During these episodes, we learn a little more about the pasts of Faye Valentine and Jet Black. In "My Funny Valentine," it is revealed that Faye was cryogenically frozen for 54 years after being in an accident. The medical science of her time couldn't heal her wounds, but it was hoped that if she were frozen, she could be reawakened at a time when the medical community had a means of healing her.In "Black Dog Serenade," the viewer finds out what caused Jet to get his cybernetic implants. "Mushroom Samba" feels more like a "filler" episode - one that really doesn't advance the plot, and it features Ed and Ein and the mishaps they have trying to find food for the crew of the Bebop after the ship is forced to crash-land. And in "Speak Like a Child," Faye receives a mysterious package, which contains an "old-fashioned" videocassette; Jet and Spike go to great lengths to find out what exactly is contained on the tape.
When the main menu for this DVD comes up, it's just like the menu from the previous three Remix volumes. The menu is animated and interactive, but the navigation on the main menu can be a little troublesome. However, once you access the sub-menus, the navigation is a lot easier.
Just like on the previous remix DVDs, when you access the main menu, you can choose from the following options: you can choose to play the episodes, go into the setup menu, or watch the bonus features. In the setup menu, you can choose one of the following audio options: English Stereo, Japanese Stereo, English Dolby Digital 5.1, or Japanese Dolby Digital 5.1; in this menu, you can also choose whether or not you want to see the subtitles. I definitely appreciate this layout for the setup menu better than how the setup selections were done on the original DVD pressings of these discs.
For extras, this disc includes commentary on the episode "Mushroom Samba"; providing the commentary are the director (Shinichiro Watanabe) and the composer (Yoko Kanno). There are also previews for other Bandai DVD releases (Mars Daybreak, Planetes, and Gundam Seed). You can also find the DVD credits in this menu.
If you only want the episodes and really don't care about bonus features or remixed audio, then the original pressing of Volume 4 will be sufficient. However, if you want more bonus features, remixed audio, and a better-looking menu, then you might prefer this "remix" pressing of Volume 4 instead.
In order to write this review, I checked out a copy of this DVD through the King County Library System. My husband and I later purchased our own copy.
| My Funny Valentine Black Dog Serenade Mushroom Samba Speak Like a Child Bonus Features |
