R4 Cyborg 009 Set

[Greboruri]

I was browsing yesasia.com and came across this (http://global.yesasia.com/en/PrdDept.aspx/section-anime/code-c/version-all/did-7448/pid-1004375103/). What intrested me was the cover which said in effect that it contained 9 hours worth of the series. I bought the region 1 DVD which only had the first 8 episodes (IIRC), but nothing further was released in the US. It'd be great if Sony Australia were releasing the rest subtitled as well as dubbed, but I've looked at the OFLC website and ezydvd.com.au, and I haven't been able to come up with any solid facts about this release. Due to the subs and language options as mentioned on yesasia's site, I thought it might be a clone of a UK release, but the R2 was canceled and it was never released in the UK (it's not a R2 French clone either, there's no French release).

Anyone know anything about this forthcoming R4 release?

[ChibiGoku]

Except...one thing:

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* Screen Format: 1.33:1 Fullscreen
* Sound Mix: Dolby Digital 5.1

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Please tell me that's an error. /images/graemlins/depresse.gif

Anywho, This looks like a set I MIGHT be interested in picking up, hopefully if the above isn't true.

[Lumene]

Audio: TBC
Aspect Ratio: TBC
Running Time: TBC mins

http://www.ezydvd.com.au/item.zml/787972

[Greboruri]

I went out and bought the set this morning, so I can confirm the following;
The first 25 episodes of the series are included, on THREE discs!! Yes, that's 8 episodes on the first two, 9 on the third. The video looks alright to me (it doesn't quite look as good as the R1). Some PAL conversion issues, but you'll have to ask a videophile as to how bad or good it actually is.

Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1. 16:9 Enhanced.

Region: 2, 4 and 5 (despite only saying region 4 on the slick).

Languages: English, Japanese and French.

Subtitles: English (like the R1, they are dubtitles), English (Captions for the deaf and hard of hearing), French, Greek and Dutch.

Now for some (kinda) bad news. It says on the back of the DVD slick that this release is "Unedited and Uncut", which is a half truth. I haven't gone through the whole set yet, but right from episode one I noticed some changes. The opening theme "What's the Justice" by Globe has been replaced by an orchestral BGM piece which lasts 40 seconds. Random pieces of opening animation and bits of episode one have been edited to make this new opening. The closing for all of the episodes is the same as the Japanese original, but it uses the still drawings from episode one's ending. Episode one is missing the first 40 seconds with the CGI sequence showing the DNA forming. Why on earth this was cut, I have no idea. The original ending of the first epidode was "What's the Justice" by Globe, but like all the rest of the ends, it's been replaced by "Genesis of Next" by Globe, which sounds stupid on the Japanese track as you can here "What's the Justice" starting up just before the end credits come up, then it jaringly cuts to "Genesis of Next".

I don't know if there's anymore cuts to the series as I'm not too familar with the show past episode 8. But at least the show is out on DVD, and it's better than what expected from Sony Australia. I'm hoping they'll release a second set with the other half of the series soon.

[ChibiGoku]

I believe that's the US Toonami version. (Before they started re-editing the show) Honestly, I don't see why Sony used the Toonami masters, if this is true. It makes absolutly no sense.

[BurtKenobi]

It makes perfect sense to use the Toonami masters if you're not aiming at anime fans, but you're imagining you've got a hit kids cartoon show. Why don't firms hire anime fans to help release their anime?

Sorry - rhetorical question and whinging.

J

[ChibiGoku]

[ QUOTE ]
Jonathan Laidlow said:
It makes perfect sense to use the Toonami masters if you're not aiming at anime fans, but you're imagining you've got a hit kids cartoon show. Why don't firms hire anime fans to help release their anime?

Sorry - rhetorical question and whinging.

J

[/ QUOTE ]

Sometimes I wonder though...