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First Voltron DVD set
Sci-Fi has a review of the first set of Voltron DVDs. Here’s a small part of it:
… there’s an awful lot to like in these opening Voltron episodes, from the slow-burn plot arc to the careful establishment of five iconic characters: Keith (the dashing, blandly perfect leader), Hunk (the big, slowish but good-hearted one), Lance (the “edgy” smartass), Pidge (the brains-over-brawn kid) and Princess Allura (the obligatory girl, and often the team’s weakest link, in emotions and skills alike). These five characters became prototypes, often imitated and often shorthanded, in part because they were established so well here, with episodes focusing on each of them in turn.
ELFEN LIED: THE DICLONIUS REPORT
ADV ANNOUNCES ELFEN LIED: THE DICLONIUS REPORT NOVEMBER 28
“It Really Shows How Far Anime Has Come.†– Denkyu.com
HOUSTON, September 29, 2006—ADV Films, the number one producer-distributor of anime outside of Japan, is pleased to announce a November 28 street date for the blood-soaked Elfen Lied: The Diclonius Report!
ADV UNIVERSEâ„¢ DOWNLOAD STORE LAUNCHES
Top U.S. Anime Company Opens Digital Store
HOUSTON, September 25, 2006 — ADV Films, the number one producer-distributor of anime outside of Japan, is pleased to announce the launch of the ADV Universe™ Digital Download Store.
ADV Universe opens to the public with almost 1,000 minutes of anime available for download-to-own. As ADV Films has the largest English-language library in the world, the amount of shows available will constitute a significant portion of the anime available in the U.S. The site will have a release schedule as equally aggressive as the DVD releases. In some cases, episodes will be available for download before the U.S. DVD release date.
GUYVER: THE BIOBOOSTED ARMOR
Guyver: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST
Meet The New Face Of Ultra-Violence!
ADV Films is proud to present to you the all new action-packed Guyver: The Bioboosted Armor! This out-of-control sci-fi/action anime will slice the streets up on November 14!
The Guyver has been a cult-classic for over 20 years, spawning over 150 manga chapters, two live-action movies, an OVA, and a short series. Now, Director Katsuhito Akiyama (Bubblegum Crisis) breathes new life into the dark masterpiece, treating us to the most complete and captivating story to date.
Macross: Eve of Destruction
ADV ANNOUNCES MORE MACROSS FOR OCTOBER 24
“One of the Most Important Anime Everâ€
– Anime News Network
HOUSTON, September 8, 2006 —ADV Films, the number one producer-distributor of anime outside of Japan, is pleased to announce an October 24 street date for Macross: Eve of Destruction, the sixth of seven DVDs re-presenting the classic series in its entirety – and for the first time ever with an English dub! This deluxe package, featuring digitally-restored video and a brand-new 5.1 soundtrack, includes so many episodes, interviews, commentaries, and other extras that it’s become a must-have for every anime fan!
A New Transformers Show for “Us”?
There’s been a lot of buzz about the new Transformers movie on the Internet lately, as the studio seems to be prepared to go all out for it. Reading about this movie makes me wonder if Hasbro would allow some studio to produce a new TV or Direct-to-video show for “Us”. What do I mean by “us”? I’m referring to the original fans that bought Transformers toys in the 80s. Those of us that still watch the original Transformers movie on DVD from time to time. Those of us that hate the new shows like “Cybertron” and “Robots in Disguise.” Those of us that Hasbro ignores because we don’t by toys.
I’m sure there are plenty of you out there like me that watched “Beast Wars” and “Beast Machines” that may have had mixed emotions about the show, but still admired the nod they gave us “old heads” by bringing back Ravage, showing clips of the original Megatron, and doing other little things to keep some continuity with the original series.
But after that, we were served with other shows like “Robots in Disguise”, “Armada” and “Cybertron” that are no way near as entertaining and are obviously only written for little kids. Don’t get me wrong–I understand that these are weekly 30-minute informercials for their toys. Many of the shows we watched in the 80s served the same purpose. There just seemed to be something “special” about the shows that came from Hasbro/Marvel/Sunbow back then, that’s not in the newer shows that were imported from Japan.
I just wish Hasbro would look at that market of kids from the 80s that grew up and still watch “cartoons”–not the ones intended for kids, but the more mature Anime series and the direct-to-video products being produced by Marvel and DC. We would by the DVDs. Some of us would even buy premium figures based on the show. They wouldn’t even have to call the show Transformers. There are enough terms that could be borrowed from the old Transformers Mythology to create a title that would be recognizable to us old-school fans. And I’m sure they would have no problem airing the show on Toonami, Adult Swim or Sci-Fi. If they can do it for Robotech, why not Transformers?
What do you guys think?
GODANNAR: WAR BRIDE
HOUSTON, July17, 2006 —ADV Films, the number one producer-distributor of anime outside of Japan, is pleased to announce the seventh and final volume in its modern mecha romance epic. Godannar: War Bride hits store shelves everywhere August 29.
Godannar is a genre-bending mecha anime series best described as equal parts action, adventure, and domestic soap opera. While much of anime is populated by high school vixens, magical fairies, and femme fatales, it’s rare to find a married couple at the center of the story. And that’s just one of the reasons Godannar stands out. That, and a female giant robot that jiggles. And a fantastic opening theme song.
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Anime on iTunes?
According to Digit news, anime may soon be available from Apple’s iTunes Music Store:
Toei Animation, one of Japan’s oldest animation studios still in existence, is in talks with Apple to distribute anime from its catalog via iTunes.
There’s currently no word on what titles they’re considering releasing, or even if non-Japanese consumers will be able to access them.