Animal Treasure Island on DVD

Out of curiosity, I checked Amazon to see if the 2005 Animal Treasure Island DVD was still available, and to my surprise, copies are still in stock. Yay! This Discotek Media release has been out-of-print for many years, so be sure to pick up a copy while you can. I see that Puss in Boots is more difficult to score, so don't dawdle.

This DVD is pretty bare-bones, but does include both English subtitles and the original US English-language dub. The cover design is pretty good. I do wish Toei would reissue this movie on Blu-Ray, but they seem very reluctant to preserve their history. Horus remains the only "classic era" title on BD, and all of the movies on DVD were single-layer discs released around the year 2000. Oh, and they're all LaserDisc rips.

I really can't explain that. Am I really the only one who cares about these classic animated feature films? Maybe. Anime fans, who are mostly high school and college students, won't touch anything older than a decade, and they especially won't touch old Japanese cartoons that were modeled after Walt Disney. Whatever.

Get this movie. Click on that link at the beginning of the post and buy Animal Treasure Island on DVD. Don't bother waiting for a BD to arrive. It won't.

Thanks For Nothing, Lasseter-San

Well, there goes any chance of ever getting this DVD released in the US. Thanks for nothing, jerkwad.

This rolling wave of harassment scandals sweeping Hollywood and Washington reminds me my freshman year in high school in 1989, when the Berlin Wall and Iron Curtain both crumbled. Every day, you were asking, "Who's next?" There was music in the cafes at night and revolution in the air.

I have great admiration for the Pixar movies, and will always respect John Lasseter the film artist. He helped to transform animation in a manner not seen since Walt Disney, for better and for worse. But his behavior is shameful, degrading and deeply destructive to countless lives. He needs to go. Now.

Let Pete Docter run the place instead. He's from Minnesota, he's nice. He's not a disgusting, hypocritical pig.

P.S. You just know that Hayao Miyazaki is going to dish out the trash talk, sooner or later.

Beware Studio Ghibli Pirate Bootlegs

One of the biggest issues surrounding Studio Ghibli fandom in recent years is the explosion of pirate bootleg DVDs. Many online retailers are stocking DVD box sets that are, in fact, illegitimate and entirely unauthorized, and of questionable quality. If you see any of the packages shown above, avoid at all costs.

In the United States, Ghibli movies on DVD and Blu-Ray come from only two official sources: Disney and GKIDS. The Disney titles are well known and have been available on a number of home video formats for nearly two decades. GKIDS is a newer partner and are now in the process of releasing Ghibli features under their banner. Both brands are easily recognized and well known. They can be trusted.

The Collected Works of Hayao Miyazaki is the only officially-sanctioned Studio Ghibli box set available in the US. This Blu-Ray package includes all of the director's feature films, from Lupin the 3rd: Castle of Cagliostro to The Wind Rises. This deluxe set was released in 2015 and is available exclusively at Amazon. This is the same package as the one that was released in Japan, and exported to all major global markets.

All other "Studio Ghibli" box sets available online are bootlegs. All of them. Don't be fooled into thinking that you've found a bargain or a rare gem. The audio/visual quality on these pirated discs are sub-par at best, and often merely ripped from the ancient (and sub-standard) Video CD format, and nearly always come from China.

As always, caveat emptor. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Don't be taken in by pirate scams. And do not buy from online retailers who are selling you this junk. They're ripping you off. The official releases are widely available and easily affordable. Support those who are working hard to provide you with these great movies. Don't support the Chinese mafia, kids.

StudioCanal Limited Edition Studio Ghibli "Steelbook" BD/DVDs

StudioCanal has really outdone themselves this time. The UK film distributor is releasing a series of limited edition Studio Ghibli "steelbook" Blu-Ray/DVD sets. These were released in 2013 and are now all out-of-print, making them valuable collectors' items. Good luck finding copies today for a reasonable price.

The cover designs are superb and look terrific. Cynics would point out that these are really the same discs are currently available in standard packaging, but the steel covers are very stylish, and it's good to see Ghibli given the proper level of respect. Their movies deserve Criterion levels of respect.

It appears that this series was limited only to Hayao Miyazaki's feature films, which is unfortunate for the other titles, especially Isao Takahata's films. Perhaps we will see a second series of releases that cover the remainder of the Ghibli catalog? Eh, maybe.

With a little digging around, I see that these steelbook packages are also available in Italy since 2015. There are many variations across Europe for Ghibli Freaks to collect.

Much thanks to forum member "Blueherring" on the Blu-Ray.com forums. There are several Ghibli-related threads that are worth checking out.

Gallery: The Complete Studio Ghibli Collection (UK)

Here's a look at an impressive fan collection of Studio Ghibli and pre-Ghibli movies released in the UK. I believe these photos show all the titles released across the pond. Very impressive.

StudioCanal are the home to nearly all Miyazaki/Takahata titles in the UK, and they have always done an excellent job. Their branding and cover designs are visually lush, stylized and nearly always superior to the Disney titles released here in the US (not to knock Disney, of course, they did a very good job). In the case of Arrietty, the British release is notably superior to ours, largely thanks to the excellent dub soundtrack that was exclusive to that region.

UK Ghibli Freaks, of course, have been enjoying movies such as Only Yesterday, Ocean Waves and My Neighbors the Yamadas for several years. We are only now just getting caught up, thanks to the efforts of GKIDS. Believe me when I say that we have been jealous for many a season.

"The Little Norse Prince" is now out-of-print, and was a lazy, bare-bones release of Horus, Prince of the Sun. The Discotek version smashes it into tiny bits. But, of course, I would say that, wouldn't I?

The Castle of Cagliostro, likewise, has seen a vastly superior Discotek release in the States, thanks to the hard work of Lupin expert Reed Nelson. I think he did a better job than my work on Horus, to be perfectly honest.

Panda Go Panda (the Westernized title of the two Panda Kopanda short films) is pretty basic, which is the same on both sides of the Atlantic. This remains an obscure title and needlessly so; fans of My Neighbor Totoro should become great fans of Papa and Baby Panda. Something seems to be missing; personally, I think a new dub soundtrack would greatly help, as the old dub just sounds terribly childish and outdated. The inclusion of some quality bonus material would also help.

Finally, it's great to see the Hayao Miyazaki BD box set is available in the UK. It's a spectacular set with the finest picture and audio quality of any releases anywhere, with bitrates significantly higher than the standard releases. Mind you, this comes as a result of removing all bonus material, so Ghibli Freaks would be wise to not throw anything away. This limited-run release will become frightfully expensive in the coming years, so remember what Janis Joplin said: "Get it while you can."

Much thanks to dedicated Ghibli Freak "2-J" on the Blu-Ray.com forums.

Ronja the Robber's Daughter on Blu-Ray & DVD (UK)

Ronja the Robber's Daughter, the television anime series directed by Goro Miyazaki, animated by Polygon Pictures, and co-produced by Studio Ghibli, will be released on separate 4-disc Blu-Ray and DVD sets this December in the UK. Studio Canal is the publisher, known for their support of the Studio Ghibli films and many anime titles in recent years.

In the United States, Ronja is currently airing exclusively on Amazon Prime, and no announcements have yet been made regarding a home video release. It is expected that negotiations will be made with an American distributor for a BD/DVD release. For obvious reasons, GKIDS is the most likely choice, although to repeat once again, no official statements have been made at this time.

Ronja the Robber's Daughter is based on the children's book by Astrid Lindgren, the author most famous for Pippi Longstockings. Ghibli Freaks will remember that Isao Takahata, Hayao Miyazaki and Yoichi Kotabe famously attempted to create an anime series based on Pippi in 1971, but was personally blocked by Lindgren, who refused to approve the project. No doubt the idea of animating Ronja was pursued by Miyazaki, who brought his son Goro to direct.

The series employs CGI animation, painted in the style of hand-drawn animation. Its 2D/3D hybrid is somewhat unique but has also divided fans who would prefer the series to be drawn in the traditional style. Nonetheless, Ronja has received warm reviews from critics and makes a fine addition to the greater Ghibli canon. Does it reach the heights of the legendary Heidi, Girl of the Alps, the 1974 anime masterpiece created by Takahata, Miyazaki and Kotabe? Such comparisons, naturally, are unfair, and somewhat unnecessary. This is an entertaining series in its own right, deserving of success on its own terms. And young Goro-san has endured enough life underneath his father's long shadow.

Let us hope that a home video release for Ronja arrives in the US.

Hey, GKIDS, Release This: Yasuo Otsuka's Joy in Motion

Now that GKIDS has become the exclusive distributor for all things Ghibli, here is a great opportunity to also release the many catalog titles in the studio's home video library. One terrific example is the 2004 documentary, Yasuo Otsuka's Joy in Motion.

This documentary movie originally aired on Japan's NHK TV network, and covers the life and career of legendary animator Yasuo Otsuka. Many milestones of anime history are covered, starting with the Toei Doga feature films, continuing to Lupin the 3rd, Future Boy Conan, The Castle of Cagliostro and Jarinko Chie. As Otsuka-san was also an "elder brother" to Isao Takahata and Hayao Miyazaki, their histories intertwine, and you will find yourself learning about their careers before the founding of Studio Ghibli.

This DVD includes English subtitles for the feature, which is always welcome for overseas fans. There are one or two extras on the disc which do not include subs, but this is common practice.

Joy in Motion was released on the Ghibli ga Ippai label, so it should be easy to negotiate the American distribution rights with NHK. It's not only a great movie about anime history, but also the craft of animation itself. Otsuka retired from animating in the 1980s to become a teacher at the Telecom studio, where he proved to be equally gifted as a mentor to future generations. He spreads his love of drawing and animation, and his students feel genuine excitement at seeing their drawings come to live. Joy in Motion, indeed.

This movie should become standard viewing in every high school in the world. It is an essential viewing for all who are fascinated by animation and wonder, could I do that? The answer is yes, yes you can. All you need is a pencil and a bit of imagination.

C'mon, GKIDS, pick up this title.

Can you think of any other Studio Ghibli library titles that you would like to see released in the West? Share in the comments below.

GKIDS Reissues Studio Ghibli Blu-Rays in October, November, Early 2018

GKIDS Films has secured the home video rights to Studio Ghibli's feature films, and will begin reissuing titles (Blu-Ray & DVD) under their own banner this October, with new cover designs and possibly new bonus features.

Six movies will be released on October 17: My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service, Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle, and Ponyo.

Two movies will be released on October 31: Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind and Castle in the Sky.

Two movies will be released on November 21: Porco Rosso and The Secret World of Arrietty.

Beginning in early 2018, five movies will be released: Pom Poko, Whisper of the Heart (Mimi wo Sumaseba), My Neighbors the Yamadas (!!), The Cat Returns, and Tales From Earthsea.

GKIDS has also stated that no changes will be made to the Ghibli titles currently on their roster, which currently includes Only Yesterday (Omohide Poro Poro), Ocean Waves (Umi ga Kikoeru), From Up on Poppy Hill, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya, and When Marnie Was There.

Grave of the Fireflies is currently distributed by Sentai Filmworks, and Disney will retain the rights to The Wind Rises. There are no plans for GKIDS to secure the rights to either movie anytime soon.

All movies will feature officially-sanctioned English-language dubs, English subtitles with Japanese audio, separate English SDH subtitles, and French subtitles. All movies will be region-locked and will include BD/DVD discs, but no digital release.

This is an exciting move, and one that was expected as GKIDS took over film distribution of the Ghibli catalog, first with theatrical releases and then home video. The migration from Disney has proceeded for several years, and now that Disney's rights are set to expire, that transfer is all but complete.

Now, the big question for diehard Ghibli Freaks: will the problems with several Disney BD titles be fixed? Nausicaa used burnt-in dub credits for the title sequence, regardless of audio track. Castle in the Sky, Kiki's Delivery Service, Pom Poko and Princess Mononoke featured "subtitles" instead of an accurate subtitle track. Ponyo featured a lossy (lower quality) Japanese audio track. GKIDS has promised to address all of these issues, and will work closely with Ghibli on all fronts.

It does appear, sadly, that Kiki will not feature a true English subtitle track. The recent GKIDS theatrical run used the old dubtitle track that has appeared on all home video releases. It's not the end of the world (the quality is pretty good, except for that Hindenberg line at the climax that isn't in the Japanese script). There has been some debate on whether this issue was resolved on the Hayao Miyazaki Blu-Ray box set, so if anyone can chime in with hard evidence, we would be eternally grateful.

Overall, I am quite excited for these new Ghibli Blu-Rays. When I began this website, you could only find a handful of Ghibli films in the States, and even that required some searching around for old VHS or DVD copies. In six months, we will have every feature film ever released by the studio in glorious HD. So we might have to buy some titles again? So what? This is a nice problem to have.

Of course, it goes without saying that the Disney Ghibli titles will soon go out-of-print. If you're a diehard collector, you should probably grab these movies while you can. Just take a look at how much the FOX versions of My Neighbor Totoro (featuring the old 1980s "Streamline" dub) are selling for these days.

Hayao Miyazaki: The Never-Ending Man on DVD

Last November's NHK TV documentary, Hayao Miyazaki: The Never-Ending Man, has recently been released on DVD in Japan. The disc retails for just over 4,100 Yen, which currently translates to $36 USD.

The program detailed the latest exploits of director Miyazaki as he was working on the Ghibli Museum short film Boro the Caterpillar, and famously revealed that plans were underway for another feature film. That film project is now well underway, and Studio Ghibli is once again waking up to begin a three-year production in October. The title and theme of Miyazaki's new film has yet to be revealed (and, no, it's not Boro).

Unfortunately, this DVD does not include English subtitles. Ghibli is the rare company that includes English subs on their DVDs and Blu-Rays. Nearly everybody else is a bit stingier. Hopefully, we will one day see this program included as a bonus feature once the next Miyazaki film arrives on Super-Mega-Ultra-HD-Turbo format, or however we will be watching movies five years from now.

Panda Kopanda, Chie, Gauche, Sherlock Blu-Ray and DVD in Japan July 17

Studio Ghibli is scheduled to release Panda Kopanda, Jarinko Chie, Gauche the Cellist, and Sherlock Hound on Blu-Ray and DVD in Japan this July 17. What a surprise! It appears that Ghibli is turning some attention to the "pre-Ghibli" eras of Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata's long and storied careers.

None of these titles will feature the "silhouette" design reserved for the Ghibli catalog titles, since all pre-date the studio's founding by a number of years. But the cover designs do feature the original movie posters, in keeping with the remastered Ghibli DVDs.

Jarinko Chie is Isao Takahata's 1981 viciously funny comedy, rooted in the Kansei-region city of Kobe, and featuring the voice talents of one of Japan's popular comedy troupes (somebody out there, please help me with the names!). It's episodic structure is similar to My Neighbors the Yamadas, but more tightly wound around a central plot of a young girl (Chie) her struggles to fit within her dysfunctional family. The comedy leans heavily towards the slapstick and the gross-out, which is highly unusual for Takahata, and helps this movie stand out. Longtime friends and Toei Doga alums Yasuo Otsuka and Yoichi Kotabe served as the film's animation directors. It's a personal favorite of mine, and it remains criminally overlooked.

Gauche the Cellist is Takahata's 1982 feature, one of his true masterpieces. Lovingly crafted over the span of six years, this movie is pure poetry, masterfully blending historic melodrama, beautiful music, and a nostalgic longing for Japan's long-lost agrarian past. I want to live in Gauche's world (which is really Ludwig Van Beethoven's world), the fields and the forests, the gardens, the rainstorms and fiery sunsets, and the small yet tightly knit community, where modernity has yet to destroy nature.

Sherlock Hound was Hayao Miyazaki's 1981 TV series, which was created in collaboration with Italy. The production was scuttled after only six episodes were created, owing to copyrights issues with the Conan Doyle estate. Several episodes were shown alongside Miyazaki's Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind and Laputa: Castle in the Sky, and finally arrived on TV several years later...unfortunately, with a completely different animation team that was nowhere near as talented as Miyazaki's crew. This Blu-Ray features the "theatrical" version of the Sherlock episodes (meaning, we don't have the wonderful music from the TV show).

Finally, Panda Kopanda was created by Isao Takahata, Hayao Miyazaki and Yoichi Kotabe at the A Productions studio in 1972, hot on the heels of the infamous scuttling of their much-anticipated Pipi Longstockings animated project. Many of Pipi's ideas quickly found their way into this short movie, which played the opening slot for one of Toho's Godzilla pictures. The movie became a hit, and a sequel, Panda Kopanda and the Rainy Day Circus, was quickly commissioned and produced. They're both terrific little movies, and I often enjoy the second one a little more. I do wish more Panda cartoons had been made, and future animators seeking to continue Miyazaki's legacy may find inspiration here. And, as everyone knows, Panda could easily pass for Totoro's uncle, complete with a pipe and hat and that big, silly grin.

These Blu-Rays will retail for 5,800Yen, and the DVD will sell for 4,700. I don't yet know which, if any, will include English subtitles. Both Panda Kopanda and Gauche the Cellist previously had quality subtitles, so that's good. Jarinko Chie's prior BD/DVD releases did not include subtitles, which is too bad; a fansub translation has been available for a few years, and I really wish somebody had the sense to send copies of the script to Ghibli HQ. I don't think the previous Sherlock Hound BD included English subtitles.

Finally, will there be a US release for any of these titles? Discotek Media has released Panda Go Panda (the Westernized title) and Sherlock Hound on DVD. A Blu-Ray release isn't beyond the realm of possible. I know I would be thrilled to work on any of these projects. If you'd like that to happen, please send an email or letter directly to Discotek.

Outside of the United States, I would think that these movies would arrive in the usual territories sooner or later. As the Studio Ghibli catalog winds down, publishers will look to the earlier Takahata/Miyazaki films and find a host of hidden gems. It has to happen. It's only a matter of time.

When Marnie Was There Blu-Ray/DVD Release

When Marnie Was There, the 2014 Studio Ghibli feature film directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi (Arrietty), was released to Blu-Ray and DVD in Japan on March 18. The packaging features the silhouette designs and cardboard cover of Ghibli's BD series, and looks terrific as always. Picture and audio quality should be fantastic, and well worth the price of importing. A DVD is also available at a lower price, and should also look excellent. Dedicated fans, of course, will want to own everything.

Here in the USA, GKids is preparing Marnie for a theatrical run, perhaps the final Studio Ghibli movie to appear on our movie screens. Expect GKids to also release the Blu-Ray, although no specifics have yet been announced.

(Photos: Blu-Ray.com Studio Ghibli Import thread)

Daria: The Complete Animated Series - Amazon Sale

Amazon is selling Daria: The Complete Animated Series for only $12.99. Hurry, grab it now! Go, go go! This is one of the great animated cartoon shows of the late 1990s, full of acid wit and wisecracks for any occassion. At this price, it's a total steal. And don't we need some of Daria-isms right now? Everything in the world sucks, and we need some good comebacks.

Some fans have complained that nearly all the original music from the TV broadcasts, actual pop music from the MTV rosters of the day, didn't survive the transition to DVD. But I don't mind all that much, and it's a small sacrifice to having this great series at my fingertips. Now, Beavis and Butthead, that's a different story. You need the music videos for that one. But Daria's "new" incidental music is just fine. And the theme song is still there in all its grungy wonderfulness.

Seriously, grab this DVD as fast as possible. Get it before Amazon comes to their senses and jacks up the price.

The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness Available on DVD and iTunes

The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness, Mami Sunada's 2013 documentary look into the inner workings of Studio Ghibli, was released on DVD on January 27. It was previously released on digital download services, including Amazon Instant Video and Apple iTunes.

As many have noticed, this isn't really a "Studio Ghibli" documentary as a Hayao Miyazaki one. Isao Takahata, the co-founder and "senior" partner of 50 years, appears only briefly. The attention, as always, is on Miya-san, who is finishing his "final" feature film, and abruptly announcing his retirement. Nobody believes it, of course. But time marches forward, with both founding filmmakers well into their 70s. The Wind Rises and The Tale of the Princess Kaguya both have a sense of closure, of summarizing each director's careers. Besides, isn't it greedy of us to expect more, more, more?

In Japan, behind-the-scenes documentaries are fairly common with Studio Ghibli movies, but this is the first major one to see a release Stateside. One hopes that other films, such as the three-hour Princess Mononoke documentary, could be imported in the future. All depends on how well this movie performs for GKids Films, which, of course, is a fancy way of telling you to purchase this movie and help make it a hit.

The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness currently holds an 89% ranking on Rotten Tomatoes. It's an excellent picture, well worth the investment, and easily recommended.

Studio Ghibli Remastered DVDs in Japan

Late last year, around the time that Studio Ghibli released their massive Hayao Miyazaki Blu-Ray Box, they also reissued the studio's catalog titles on DVD. These discs are based on the HD Blu-Ray remasters for the box set, and are now available for 4,700Yen, or roughly $45USD.

I'm quite curious to see how these DVDs look. The prior discs were released over a decade ago, and looked quite excellent for the time; Nausicaa was arguably the best of the lot, super crisp and sharp picture, and even included an audio commentary track (the only Ghibli film to do so). The Region 2 Japanese discs were also notably superior to most, if not all, of the DVDs released by Disney here in the US. Don't even get me started on that dreadful Castle in the Sky cover; those kids look like they've been to the plastic surgeon.

The cover designs have also been changed somewhat. The Ghibli ga Ippai DVDs originally featured a color band over the top half, with original artwork below (usually taken from the Studio Ghibli Calendars). That changed to full-size illustrations by the time Spirited Away and Nausicaa were released. I really like these new covers, which reprint one of the movie poster designs; I must admit, however, I do prefer the older Nausicaa cover. But to each their own. And the back cover illustrations look terrific. Very classy, very stylish.

Nausicaa and Spirited Away also appear to have 3 discs in their package. I'm quite curious to know what is included. Usually, the Ghibli DVDs included storyboards on the second disc, but Princess Mononoke included a third "International" disc, featuring eight foreign language tracks. Perhaps this is what has happened to these new releases.

I am curious to see how these new DVDs look, and how they compare to the previous releases. Will the difference be as noticable? The older discs already looked excellent, and given the size limitations of the DVD format, I'm not sure how much more could be squeezed out of the discs. I'm also a bit hesitant to recommend these videos, since the Blu-Ray discs are so spectacular, and a quantum leap in quality over the standard-definition format. But those Japanese BDs cost upwards of $75-$80, restricting them to the most diehard of fans. The average family can't afford such a luxury.

For those families, and for those still sticking with DVD (a format that is still very successful, while BD has stagnated for years), these Studio Ghibli videos are an excellent alternative. How I wish Disney could have been bothered to put such care into these movies! Ah, well, such is life.

My Impression of Anime Fans

No Comment.

Lupin III: Castle of Cagliostro 35th Anniversary DVD

Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro on returns to DVD this week, courtesy of Discotek Media. This 35th Anniversary Collector's Edition is absolutely packed with features, and is one of the most hotly anticipated anime releases this year. This release includes four audio soundtracks: the 1979 Japanese language track, the 1992 Streamline Pictures US dub, the 2000 Manga Entertainment dub, and a "family friendly" version of the Manga soundtrack that omits most of the naughty words.

Lupin expert and anime scholar Reed Nelson has been in charge of this project, and he is especially proud of the results. A tremendous amount of work has gone into making this the best home video release of Cagliostro ever. I think they understand the challenges in re-releasing vintage movie titles that have seen multiple home releases, as well as the challenge in combatting online downloading and streaming.  The logic is the same as my own with the Horus DVD: Give the fans a ton of features. Give them something they can't find anywhere else.

Additional bonus features include: newly translated English subtitles, audio commentary track by Reed Nelson, translation notes, a collection of the movie's opening and closing credit sequences, and the original movie trailers.

A Blu-Ray edition of Cagliostro is also coming this year, but no official announcements have yet been made (which BD source will be used, the 2008 VAP, or the 2014 Studio Ghibli?). Until then, I highly recommend purchasing this new DVD. I expect the picture quality to be spectacular, the cover designs are masterful, and the features raise the standard for anime films.  I personally held this Cagliostro release as a standard when compiling the features for Horus, Prince of the Sun, and I'm thrilled to see what the fans think.

As I always say, Discotek Media devotes every penny they earn to bring you the best in home entertainment (doesn't that sound like a sales pitch?). Every anime fan deserves to support them right back. Go out and buy this DVD today, kids! Go, go go!

Future Discotek Releases? Any Ideas?

Quick Question: Now that Horus, Prince of the Sun is released, what movies would you like to see released next? I am personally interested in the "classic" Toei Doga feature films (1958-72), as well as any Takahata/Miyazaki movies still unavailable on US home video. But I'm interested in knowing what you would like to see.

Share your thoughts and I'll pass them along to Discotek Media. Feel free to include Blu-Ray versions of existing DVD titles (cough, Horus).

Horus, Prince of the Sun DVD Available Today

Horus, Prince of the Sun, the landmark 1968 Japanese animated feature film, arrives on DVD today. Published by Discotek Media, this new release features an all-new English subtitle translation, two audio commentaries, two video interviews, movie trailer, production gallery, and four excellent gallery and essay features.

As regular visitors of Ghibli Blog know, I was heavily involved in this project. I wrote and edited the new subtitles, which are a great improvement over what existed before (compare these to the Optimum UK DVD), wrote and edited the bonus essays, the production gallery, and recorded an audio commentary track.

Horus, Prince of the Sun is currently available directly from the Discotek Media website. I highly recommend visiting there, as they will receive more money from each sale. The DVD is also available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Best Buy, and RightStuf. Retail price is $17.99.

I'm very proud of my child. I'm quite impressed by the packaging and menu designs. Like any artist, I can only see the mistakes, and am already compiling the work of editing and revising for a possible Blu-Ray release in the future. I should stress that, as of this date, there are NO plans to release Horus on BD at this time. Check back again in another six months.

Horus, Prince of the Sun is the quintessential anime movie. It brought together many innovations and ideas from a young generation of animators and artists, fused with radical new theories by its young director, Isao Takahata. I've often called this movie, "The Citizen Kane of Anime," and I think that's a very true description. Here lies the moment when the ground shifted, and Japanese animation successfully mutated into a fully unique species. Here lies the birth of the modern anime revolution.

Okay, enough preaching from me. Go buy this DVD! Share with your family and friends this holiday season, spread the word, and give us your impressions. Mazel tov!

Sherlock Hound: Complete and Unabridged (DVD)

Sherlock Hound: Complete and Unabridged is a 6-DVD box set that contains the complete 1984-85 TV anime series in Japanese and English soundtracks. Discotek Media secured the rights from previous owner, Manga Entertainment, earlier this year. This series began production at the Telecom studio for TMS, directed by Hayao Miyazaki and helmed by such animation luminaries as Yoshifumi Kondo, Kazuhide Tomaga,  Nobuo Tomizawa, Kyoto Tanaka, and Nizo Yamamoto.  You may recognize this team (sans Miyazaki) as the ones who created the famous 1984 Nemo pilot film, one of the all-time great anime masterpieces.

Sherlock Hound was conceived as a fun, lighthearted romp, aiming back to the goofy cartoon chaos of Animal Treasure Island. It's style feels very similar to Lupin III and Future Boy Conan, which makes sense since most of the top animators were involved on those projects. This series never tried to change the world, just have a lot of fun with cartoon Sherlock Holmes and Moriarty, and a lot of thrilling car chases that exist purely for its own sake.

As we all know, the Sherlock Hound (Meitantai Holmes, or "Famous Detective Holmes," in Japan, the same title given to Arthur Conan Doyle's stories) series was produced in 1981, but mothballed after only six episodes were completed, due to disputes with the Doyle estate.  For Miyazaki, this was another setback during a time of many setbacks.  Future Boy Conan and Lupin III: Castle of Cagliostro failed to become hits, and the Lupin III "red jacket" TV series had ended its successful run. A number of animation projects, including an early draft of My Neighbor Totoro, and a radically different Princess Mononoke, were stuck in the image board stage.  Hayao Miyazaki was unable to find work as an animation director.

The final blow came in 1983, when Miyazaki joined a Japanese delegation headed by Isao Takahata, and including Yasuo Otsuka and Yoshifumi Kondo, to the United States as part of the infamous "Little Nemo" film project.  Both Takahata and Miyazaki walked away without any success,* and Miyazaki returned home feeling deeply dejected and defeated. His nearly 20-year career in animation was all but finished. And so he returned to his first love, Japanese manga comics, and began crafting a monthly adventure serial titled, "Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind."

To be honest, I'm not entirely sure if Sherlock Hound is available or not.  There is little to no press coverage, no publicity, no reviews, no hype whatsoever. The box set is currently listed on the Discotek website for "pre-order" status, yet gives a release date of October 23, 2014. I shall have to investigate a little further.

I do enjoy the cover design for this newest Sherlock Hound, although it's nearly identical to the old Manga design. Discotek is probably using the same source, which means the show merely exchanged hands. Both Japanese and English language soundtracks are included, which is very helpful. As for extra features, I'm not aware if this box set has anything.  This may be a bare-bones release, which would be very unfortunate, if true.

What I'd really like to see is a single-disc release of just the original 1981 Miyazaki-directed episodes. The latter 1984-85 episodes aren't nearly as good, in my opinion, nor were the animators anywhere near as skilled as that legendary Telecom crew.  But I'm sure most kids won't mind. This is a fun after-school cartoon, with slapstick gags and car chases.  Just the perfect thing to take your mind off your homework for a little while.

Every Miyazaki fan owes it to themselves to have Sherlock Hound in their library.  I highly recommend purchasing a copy from Discotek, and put it on the shelf next to Lupin and Horus.

(*There is a bright moment in Miyazaki's 1983 visit to California. It was on this trip that he met a young Disney animator named John Lasseter, who was experimenting with the new frontier of computer animation. This new friendship would pay off handsomely for Miyazaki, and Studio Ghibli, decades later.)

Photos - Horus, Prince of the Sun (2014 DVD)

If you've been wondering where I've been lately, here's your answer. I have been working on Horus, Prince of the Sun, Isao Takahata's groundbreaking 1968 anime masterpiece.  This DVD will be released by Discotek Media on December 23 in the United States.

What did I create for the Horus DVD? Damn near everything. Apart from the audio commentary by anime scholar Mike Toole, and two video interviews with Isao Takahata and Yoichi Kotabe (taken from the 2008 French Horus, Prince du Soleil DVD), I created all the disc's features.  I wrote and edited the new subtitle translations, all of the special features, recorded an audio commentary track (while battling the worst case of stage fright in my life!), contributed to the menu layout design, and assisted on the cover design. Finally, I wrote the official press release and content for Discotek's Horus DVD page, and the product pages for Amazon and Best Buy.

These following screenshots accompany the press release, which I posted in full in the previous post.  I'm now sharing those screenshots with you here on Ghibli Blog.  My apologies from being away from the site so long. I'll get back to work now!  Enjoy the screenshots, which lie after the jump!