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Retro Anime Discussion |OT|

What retro anime titles are long overdue for a blu-ray release in North America?


  • Total voters
    74
I like how teens in the 80s looked like 39 year old men mutants that spent their entire lives working out.

05FUhWk.gif
 
I really enjoyed bubble gum crisis Tokyo 2040. I never saw the original ova series though. How is it?

It's good; bit of a mixed bag at times and ultimately never goes anywhere. Mainly cool for the 80s visuals, mecha and especially the music.

Each OVA is an individual story but the first 3 eps have something of an arc, though 2 and 3 are short and feel a little rushed. OVA 4 is fully standalone and probably has the most even artstyle. 5 and 6 are directly connected and both directed by Masami Obari, so they're kinda the anime equivalent of looking at early 90s Image comics. =P. 6 is also the best animated of the bunch. 7 is a compromised episode due to late changes but it looks nice due to Satoshi Urushiara's involvement. OVA 8 is a filler and then it's all over.

There was also a 3 OVA sequel series called Bubblegum Crash but it's weak.
 

Labolas

Member
Well OG Bubblegum Crisis is good but it doesn't have an overarching story 2040 does. The OVA spans about 3 years of its development so there might be inconsistencies with the story. But the animation is something to behold and is better than tv series. The tech used in the show looks fluid, clean, and natural in the OVA.
iu

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But yeah I recommend it.
 
Well OG Bubblegum Crisis is good but it doesn't have an overarching story 2040 does. The OVA spans about 3 years of its development so there might be inconsistencies with the story. But the animation is something to behold and is better than tv series. The tech used in the show looks fluid, clean, and natural in the OVA.
iu

iu

iu

iu


But yeah I recommend it.

CfISf2B.gif

(Only BGC gif I have on my drive =P)
 
Yea, the stuff i grew up with...young people who grew up post or near post internet have no idea how "out there" anime was for an american in the 80s. there was no "weeaboos" it was just "you like those weird mature asian cartoons". For me it was around 10 when i started to realize some of these animations i iked when i was younger that would show up on on odd stations at midnight or the artwork for PCengine games had a connection as to why it struck a cord with me. I remember collecting EGMs and just staring at some of the game adds for overseas importers because they would have tons of Japanese style artwork in them and it was so hard to find any type of manga or anime style artwork for me. The style itself was magic, incredible cyberpunk stuff or fantasy stuff that just looked and felt so different.

Until playstation released i had only ever owned Nintendo systems ( post atari 2600 ) but i loved all games and systems, i used to look at stuff like Lunar and hope it would come out on a nintendo console. I hated when we would get box art on american releases and it was some generic overly convoluted poorly drawn fantasy novel artwork ( its funny how now people look at that stuff with retro cool goggles). I was excited when a game retained the art style in the american release. It was unique. I started going to the back of the rental stores and finding the japanimation section around 91 or so and i watched everything...shitty dubs and all. I finally got to see the full versions of Macross and not the robotech mutt i had grown up with. I got to see all the great series i had known about but only saw an episode or two of before on the off chance cable showed something. To me it kind of defined this great "other experience" a whole world or door that was unopened to most people in the west. It wasnt because they felt mature or had violence, it was more the emotiveness of the art style and the animation. I think the fact that a lot of it was western mythology and genres interpreted through current japanese culture was what it made it so unique ...and something well likely never get again with how connected the world is now.

Then Speed Racer happened on MTV and that kinda set the ball rolling for mainstream appeal in the US. It was still fringe though and was seen as mostly tongue in cheek hipster animation like liquid tv. The same with sci fi channels anime weeks. After DragonBall and Sailor Moon became popular though it was all downhill. It wasnt a case of "i like the band before they were popular" either. I couldnt get into any of that mid to late 90s stuff....none of it really retained the magic of the early stuff and frankly the anime fanbase that was growing with it was cringy and obnoxious. I had to distance myself from it and that fanbase. Ive come to terms with the annoyance of that community now, i think the worst parts have died off or became furries and bronies and other cringe subcultures....but modern anime is unwatchable anyway.

g3o0ezs.png
 
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Happosai Happosai The Lupin Pilot Film is an extra feature on the Discotek releases of the Lupin First TV Series. The older, 4-disc set has both the 4:3 and CinemaScope versions, which are a little bit different from one another. The 3-disc set has just one of them, I think the widescreen?

Dead or Alive is an interesting one. Monkey Punch did an interview about it on the Funimation DVD from when he came to a US convention (which he used to do all the time, invited or not). He is credited as director, but he said (paraphrased) he didn't really direct it because he doesn't know anything about making anime, he basically just suggested how both the beginning and end should play out and let the assistant director carry the rest of the weight. Honestly I wouldn't be surprised if that was what the producers expected of him when they asked him to join as director anyhow. His presence in that role is a selling point for Lupin fans. Dead or Alive isnt extremely MP-like, but it is reasonably close in spirit and the designs are really interesting approximations of his style. MP did, however, rough out the character designs for the movie which were cleaned up by the character designer proper.

Off topic: MP did the same thing for Lupin the 8th. The following back-and-forth with DiC and TMS's designer (Shingo Araki, I want to say) is kinda wild, especially with Jigen's design.
 

Happosai

Hold onto your panties
I really enjoyed bubble gum crisis Tokyo 2040. I never saw the original ova series though. How is it?
First time I've met someone who saw a sequel but not the original Bubblegum Crisis. Pretty much everything everyone else said. It feels and in ways is incomplete but it's hella fun to watch. There are many options to buying it. AnimeEigo released it various times and then it was given a recent release by Discotek. Have you at least seen Bubblegum Crash or A.D. Police?
 

Happosai

Hold onto your panties
Yea, the stuff i grew up with...young people who grew up post or near post internet have no idea how "out there" anime was for an american in the 80s. there was no "weeaboos" it was just "you like those weird mature asian cartoons". For me it was around 10 when i started to realize some of these animations i iked when i was younger that would show up on on odd stations at midnight or the artwork for PCengine games had a connection as to why it struck a cord with me. I remember collecting EGMs and just staring at some of the game adds for overseas importers because they would have tons of Japanese style artwork in them and it was so hard to find any type of manga or anime style artwork for me. The style itself was magic, incredible cyberpunk stuff or fantasy stuff that just looked and felt so different.

Until playstation released i had only ever owned Nintendo systems ( post atari 2600 ) but i loved all games and systems, i used to look at stuff like Lunar and hope it would come out on a nintendo console. I hated when we would get box art on american releases and it was some generic overly convoluted poorly drawn fantasy novel artwork ( its funny how now people look at that stuff with retro cool goggles). I was excited when a game retained the art style in the american release. It was unique. I started going to the back of the rental stores and finding the japanimation section around 91 or so and i watched everything...shitty dubs and all. I finally got to see the full versions of Macross and not the robotech mutt i had grown up with. I got to see all the great series i had known about but only saw an episode or two of before on the off chance cable showed something. To me it kind of defined this great "other experience" a whole world or door that was unopened to most people in the west. It wasnt because they felt mature or had violence, it was more the emotiveness of the art style and the animation. I think the fact that a lot of it was western mythology and genres interpreted through current japanese culture was what it made it so unique ...and something well likely never get again with how connected the world is now.

Then Speed Racer happened on MTV and that kinda set the ball rolling for mainstream appeal in the US. It was still fringe though and was seen as mostly tongue in cheek hipster animation like liquid tv. The same with sci fi channels anime weeks. After DragonBall and Sailor Moon became popular though it was all downhill. It wasnt a case of "i like the band before they were popular" either. I couldnt get into any of that mid to late 90s stuff....none of it really retained the magic of the early stuff and frankly the anime fanbase that was growing with it was cringy and obnoxious. I had to distance myself from it and that fanbase. Ive come to terms with the annoyance of that community now, i think the worst parts have died off or became furries and bronies and other cringe subcultures....but modern anime is unwatchable anyway.

g3o0ezs.png
There was a late effort for anime publishers to remaster or license 90's anime on into 2000 and 2001. By that time, anime was already a thing and I kinda just kept my collecting and interests secret. If I met fans - it was always the same group who had didn't have much to say other than: "Yeah man, Evangelion and Akira are the GOT." So, there was never much room for conversation as much of the retro I had been watching since the 90's (which was mostly 80's) was obscure or too extreme. Quite literally, there were no weebs and I never heard anyone referring to themselves in the West as Otaku. It was mostly people who were renting or buying anime on VHS. There were no body pillows, no massive online anime RPGs, no "anime clubs", no exclusive anime conventions (although anime fansubbers did trade at some regular comic conventions), not much for figurines, and practically no anime running on cable or satellite TV. Very different time and that's where my mind still is on anime. I like to watch and collect but I don't brand it onto myself. Even when asked of my hobbies...collecting anime isn't one I say to people. Because it's not even that. It's like what anime is now is like a bad take on British Invasion on music in the 60's but with anime on the West in the 2000's. The thing is...people eventually got over the British Invasion (Beatles, Stones imitating) in Western music by the 1980's. As long anime remains what it is - I stay away. I still like a few anime based games on the newer platforms but wouldn't watch a movie or series.
 

OmegaSupreme

advanced basic bitch
First time I've met someone who saw a sequel but not the original Bubblegum Crisis. Pretty much everything everyone else said. It feels and in ways is incomplete but it's hella fun to watch. There are many options to buying it. AnimeEigo released it various times and then it was given a recent release by Discotek. Have you at least seen Bubblegum Crash or A.D. Police?
I can't say for certain but I don't believe so. Are they good?
 
Big time. A.D. Police works more as a BladeRunner type series with less comedy and more drama and action. Bubblegum Crash follows that comedy-mecha drama of the original Bubblegum Crisis OVAs.

Also be sure to differentiate the AD Police 1990 OVAs from the infamous 1999 tv series. 😋



That reminds me back in the "I'll take what I can get" period, I used to love reading the back half of Gamefan for all their import coverage. Even the shop pages like Game Cave were kinda cool due to all the import software images.





Also on the subject of Bubblegum Crisis. Anyone remember the the Famicom/NES cover to Section Z?

The artist was clearly a little more than inspired by the first BGC OVA (Which came out a few months before this release), pretty much slapping together a hardsuit and motoslave design. I was always curious who painted it.

8fkw7LW.jpg
5lgvHm3.jpg
 

Happosai

Hold onto your panties
Also be sure to differentiate the AD Police 1990 OVAs from the infamous 1999 tv series. 😋




That reminds me back in the "I'll take what I can get" period, I used to love reading the back half of Gamefan for all their import coverage. Even the shop pages like Game Cave were kinda cool due to all the import software images.






Also on the subject of Bubblegum Crisis. Anyone remember the the Famicom/NES cover to Section Z?

The artist was clearly a little more than inspired by the first BGC OVA (Which came out a few months before this release), pretty much slapping together a hardsuit and motoslave design. I was always curious who painted it.

8fkw7LW.jpg
5lgvHm3.jpg
I totally forgot an A.D. Police T.V. show existed. I meant the OVA from like 1990. Doesn't seem like a T.V. series would have been a good idea for A.D. Police but Bubblegum Crisis would have done well with 26 episodes if it was put together back in the 80's/early 90's. Too late now!

Artwork for Famicom games was a lot of tribute artwork. Reminds me of seeing Kyle Reese on Metal Gear 1987.
 
I totally forgot an A.D. Police T.V. show existed. I meant the OVA from like 1990. Doesn't seem like a T.V. series would have been a good idea for A.D. Police but Bubblegum Crisis would have done well with 26 episodes if it was put together back in the 80's/early 90's. Too late now!

Artwork for Famicom games was a lot of tribute artwork. Reminds me of seeing Kyle Reese on Metal Gear 1987.

Well I'd argue it wasn't worth remembering. =P


Yeah I always enjoyed the rip-off game covers from back in the day. This one came out months after the first OVA, potentially making it the very first BGC rip-off piece. :messenger_smirking:
 

Happosai

Hold onto your panties
Discotek finally announced a release of Lupin III part 3.
I'm really confused. Didn't they already release Lupin lll season 3 in part? Do you mean like part 3 as in the 3rd installment of the third season? By the way, how has season 3 been? I never did see it but I'm curious.
 

kunonabi

Member
I'm really confused. Didn't they already release Lupin lll season 3 in part? Do you mean like part 3 as in the 3rd installment of the third season? By the way, how has season 3 been? I never did see it but I'm curious.

This is the pink jacket series from 84 which as far as I know hasnt had a physical release in the states. It's been subbed and available to stream though.

I love the pink jacket series myself but most dont.

As far as my rewatch of the red jacket show goes it takes kind of a big dip in quality in episodes 83 -96 but its picked up again with a few minor dips here and there.

I'm in season 4 on episode 129 now so I'm almost done.
 

Happosai

Hold onto your panties
This is the pink jacket series from 84 which as far as I know hasnt had a physical release in the states. It's been subbed and available to stream though.

I love the pink jacket series myself but most dont.

As far as my rewatch of the red jacket show goes it takes kind of a big dip in quality in episodes 83 -96 but its picked up again with a few minor dips here and there.

I'm in season 4 on episode 129 now so I'm almost done.
Interesting.
Miyazaki directed like less than a handful of episodes in season 4, right? I recall in the VHS days, someone just released those episodes alone.
 

kunonabi

Member
Miyazaki was being given too much credit for Lupin the 3rd early on simply for a couple episodes and his version of Lupin used for the movies.

Didn't Takahata and him take over on part 1 when Osumi got the boot?

His Lupin certainly isn't my preference but I could so how some could get attached especially if their exposure is minimal.

Also, it seems like the Pink Jacket is actually getting a legit HD transfer for a blu-ray release. I just assumed it was going to be another DVD set. I can't wait to see that one car chase if they really did put together a new transfer.
 
I'm really confused. Didn't they already release Lupin lll season 3 in part? Do you mean like part 3 as in the 3rd installment of the third season? By the way, how has season 3 been? I never did see it but I'm curious.
The Lupin TV series all have been renamed thanks to Part III and IV:
1st series 1971-72 Lupin the Third Part I (nicknamed "Old Lupin" in Japan/original "green jacket" show)
2nd series 1977-80 Lupin the Third Part II (nicknamed "New Lupin" in Japan/"red jacket")
3rd series 1984-85 Lupin the Third Part III ("pink jacket" series)
4th series 2012 (spin-off) Lupin the Third: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine (I think Lupin has a green sport coat in this one too but no one calls this the "second green jacket" or anything like that)
5th series 2015 Lupin the Third Part IV (first "blue jacket" series)
6th series (2017? 2018? I forget) Lupin the Third Part V (second "blue jacket" show).
 

Happosai

Hold onto your panties
The Lupin TV series all have been renamed thanks to Part III and IV:
1st series 1971-72 Lupin the Third Part I (nicknamed "Old Lupin" in Japan/original "green jacket" show)
2nd series 1977-80 Lupin the Third Part II (nicknamed "New Lupin" in Japan/"red jacket")
3rd series 1984-85 Lupin the Third Part III ("pink jacket" series)
4th series 2012 (spin-off) Lupin the Third: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine (I think Lupin has a green sport coat in this one too but no one calls this the "second green jacket" or anything like that)
5th series 2015 Lupin the Third Part IV (first "blue jacket" series)
6th series (2017? 2018? I forget) Lupin the Third Part V (second "blue jacket" show).
I did not know this. I've only seen series 1 and 2 and the Fujiko Mine one. I've seen a handful of episodes from series 3.
 
Regarding Miyazaki and Lupin, he and Takahata indeed took over Part I after Ohsumi got the boot. Back then Miyazaki and Takahata were really involved in the revision of the show, to the point that Miyazaki even did key animation for some scenes.

Theres also Castle of Cagliostro, a movie taking that Miyazaki Part I interpretation and placing it at the twilight of his career, sorta like you saw in the Part I finale. Cagliostro came out in 1979, while Part II was still running but on its last legs. It was not popular at first but got huge over the few coming years (perhaps partly because Toshio Suzuki at Animage kept highlighting it and Miyazaki). Miyazaki went ahead and did two more episodes at the end of Part II in 1980, and he is on record saying he really hated doing them. And that was the last of his involvement with Lupin.
 
That FMV game thread had me thinking of Toei's contracted work for the FMV game genre. Their stuff was never anywhere near close to the theatrical quality you got with the Don Bluth games but it was still at OVA quality and all the footage was essentially non-stop action.

So I was curious who at Toei were behind the animation.



First up their work with Data East - Cobra Command/Thunder Storm in 84 and Road Blaster/Road Avenger in 85. Cobra Command very much using the style Toei would use for GI Joe and Transformers, albeit with much more budget. I always really liked the colors used during this period and especially the way they drew explosions.

Road Blaster is a not-Mad Max title which, due to it's nature, is filled with full-environment animation. It's quite nice looking and favorite of all these FMV games. (And famously the Road Blaster car and Cobra Command helicopter would show in the Double Dragon 1+2).

The staff that's listed for these two titles are pretty solid in terms of work but the most notable aspect is the animation in both games was directed by Hideki Takayama, who would go on to direct (and storyboard) Urotsukidoji and it's first couple sequels. :messenger_smiling_horns:



Then their work for Taito - Ninja Hayate/Revenge of the Ninja in 84 and Time Gal in 85.

Of the two Time Gal is more interesting as you have a Dirty Pair looking chick dealing with endless hazards as she jumps through time to stop evil guy. Aside from subject matter the animation and general overall quality is clearly much better in Time Gal too.

Both of these were directed by Tetsuo Imazawa, who among many other things, directed God Mars and the Otokojuku movie (And Psychic Wars...).



Then back to Data East again for Triad Stone/Strahl. The animation was done in 1985 and was to be released under the title Chantze's Stone but ultimately did not see a release and was repurposed as this title in 1994.

The credits for the released version shaft all the animation staff but it's pretty clear Hidetoshi Omori is behind the art and animation as it's entirely in his style. Luckily the Chantze's Stone footage does have proper credits.


As far as I'm aware the original arcade LD's or the import Playstation releases have the best video quality available. It would be nice if these could see HD restoration or scans like with the Don Bluth games but there's no strong interest and who knows what Toei did with all this footage. It would be nice if one day all the raw footage could be released at high quality on a bluray or whatever format. :messenger_relieved:
 
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Happosai

Hold onto your panties
That FMV game thread had me thinking of Toei's contracted work for the FMV game genre. Their stuff was never anywhere near close to the theatrical quality you got with the Don Bluth games but it was still at OVA quality and all the footage was essentially non-stop action.

So I was curious who at Toei were behind the animation.



First up their work with Data East - Cobra Command/Thunder Storm in 84 and Road Blaster/Road Avenger in 85. Cobra Command very much using the style Toei would use for GI Joe and Transformers, albeit with much more budget. I always really liked the colors used during this period and especially the way they drew explosions.

Road Blaster is a not-Mad Max title which, due to it's nature, is filled with full-environment animation. It's quite nice looking and favorite of all these FMV games. (And famously the Road Blaster car and Cobra Command helicopter would show in the Double Dragon 1+2).

The staff that's listed for these two titles are pretty solid in terms of work but the most notable aspect is the animation in both games was directed by Hideki Takayama, who would go on to direct (and storyboard) Urotsukidoji and it's first couple sequels. :messenger_smiling_horns:



Then their work for Taito - Ninja Hayate/Revenge of the Ninja in 84 and Time Gal in 85.

Of the two Time Gal is more interesting as you have a Dirty Pair looking chick dealing with endless hazards as she jumps through time to stop evil guy. Aside from subject matter the animation and general overall quality is clearly much better in Time Gal too.

Both of these were directed by Tetsuo Imazawa, who among many other things, directed God Mars and the Otokojuku movie (And Psychic Wars...).



Then back to Data East again for Triad Stone/Strahl. The animation was done in 1985 and was to be released under the title Chantze's Stone but ultimately did not see a release and was repurposed as this title in 1994.

The credits for the released version shaft all the animation staff but it's pretty clear Hidetoshi Omori is behind the art and animation as it's entirely in his style. Luckily the Chantze's Stone footage does have proper credits.


As far as I'm aware the original arcade LD's or the import Playstation releases have the best video quality available. It would be nice if these could see HD restoration or scans like with the Don Bluth games but there's no strong interest and who knows what Toei did with all this footage. It would be nice if one day all the raw footage could be released at high quality on a bluray or whatever format. :messenger_relieved:

Pretty amazing stuff. I wish the arcade ones had been ported before the current gen/next gen consoles and digital gaming age. Seems like something would have been nice during the 6th gen. Second time you've mentioned Psychic Wars. I may need to rewatch it. I watched it only a few weeks before moving to Mexico in 2016. I was distracted at the time and didn't take much away from it. I never toss out older anime, though and it's still in my collection.

That Laser Active stuff I would not expect to see any release of. Pioneer or some subsidiary probably still holds rights and it seems that the older style of anime being ported to next gen/current with new style anime games would cause them to dismiss any resurrection of these games...which really sucks.
 
Pretty amazing stuff. I wish the arcade ones had been ported before the current gen/next gen consoles and digital gaming age. Seems like something would have been nice during the 6th gen. Second time you've mentioned Psychic Wars. I may need to rewatch it. I watched it only a few weeks before moving to Mexico in 2016. I was distracted at the time and didn't take much away from it. I never toss out older anime, though and it's still in my collection.

That Laser Active stuff I would not expect to see any release of. Pioneer or some subsidiary probably still holds rights and it seems that the older style of anime being ported to next gen/current with new style anime games would cause them to dismiss any resurrection of these games...which really sucks.

Nah I doubt you'll feel different about Psychic Wars. The fact that I came across this director twice when looking into other work is just coincidence or most likely a limited pool of talent in a singular company. =P

That's sad. I wouldn't even really need the games released, I would take all the raw footage at high quality and played out sequentially. Course there's basically zero demand for such. Oh well.


And since Lupin was the subject of discussion, 1983's "Cliff Hanger" should also be mentioned. =P
PlnCAQ0.jpg


They took footage from Cagliostro and Mystery of Mamo and made an FMV QTE game out of it. Discotek tried to include it on the bluray of Cagliostro but was unsuccessful.


 
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Nah I doubt you'll feel different about Psychic Wars. The fact that I came across this director twice when looking into other work is just coincidence or most likely a limited pool of talent in a singular company. =P

That's sad. I wouldn't even really need the games released, I would take all the raw footage at high quality and played out sequentially. Course there's basically zero demand for such. Oh well.


And since Lupin was the subject of discussion, 1983's "Cliff Hanger" should also be mentioned. =P
PlnCAQ0.jpg


They took footage from Cagliostro and Mystery of Mamo and made an FMV QTE game out of it. Discotek tried to include it on the bluray of Cagliostro but was unsuccessful.



Yeah we tried to get Cliffy on the disc, but the old contracts with Stern couldn't be found (though we tried!). Since it wasn't clear what could and could not be legally used, we had to cancel the idea.
 
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L Lupin the Third do you work with Discotek/Eastern Star. You said, "we tried." I've still never seen Castle of Cagliostro.
I'm a producer on many of the Lupin anime releases they have done thus far. Basically been involved with them since their first release, the live-action one they put out in ....2006, I want to say? I don't do much with them beyond Lupin, but they always have a lot of it in the queue.
 

Happosai

Hold onto your panties
I'm a producer on many of the Lupin anime releases they have done thus far. Basically been involved with them since their first release, the live-action one they put out in ....2006, I want to say? I don't do much with them beyond Lupin, but they always have a lot of it in the queue.
That's pretty interested work. Did you work with releasing the TV series' 1 and 2. Series 1 had previously never been licensed in the U.S. prior to Discotek, correct? I recall a short bout they had with parts of series 2 and how it wasn't properly getting released until about 3-years ago.
 
I was involved in all the TV series releases to date. Yeah Series 1 we had to clean up all the subtitles because all there was was a very plain English script that was many years old.

As for Series 2, it's done...all the episodes are out on DVD now. But no new episodes are dubbed, which is what a billion people asked for. Sadly, it would cost a TON to dub a longer show like that, and Discotek is still a relatively small media business, so it hasn't happened. But maybe someday, who knows.
 

Happosai

Hold onto your panties
I was involved in all the TV series releases to date. Yeah Series 1 we had to clean up all the subtitles because all there was was a very plain English script that was many years old.

As for Series 2, it's done...all the episodes are out on DVD now. But no new episodes are dubbed, which is what a billion people asked for. Sadly, it would cost a TON to dub a longer show like that, and Discotek is still a relatively small media business, so it hasn't happened. But maybe someday, who knows.
Thanks for all your work. I've been following Lupin the 3rd back to the original mangas. Really, all we needed were there original TV series' released subbed. Dubbing was something they did a bit of with series 2 but that was with the idea that back in the early 2000's; Lupin would find an audience in younger Americans watching on Cartoon Network. Seems nearly everything that aired on cable back then was dubbed if it was regarding anime. It's better to have Lupin preserved as is. I hope you guys get around to "Farewell to Nostradamus" sometime in the future. Funimation released it limited back in the 2000's and it's been out-of-print for about 13-years or more now. Not sure if they still hold the license or not.
 
Thanks for all your work. I've been following Lupin the 3rd back to the original mangas. Really, all we needed were there original TV series' released subbed. Dubbing was something they did a bit of with series 2 but that was with the idea that back in the early 2000's; Lupin would find an audience in younger Americans watching on Cartoon Network. Seems nearly everything that aired on cable back then was dubbed if it was regarding anime. It's better to have Lupin preserved as is. I hope you guys get around to "Farewell to Nostradamus" sometime in the future. Funimation released it limited back in the 2000's and it's been out-of-print for about 13-years or more now. Not sure if they still hold the license or not.
I'd kinda like to see it reissued too, especially since it has a nice HD transfer in Japan. Funimation's movie/TV special licenses expired probably a decade or longer ago, so it's probably a possibility. Though personally I think Nostradamus is a super disappointing entry. Part IV was done by the same studio and is a much better quality story.

Personally, I think Discotek is likely to release just about everything in the Lupin anime franchise eventually, as long as people keep buying it. (Barring perhaps Lupin the 8th or the like.)
 
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kunonabi

Member
Speaking of discotek and Lupin my copies of the Gen Rei OAVS and Lupin III Tokyo Crisis came in today. Gen Rei actually came with some badass postcards too.
 

Happosai

Hold onto your panties
I'd kinda like to see it reissued too, especially since it has a nice HD transfer in Japan. Funimation's movie/TV special licenses expired probably a decade or longer ago, so it's probably a possibility. Though personally I think Nostradamus is a super disappointing entry. Part IV was done by the same studio and is a much better quality story.

Personally, I think Discotek is likely to release just about everything in the Lupin anime franchise eventually, as long as people keep buying it. (Barring perhaps Lupin the 8th or the like.)
Well, you can tell we have a portion of that demographic right here on NeoGAF. kunonabi kunonabi seems to be buying all the releases of Lupin. Thanks for working hard to bring Lupin back possibly one last time (before the home video market declines completely) for big fans in the West and especially for the collectors. I keep telling people to buy them now - as I've noticed prices go up and print numbers go down the longer waited.
 

kunonabi

Member
Indeed I am buying every Lupin release. Well, aside from the dub of part IV since it's missing the intro, the best of that series to be honest, and I'm on the fence with the new Women Called Fujiko Mine release since I have the Funimation one already. I suppose that depends on if Discotek finds a significant way to improve on it.

But yeah I've been super happy with Discotek's work and I try to support them whenever I can.
 

Happosai

Hold onto your panties
I'd kinda like to see it reissued too, especially since it has a nice HD transfer in Japan. Funimation's movie/TV special licenses expired probably a decade or longer ago, so it's probably a possibility. Though personally I think Nostradamus is a super disappointing entry. Part IV was done by the same studio and is a much better quality story.

Personally, I think Discotek is likely to release just about everything in the Lupin anime franchise eventually, as long as people keep buying it. (Barring perhaps Lupin the 8th or the like.)
What were your thoughts about this new mainstream type Lupin movie that came out in theaters last year? I saw trailers but I couldn't get into a Lupin that's all C.G.I.'d. In context with the OP - classic or retro anime is meant more for those who enjoy traditional cel painted, hand-drawn, hand rendered anime. It seems Shout Factory has this one for physical releases. What are your thoughts or opinions on making Lupin CGI? Also, it would be great to see the 8th get a decent release.
 

Valonquar

Member
Wish Amazon would do JP & NA audio like most of the other streaming services :/ Noticed DNA² on there but could not deal with a dub.
 

Happosai

Hold onto your panties
Wish Amazon would do JP & NA audio like most of the other streaming services :/ Noticed DNA² on there but could not deal with a dub.
One of many reasons I still buy hard copy anime and don't get into streaming. Amazon does have this rep for publishing dubs only. I was looking at Prime Mexico's anime line-up last year; all the titles were LA Spanish dubs...awful stuff. There are a handful of dubbed series and movies I can handle which were done well. But that's rare. I've heard the DNA² dub and it's unlistenable. I think maybe one of the English V.A.'s had half a clue how to read through the lines. The others appeared to not care or just sucked in general.
 
S

SLoWMoTIoN

Unconfirmed Member
One of many reasons I still buy hard copy anime and don't get into streaming. Amazon does have this rep for publishing dubs only. I was looking at Prime Mexico's anime line-up last year; all the titles were LA Spanish dubs...awful stuff. There are a handful of dubbed series and movies I can handle which were done well. But that's rare. I've heard the DNA² dub and it's unlistenable. I think maybe one of the English V.A.'s had half a clue how to read through the lines. The others appeared to not care or just sucked in general.
The picture quality is the worst offender. If you are gonna buy anime buy physical. Usually around now (or before Christmas) you can get complete seasons/series for like 75%. Meh.
 
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