The Definitive ADV Thread

Discussion in 'Gatchaman' started by Melek Taos, Jul 21, 2005.

  1. Melek Taos

    Melek Taos New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2003
    Messages:
    136
    Likes Received:
    0
    Guess whos got a copy of the box set now?

    Your favorite fallen angel!

    (Thanks to a certain Ninja for letting me have her spare)

    I have watched a couple of Eps. One over brekfast. (I was that keen; i normaly let DVDs rest for a few days before I can be bothered to view.) I find the VAs and lingo strange but Im sure Ill get used to it.
     
    #1
  2. Mark

    Mark G-Force Commander

    Joined:
    Jan 30, 2001
    Messages:
    394
    Likes Received:
    1
    Are all the Japanese names kept (Ryu, Berg Katse, etc.)?
     
    #2
  3. Melek Taos

    Melek Taos New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2003
    Messages:
    136
    Likes Received:
    0
    Yes, including those of the Mecha

    Nambu is now a doctor, though.
     
    #3
  4. Dirk Daring

    Dirk Daring New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 1, 2004
    Messages:
    183
    Likes Received:
    2
    Well MT, guess you saved me the trouble of making this thread eh? Anyways, I'm glad that someone here other than me has this release. I have a couple of things I would like to contribute to this thread if you don't mind:

    OFFICIAL ADV GATCHAMAN SITE:

    http://www.advfilms.com/titles/gatchaman/

    Interesting site. Immediately check out the 3 part interview with Alex Ross. WARNING: The site takes a while to load, seeing as its all in Flash.

    ADV GATCHAMAN REVIEWS/MISC. :

    http://www.dubreview.com/readnews.php?newsid=000119&PHPSESSID=89605795fc5164a6bed4e48c4a25b1d4

    Overall review, DubReview. (They provide actual snippets of the dub via the highlighted text, check it out!)

    http://www.animeondvd.com/reviews2/disc_reviews/3950.php

    - Vol. 1 Review, AnimeOnDVD.

    http://www.chronicsite.com/gatchaman/ADV1review.html

    - Box Set Review, Home of the White Shadow.

    EXTRAS:

    Gatchaman opening:

    http://regnodelleanime.gamesurf.it/filtro/gatchaman_jap.htm

    This version of the intro won't be used until episode 23, all the way up to the end of the show. We're currently up to episode 12 on the DVDs. (What they did starting with episode 23 was flip-flop the opening & ending theme.)

    Gatchaman closing:

    http://regnodelleanime.gamesurf.it/filtro/gatchaman_fin_jap.htm

    Ditto for this version of the ending.


    While the DVD's may not reach the phenomenal video quality of these clips (which are flawed themselves with graniness and poor bit rate, seeing as they were ripped from a video game) they do come close. My setup's maximum video output is S-Video though, but i can only imagine how this release would look on those nifty HDTV's with component out. I can only dream.
     
    #4
  5. Melek Taos

    Melek Taos New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2003
    Messages:
    136
    Likes Received:
    0
    Thank you, Dirk

    It has gotten good reviews, hasnt it?
     
    #5
  6. Dirk Daring

    Dirk Daring New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 1, 2004
    Messages:
    183
    Likes Received:
    2
    Yep, thankfully. The reviews have been mixed overall but the good reviews outweigh the bad ones.

    I didn't get the boxset however, just got the 2 volumes for $10 apiece one day before release while on a frantic search for BotP & G-Force DVD's at a Best Buy. Hopefully the first boxset will be around for awhile as I'll get it in the near future.
     
    #6
  7. gatch72

    gatch72 New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 12, 2005
    Messages:
    71
    Likes Received:
    0
    This set is just GREAT. The next volume is scheduled for next month, can't wait to get it. I grew up watching BOTP, but in the long run this set just kicks butt. No more hidden gaps, you know what was edited out and so on. Its also good that we have several different versions of this series to compare them to one another. I like all 3 series (Gatchaman,BOTP & G-Force). They r all great and get a 2 thumbs up from me.
    Thankx
     
    #7
  8. Dirk Daring

    Dirk Daring New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 1, 2004
    Messages:
    183
    Likes Received:
    2
    The subs still bother me though. I can't say they are of impeccable quality. Just compare them to the dub dialogue or perhaps the subs of the Rhino Gatch episodes.............
     
    #8
  9. Mark

    Mark G-Force Commander

    Joined:
    Jan 30, 2001
    Messages:
    394
    Likes Received:
    1
    I am so torn on whether to get this or not. Maybe it will show up on Netflix and I can try it out. I believe the Gatchaman OAV dubs are there, so maybe this one will be as well.
     
    #9
  10. Mark

    Mark G-Force Commander

    Joined:
    Jan 30, 2001
    Messages:
    394
    Likes Received:
    1
    Actually, it is on Netflix. However, yesterday I gave in and bought it. I got it for $19.95 for the three discs, believe it or not. I'm having a very difficult time getting past not hearing the voive actors from "Battle of the Planets." And when I don't hear them, I expect to hear the voice actors from "G-Force: Guardians of Space." This is going to sound strange, but I think the only way I can truly enjoy the original uncut "Gatchaman" is if I hear it in the original Japanese with English subtitles. Does that make sense?

    Dirk, you must be happy they acknowledge GOS on the outside packaging. It's on the slip that goes around the boxed set, also.
     
    #10
  11. Melek Taos

    Melek Taos New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2003
    Messages:
    136
    Likes Received:
    0
    I agree. They sound odd in english too.

    Perhaps Nanbu skimped on a tutor.

    (Or perhaps he didnt want them speaking GB english like so many GoS characters do?)
     
    #11
  12. Dirk Daring

    Dirk Daring New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 1, 2004
    Messages:
    183
    Likes Received:
    2
    Funny, i was JUST about to come in here to give you a bit more incentive to buy the release Mark but i guess that wasn't needed!

    Yeah, the boxset fortunately is not at MSRP in many stores (I saved $10 by not purchasing both volumes at MSRP, but I was a victim of desperation by not waiting a few more days for the boxsets to arrive)

    ADV is obviously trying to milk the series' English dub origins, either to round up all of the BotP & G-Force fans or to let said fans know that the big,bad new dub is in town and its gonna trample previous efforts into the ground! :cool:

    Going by the commentaries with the VA's, it was clear that they were either from the BotP camp or didn't know about the Gatchaman franchise whatsover. None of them had much to share if at all about G-Force, considering it was a "blip in the radar" in the '80s. I think it would make more sense to refer to G-Force as from the '90s, considering the handful who recall it was from the mid-'90s Cartoon Network run (this summer is the 10th anniversary of G-Force's first full run).

    Don't worry, seeing as we're all accustomed to either BotP or G-Force, we're all seemingly having trouble registering these new VA's. But from my first impression, they were decent, and have a infinitely better script & dialogue to work with. So they get the job done. But keep in mind that no VA's will EVER sound as fitting for Gatchaman as the original Japanese cast IMO. As far as BotP & G-Force go, we all know that for the most part they were "spinoffs" of Gatch more than straight translations.

    Its been said by many that this dub strived to sound "old school", and not recent. Hence why there is a little bit of "Speed Racer syndrome" (you guys remember Speed Racer right? With its rapid speaking and run-on sentences galore?) and slightly campy dialogue and one-liners ("Cool your jets!", "DY-NO-MITE!" "Keep on truckin!"). I have to admit that at times the dub sounded like a '70's parody, but even the Japanese original was campy as were many shows released at the time, and the campiness quota was increased when Gatchaman it was brought to the US ("Big 10!" "Lets give 'em a little taste of the wind!" "Pardon my fist!" I could go on & on about BotP & G-Force, well mostly G-Force's cheesiness galore). So that's something all 3 English dubs share, with G-Force being the worst offender. I really try to lower my expectations with this dub and be as open-minded and patient as possible.

    So keep that all in mind while you watch this release guys. And enjoy the crisp,remastered video & 5.1 sound mix while you're at it! The next 12 episodes are scheduled to be released in Mid-August, with the same boxset+extras disc formula as the first release. And of course the volumes seperately. Also, from a reliable source, it appears that ADV will be debuting its new Gatchaman dub on the Anime Network soon this summer. Currently, only BotP is airing on TAN, with G-Force being off the air ever since October of last year. I have yet to receive TAN as well, and the network itself is going through some rough times as many cable providers have yet to sign on to receive it or have blatantly refused to. They are apparently in the process of switching from VOD to SVOD (S standing for subscription) and the linear channel is on thin ice, possibly to be axed. More discussion of TAN is to be directed to a seperate thread.........




    Later...............
     
    #12
  13. Mark

    Mark G-Force Commander

    Joined:
    Jan 30, 2001
    Messages:
    394
    Likes Received:
    1
    Dirk, I know what you're saying. I've always called that, more crudely but not on purpose, "dorky." :) For instance, when we see Tiny or Keyop show these exaggerated grins. I got that impression by reading the captions on the "Gatchaman" episode that came with the BotP DVDs. I think BotP and GoS tried to sway away from that, and these new DVDs tried to bring that back. You certainly get that feel when the announcer says the name of the episode and concludes the episode. I even said to myself, "he's talking kind of dorky," but I think that's how the original "Gatchaman" episodes were.

    So perhaps they are trying to re-establish that style to be as true as possible to the original and are doing it on purpose, rather than being kind of ridiculous which I originally thought. Maybe the over-acting is just the way it was done?
     
    #13
  14. Dirk Daring

    Dirk Daring New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 1, 2004
    Messages:
    183
    Likes Received:
    2
    I still have conflicting opinions as to whether ADV has gone about being on level with the campiness of the original show, or whether they raised the quota themselves and took a bit of creative freedom. Often in dubs of Japanese shows a bit of creative freedom is taken in translating them due to cultural aspects of the shows which in the US would fly over everyone's head. (I'm guessing i just defined Americanization?) I think Gatchaman may have had such quotes or lines of dialogue. A perfect example is the first episode of the new dub after the team has boarded the Godpheonix and finished getting orders from Dr.Nambu. Seated, Ken & Jun talk about the Turtle King and Ken goes off at how he'd like to get a shot at it before abruptly stopping,knowing he uttered something embarassing which in turn made Jun laugh. I have NO IDEA what that conversation was about and why did it make Jun laugh. Said conversation made it completely intact on the first episode of G-Force and gave me equal confusion. Guess it was something lost in translation. But they still left it in there in ADV Gatch & G-Force. BotP changed the conversation to discussion of how many heads the Space Terrapin may have.

    So yeah I think this new dub is slightly more campier than the original. Not too much of an issue for me. Keep in mind that from the beginning Sentai (translating to roughly "costumed team", a genre which Gatchaman was one of the founding fathers of) shows were campy at heart. I mean, you really can't take people in outworldly costumes seriously at first glance can you?

    So, what do you think of the video & sound quality? Pretty amazing for a 33-year old series eh? I do have a couple of qualms about it however. At times the print of the show looks real deteriorated, which is understandable considering the age and how the film was stored. Unless those spots were completely redrawn no amount of remastering could've fixed them. My main issue however, is that i notice the video quality kinda fluctuates between episodes. I fear that a sacrifice in video quality must've been made to fit 6 episodes on 1 DVD along with all those other extras. Maybe its my crappy DVD player. Still, the video is the best I've seen of the series. The sound quality remained constant throughout the DVD's (though i don't have any hardware to take advantage of the 5.1 sound). On the flip side both BotP & G-Force's prints sadly suffer from "technical anomalies inherent in historical footage" as quoted from both of the series' DVD's which i own. BotP which has suffered greatly from being stored away for more than a decade and G-Force which suffers from the deficiency of the VHS format its stored in (video jumps akin to the Gatch episodes on the BotP DVD's among many things).
     
    #14
  15. Dirk Daring

    Dirk Daring New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 1, 2004
    Messages:
    183
    Likes Received:
    2
    Well, somebody has to break the proverbial ice!

    The next 2 volumes of ADV's Gatchaman release (along with the 2nd Collector's Box) have hit stores today. Anybody planning on getting them?

    So Mark, how goes ADV's Gatchaman release for you?
     
    #15
    1 person likes this.
  16. Melek Taos

    Melek Taos New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2003
    Messages:
    136
    Likes Received:
    0
    I cannot afford them yet.

    As usual.
     
    #16
  17. Dirk Daring

    Dirk Daring New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 1, 2004
    Messages:
    183
    Likes Received:
    2
    Is there a glitch on the board? I can't see your latest post Melek Taos, even though on the board its listed that you are the latest poster on this thread (before this post).............
     
    #17
  18. Mark

    Mark G-Force Commander

    Joined:
    Jan 30, 2001
    Messages:
    394
    Likes Received:
    1
    Can you see it now, Dirk? I can see it fine.

    I think my boxed set its going to find its way to eBay, quite frankly. I just can't get into it. The bonus disc is kind of cool, but the episodes themselves...I think it's a lost cause for me. Not to sound cold, but I have a lot more things to do than continually watch these episodes in order to finally like them. :eek: But I did try! I hope the DVDs sell well, though. That will be good for the franchise and can't hurt future projects for BotP and GoS.
     
    #18
  19. Dirk Daring

    Dirk Daring New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 1, 2004
    Messages:
    183
    Likes Received:
    2
    Yeah, I can see the latest post now.

    Well Mark, if you indeed did try then I guess its okay. As for me, I really don't know myself whether I'll buy future volumes right now because:

    1) Honestly I find it difficult to stomach multiple episodes in one sitting. The overall pacing of the show is slow as you may already know.

    2) I don't have any space in my room to store more than a couple of DVD's currently.

    But I will pick up on it again eventually.
     
    #19
  20. Mark

    Mark G-Force Commander

    Joined:
    Jan 30, 2001
    Messages:
    394
    Likes Received:
    1
    I was listening to the commentary of the woman who voices Jun--I cannot remember her name off the top of my head--and I have to tell you...she sounds very spunky and like a lot of fun. Does the second boxed set have an interview with her? That might be worth the price of the whole thing. :D
     
    #20

Share This Page