Manga & Anime THREAD
Big anime sale at ADVFilms.com! Select titles 50-75% off!
ADVFilms, the largest American distributor of anime, is having a big Valentine's Day sale on select anime titles and anime soundtrack CDs through the end of February. All the titles on the list are 50-75% off.
I picked up a few DVDs online today for as low as $4.98!
Very, very good deal for the cash-strapped anime fan.
And yes, they take money orders and personal checks in addition to credit cards.
I picked up a few DVDs online today for as low as $4.98!
Very, very good deal for the cash-strapped anime fan.
And yes, they take money orders and personal checks in addition to credit cards.
Next week's Studio Ghibli Releases (Feb. 22, 2005)
3 Ghibli movies make it to US shelves next week --
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (first time uncut with the original language track in the US), The Cat Returns, and Porco Rosso.
2 of these films are directed by Hayao Miyazaki, Cat Returns by a fellow whose name I forget. They're all supposed be excellent animated features.
There's also word that the Musicland Groug stores (Media Play, Suncoast) at least will be selling the 3 films in a boxset probably like the one used for Aladdin II & III. I got this straight from the mouth of a local Suncoast employee who unsuccessfully tried to get me to reserve the 3 movies. (I usually don't do reserves.)
Buena Vista is evidently becoming fond of packaging film series in DVD boxes. They also did this for all 3 Aladdin movies and The Lion King trilogy.
Note that the 3 Ghibli films are separate stories and NOT part of a trilogy set. They're just being packaged together to appeal to completist collectors.
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (first time uncut with the original language track in the US), The Cat Returns, and Porco Rosso.
2 of these films are directed by Hayao Miyazaki, Cat Returns by a fellow whose name I forget. They're all supposed be excellent animated features.
There's also word that the Musicland Groug stores (Media Play, Suncoast) at least will be selling the 3 films in a boxset probably like the one used for Aladdin II & III. I got this straight from the mouth of a local Suncoast employee who unsuccessfully tried to get me to reserve the 3 movies. (I usually don't do reserves.)
Buena Vista is evidently becoming fond of packaging film series in DVD boxes. They also did this for all 3 Aladdin movies and The Lion King trilogy.
Note that the 3 Ghibli films are separate stories and NOT part of a trilogy set. They're just being packaged together to appeal to completist collectors.
Editorial on the changing anime industry in the US...
A link to an editorial by an American anime retailer. It's very interesting and revealing...
http://www.animenation.net/news/askjohn.php?id=1041
Frankly, I agree with about everything the guy says.
http://www.animenation.net/news/askjohn.php?id=1041
Frankly, I agree with about everything the guy says.
You're welcome, Mickey!
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I just wanted to add a bit more to this conversation.
I saw a short piece on The Screen Savers on G4TechTV within the past week-and-a-half on anime. It was mainly talking about the anime (feature) motion pictures being hyped for these past 6 months -- Ghost in the Shell 2, Steamboy, and Appleseed -- none of which have turned out to be great films, btw.
It was interesting to hear the Japanese that I've heard a million times --
a) it's too expensive to do hand-drawing anymore;
b) the people with the skills to do decent hand-drawn animation are leaving the anime industry in droves;
c) there's a slow, painful switch to CGI because of expense and reduced manpower, etc., etc...
Of course, this is just another media fluff piece so they DIDN'T give all the views on this subject.
Fact is, the average Japanese anime viewer HATES CGI characters. They've done the Toy Story/Monsters Inc. thing about a half-dozen times and the only full-CGI film that's made a dime in Japan (other than the Pixar flicks) has been the home-grown Appleseed. The other CGI pics were flops.
Japanese viewers apparently don't mind digital ink-and-paint, CGI ships and CGI backgrounds, but they DON'T LIKE TO SEE CGI HUMAN OR OTHER ORGANIC CHARACTERS. Seriously. They HATE CGI main characters. And a lot of anime directors feel the same, too.
A lot of the switches to increased computerization in anime production is being caused by the aforementioned shortfall in skilled labor (90% of the traditional workforce quits within 5 years because the pay's lousy) and the crush to produce more animation.
Anime is one of the few bright spots in Japanese industries but it's also something of a mixed bag right now...
As I stated before, the pay for the average Japanese animator is lousy. It's between $13,000 starting to roughly $25,000 after a few years. And if you know how much Japan costs to live in , you know that's even less money that it is in the US! That's why people are leaving the anime industry.
The increase in production output has NOT increased the average salaries of anime workers so Japanese are leaving the industry in droves. This is putting more pressure on the people left behind and fewer people are coming in who can draw and animate well. More and more shortcuts get taken in shows and people do notice this.
Also, there's been increased outsourcing of production outside of Japan to other Asian countries. Most outsourcing is going to Korea because that's been the traditional outsource destination, but also mainland China is getting an increasing slice of outsource work, too
It's not just American traditional animation that's suffering... And the main reason for the downfall on BOTH sides of the Pacific is the greed of the managers and money men at the top of both industries. They want more product but are unwilling to pay people a living wage AND recruit more people at decent starting salaries to handle an increasing workload.
Believe me, a lot of the people like me who have followed the anime scene for over 10 years now are NOT happy with the quality of many of the latest Japanese TV shows and feature films. The crush to produce more film output has resulted in lower quality work and less thought-out characterizations and storylines.
*******************************
I just wanted to add a bit more to this conversation.
I saw a short piece on The Screen Savers on G4TechTV within the past week-and-a-half on anime. It was mainly talking about the anime (feature) motion pictures being hyped for these past 6 months -- Ghost in the Shell 2, Steamboy, and Appleseed -- none of which have turned out to be great films, btw.
It was interesting to hear the Japanese that I've heard a million times --
a) it's too expensive to do hand-drawing anymore;
b) the people with the skills to do decent hand-drawn animation are leaving the anime industry in droves;
c) there's a slow, painful switch to CGI because of expense and reduced manpower, etc., etc...
Of course, this is just another media fluff piece so they DIDN'T give all the views on this subject.
Fact is, the average Japanese anime viewer HATES CGI characters. They've done the Toy Story/Monsters Inc. thing about a half-dozen times and the only full-CGI film that's made a dime in Japan (other than the Pixar flicks) has been the home-grown Appleseed. The other CGI pics were flops.
Japanese viewers apparently don't mind digital ink-and-paint, CGI ships and CGI backgrounds, but they DON'T LIKE TO SEE CGI HUMAN OR OTHER ORGANIC CHARACTERS. Seriously. They HATE CGI main characters. And a lot of anime directors feel the same, too.
A lot of the switches to increased computerization in anime production is being caused by the aforementioned shortfall in skilled labor (90% of the traditional workforce quits within 5 years because the pay's lousy) and the crush to produce more animation.
Anime is one of the few bright spots in Japanese industries but it's also something of a mixed bag right now...
As I stated before, the pay for the average Japanese animator is lousy. It's between $13,000 starting to roughly $25,000 after a few years. And if you know how much Japan costs to live in , you know that's even less money that it is in the US! That's why people are leaving the anime industry.
The increase in production output has NOT increased the average salaries of anime workers so Japanese are leaving the industry in droves. This is putting more pressure on the people left behind and fewer people are coming in who can draw and animate well. More and more shortcuts get taken in shows and people do notice this.
Also, there's been increased outsourcing of production outside of Japan to other Asian countries. Most outsourcing is going to Korea because that's been the traditional outsource destination, but also mainland China is getting an increasing slice of outsource work, too
It's not just American traditional animation that's suffering... And the main reason for the downfall on BOTH sides of the Pacific is the greed of the managers and money men at the top of both industries. They want more product but are unwilling to pay people a living wage AND recruit more people at decent starting salaries to handle an increasing workload.
Believe me, a lot of the people like me who have followed the anime scene for over 10 years now are NOT happy with the quality of many of the latest Japanese TV shows and feature films. The crush to produce more film output has resulted in lower quality work and less thought-out characterizations and storylines.
Anime $100 BILLION industry worldwide???
More details can be found here:
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/article.php?id=6209
The statistics are staggering...
Over 100,000 people attended anime cons in the US last year. Half that number went to TWO cons, Anime Expo and Otakon.
The home video market for anime IS shrinking but licensing is continuing to grow.
It's nuts, I tells ya!
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/article.php?id=6209
The statistics are staggering...
Over 100,000 people attended anime cons in the US last year. Half that number went to TWO cons, Anime Expo and Otakon.
The home video market for anime IS shrinking but licensing is continuing to grow.
It's nuts, I tells ya!
ADV delays/cancels (?) all high-definition releases...
Several months ago, it was announced ADV films, North America's largest anime distributor, was getting into high-definition anime releases in a big way by re-releasing several of its popular anime titles in 2-disc releases. One disc of each release would be a remaster of said-said title in the HD-compatible/HD-quality WMV-9 format.
Titles to be re-released in WMV-9/HD format included Noir and Full Metal Panic.
Now those plans appear to be scuttled and there's question as to whether these titles have been rescheduled or cancelled since they've been taken off ADV's release schedule.
News at http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/ among other anime news sites.
I'm guessing ADV Films might be holding and waiting for the OFFICIAL high-definition later this year, or better yet playing it smart, keeping things to the chest, and WAITING for the dust to settle on the high-definition format war.......?
They surely have to be aware of the fact that the majority of their buyers/consumers/fans are late-teens/early 20's and not exactly loaded with money...!
Titles to be re-released in WMV-9/HD format included Noir and Full Metal Panic.
Now those plans appear to be scuttled and there's question as to whether these titles have been rescheduled or cancelled since they've been taken off ADV's release schedule.
News at http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/ among other anime news sites.
I'm guessing ADV Films might be holding and waiting for the OFFICIAL high-definition later this year, or better yet playing it smart, keeping things to the chest, and WAITING for the dust to settle on the high-definition format war.......?
They surely have to be aware of the fact that the majority of their buyers/consumers/fans are late-teens/early 20's and not exactly loaded with money...!
"Bird FLY!" ADV releases Gatchama/G-Force in June
From AnimeonDVD.com comes the official release date for the uncut, subtitled edition of the Japanese sci-fi action/adventure classic, Science Ninja Team Gatchaman!
Known better in North American by its adapted dubbed versions G-Force or Battle of the Planets, Gatchaman has been a cult classic for over 30 years but has never been available uncut in the original Japanese language in a decent collector's edition until now...
According to this link, 24 February 2005 http://www.animeondvd.com/ , ADV will begin releasing the series as stand-alone volumes with 5 episodes each and in collector's boxes with 3 DVDs -- 2 DVDs with 10 episodes plus a bonus DVD with extras. The new DVDs hit stores on June 14th, 2005. Retail price is $14.98 for the stand-alone DVDs, $44.98 for the collector's boxes.
Rhino's previous attempt to release Gatchaman met with failure because of low episode counts and too much pandering to the English dub fans. Rhino tried to appeal to too many fans by releasing ALL versions of Gatchaman on DVD INSTEAD of getting the whole series out of the gate as soon as possible.
ADV is concentrating on translating and subtitling the ORIGINAL, UNCUT Gatchaman. There will be a new dub for the series that is more faithful to the Japanese original (in addition to Japanese language, English subtitles) BUT the English edited versions of the show (G-Force, Battle of the Planets) will NOT be on the new collector's DVDs.
Thank goodness this is a NEW translation of Gatchaman, because the old edited English dubs STUNK. I just hope the characters' names don't get changed to dopey English names again!
This series should appeal to many superhero fans. While the animation is NOT as fluid as today's shows (it's 1973 era), it's still far superior to most Hanna-Barbera efforts from the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s and has a level of angst and subplots that should keep most viewers from being bored. This show definitely has its curves and sharp turns.
Known better in North American by its adapted dubbed versions G-Force or Battle of the Planets, Gatchaman has been a cult classic for over 30 years but has never been available uncut in the original Japanese language in a decent collector's edition until now...
According to this link, 24 February 2005 http://www.animeondvd.com/ , ADV will begin releasing the series as stand-alone volumes with 5 episodes each and in collector's boxes with 3 DVDs -- 2 DVDs with 10 episodes plus a bonus DVD with extras. The new DVDs hit stores on June 14th, 2005. Retail price is $14.98 for the stand-alone DVDs, $44.98 for the collector's boxes.
Rhino's previous attempt to release Gatchaman met with failure because of low episode counts and too much pandering to the English dub fans. Rhino tried to appeal to too many fans by releasing ALL versions of Gatchaman on DVD INSTEAD of getting the whole series out of the gate as soon as possible.
ADV is concentrating on translating and subtitling the ORIGINAL, UNCUT Gatchaman. There will be a new dub for the series that is more faithful to the Japanese original (in addition to Japanese language, English subtitles) BUT the English edited versions of the show (G-Force, Battle of the Planets) will NOT be on the new collector's DVDs.
Thank goodness this is a NEW translation of Gatchaman, because the old edited English dubs STUNK. I just hope the characters' names don't get changed to dopey English names again!
This series should appeal to many superhero fans. While the animation is NOT as fluid as today's shows (it's 1973 era), it's still far superior to most Hanna-Barbera efforts from the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s and has a level of angst and subplots that should keep most viewers from being bored. This show definitely has its curves and sharp turns.
Alex Ross doing covers for upcoming R1 Gatchaman DVDs!
This has been leaked all over the place...
Think I saw it first at ToonZone.net ....
Battle of the Planets fan and cover-artist for the recent Battle of the Planets comics Alex Ross is doing new paintings for the upcoming R1 Gatchman DVDs ADV Films will start releasing in June this year.
If you've seen Alex's work on the Battle of the Planets comics, you have an idea of what to expect. It should be nothing less than excellent!
Ross is best-known for the mini-series Marvels, Kingdom Come, and a series of graphic novels done in collaboration with Paul Dini featuring Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, the original Captain Marvel, and the Justice League of America.
Think I saw it first at ToonZone.net ....
Battle of the Planets fan and cover-artist for the recent Battle of the Planets comics Alex Ross is doing new paintings for the upcoming R1 Gatchman DVDs ADV Films will start releasing in June this year.
If you've seen Alex's work on the Battle of the Planets comics, you have an idea of what to expect. It should be nothing less than excellent!
Ross is best-known for the mini-series Marvels, Kingdom Come, and a series of graphic novels done in collaboration with Paul Dini featuring Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, the original Captain Marvel, and the Justice League of America.
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- Contact:
Studio Ghibli Group
Studio Ghibli-X group is a place you can find lots of Studio Ghibli disscusions, soundtracks, trailers and clips, images, screensavers
and links.
To join, please goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/studioghibli-x/
and links.
To join, please goto:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/studioghibli-x/
New Anime Sale at ADVFilms.com!
The Valentine's Day sale at ADVFilms.com ended a few days ago, but apparently there's a continuing 50-75% off sale for a bunch of in-stock ADV anime series and CD soundtracks.
The link's here at http://www.advfilms.com/Sales.asp
I think I might add another 3-4 things I'll get from ADV this month. I've seen the best deals here on a few shows that I've been wanting to finish off or sample. Seriously, there's a LOT of anime that $12 or less on sale.
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If you're an anime freak like me, you know it's difficult to find a GOOD sale on anime anywhere... The whole $15 price-point hasn't really hit the US anime industry the way it has traditional Hollywood releases.
You really can't get any anime for much less than $19 if it isn't a Miyazaki title distributed by Disney or an ADV small disc like Gantz. It just doesn't happen often.
The big example now is Bambi at Wal-Mart... Wal-Mart is selling the Bambi DVD for $14.88 this week.
The only anime you'd find at that price would be close-out specials on shows and movies released a year or more ago... You just don't get prices that good on new show DVDs that run 90 minutes or more.
The link's here at http://www.advfilms.com/Sales.asp
I think I might add another 3-4 things I'll get from ADV this month. I've seen the best deals here on a few shows that I've been wanting to finish off or sample. Seriously, there's a LOT of anime that $12 or less on sale.
**********************************
If you're an anime freak like me, you know it's difficult to find a GOOD sale on anime anywhere... The whole $15 price-point hasn't really hit the US anime industry the way it has traditional Hollywood releases.
You really can't get any anime for much less than $19 if it isn't a Miyazaki title distributed by Disney or an ADV small disc like Gantz. It just doesn't happen often.
The big example now is Bambi at Wal-Mart... Wal-Mart is selling the Bambi DVD for $14.88 this week.
The only anime you'd find at that price would be close-out specials on shows and movies released a year or more ago... You just don't get prices that good on new show DVDs that run 90 minutes or more.
Has Lion, Witch & Wardrobe (1979, anim) ever been out in
Sorry for the confusing topic headline... Darn character restraints!
Anyhow, has the 1979 television animated version of C.S. Lewis' The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe ever been released on DVD in Region 1?
I knows that DVD Toons claimed it had been released on DVD in 2003 but I never saw the film anywhere in the US on DVD that year.
I've been looking around but I can't find confirmation that this title ever existed anywhere on R1 DVD other than Half.com and it seems like most of the sellers don't know what this program is! Maybe the sellers have the DVD from another Region?
You'd think we'd be hearing something about this program since Disney is releasing the first live-action theatrical motion picture version of the book later this year...
Anyhow, has the 1979 television animated version of C.S. Lewis' The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe ever been released on DVD in Region 1?
I knows that DVD Toons claimed it had been released on DVD in 2003 but I never saw the film anywhere in the US on DVD that year.
I've been looking around but I can't find confirmation that this title ever existed anywhere on R1 DVD other than Half.com and it seems like most of the sellers don't know what this program is! Maybe the sellers have the DVD from another Region?
You'd think we'd be hearing something about this program since Disney is releasing the first live-action theatrical motion picture version of the book later this year...
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- Location: London, UK
Now, you've probably already read this, but here is my DVD Toons review:
http://www.dvdtoons.com/reviews/310
And since I actually did the review, I can confirm that this disc was released - I have it on my shelf and can see it right now.
The edition put out, by the Sesame Workshop through a distribution company called Tapeworm, is an NTSC transfer of a PAL master - the film was completed in London and mastered to video, so no film/native NTSC transfer could ever be done.
As well as the review, I've done comparisons between this NTSC disc and the version shown on UK TV this past Christmas - they both use the same print, with the same timing and nicks, pops and scratches throughout.
The disc itself is official, complete with printed chapter insert and disc art, and it's a pressed disc (no DVD-R) and with bar code. For some reason, the disc didn't get wide distribution, but I did hunt a couple down on Amazon.com.
This one is distributed by Tapeworm, for $17.96:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/de ... d&n=507846
But this one makes a specific reference to being animated (though for a higher $24.95) and 95 minutes (the correct length):
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/de ... d&n=507846
It's not out at all in the UK, and there's no news of it being re-issued anytime soon, even with the hoopla surrounding the Disney film. Your best bet is to go for one of the ones on eBay that display the same front cover as the one in the DVD Toons review.
I just typed in 'lion witch wardrobe dvd' (worldwide) and got a ton of available copies, including what I believe to be a bogus disc of the "Original British Version" (the film had different tracks on each side of "the pond").
Hope all that helps - let me know how you get on!
http://www.dvdtoons.com/reviews/310
And since I actually did the review, I can confirm that this disc was released - I have it on my shelf and can see it right now.
The edition put out, by the Sesame Workshop through a distribution company called Tapeworm, is an NTSC transfer of a PAL master - the film was completed in London and mastered to video, so no film/native NTSC transfer could ever be done.
As well as the review, I've done comparisons between this NTSC disc and the version shown on UK TV this past Christmas - they both use the same print, with the same timing and nicks, pops and scratches throughout.
The disc itself is official, complete with printed chapter insert and disc art, and it's a pressed disc (no DVD-R) and with bar code. For some reason, the disc didn't get wide distribution, but I did hunt a couple down on Amazon.com.
This one is distributed by Tapeworm, for $17.96:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/de ... d&n=507846
But this one makes a specific reference to being animated (though for a higher $24.95) and 95 minutes (the correct length):
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/de ... d&n=507846
It's not out at all in the UK, and there's no news of it being re-issued anytime soon, even with the hoopla surrounding the Disney film. Your best bet is to go for one of the ones on eBay that display the same front cover as the one in the DVD Toons review.
I just typed in 'lion witch wardrobe dvd' (worldwide) and got a ton of available copies, including what I believe to be a bogus disc of the "Original British Version" (the film had different tracks on each side of "the pond").
Hope all that helps - let me know how you get on!
