Critical Mass Video announces street date for "Countdown: Conjoined"

[Shawne Kleckner]

COUNTDOWN CONJOINED (http://www.rightstuf.com/aod/cmdvd0705)

Pre-Book: 1/30/2007
Street Date: 2/27/2007
Runtime: Approximately 60 minutes, Dolby Digital; Stereo, Color
Genre: Erotic Drama
Suggested Rating: 18+

Format: DVD (English, Japanese, English Subtitles, English On-Screen Translations)
Catalog#: CMDVD0705 (http://www.rightstuf.com/aod/cmdvd0705)
UPC#: 7-42617-0705-2-5
SRP: $29.99

Four of the most unusual and erotic tales ever animated, Countdown: Conjoined comes from the mind of Hiroyuki Utatane, the director of the notorious Cool Devices, a series that pushed the boundaries of adult anime in the United States. Now available for the first time with English audio, Countdown Conjoined is also completely uncut and digitally remastered.

In Countdown Conjoined:
Alimony Hunter: When sexy, young Jun runs meets the busty Chizuru, she sees an opportunity for one hot night! Plus Chizuru's got a cute stepson that may serve as a dessert for her main course!

Seek: When rescuing a princess doesn't provide a heroic adventurer with the stimulation he'd hoped for, he looks to find it in the princess herself! However, this little lady might be more stimulation than he’d bargained for..

Virgin Road: Young, blushing bride Akemi is busily preparing for her impending wedding, but she needs the proper send-off.. and who better to do that than Jun!

A Play on History, Hooligan Boy: When a madman begins to abduct the city's luscious ladies, Mai and her gay robotic partner Kuma are there to put a stop to it! But can they resist the lure of the madman's incredibly tempting technologically-enhanced body?

Special features:
Art gallery, staff comments, scene access, U.S. trailer, Critical Mass Video trailers, English and Japanese Dolby Digital audio with English subtitles, plus English on-screen translations.

Cover image (large) is located at http://outgoing.rightstuf.com/sleeves/cmdvd0705.jpg

COUNTDOWN CONJOINED © 1995 Utatane Hiroyuki/Fujimi Shuppan/Akane Shinsha/Pink Pineapple.

[chloes_fork]

The good news: Critical Mass is restoring this excellent vintage hentai to print.

The bad news: we're apparently still not getting the "lost" segments, as described here (http://www.animeprime.com/reports/countdown.shtml).

[Rhodes]

dang no way to get this un-edited? even with the original mosaic is better than the soft cel dvd release which i already have.

that would make me rebuy this.

[chloes_fork]

dang no way to get this un-edited?
Well, I note the press release claims it's "completely uncut," which is presumably true for the stories that are included. Still, omitting entire segments from the Japanese release (assuming animeprime's report is accurate) doesn't exactly qualify as uncut to me.

[kakugo]

There are R2's, but if you JUST want the lost second episode you're still kinda' screwed.

Yuuwaku COUNT DOWN D-1 includes Alimony Hunter, Seek, and Zutto Amai Kuchibiru (the first half of episode 2). Yuuwaku COUNT DOWN D-2 includes Virgin Road, Kurenai (the first half of episode 2) and A Play On History: Hooligan Boy. Each DVD runs about 45 minutes, and I'm assuming has a new credit sequence. Episode 2 never actually shows genitalia (I've double checked), but that hasn't stopped plenty of other "softcore" hentai titles and sequences from being mosaiced in Japan regardless.

There is a R2 PAL DVD in Germany which is completely uncensored, and includes a German dub as well as a Japanese track. It was originally released as "Countdown Stories" and later "Samen Printer". It includes all 3 episodes of the first series (not Akira Complex) as they were released on VHS and LD, 'cept minus any censorship. It's an NTSC-PAL conversion, so there are some issues with softness and ghosting, but it's the best uncensored release you're evidently ever going to see. There is also an Italian release of Countdown, but it appears ot have mirrored the Japanese release and split the second episode in half.

Good to see UTATANE Hirokuki material back in the hands of quality smut loving fans everywhere... just a shame Critical Mass couldn't restore the "missing" episode in the process. I'm assuming it just wasn't given with the license from Soft Cel? Or does even Critical Mass draw the line at spoiler
skull fucking? :P

[Skywise]

The bad news: we're apparently still not getting the "lost" segments, as described here (http://www.animeprime.com/reports/countdown.shtml).

Actually that's GOOD news. I've read the manga and I can't believe they animated that in the first place >_<. It really doesn't fit in with the theme of the other episodes IMO.

[kakugo]

I'll be the first to admit I'm a crazy and sick bastard to begin with, but the animated version of Kurenai is actually more surreal and beautiful than the original manga it's based on. Not that this'll un-traumatize you, but Spoiler
neither the homonculus nor "the man" in the anime version end up dead in the OVA, and the skull-fucking is ever-so-slightly off camera this time. I'll admit, it's more something you'd expect from Saizo or Uziga rather than Utatane, but it's a fascinating and well put together segment none the less. The soundtrack especially is nice and haunting, and the artwork is as lovely as anything else in the series.

...though to be fair, my wife did get physically ill, even before the sexual aspects of Kurenai started. And she's watched all of Night Shift Nurses, Urotsukidoji and Airu Maniax with me, so she's not exactly a lightweight either.

Besides, you're also missing Zutto Amai Kuchibiru, and if you like Alimony Hunter or Virgin Road, surely you'd like this one. ;)

[Steve_the_Talking_Pie]

Thanks Right Stuf. I'm hoping to see an Elven Bride release as well as a few others in the future. Come on GUY!!!!!

[chloes_fork]

The bad news: we're apparently still not getting the "lost" segments, as described here (http://www.animeprime.com/reports/countdown.shtml).

Actually that's GOOD news. I've read the manga and I can't believe they animated that in the first place >_<. It really doesn't fit in with the theme of the other episodes IMO.
And IMO, editing or exclusion of content is never good news. The "Kurenai" segment doesn't sound like something I'd have an active personal desire to see, but if I'm buying "Countdown," that's what I should get, not portions thereof pre-masticated for my protection.

Besides, you're also missing Zutto Amai Kuchibiru, and if you like Alimony Hunter or Virgin Road, surely you'd like this one. ;)
Since those are my two favorite segments of (what I've been permitted to see of) "Countdown," I certainly regret missing that one.