Because these patched versions are community-made, finding them requires knowing where to look safely. 1. Official Streaming Remasters
In 2018, a major development occurred that seemed to answer fans' prayers. The show was officially "edited and remastered" for the Chinese streaming service Tencent Video. This was a significant event, with over 160 million people viewing it within the first week. However, for the dedicated fan community, this official "HD" remaster was a disappointment.
Keeping the original 4:3 aspect ratio intact to preserve every inch of the original frame, but sharpening the video quality within that box.
[Original 2001 Source] ──> [AI Upscaling & De-interlacing] ──> [Color & Audio Patches] ──> [HD Patched Result]
The master tapes recorded in 480i resolution.
| Quality Level | Source Format | Approximate Resolution | Visual Characteristics | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | VCD / TV Broadcast | 352 x 240 (SD) | Very low resolution, soft or blurry image. Visible compression artifacts and blockiness. | | Official DVD | DVD | 720 x 480 (SD) | Standard Definition. A baseline improvement; clearer than VCD but still noticeably low-res by modern standards, with soft edges and limited fine detail. | | 2018 Official Remaster | Streaming (Tencent) | Upscaled to 1080p | Sharper image with noise reduction and color correction. However, still visibly derived from the standard-definition source and may have an artificially smooth texture. | | AI Upscale Fan Patch | Fan-made (from a DVD source) | 1080p or 4K | A significant increase in perceived sharpness. AI attempts to reconstruct fine details in hair, fabric, and background textures. Quality can vary greatly by tool and scene. |