Advanced Anime Discussion (2 Viewers)

[Jeff Ulmer]

Anyone else notice the El Hazard OVAs on ebay are all listed as four disc sets? There will be some unhappy bidders come closing time.
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Link Removed | Burt Lancaster is Link Removed | dOc

 

[Kong Chang]

Brian,
If you are planning on purchasing VCDs of the Miyazaki films, do note that VCDs have hard-burned subtitled on the picture and it cannot be removed and most likely will only be subtitled in Chinese. Now the DVDs on the other hand, albeit both are illegal, will most likely have Chinese and English, but the English is based off a fanscript that they stole from someplace.
Just buy the R2 DVDs. All the Miyazaki movies come in a 2-Disc set, and they do include English dubbed and English subtitled or dubtitled. They are priced at 4700 yen per movie, which ain't a bad price, considering they used to cost double that (9800 yen) long ago when they were out on VHS and LD.
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Ken,
25 episodes for the whole 1st series of Berserk (there may be a 2nd series made in Japan...still TBD). 5 episodes per disc will make it 5 volumes (I believe the Japanese has 7 or 8 volumes which will allow them to up the bitrate for the video).
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Jeff
There are only 3 DVDs in the OVA boxset...no 4...they probably don't know since they never opened them up.

 

[Joe_C]

Is there an "official" release date for the NGE movies yet? Just a short while ago it was "definitely October", then it became "Q1 2002". Yesterday, I was at Borders and just started flipping through the latest issue of Anime Invasion. In their release section they stated that EoE is a definite September release. I know that their is a delay between the time the material is written and when it's published, but are they that behind with their news or has the date changed? I really need to finish NGE up. I've started watching the series again -- for the 3rd time
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Digital Hoard
[Edited last by Joe_C on August 14, 2001 at 08:17 PM]

 

[Kong Chang]

Official word, from what I read, was released in January, 2002. Postponed from the October, 2001, due date.

Oh well...you can never trust Manga (aka Mangle) Entertainment.
K.C.
P.S. And Joe, if you want to see the movies earlier than the releasal from Manga, write to me.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

NGE movies release dates
VHS-December 2001
DVD-January 2002
Keep in mind that after months of feedback from people about what they wanted in the DVD, they decided to push the release. There are a lot of things connected with the films (The Red Cross Book, music, the actualy TV episodes, etc.) and they are probably adding a lot of things. Trust me, the wait is worth it (I've seen the movies).
A little word of warning: the movies don't exactly finish the series the way people think it would. It's more of a rewriting of the series in a more literal meaning. You'll see. Also, the first part (of the two parts) of the first movie has scenes from the series mixed together. Since they don't have the rights to the series, they need to redub the whole thing, which means the dub might not be the same as the episodes. Don't worry though, as I'm sure it will make sense nonetheless.
[Edited last by Morgan Jolley on August 14, 2001 at 09:46 PM]

 

[Ken Stuart]

Yes, but how long are the episodes of Berserk in minutes (roughly) ?

 

[Joe_C]

Since they don't have the rights to the series, they need to redub the whole thing, which means the dub might not be the same as the episodes.

I thought they were using the same VA's as the series? I distinctly remember reading a quote from a panel Tiffany Grant (Asuka) was on. She basically said that everyone from the series is on board for the movies. I don't know if that was the official word, or if that was just conjecture on the part of Ms. Grant.
Kong,
How is the R2 boxset of the Record of Lodoss War OVA? I am so upset that the op and ed songs were cut. I didn't know how mad until I actually got to hear the ending song which was FINALLY played after episode 5. I heard it in both languages and, surprisingly, they both sound great. Very beautiful, yet still catchy.
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Digital Hoard

 

[Morgan Jolley]

In the NGE movie Death & Rebirth, the entire show is summed up (in a sense) and they show scenes from the series, along with some added footage (that footage was later added to the last few episodes of the home versions of the series in Japan, that way the movies made more sense I guess). Since they use snippets from the TV series, they use the original dialogue and voices, but since Manga doesn't have the rights to the original series, they will have to redub the scenes that are in the movie that are taken from the series. Don't understand? When you get the first movie, watch it. Then, watch a scene that was in both the movie and the series, and there is a chance that the american dialogue sounds different or is different between the scene in the movie and the series, and that the japanese dialogue is the same. Nonetheless, it won't affect the movie at all and might make it better than the series script.
They will use the same VAs though. All except for a few (minor roles) have been reassembled. I heard Fuyutski's VA won't be there, but I'm not sure. That would suck since Fuyutski has a whole series of dialogue in the second movie.
[Edited last by Morgan Jolley on August 15, 2001 at 12:25 AM]

 

[Joe_C]

Oh ok, your previous post made it sound like they were using new dub actors, but now they are just going back and redubbing it with the same actors, or most of the same. Sounds good.
I've seen the series in both languages, but for some reason, even though I know firsthand that the Japanese language is better having heard it myself, I still prefer the dub for this series. I guess it's because the first time I ever saw the series was the dub tapes I rented from my video store. For me at least, the English Asuka and Gendo Ikari VA's have "become the characters" in my mind, if you understand what I'm saying.
When I see the admittedly superior Japanese language version, the characters, those two specifically, just seem "wrong". Since I was first subjected to the English version, that's the only way the series seems "right" to me. I know it's dumb, but my stubborn subconscious won't let me change my ways

I really hope that all made sense.
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I tried to give the Record of Lodoss War dub another chance after switching tracks to hear the English version of the ending song. OMG it is so bad! Like I said before, the acting isn't the main problem, it's the casting! Parn's Japanese actor actually sounds like a frustrated wannabe-soldier. The English actor sounds like a pacifist she-man, unsure of what gender he/she wants to be. As a side note, my brother was playing Zelda: The Ocarina of Time for N64 while I was watching RoLW today, and Parn's seiyuu sounds JUST like Link in the way that both grunt and yell, especially during the scene where Parn is practicing his swordmanship with Ghim.
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Digital Hoard

 

[Morgan Jolley]

If you think the Japanese VAs didn't fit, watch it with the French ones. I am taking French 3 Honors next year (gonna be a Sophomore in HS when school starts again) and I could understand some of the dialogue, but its still weird sounding. Haven't listened to the Spanish one though.

 

[Kong Chang]

Ken,
Each episode is 25 minutes roughly (which is the average length of most anime TV episodes).
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Joe,
The R2 Boxset of Record of Lodoss War OVA is gorgeous! It is the smaller form of the new LD Boxset (limited edition) and the DVD boxset is also limited edition. Gorgeous edition, plus it also contains limited edition stuff that comes with only limited edition boxsets. Not sure what it is since I don't own the R2 DVD boxset, but am looking for a used copy.
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[Joe_C]

Kong,
I'm really tempted to buy the R2 box. But that would mean I'd have to go and buy an all region player. Plus, that would open the door to all the Miyazaki films we are currently being deprived of. That's all well and good as long as they're giving the DVD's away My wallet's really going to suffer.
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Digital Hoard

 

[Kong Chang]

Joe,
Let me see if I can find a pic of the DVD. I know I have it somewhere. I'll scan it and post it up here.
K.C.

 

[Kong Chang]

Okay, found it...from an advertisement in Newtype Magazine (Japanese anime mag), Sept. 1999 issue.
Here is the full page color add for the promo of the DVD Boxset that was released in Nov. '99.

A little more close up of the box (although not really good pic):

If you want a bigger picture of the advertisement, you may see it by clicking here .
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The DVD Box Contains (if you check out the number next to the contents in the above picture):
1) Ltd. Ed. Box Case, illustrations art by original character designer, Yutaka Izubuchi, and is original
2) 6 DVD Discs, 13 episodes of the OVA, each DVD sleeve cover comes with an original illustrated design by the original character designer, Yutaka Izubuchi.
3) OVA Soundtrack Album 1 - 3 (3 discs)
4) 32 pages booklet detailing the world of Lodoss (with pictures I suppose)
Price of the R2 DVD Boxset (limited) is/was 42,000 Yen (roughly USD$347.00 in current exchange rate...back when it came out...it was closer to being USD$400 because the Yen was stronger). (And the 42,000 yen is no joke...let me see, three albums are 3,000 yen each, so that makes it 9,000 yen there. Each DVD disc is probably 5800 yen each (this is Victor Ent.'s current charge for 2 episodes per dvd for R2 DVD), so that's 34,800 yen, then you have the box and booklet. So far, that would add up to more than 46,000 yen).
Kadokawa Shoten, who owns Lodoss, although released through Victor Entertainment, has no plans on re-releasing the DVDs in individual DVDs in the near future. So, basically, R1 & R2 people are screwed. R1 people get a crappy transfer, crappy this and that, while the R2 people, those who didn't buy it, have to wait until a used copy becomes available or wait until Kadokawa Shoten asks Victor to do individual DVD releases. Either way, Record of Lodoss War OVA can't truly be savored correctly.
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K.C.
[Edited last by Kong Chang on August 15, 2001 at 04:02 AM]

 

[Morgan Jolley]

Is it just me or is it weird seeing the same words pop up in anime discussions? We keep hearing the names of VAs, directors, studios, companies, etc. Then again, we constantly hear names like SONY and MicroSoft and Nintendo when talking about videogames

 

[Kong Chang]

Sorry, bumping up. ^^^^^^
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Bring on the DVDs!
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K.C.

 

[Joe_C]

quote: Is it just me or is it weird seeing the same words pop up in anime discussions?[/quote]
Not really. Like the example you stated with regards to the console Big Four (Sega is still considered a major player), practically every industry has its "key contributors" who are the cream of the crop. Name any profession, and there will always be those who are at the top of the heap, and continue to excel at what they do. Thus earning whatever recognition they get. They are the Miyazaki's, Anno's, and Kanno's of their respective fields
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Digital Hoard
[Edited last by Joe_C on August 17, 2001 at 12:33 AM]

 

[Ken Stuart]

Each episode is 25 minutes roughly (which is the average length of most anime TV episodes).

Then, 5 episodes per disk could hardly be a problem in tersm of bitrate.
5x25 = 125, which is 2:05 .
On this HTF site, you will notice that time and again, The Fifth Element is mentioned as being one of the best DVD transfers ever. That is 2:06 .
The Big Blue by the same director, is 2:48 and is rated 4 out of 5 in image quality by Widescreen Review (just an example).
So, 2:05 seems hardly excessive, especially if the cost per DVD is the same, and there is a savings.

 

[Mark Zimmer]

And it should be a piece of cake with a dual layer disc. Unfortunately, that happens all too seldom.

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"This movie has warped my fragile little mind."

 

[Brian Kidd]

Sigh. Unfortunately, a region-free player is a tad out of my league at the moment. Maybe if I get around to getting a DVD-ROM for my computer, I can somehow "fix" it to watch Region 2 discs. I'm sure that by that time, Disney still won't have gotten around to releasing any more Myazaki films.