(the many) Shades of SEED
Every major show, OVA, or movie in the Gundam franchise is now available on blu-ray. And as such, all the analog-first material has now been remastered in some form for a HD presentation. Thankfully, everything upto and including Turn A Gundam is generally faithful to its source: retaining the original 📺 4:3, or other, aspect ratio; and with minimal interference.
Minus a few exceptions, what you’ll watch today is relatively close to the originals, bar some unsavory digital upscaling effects (ringing artifacts being the main culprit).
Japanese edition Blu-rays
Gundam SEED, the odd one out
A byproduct of its digital-first production in the early 00s, Gundam SEED’s master files are limited to a classic 4:3 aspect ratio at standard-def resolution. Sadly the digital master exports max out at that resolution; whereas photographed-cell masters of older shows can actually equate to a higher pixel resolution when scanned.
This isn’t so much an issue for subsequent shows, with Gundam OO the first to be animated with a 16:9 ratio at a 720p base-HD spec.
Making a classic ‘contemporary’
With SEED’s popularity sky-high in the 2000s, an ambitious undertaking was announced in the run-up to the show’s 10th Anniversary. And it was certainly interesting! A comprehensive HD Remaster for both SEED & SEED DESTINY, with the ambition to deliver a contemporary widescreen 16:9 presentation; even including newly animated scenes.
The reality didn’t hit home perfectly. Many of the original 4:3 scenes were hard-cropped ✂️ to meet the 16:9 ratio — losing information and giving the show a much ‘tighter’ look when compared to its original vision. And with multiple edits to vocal tracks; adjusted characterization due to the new animations; and numerous edits throughout… it’s fair to consider the HD Remaster an alternative version of the show. It’s certainly not a direct replacement, which is a shame since the originals are gated to 20-year-old DVD releases. There’s simply no official option in 2025 to watch a less-compressed, upscaled version of the 4:3 cut.
In this single scene, Cagalli’s folded arms are now out of frame, and the whole composition is much more intimate — for better or worse.
Kira’s expression is notably different between these two examples, stylistic changes aside.
How many versions, did you say?
Where things become more complex, is that the HD Remaster wasn’t in fact the first time SEED and SEED DESTINY had been cropped to 16:9. That ‘award’ goes to the Special Edition compilation movies, which released only months after the original show aired. Many of the ‘new’ animation edits for the HD Remaster even originated in those movies.
So what was the deal here? How many editions of SEED are there? Well since you asked:
Original TV Broadcast. The OG 4:3 edition.
DVD. The 4:3 TV Broadcast, with some minor edits. Considered the definitive edition of the original show.
Special Edition Movies. 16:9 presentation with new animated scenes, and major narrative edits.
HD Remaster TV Broadcast. A hybrid of the original TV Broadcast and Special Edition movies, with even more new scenes. The 16:9 crop slightly differs from the Special Edition. Includes new music placements, and arrangements.
HD Remaster Blu-ray. The HD Remaster TV Broadcast, with additional edits and animated scenes.
Special Edition Movies HD Remaster. Based on the Special Edition Movies, but with additional animations & music from the HD Remaster added. The 16:9 crop slightly differs from every version prior.
That’s.. at least 6 separate edits of the one show, each with distinct visual differences. 💦
Examples of the various crops applied, from four out of the six editions
For viewers who aren’t familiar with SEED in its original, truest form — I’m dedicating a series of in-depth posts to breaking down the visual differences between editions. For now, I’ll compare two editions: the original DVDs, and the HD Remaster Blu-rays. This should cover the majority of changes whilst ensuring the project is something I can feasibly commit to. I will aim to call out new animations that originated in the Special Edition releases.
More to come next week!
