At Anime Expo Pioneer said it will be releasing boxsets of Trigun (no chromium covers though, $199.98), Lain (but no lunchbox or cd this time), Tenchi Universe, and the Sailor Moon movies. They should be coming out around Christmas.

They have also confirmed the Ah My Goddess movie and mini AMG. And they also have Vandread.

AND they won't sell the boxes seperately :( Luckily Champagne and his pretty boxes are here to rescue us.

On another note, Viz is considering stuffing Maison Ikkoku into boxes and upping the episode count per DVD from 3 to a higher number. Great news for me, even if the quality will not be up to standards.

^nudge

has anyone here ever been to the anime expo in la? i'd just like to get an idea of what its like. is it anything like the san diego comics convention?

For those of you who couldn't make it to AX2001, Pioneer has stated that Akira Ltd. Ed. Tin Case is the same Tin Case used by Anchor Bay and the DVD is in a Jewel Case and not a keepcase.

AX2001 was fun this year! Naturally, being a staffer, there was a lot of work to be done, but we hit over 12000 people and growing strong every year.

You should read up on AnimeonDVD.Com and AnimeNation.Com for info from the AnimeExpo front. :)


K.C.

Thanks, I'll cancel my preorder and get the regular keepcase version. Those tins, IMHO, suck.

One more thing, I'm looking for the Trigun DVD's with the foil/chromium covers. Check out my list for DVD's or $$$ to trade for them.

Thanks!

http://www.dvdtalk.com/forum/showthr...hreadid=124034

I just checked my Trigun's - I only have Volume 7 with a foil cover. I didn't know they made different covers. Is this worth something? Is it like finding a golden ticket in a wonka bar? Does it mean Vol. 8 will actually ship out to me sometime?

Those foil covers for Trigun are limited edition covers. And they are really hard to find, regardless of where you go to try to find them. It's hard enough to get all 8 of them in that foil cover look.

Too bad Pioneer is not using the Japanese tin case instead, which is damn smaller and cuter and not as annoying as the Anchor Bay tin version, which I still don't understand why they chose something like that. Oh well...I'll still get it because it is limited edition.

They aren't too hard to get. Probably the hardest ones to get are v1, 5, and 6. If you check around B&M stores I'm sure some will have an odd volume with the cover. It took some work and buying the last two at Fry's for $25 a piece, but I ended up with all 8 covers and found that nifty box to boot.

trigun 6 disc set
 

Does anyone know about the Trigun 6disc dvd sets being sold on Ebay? They don't look like bootlegs since they have those special clear cases- but I dunno. Does anyone know if the english subtitles on these discs are ok/same as the ones on the 8disc R1 release?

Thanx in advance!

example:
http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI...tem=1447072605

I'm lazy - provide a link...

however - clear cases can be purchased anywhere. Doesn't ensure that they are not bootlegs. I'd have to see them. So link us up.

see link above...

Just got Akira
 

I just recieved my copy of Akira today. I got the LE Tin and it's a pretty nice case, IMO. It's slightly larger than a regular case, but not by much. It's hinged and opens up with a DVD in each side. The inside looks like the Sapranos and Fushigi Yugi boxes. It has the clear holders for both discs. The menus are simple, but nice and the transfer is really good. I haven't watched the English dub yet, but the Japanese track sounded good. The second disc has a bunch of extras, including trailers, documentaries, and some stuff on the restoration. I'd say this is a really good buy. I won't be surprised if this gets picked as best anime DVD release of the year. Pioneer did a really nice job.

Re: trigun 6 disc set
 

Almost positive it's a bootleg. I've never heard of a Hong Kong Trigun release with English subs (and, if it's legitimate, it'd be all over the place). It's not region coded, and the same seller is definately selling bootlegs of other popular series, so the chances of it being a legal release get even slimmer.

While I am rather surprised at the lengths bootleggers go these days to appear legal, this isn't the first time I've seen the fold-out-case style used (I think the first time I saw it was with Fushigi Yuugi...). I'm not looking forward to the day it becomes impossible to distinguish illegal copies from the originals.

Nah - that's not a bootleg. That's badass! I wouldn't believe it's all region - probably Region 2 NTSC. Sounds like a Japanese SE set. I'd get it if it was Cowboy Bebop. It could be a bootleg I suppose, but I doubt it. Bootlegs are usually cheaply made and this looks like quality. I have no proof though. If I wasn't so lazy, I'd look at some Japanese sites to find the same thing... I did a little bit of searching and came up with nothing though...

http://images.auctions.goto.com/Sell...ges/trigun.jpg

Sweet though. Nobody has bid on it - that's crazy. I might have to pick it up myself.

Its not a bootleg people. Its the Japanese release of the series. They're sold in eBay because the nipponese use NTSC and most their stuff is region free. I've bought from this guy before and his stuff is good (I bought Vandread, Spriggan and Bebop).

thanks for the replies everyone.. Still, has any one seen this version and can compare it to the R1 release?

I'm 95% certain that the Trigun box set IS a bootleg.

Reason #1 - The guy is shipping from Hong Kong. Taiwan and Hong Kong are bootleg centrals ^_^;

Reason #2 - Chinese subtitles. It's possible that Japanese DVDs ship with English subtitles, but NOT Chinese. The Japanese do not cater anime directly to the Chinese market.

Reason #3 - Six DVD's for $48.99. Japanese DVD's sell for about $30+ a pop as previously mentioned, because of quality and production values.

Reason #4 - I do not believe there is a Trigun boxset available in the Japanese market. CD Japan and Amotokyo both only have up to volume 7 available.

http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/search.html...n&restrict=DVD

http://www.amotokyo.com/default.asp?...dia=DVD&navi=7

Furthermore, from my experience with Japanese Jrock DVD's, they are all Region 2 - not region free.

To be blunt, this is just not true. The Japanese release is 7 individual discs spanning 26 episodes), without any form of English or Chinese at all--pure Japanese, region 2 encoded. The odds of a companyremastering all the discs to add subtitles in English (and Chinese, but not Japanese), and compact it down to six discs are pretty slim. The odds of them doing this and then not selling through any form of online source, are pretty much nonexistant. And there is *no* way that they'd sell the boxes for that cheap (The regular R2 release rings in at about 400 bucks). Add in the fact that not even the most avid R2 importers seem to have heard of the thing (I asked around), and there's pretty much no chance that it's the Japanese release.

All the evidence points to this being a bootleg. The location is Hong Kong, which knocks it into the suspect range (HK being one of the major bootleg sources). Most of this seller's stock is highly suspect, and more than one title is a known bootleg. The main argument against it's being a bootleg is the apparent quality--And even that's not as good a sign as it used to be. Bootlegs are getting much 'nicer' than they used to be, and ebay is the easiest way to distribute them. I'd give it around 15% odds of being a legal Hong Kong release (I admit that I'm not as familiar with HK releases as with most other places), 85% at bootleg based on the available information.

^^^BUMPING UP^^^

Everyone needs to watch Nadia on DVD. :)

Speaking of Akira Tin Case...now that there are pics abound of what the inside case looks like, that seems more reminiscent of what the Japanese Tin case looks like, because Japanese Tin Cases usually are hinged, so they open up like a book, albeit some are smaller (almost CD size) but the Japanese Tins are sweet w/ tons of extras usually since they are limited releases most of the times.

---

Re: Bootlegs

Most of the anime sold on Ebay coming direct from Hong Kong are bootleg versions. There are no official sponsored direct anime importers or licensed anime companies in Hong Kong. If they were, they would have the official "JASRAC" sticker on each item. If they do not have the JASRAC logo or sticker on them, they are illegal (although bootleggers can imitate it and put it on the cover art). The reason is being thus, Japan knows China, HK and Taiwan have huge bootlegging centrals. The only way to distinguish bootlegs and legal copies are by 1) the companies producing the CD, VCD or DVD, 2) the label stickers and logos. Any of these mediums officially sponsored by Japan's studio will all have and contain the JASRAC logo sticker (it looks like a Microsoft sticker, the earlier stickers). These stickers are necessary to be placed and are given to legit companies selling legit Japanese sponsored CD, VCD, or DVD.

How to tell if it is a bootleg or an official legit copy sponsored by the Japanese company, IF there is no JASRAC sticker...don't look at the cover, those are easy to produce and replicate, but silk-screening on the CD, VCD or DVD is expensive no matter where you do it. Bootleggers want to make money so they keep the silkscreening to a monochrome color...like black fonts, and that's it... Legit companies will do more colors and do a whole new design and/or full color silk screening press to make it. In addition, HK, and Taiwan legit CD/VCD/DVDs are like 60% of the original Japanese price tag...so if the Japanese CD is $30, then the legit Asian copy is like $18 (or close thereof).

In addition to the DVDs, Japanese do not appreciate compressing too much into one disc...all real licenses recommend that the episodes be spread out over several volumes rather than compressing a lot into one volume...so if you see anything that has like 7-9 episodes per DVD, then it's a bootleg.

The Trigun one looks like an officially licensed but we have to check what is on the cover (yes, officially licensed HK and Taiwan DVD/VCD also contain Chinese subs) and the DVD themselves.

Now, I know that Singapore has legit Japanese sponsored anime (and some bootlegs), but the Boys Be which has English subs on them comes in 4 volumes, which sounds about right for an official licensed anime...now if it came in 2 volumes iwth 6-8 episodes per DVD, then you would have something to worry about.

So what's the story here Trigun 8 On Order / Special Order ?!
and why the hell did they raise the price from $18 to $25 but I go me last 2 parts from dvdempire :D damn they're fast !

am still waiting for UB to release VHD 2000 on dvd :(

I need some info about Rurouni Kenshin what's it all about ? if it's girlish type then screw it

any news about City hunter on dvd ?

http://www.altvampyres.net/vhd/4b.gif

http://www.altvampyres.net/vhd/4d.gif

http://www.altvampyres.net/vhd/17a.gif

http://www.altvampyres.net/vhd/17d.gif

http://www.altvampyres.net/vhd/3b.jpg

VHD 2000
 

UB News:

Latest word has it that Urban Vision will release the new movie to U.S. theaters in September 2001, with a home video release to follow (currently slated for December). The December 2000 issue of Animation World has an article by Fred Patten on the new movie; this mentions release plans as well as giving a little background on the making of the movie. Articles on the movie have also appeared in the paper publications Animerica vol. 9, no. 1 and Protoculture Addicts 63.

If you're asking whether Kenshin is part of the shoujo genre, it's not. While the first season is light hearted and kind of silly sometimes, the second season (referred to as the shishio/kyoto arc or some variation thereof) is the best part of the series. It has some amazing fights and is just generally high on the 'wow' factor.

The 'Legend of Kyoto' begins on v7 of the DVDs if you're interested in checking it out.