin-off - although I didn't think it was quite so good.

But now I can experience the joy of buying them again - this time on DVD. A diddy little disc the size of a CD. And all digital, so I can't wear it out or crease it.

It was too much. I cracked. I ordered the DVD (from America, no less) the moment I saw it. Of course it isn't here yet. It's a box set - DVD code for "two discs", as far as I can tell. Since it's worth about ninety dollars it's bound to be stopped by customs and I'll have to pay import duty on it.. but I don't mind.

It's great. I'm quite looking forward to it.

Except I don't yet own a DVD player.

I'm working on that. I'm trying to find one that does what I want, but once I find it, oh yes, it will be mine.

In the meantime, I've been looking at what else is out on DVD.

The answer is - nothing.
Okay, not exactly nothing. A few movies, but generally speaking, not a lot I'm interested in. Not at first sight, anyway.

Here is where "DVD Region Coding" comes in.

Those who know about this, do indulge me while I explain it for those that don't. Basically every DVD is given a region number (from 1 to 6) depending on which part of the world it comes from. The region coding is used so that you can't buy a DVD from, say, Region 1 - America (where they are cheaper and more plentiful) and watch it in the UK - Region 2. Because that would be wrong. Apparently.

But region coding is easy to get around - you just get a player that ignores the regions. So no problems there.

There aren't many Region 2 (UK/Europe/Japan) releases around. But I did notice that you can get the first eight episodes of 'Dilbert' on DVD.

Had to have it.

Oh, and the only other interesting show you can get on Region 2 DVD is Farscape. I like Farscape. It's on BBC2 on Monday evenings - when there's no cricket or football or tennis going on, that is.

I don't know why I like Farscape. Actually I do. I like Chiana. Quite how she manages to remain entirely black and white while the rest of the series around her continues in full colour is something I haven't yet worked out, but I don't care. I like her. She has a nice nose, and blonde hair. Okay, grey hair. But if she weren't in black and white I'm sure it would be blonde. She's not nearly old enough to have real grey hair, I'm sure.

Where was I? Okay, Farscape is coming out on DVD.

Had to have it.

Okay, I'm about 150 quid down on DVDs, most of which are still in the mail, and I still don't have a player. I'll get around to that, I'm sure.

I need more..

I spent some more time looking at the DVDs you can get in America. They don't have Dilbert there, but they do seem to have lots of anime.

I lost count of how many Pokemon DVDs there are. But Pokemon is not something that I want to own forever, so it's not something I need to worry about too much.

Then I found my absolute favourite series in the history of the world ever. Slayers.

Or rather, I found the movie. The series hasn't been released on DVD in America. And you can forget any hope of seeing it in the UK, I'm sure of that. But at least I found the movie. On DVD.

Had to have it.

So with the exception of the Dilbert DVDs, which have now arrived, the rest of my DVD collection is in the mail. Which is fine, because at the moment, may I emphasise, I still don't have a DVD player.

I never thought after all this time that the thing which would be mostly responsible for me finally breaking and getting into DVD would be anime.

Mm, anime.. All those great series. All so collectible - and expensive.. I feel an addiction coming on.

I haven't seen any of my DVDs yet, and I'm already thinking of what to buy next. I see that Ranma 1/2 is out on DVD. That always looked like fun. Should I buy just the first volume or the entire boxed set?

But what about Slayers? My absolute favourite anime of all time. And this time it's one I don't own on VHS, so it'd almost be like seeing it for the first time.

But it's not out on DVD! Not in America, not in the UK. I could get it on nasty old VHS but... well, what's the point. I own a DVD player now! Well, I don't, but I will. Flickery old videotapes are so last year.

But there's something funny about the way that DVD regions work. Because Region 2 isn't just the UK and Europe.. Oh no, it's Japan too. Japan! Home of Japanese animation! (Where better than there, after all?)

I did some searching, and found that Slayers (did I mention it was my absolute favourite series of all time?) IS out on DVD. In Japan. In Japanese. Well, I'm sure they'll have English subtitles. I could risk it. I could buy the discs for.. um.. sixty dollars American. Per disc. And there are truckloads of them.

Oh, it hurts! Oh, the pain! Somebody, please stop me!

Should I buy them individually, or just get the whole box set?

Gotta have 'em all..