Leiji Matsumoto anime (Captain Harlock, GE999) available in France

[ComSR]

I was searching Amazon France website yesterday and found these..
Galaxy Express 999 the collector's film
Space Symphony Maetel collection
Arcadia of My Youth: Endless Orbit SSX collector's edition
Submarine Super 99 collection
It appears each one comes with original Japanese audio and optional French dub and subs.
I think these would be a plausable alternative to importing them from Japan because they're cheaper (at least in Europe) and some sets are already out of print in Japan. For comparison, a typical Japanese DVD single costs approx. 200 USD/150 EUR, while these collection releases can be had for well under 50 EUR.

The GE999 box includes the first movie and extras DVD, Space Symphony Maetel is the sequel to GE999 prequel Maetel Legend.
Arcadia of My Youth (Albator 84) includes the movie and TV series. Also, the original Captain Harlock TV series from 70's is available as Albator 78 but it ís said to be censored and dubbed only...

Has anyone bought these sets yet?

Check the new forums for the most recent version.

[BurtKenobi]

Would love to, but my French isn't good enough to get through them.

[Daimao Raki]

I should re-learn my French.....

[ComSR]

Maetel, Submarine and Albator84/Harlock SSX are on their way to my door. They should be showing up in a few days.
They're here.. pictures ahoy!

Harlock Endless Orbit SSX (Albator 84):
http://img175.imageshack.us/i/05082010.png/
http://img717.imageshack.us/i/05082010002.png/
http://img508.imageshack.us/i/05082010001.png/
http://img834.imageshack.us/i/harlock842.png/
http://img809.imageshack.us/i/harlock84.png/
A fancy art box holding a Digipak case inside. However, while the box looks nice outside, the Digipak case holding the 6 discs is really flimsy. Thin cardboard, brittle clear plastic. The included booklet written in French is nice, though.
My advice: get a 6-disc plastic keepcase to hold the discs securely.
The contents? Comes with original unedited Japanese video and audio and French subtitles.
I'm not sure, but the included version of Arcadia of My Youth seems to have better video quality than AnimEigo's (R1 release, out of print) version does.

Space Symphony Maetel:
http://img231.imageshack.us/i/05082010003.png/
http://img832.imageshack.us/i/05082010004.png/
http://img132.imageshack.us/i/05082010005.png/
http://img690.imageshack.us/i/ssmaetel1.png/
Thin cardboard box holds 3 DVDs in thinpak cases. This one is bare-bones. No inserts or bonuses of any kind. There is another version that bundles a book and 2-disc soundtrack CD collection, but it's much more expensive.
Video has noticiable compression artifacts around edges in movement. Could use a better encode. Original video and audio with French subtitles.

Submarine Super 99:
http://img442.imageshack.us/i/05082010006.png/
http://img717.imageshack.us/i/s99x.png/
http://img12.imageshack.us/i/sub99.png/
Another thinkpak release. It's 3 discs in a thin cardboard box.
This one has much better encoding than Space Symphony Maetel. No complaints here. Original video and audio with French subtitles.

[Garasharp K7]

Thanks for posting those. I've been in two minds about getting some of those sets since you first mentioned 'em, but your pics helped me make up my mind. I'll reckon I'll pick up the Harlock and Maetel sets at some stage.

[ComSR]

More findings!
Galaxy Express 999 TV box sets, Space Battleship Yamato movies, Queen Millenia movie, original Captain Harlock TV series from year 1978 are available from Italy with original Japanese audio and Italian subtitles, licensed by Yamato Video.
However Italy doesn't have a localized Amazon website, finding an Italian online store that ships outside Italy needs some researching first. For the time being, here's a price comparison for GE999TV Box 3.

Update:
Amazon Italy is here! No more searching around needed for a reliable online store that sells Italian releases. DVD-Store.it and BuyCartoon.it may be an alternative if there's a title you can't find on AmazonIt yet.

As a side note, here is a list of some other legimate releases from France and Italy. In English speaking regions, many of these have never been released/incomplete or are (very) rare.

• Lupin III TV series (1-3), specials and movies
• City Hunter (uncut release may be English friendly)
• Cardcaptor Sakura
• Creamy Mami
• Magical Star Emi
• Lady Georgie
• Pastel Idol Yumi ("Susy" in France)
• Fist of the Blue Sky (Souten no Ken)
• Strawberry 100% (Ichigo 100%)
• Master Keaton
• GTO (Great Teacher Onizuka)
• JoJo's Bizarre Adventure
• Space Adventure Cobra
• Cyborg 009
• Michiko Hatchin (Michiko to Hatchin)
• Fist of the North Star: The Legend of True Saviour OVA series (Hokuto no Ken Legend)

[Garasharp K7]

Originally Posted by ComSR

However Italy doesn't have a localized Amazon website, finding an Italian online store that ships outside Italy needs some researching first. For the time being, here's a price comparison for GE999TV Box 3.

Pardon the thread exhumation, but I noticed Amazon does have an Italian site now, and sure enough I came across the Harlock set along with the GE 999 set as well. After trawling further through some of the anime selection up there, I noticed a few of the titles you mentioned plus a buckletload of older super robot shows - like Daitarn 3, Trider G7, Baldios, Groizer X and Daltanius. They all have the Japanese track along with Italian audio and subs.
They've also got original Gundam, Casshern, Tekkaman and some Dragonar as well, though I don't think that one has the Japanese audio.

Anyway, I ordered the two Harlock sets. I'll post some impressions whenever they turn up. Might pick up some of those robot shows too.

[ComSR]

Originally Posted by Garasharp K7

Pardon the thread exhumation, but I noticed Amazon does have an Italian site now, and sure enough I came across the Harlock set along with the GE 999 set as well.
Anyway, I ordered the two Harlock sets. I'll post some impressions whenever they turn up. Might pick up some of those robot shows too.

Thanks for the heads up! I'll make sure to update my bookmarks now. I was originally going to buy them from DVD-Store.It.

Here are some more titles of interest from Italy:
Lulù l'angelo tra i fiori (Hana no Ko LunLun)
Super Robot 28 (Tetsujin 28-go 2: Messenger of the Sun)
Evelyn e la magia di un sogno d`amore (Magical Fairy Persia)
Sailor Moon Upcoming release from Dynit, with original audio.
La Principessa Zaffiro (Princess Knight)
Lady Oscar (The Rose of Versailles)
Conan - Il Ragazzo Del Futuro (Conan, the Boy in Future)
Occhi Di Gatto (Cat's Eye [City Hunter spinoff])
Mao Dante (Demon Lord Dante) - Uncut version??. The R1 Geneon version licensed from Enoki USA was censored.
L' Incantevole Creamy - Il Lungo Addio (Creamy Mami OVA)
Magica Magica Emi - Orchestra Di Cicale (Magical Emi OVA)
Sandy Dai Mille Colori (Pastel Yumi) Cointains the Studio Pierrot Magical Girl series OVA; Majokko Club: Alien X from A Zone
Hello Sandybell
Don Dracula comedy anime by Tezuka Osamu
F Motori In Pista Formula racing anime
Hamtaro May include English audio
Rocky Joe (Ashita no Joe 1 TV)
Star Blazers (Space Battleship Yamato TV) May include English subtitles or audio, uncut?
Ransie La Strega (Tokimeki Tonight)
Uomo Tigre (Tiger Mask) Wrestling
Grand Prix (Arrow Emblem: Hawk of the Grand Prix) Racing anime, directed by Rintaro!
Lovely Complex
Kyashan (Casshern/Casshan Robot Hunter TV)
Daitarn 3
Groizer X
Trider G7
Daltanious (Future Robo Daltanias)

France:
Gigi (Magical Princess Minky Momo)
Chiko l'héritière de cent visages (Chiko, Heiress of the Phantom Thief)
Eat-Man + Eat-Man '98
Slow Step
Hiatari Ryôkô
Yakitate!! Ja-pan
Kurenai
Ashita No Joe 2
Cobra: The Animation
Chocolat et Vanilla (Sugar Sugar Rune)
Cynthia ou le rythme de la vie (Hikari no Densetsu)
Mankatsu Monkey Punch shorts

If Amazon ever opens shop in Spain, look forward to Mazinger Z: Z-Chapter Blu-rays. If Media Blasters doesn't release them in the US them first, that is (remember the announcement about Mazinkaiser SKL).

[Garasharp K7]

Oh wow, Tetsujin 28? I've been after that one for ages now. I'm seriously tempted to order one of those sets, but I reckon I've bought too much already. Ended up getting a couple of the Daitarn 3 volumes along with the Harlock sets. (and I've already got a shipping notice for the lot of 'em. They'll probably turn up here in a week or so)

[ComSR]

Originally Posted by Garasharp K7

Oh wow, Tetsujin 28? I've been after that one for ages now. I'm seriously tempted to order one of those sets, but I reckon I've bought too much already.

Note this is the revamped version for the "cool 80's kids". If you want something more like the original black-and-white animation (but not Gigantor), track down the Geneon R1 release of the 2004 remake. Most of the DVDs are still available from RightStuf.