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1997 CE Turn of the millennium Arts & culture

DVD-Video Launches in Japan

DVD-Video titles first reached Japanese consumers in November 1996 with broader regional launches through 1997.

Setting the scene

MPEG-2 compression and dual-layer manufacturing pushed factories to retool from CD lines while rental chains like Blockbuster hedged formats.

What happened

CSS encryption annoyed cinephiles who imported discs; DeCSS lawsuits became hacker folklore.

Why it still matters

Commentary tracks and deleted scenes turned physical extras into collector culture. Memorable detail: red vs. blue laser branding skirmishes previewed Blu-ray vs HD DVD confusion.

Background

DVDs funded a transition era before broadband streaming, influencing aspect-ratio wars and region-code hacking subcultures.

Sources

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