July 24th, 2001!

[PoochJD]

Hi,

At last! After all this time, the Anime movie that started it all off, here in the UK, is out as a deluxe, Double DVD, Limited Edition Tin Box Set, for about £25.

"AKIRA" (1987) finally gets a much deserved Region 1 DVD release. Disc 1, contains the movie in a THX-approved remastered edition, with both subtitled and dubbed editions. (Both are brand new, never-seen-before editions, created for the movies 14th anniversary!) The second disc, contains extras, including Trailers, TV Spots, documentaries, and 3 behind-the-scenes featurettes, et al.

Definitely one to get your mitts on!

[Rambo John J]

Those LE tins are going to go like hot cakes, there's not many of them at all.
Nobody seems to know if the original Orchestral soundtrack is going to be an option but at a guess I'd say probably not. This one's well overdue, and not surprisingly Manga Uk, responsible for the the R2 release that follows in October, are totally in the dark as to whether they'll have access to any of the new remastered print, soundtrack, or even features for the European disc. Same old R2 story. I hope for the sake of region locked Uk fans though that they at least get a decent print for it. I'm thoughful like that :D
And I'll spare them a thought as I lovingly caress my R1 copy

[PoochJD]

Rambo,

You're such a sweetie!

To be honest, the original plan was for Manga UK to release AKIRA back in April 2001, but like every other UK DVD release, it got bumped. I doubt if they will have the new version to use, but even if they don't, I still may get their release, just so that I have every available edition to watch, of this seminal movie!

I didn't think the original sub or dub was quite as bad as everyone made it out to be. Flawed, I agree. But there's worse subs and dubs out there on DVD!

A nice cinema-quad-size poster of the original movie advert, showing Kaneda on his bike, would have been an excellent extra to include. Maybe Manga UK will do this instead?

Pooch

P.S. Have you seen the Todd McFarlane Spawn.com Manga/Anime Toys of AKIRA? They're truly outstanding models, available from places like Forbidden Planet, et al! Get Tetsuo now, and then the Kaneda/Bike Twin Set in October 2001!

[Yatia]

Originally posted by Rambo John J:
<STRONG>I hope for the sake of region locked Uk fans though that they at least get a decent print for it.</STRONG>

I need to chip my player!

[Rambo John J]

Yup, I believe you do.

It's about time there were a few more UK releases of anime movies. Not that I'd buy most of them seeing as the best I pick up from the US, but because there's just a paltry few of some of the most imaginitive films ever created available in the Uk. Still, the Legend Of The Overfiend/Demon Womb (the proper Jap name scapes me - it's late) is out next month as a double disc which, even though they're cut, are still an insane pair of movies. You just gotta dig those crazy tentacles, or at least you would if you saw anything but a Uk release of them. What's so offensive about a few animated cells?

It'd be nice if Akira got a theatrical re-release in the UK like in the US seeing as Warners picked it up for distribution over there, but alas, I feel a little short of change as far as hopes of that go.

[PoochJD]

Rambo,

I was one of the lucky few to see the original 1987 release of AKIRA on the big-screen, and in its subtitled version as well! Trust me! If a cinema has this near you, at any time, make a date to see it, if only for the famous bike-chase sequence! A truly awesome movie on the big-screen!

As for "Urotsukidoji", as the Japanese called it, you asked what was wrong with a few animated pixels... Well, if you get the uncensored prints from the USA, then you'll see that what was left in the UK version, was appalling. What material was removed, was both graphic, sexually-explicit, grotesque and pornographic. However, seeing the movie in the way the director intended, means that a) you get to see what he was originally getting at, story-wise; b) you can make up your own mind about the content, and c) you understand why the material was cut for UK eyes.

Simply put, Urotsukidoji is an adult-masterpiece that is probably the most extreme anime movie ever made, outside of proper Hentai/Lolicon (Pornographic and/or Lolita-complex) anime! If it were a real life movie, filmed using actors and CGI effects, it would be banned, and all prints burned, as well as giving the director a lengthy prison-sentence!.

Highly recommended, for those not easily-offended. However, don't go expecting titillation, as this isn't what you'll find!

Pooch

[Rambo John J]

I've got the US discs myself, but being old and jaded and having seen so much of what some folks call "nasty stuff" I find myself not so easily shocked these days (probably the same story with you). Not that I'd advocate tentacle abuse of young ladies as a day-to-day thing, it's just that I never felt shocked by any of it. I guess I can see why some people are, but personally I'm a bit of a fan of adult anime movies.

And I know what you mean about Akira on the big screen, I didn't see the initial theatrical release, but I did catch it at a festival showing around 3am, and it blew me away. Folks can keep their Toy Story's, give me anime any day.

[Juzminator]

I got into anime a few years back, but haven't really revisited it since.

Akira was beautiful, Urotsukidoji I & II were awesome, and The Fist of The North Star was exciting and confusing!

I never went back to Manga because after I'd seen these films, the video shop near me that rented out the films only had pretty crappy stuff after that (you know, the "cutesy" but adult manga style).

I may have to get hold of the uncensored Urotsukidoji though - I loved those movies (wasn't the second one even more nasty than the first - or am I mis-remembering?)

[PoochJD]

Juz,

Check out all of the following:

Ghost In The Shell (R1 version is better than R2!)

Perfect Blue

Princess Mononoke (R1 only)

Gunsmith Cats: Bulletproof (R1 only)

and finally....

"HELL ON EARTH: THE UROTSUKIDOJI SAGA" This R1 box-set contains:
- Urotsukidoji: Legend Of The Overfiend
- Urotsukidoji 2: Legend Of The Demon Womb
- Urtosukidoji 3: Return Of The Overfiend
- Urotsukidoji 4: The Infernal Road
in all their total, and uncensored glory. Running Time: Over 8 hours of material!! Approximate Cost: £75

All of the above are quality anime titles!

Pooch