January 2012 Edition
by Neil Lumbard, John Sinnott, and Wen-Tsai
One Piece Collection DVD
Set's... here we come!
It's been a bit too long since the last column! We've been going
through tons of anime titles here at DVDTalk and it's been a
pleasure to be able to check out some great releases over the past
month. Perhaps the most exciting new releases we have seen recently
are the new re-releases of the classic anime
Dragon Ball Z on the Blu-ray format. Or how about
the awesome
One Piece
collection sets containing two Voyage DVD releases in one? Then we
really got into the new
Fairy
Tail releases... the episodes are just so much fun and we
can't seem to get enough of 'em! We even saw the conclusion of two
favorites:
Yu Yu Hakusho Season
4 arrived on Blu-ray and
Revolutionary Girl Utena received it's final
artbox set of goodness on DVD.
The anime industry is in a peculiar place at the moment.
Everyone at DVD Talk has noticed this growing trend. Studios
that manufacture and release DVD and Blu-ray anime sets are
suffering and it's largely due to a decrease in demand. Anime is
becoming more of a niche segment of the population and this
leads to a lack of sales amongst less serious and devoted fans.
Bandai Entertainment announced that while they will retain the
rights until they expire to their current catalog of series that
no more DVD or Blu-ray's will become available from them in the
future (with the exception being titles already scheduled for
February -- like the second half of the original Gundam. Phew!),
and this is certainly not news that anyone is happy about. No
Turn A Gundam. And what happens to the possibility of favorites
like Cowboy Bebop or Outlaw Star becoming available on Blu-ray
to stateside fans? We'll have to wait it out and see. Other
companies have seen cutbacks of employees in dramatic numbers
and one of the biggest anime companies in America is now suing
several other anime studios over financial issues that will
ultimately affect the audience -- in both good and bad ways.
Having said all of that, this is partially a long-winded way of
us trying to remind the diehards out there that the anime DVD
purchases you make do have a considerable impact on the industry
stateside. We want to see our favorite series continue to be
imported and released. We always hope for Blu-ray upgrades of
favorites and fancy packaging for the coolest new show around.
It's part of being an anime fan and collector, so do yourself a
favorite and consider how much joy is derived from the anime
distributed by the likes of Funimation and RightStuf and support
the hard-work of these companies with your continued purchases.
The loyal following is the best kind of following to have and
right now the continued support of those who treasure the anime
art form the most is not only needed, but it's well appreciated.
I mean, come on... dude! There's so many great releases coming out each week.
It makes us so happy to be able to cover these awesome titles
for everyone so that people can continue to find out about the
best anime series out there and enjoy them as much as we have. This is all
coming from one anime fan to another.
Now on another note... involving
importing
titles outside of North America. We realize it's ironic! But one of
our writer/reviewers, Neil Lumbard, noticed that Australia has
complete season sets of the entire
Pokemon anime series (English dubbed only though).
This seems like an excellent way to view the entire show. It's had a
bad track-record here in the States with many random-episode
releases and only a few sets. None of these DVD's have really
presented the show in the way it deserves to be seen. You can order
them from
JB
Hi-Fi and for anyone looking for the first few films in
anamorphic widescreen as well (again, with English language audio)
you can import the recently released Japanese DVD re-releases at a
"bargain" price (Not really, but it still might be worthwhile
considering the films are technically OOP on DVD in the US). Those
can be found through
YesAsia.
Thus concludes our random free promotion for import
Pokemon DVD releases. Keep in
mind that you need a Region Free DVD player that is capable of
playing these Region 4 discs.
Disney
has continued to not announce more Studio Ghibli titles on
Blu-ray. Whisper
of the Heart is now available in High Definition
in the United Kingdom. You will need a Region Free Blu-ray player
capable of playing Region B Blu-ray discs.
Looking for affordable anime following the post-Christmas season? We
sorta figured you might still have some titles to purchase, like the
ones that you included on a wish-list but might still be needing to
pick up because it just didn't work out gift-wise for some strange
reason. The S.A.V.E. (Super Amazing Value Edition) product line from
FUNimation Entertainment is one possibility. The product line
launched back in 2010, and offers a wide range of anime DVD and
Blu-ray releases from MSRP of $9.98 to $34.98.
●
Bamboo Blade |
Part
1 Review - Are you looking for a sports anime that's a bit
different? Bamboo Blade may fit the bill. It's a fun, slice of life
kendo anime that may even interest the non-sport anime fans.
● Heroic Age (
DVD
/
Blu-ray) |
BD
review - One of the better space opera anime by XEBEC in
recent years involving mecha. One of the unique aspects of the
series is its blend of mythological concepts.
●
Mushi-Shi |
Vol.1
Review - A wonderfully animated series that's different than
most anime released in the U.S. in the last couple years. And if you
add supernatural beings (mushi) to the setting and some folklore
based ideas, you get a very unique series.
●
Romeo x Juliet
|
Part
1 Review - An anime series loosely based on William
Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. It's more than just love and
tragedy. Are you ready to look at Romeo and Juliet with a different
perspective?
●
Shuffle! |
Original
Boxset Review - A worthwhile series to look at for the harem
genre fans. Even with parts that feel clichéd, the series can
still be cute and fun to watch with some serious dramatic moments
mixed in.
WTK's January News Tidbits
Presented
by Wen-Tsai King
Aniplex of America recently announced their latest direct Japanese
import release plans for
Fate/Zero,
the prequel to Fate/stay Night (previously licensed by Geneon
Entertainment USA). The first of two Blu-ray boxsets is scheduled
for a 3/7/2012 release (retailed at $498.98). Some of the extras
include bonus CDs and production material booklet.
In late November, online retailer RightStuf.com announced that anime
classic: Neon Genesis Evangelion (TV) is going
out
of print (originally licensed by ADV Films). It's uncertain
when the TV series will be license rescued by another North American
distributor. Two version of the ADV boxsets are still available at
RightStuf.com:
platinum
collection (thinpak) and
holiday edition.
It's time to pick up this series if it't not in your anime library
already. Bandai's lisence of Wolf's Rain has also expired and
unfortunately the series has gone out of print. Pick it up if you
can find it while you still might be able to.
The
Latest DVDTalk Anime Reviews
(Note: Click on a link for a full review to read.)
One
Piece: Collection 1
"One Piece
was
one of my favorite surprises of 2011. The show
has had many "Voyage" box set releases over the years but I
had
yet to check it
out. I had read several volumes worth of the manga so it
surprised me to
realize it took me this long to see the anime at last. It
surpassed my relatively
high expectations. This is one of the best and most
entertaining
anime series I
have ever seen, and I have watched tons
of anime series. If you are an anime fan that is just
starting
to get into One Piece,
haven't seen it, or haven't
begun collecting the prior DVD releases these new Collection
set's offer a
substantial value. Funimation's One Piece
Collection's belong in the library of any and every anime
fan." - Neil Lumbard
Revolutionary
Girl Utena: Set 3
Definitely not your ordinary anime show, Revolutionary
Girl Utena is a strange
yet compelling program and one that's definitely worth
checking out. The newly restored
video makes this an easy
one to give a highly recommended
rating to, but only for those who are looking for something a
bit
bizarre and
off the beaten path. - John
Sinnott
Fairy
Tail: Part 2 (Blu-ray/DVD Combo)
The second collection of Fairy Tail episodes is even more entertaining
than
I expected. The
first episodes of the show were so enjoyable but lacking in
character
development. While I still have a feeling that there is a
lot
more to learn
about these characters it was surprising then that several
episodes helped
develop Gray's character. The show is extremely funny, cool,
and
entirely worthwhile.
This is absolutely recommended. - Neil Lumbard
One
Piece: Collection 2
"The Second Collection of One Piece episodes is even more satisfying
and
adventurous than the
first collection was. Considering the fact that the first
set
turned me into a
massive fan of the series that is no small accomplishment
and
viewers should
expect to feel glued into their seats. Once one episode is
done
another one
should inevitably begin. I wonder how fans in Japan ever
managed
to wait week to
week to see the events unfold. The storyline was that
suspenseful and exciting.
The characters have become more firmly established, and
the path
towards the
Grand Line begins. Don't hesitate to take the journey with
the
Straw Hat
pirates and purchase this essential anime collection."
- Neil Lumbard
Dragon
Ball Z: Level 1.1 (Blu-ray)
As nice of an idea as Dragon Ball Z Kai
was (with the 'no filler' technique and all), I personally
feel it took away one of the greatest strengths from the
series as a whole - The sagas all made use of the (very) slow
burn technique, but that's what made many of the big reveals
such a big payoff. You invested your time hanging on the edge
of your seat, and in the end you were greatly rewarded. Kai
offers all the payoff with little build-up or viewing
discipline, and in my opinion, greatly reduces the effect of
many of the best moments the series has to offer. I waited a
long time for a release to cure my 'not ready to buy DBZ yet'
woes, and I wasn't going to settle for Kai. Thanks to
the first Dragon Ball Z: Level release however,
especially considering how pristine it looks after such
meticulous restoration, I simply cannot wait to get my hands
on the rest. Film damage has practically been eradicated and
the original color timing and OAR have been flawlessly
preserved. What more could you ask for? Well, I guess it would
be nice if FUNimation gave us more than 17 episodes per
release, as that doesn't even really give us half a
saga/season. It's a minor complaint however, as I feel the
quality takes precedence over the quantity. Add in the fact
that all of your audio preferences are now contained in a
single package, and this is a DBZ release I can finally
highly recommend to the masses. - Michael Zupan
One
Piece: Collection 3
"After viewing 78 episodes in one
month (25 episodes
of which are from this set) the fact that I can honestly say
I
am not getting
even the slightest bit sick of watching One
Piece seems to help reaffirm just how awesome a series
this truly is. I can't
wait to dig into the next collection box-set to see even
more of
the adventures
of Luffy, Nami, Zoro, Usopp, Sanji, and the rest. If you
have
seen One Piece
before
then you probably feel
the same way about the series. It's one of the most
enjoyable and
engaging anime series! Funimation continues to do an amazing
job
with these
collections (each of which gives dedicated fans exactly what
they want).
Newcomers are naturally encouraged to begin viewing the show
with Collection 1
while everyone else is encouraged to continue with
Collection 3.
This series is
so good it might even be wise to purchase multiple
collection
releases at once
simply to guarantee that you don't run out of amazing
adventures
to watch.
Seriously... take note anime fans. The show's that good."- Neil Lumbard
Dragon
Ball Z: Level 1.2 (Blu-ray)
It's a little frustrating that FUNi decided
to leave the first season's final five episodes for Level
2.1. It makes no sense to... well, anyone. All in all
though, this is still a no brainer for fans of Dragon Ball
Z. This is the original series in all of its uncut
glory, and FUNimation has given us the plethora of choices
we've always craved. Want the US broadcast experience you fell
in love with? Check. Want the English audio with the superior
Japanese score instead? Can do. How about the original Japense
production with English subtitles? Not a problem. Furthermore,
this is the best that Dragon Ball Z is ever going to
look and sound - The original aspect ratio has been preserved,
and the film grain has been left intact to leave detail
unhindered. This looks like film (appropriate as the series is
on 16mm film), and the 5.1 English track is surprisingly
robust. Contextually, the episodes included in this batch of
episodes are far more exciting than Level 1.2's
predecessor. - Michael
Zupan
Dirty
Pair: The Original OVA Series
Dirty Pair
was
way more fun than I was expecting. It's definitely
considered a classic anime series with good reason. The
characters are a joy
and the stylistic aspects of the production excel far beyond
any
ordinary
series. This DVD rerelease by Nozomi Entertainment contains
an
impressive
presentation and it is well worth adding to any anime fan's
growing collection. -
Neil Lumbard
Yu
Yu Hakusho: Season 4 (Blu-ray)
Yu Yu
Hakusho's final
season contains some of the best episodes in
the entire series. While there is a definite feeling of
sadness to see
such a
wonderful series come to an end it was also satisfying to
realize that
it
reached an acceptable conclusion that adequately resolves
most of the
elements
fans would want to see concluded. In the end, it was the
characters
that made
the show such a wonderful journey to take and the
destination is a
bright light
following a long path frequently deterred by despair and
only salvaged
by hope.
The final episodes prove surprisingly philosophical and
contemplative
while remaining
in the action packed style fans have come to know and love.
These
Blu-ray
upgrades continue to be worthwhile in Video and Audio
aspects and the
inclusion
of bonus features is surprising. Fans will undoubtedly want
to collect
all four
season sets of Yu Yu Hakusho on
Blu-ray. There has been no finer re-release of a classic
anime series
in 2011. An essential set. - Neil Lumbard
What do you think about the column? Like
what you
see? Don't
like it? Have a comment or suggestion? Drop us an
e-mail
and let us know!
