And now for a new post that is NOT a new "forum member" spam message with links to items up for sale -- !
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/20 ... ture-films
First announced for release by a company named New Galaxy Anime -- which never released ANYTHING on DVD, period --, the Unico films are FINALLY getting a Region 1 DVD release through Discotek.
Discotek has confirmed both releases will have dual language tracks -- Japanese with subtitles and the English dub.
Both films were previously available on VHS tape in the US in the 1980s but have been long out-of-print since.
Release dates for the Discotek Unico DVDs have not been confirmed as of yet. I wouldn't expect them before late this year/early next year, though...
Unico films get FIRM release on DVD from Discotek
You can bet I will, Ben.
I have an appreciation for what Osamu Tezuka did.
Although NO ONE in Japanese animation is really like Walt Disney -- I laugh at the thought Ghibli or Miyazaki fill that role; totally different mindsets and product --, Tezuka was definitely the big pioneer in Japanese animation. Between getting some of the first major Japanese animated properties on television in Japan and the US and a few memorable feature films, the guy was just a prolific workhouse. He's sort of more like the Jack Kirby of manga moreso than anything else. There just really isn't a better description I can think of. Unlike Kirby, he kept his name attached to the properties he created and I think was able to get some good money out of his creations, too.
His Astro Boy really is the closest thing to Mickey Mouse in Japan. Unfortunately, like Mickey nobody seems to know how to make a revamped Astro Boy relevant. The original version really is that iconic and so difficult to recapture the essence of.
As far as Unico goes, I just remember a very cute film from the 1980s. The 1980s in general were a high point for anime and so many fine feature films and classic TV series were created in Japan back then. It was their version of 1940s/early 1950s Golden Age Hollywood. The groundbreaking series and movies were created during that period.
I am looking forward to getting forward to getting official R1 versions of Unico in the next year. Besides the Astro Boy anime and Kimba, there isn't much Tezuka available in the US and he's not that appreciated over here, either...
I have an appreciation for what Osamu Tezuka did.
Although NO ONE in Japanese animation is really like Walt Disney -- I laugh at the thought Ghibli or Miyazaki fill that role; totally different mindsets and product --, Tezuka was definitely the big pioneer in Japanese animation. Between getting some of the first major Japanese animated properties on television in Japan and the US and a few memorable feature films, the guy was just a prolific workhouse. He's sort of more like the Jack Kirby of manga moreso than anything else. There just really isn't a better description I can think of. Unlike Kirby, he kept his name attached to the properties he created and I think was able to get some good money out of his creations, too.
His Astro Boy really is the closest thing to Mickey Mouse in Japan. Unfortunately, like Mickey nobody seems to know how to make a revamped Astro Boy relevant. The original version really is that iconic and so difficult to recapture the essence of.
As far as Unico goes, I just remember a very cute film from the 1980s. The 1980s in general were a high point for anime and so many fine feature films and classic TV series were created in Japan back then. It was their version of 1940s/early 1950s Golden Age Hollywood. The groundbreaking series and movies were created during that period.
I am looking forward to getting forward to getting official R1 versions of Unico in the next year. Besides the Astro Boy anime and Kimba, there isn't much Tezuka available in the US and he's not that appreciated over here, either...
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Like you, I remember Unico from the 1980s. We had a compilation tape that had clips from many imported films that a company was putting out (lots of Filmation, the Asterix and Lucky Luke films, and some anime) and one of the clips was from Unico, where he was stranded in the ocean and even back then I remember being impressed with the water animation.
We eventually sourced a VHS of the entire film and then my sister played it and played it until it creased up. Years later I was able to pick up good tape rips of the film and its sequel (there are just two, aren't there?), although I never got around to watching them!
I'll probably get these, if only to surprise my sister with them for her birthday!
We eventually sourced a VHS of the entire film and then my sister played it and played it until it creased up. Years later I was able to pick up good tape rips of the film and its sequel (there are just two, aren't there?), although I never got around to watching them!
I'll probably get these, if only to surprise my sister with them for her birthday!
Hopefully,
We'll be pleasantly surprised by the DVD releases.
What I have now -- and I won't say how I got it -- shows worn films in need of restoration.
Then again, there are a bunch of old films that need clean-up including some that are only 10 years old!
There's stuff being said now about the Star Wars Blu rays even though they went through an HD restoration, too. (I won't get mine for a while yet... Money priorities and general boredom with LFL make them a likely birthday/holiday gift.)
We'll be pleasantly surprised by the DVD releases.
What I have now -- and I won't say how I got it -- shows worn films in need of restoration.
Then again, there are a bunch of old films that need clean-up including some that are only 10 years old!
There's stuff being said now about the Star Wars Blu rays even though they went through an HD restoration, too. (I won't get mine for a while yet... Money priorities and general boredom with LFL make them a likely birthday/holiday gift.)