★★★★☆ (4/5 – For nostalgia, though the quality is dated)
The tape’s anti-piracy warning featuring the Pixar lamp is adorable. However, my copy (released 2003) has started to show "tracking issues"—those white static lines during the shark scene actually make the animatics look cooler.
Let’s be honest: VHS was not kind to widescreen cinema. This is the dreaded "Pan & Scan" version (fullscreen 4:3). You lose about 40% of the image. Remember the beautiful shot of the jellyfish forest? On VHS, you’re mostly looking at Marlin’s fin while the horror to his right is cropped out. Also, fast-forwarding to find the "Just keep swimming" scene requires the patience of Dory herself.
