Studios have released a few movies in a combo disc format in which one side contains the HD DVD version, and the other side has the standard DVD format. HD DVD players can also support the TWIN format which puts both HD and SD on the same side of a disc. TWIN format features 1 layer for SD and 1 for HD content, all on the same side of the disc. The drawback is that HD content is limited to using only half the space it would need. This problem was solved by a triple-layer version, in which the HD content gets two layers, which means that you can get a full HD movie product instead of one that’s missing some HD content.

Only a handful of movies have been made in TWIN format, and the first disc to come out in the triple-layer format is Freedom Vol. 1 from Bandai Visual, which also happens to be the first North American HD DVD anime disc. It’s being made available in the US before coming out in Japan, and coincides with the Anime Expo taking place in Long Beach, California from June 29-July 2. This is the first episode in a series, and is less than half and hour in length. If you’re really into anime (or this particular series) or want to try out something totally new for your HD DVD and HDTV, then you’ll probably get this disc anyway.

Hooking up your HD DVD player to the internet (which is something you should do just for the easy firmware updates alone) allows you to take advantage of HDi features on this title. Speaking of firmware updates, make sure you’ve updated to the latest HD DVD firmware for your player to ensure that you’ll enjoy everything about this disc.