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(Continues from previous post)The booklet continues with a diagram that shows the relationships between the characters in a way that, with just a glance, we can figure out which are the main groups and the character affiliations. Then, we have a full color presentation of the main characters in different situations and attires. A short explanatory text accompanies all these images.Once the characters have been introduced, it is time for the robots to get into the spotlight, with special attention on the mechanical beasts, whose images are showed with accompanying rough drawings from the 70s by Nagai and Ishikawa.Lastly, there’s the locations (the coastal town of Atami, Bardos Island, etc.) and sites (the Photonic Energy Research Institute, etc.) that appear in the series.
The booklet closes with an interview with the voice actors for Kôji Kabuto, Sayaka Yumi and Jûzo Kabuto and technical credits for the 9 episodes included in this first box.Moving onto the technicalities:Each Blu-ray (there’s 3) includes 3 episodes. From the main menu we can access the “regular” version (the longer one) or the on TV version (the one broadcasted on TV, edited and shorter) of each one of the episodes. When the last of the episodes of the third Blu-ray finishes, we can access to several Shin Mazinger related merchandising ads (Chôgokin, music, etc.). These ads were the ones used on TV, but this time they are presented in HD.
Image quality is really good (1080p) with vibrant colors and blacks showing no compression at all. The sound, in Linear PCM Stereo, is delightful and very clear.Remember also that with this first Blu-ray box you’ll find a coupon. This coupon can be exchanged for a 25 cm. Zeus figure, exclusive to this edition, although you’ll have to add an extra 1500 ¥ (for shipping, I guess). This promotion is only available in Japan, and there’s no shipping overseas, since this edition is exclusive to Japan. (Special thanks go to Kozue Nakano on this matter)In conclusion, this is a pretty nice edition, although it misses some more extras, since the inclusion, as nice as it is, of the on TV version of the episodes adds nothing to the package as they are nothing more than shorter and edited versions, specially if you consider the price of the box (18900¥), which is going to make having the whole series, divided in 3 boxes, a 625 $ affair.In any case, the quality of the source material is without question and I strongly recommend this edition to all the fans of the series.
Remember you can buy this Blu-ray box at:
Shin Mazinger Blu-ray at Play-asia
With a certain delay, I'll introduce you today the first volume of the new series Blu-ray.The volume is presented in a sober but elegant box, showing an image of Mazinger on the front and one of Koji on the back, both of them over a scarlet background. What you see on the lower part of the box is the obi, usually attached to Japanese editions, that gives us information on the contents of the product. The box is about the same width of a DVD but a little bit lower (like the individual boxes for Blu-ray) and contains the three discs with the same slevees that will be featured on the DVD edition. It also contains a 32-page booklet, a coupon to gain points at EMOTION FAMILY CLUB (we can later exchange them for other Blu-ray or DVD) and another coupon that we will use to get our hands on the desired Zeus figure, a limited gift with the first edition of this Blu-ray.If you fully open the full-colored booklet, the cover and backcover show an image of Mazinger's face as you can see in the picture below.
Once inside the booklet, the first two pages show us an interesting comparision between images from the original manga and from the new TV series.
The similitudes are certainly striking, and these homages are without doubt a gift to the older fans, since they hadn't been forced into the series.In the next entry I will show you more about the booklet and other aspects of this edition.
It's Saturday again and while we wait for today's episode, let's take a peek inside the Blu-ray box containing the 3 discs with the first 9 episodes of Shin Mazinger.Thanks to the official blog, we can see that each one of the 3 discs will have its own sleeve, which I think is going to be the same as the DVD version and that are going to be designed by Shinji Takeuchi (竹内進二), series director and designer for the exterior artwork of the Blu-ray box, and Hideyuki Motohashi (本橋 秀之), who works as an animator for mechas and who is rumored to have had a big part in the new opening scene unveiled last week.On the back of the box there's going to be an illustration with Koji Kabuto wearing a flashy yellow shirt.
Moreover, we can see on the picture a first image of what promises to be a meaty 32-page booklet of which they promise to give us more information soon.
It's only 24 more days until it goes on sale!
It took a little while longer but the cover for the Blu-ray edition of Shin Mazinger has finally been unveiled. The publisher has settled for a more sober and generic sleeve than the one featured on the DVD. That is probably because the Blu-ray contains 9 episodes against the 2 included on the DVD, making it more difficult to focus on just one of the many developments that took part on this first stretch of the series. The DVD cover shows elements corresponding to the development of the show until that point -episodes 1 and 2- **SPOILER AHEAD* (Juzo Kabuto is on it and Koji is not wearing his combat suit, for example) *END OF SPOILER* where the Blu-ray shows an iconic image of the upper part of Mazinger's body against a scarlet background in a simple but elegant way. What do you think about it?
Shin Mazinger's official site has announced the release date for the DVD and Blu-ray editions of the latest series dedicated to the robot.This double edition will be available starting August 25. The DVD edition will be available in 9 volumes containing 3 episodes each at 3990 yens, although the first DVD will only contain episodes 1 and 2 at a cost of 2100 yens. On the Blu-ray side, there will be 3 volumes containing 3 discs with 9 episodes each, for the hefty price of 18900 yens.Both editions will be presented in 16:9 screen ratio and stereo sound (Dolby Digital on the DVD and Linear PCM on the Blu-ray). The Blu-ray will be 1080p, with the exception of some 1080i tracks (the extras?).Blu-ray editions will come with a coupon. Upon collecting all 3 of them, we can exchange them for a Zeus vinyl figure. This promotion will last until 6 months later after the last volume is published. The covers for both editions will be designed by Shinji Takeuchi (竹内進二), who is in charge of the excellent character design for the series.Remember, you have a date on August 25, 2009. Save your money, the clock is ticking.
(Continues from previous post)
