With individual BD prices ranging at about $100 each online, I REALLY hope that if the whole series is ever released in one boxed set, it won't cost $1000+. I think I would be really sad if that were the case.
Another small clip. This one of Gamilas and our first real look at Dessler. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=UQ-Opsfumjg
Got my Blu-Ray disc number 2 (with subtitles) direct from Japan back on August 2; but finally had time to sit down and watch the next fours episodes yesterdy (Sunday), and I have to say I'm VERY impressed witn the fact that they'vce kept all the elements of the original story so far; and managed to all have it make more sense, logically too. I like that in this version they were in fact awed and totally surprised by the actual power of the Wave Motion Gun; and that it still had problems (IE damaging the engine cooling system); and that as a result, Captain Akita did not want to use it agaisnt the Pluto base as they feared it could cause damage to the ship, or might completely destroy the planet. I have to wonder if the Japanese were (in a way) incorporating aspects or aknowledging the U.S. 'Starblazers' version by having the tanks deployed on Saturn run by andriods. (My one dissapointment so far is it looks like the Analyzer robot isn't perverted and always molesting Yuki Mori, but hey, this version is still young.) I also like the fact that there was a debate as to actually attacking the base and the downsides (IE possible destruction of or damage to the Yamato, rendering it incapable of completing the primary mission; not to mention the loss of time and that as a result they may not return to Earth before all human life is extinct.) I like the fact that they portray both sides as tactically proficient (the gamalions are a tad over-confident, but given the situation up to the yamato launch, it's completely understandable. Also, the Satellite Reflector Gun was one of my favorite aspects from the original story, but I loved that: - In this version the Gun had an actual military purpose, as they showed it being used to ignite and direct kuiper-belt objects towards the Earth (IE it's what creates and sends the 'planet bombs'). In the original version it was just there as a defensive weapon, but even back then, with the superiority the Gamelions had, IMO it made little sense that they would need it.) - Again, in this version, the Yamato was having major issues tracing the actual origin source of the beam attacks. (and both sides were making sound tactical decisions as the battle progressed.) I felt the whole sequence was done better than in the original. All in all I'm really loving what they've done with this updated version to date, and will be ording the third Blu-Ray disc.
Supposedly the people who have the US rights to a ton of Yamato stuff and put out Starblazers are involved in producing this show, although I'm not sure whether it's just financial support or they do have some say in the show. Also, I've heard that Leiji Matsumoto tends to have robots in stuff and since he designed the original characters, the show might be making a nod to his contributions on the original.
Plus it gets rid of the continuity glitch about the crew being surprised that Gamilas are human-like even though they got a good look at the tank operators.
The "robot tanks" does fix the issue of why the humans have yet to see a Gamilon. Even a body of one. However in Yamato (Farewell to Space Battleship Yamato to be specific) the Gamilons did use robot soldiers to defend their flagship against Yamato's invaders. So the robots are not entirely a new idea...just much better used this time around rather than as a dubbed in English line to avoid on screen personal deaths. Still working out what they use the "third bridge" for in this remake. Also how it stays on when they hard land the ship into places like the Floating Continent....or Pluto.
With the Floating Continent, it seemed like they managed to get luck and not run the damn thing into ground before they wound up on the lake. But yeah, this is one case of being faithful to the source material that should've been examined carefully.
With the new series, they decided to provide a lot mor ebackground material than before (sort of like the treatments Star Trek started to get as time went on). The entire Earth Fleet at Pluto has names and numbers. meaning that if someone had models (CGI,metal, or palstic) they could label every ship. The only thing they'd need to pay attention to is coloring, since the Earth ships are rather colorful with lots of red, yellow, white, and grey. Of course the names on the hull are in Japanese script.... UNCN First Fleet at Pluto in January 2199. 1 Kongo type Battleship Kirishima (BBS-555) 8 Murasame type Cruisers Atago (CAS-226) Abukuma (CAS-229) Yugiri (CAS-253) Nachi (CAS-702) Murakumo (CAS-718) Ibuki (CAS-741) Tsurugi (CAS-777) Yakumo (CAS-890) 12 Isokaze type Destroyers Isokaze (DDS-101) Ayanami (DDS-103) Shikinami (DDS-106) Shiranui (DDS-114) Yukikaze (DDS-117) Ayase (DDS-119) Fuyusuki (DDS-147) Minazuki (DDS-148) Hatsushima (DDS-149) Kagerou (DDS-164) Shimakaze (DDS-172) Tachikaze (DDS-216) Two other known ships: Murasame (CAS-707) Yamato (BBY-01)
Wow, I didn't know that there was still an anime watching contingent here. I still remember making the cheapo season threads awhile back. (Is there still a general anime thread lying around here?) I just got into the series a week ago and I'm loving it. It's really the science fiction show that I've been looking for ever since BSG didn't pan out in season 4. Your only real hope is that someone in America licenses it. But with the way Japan is going with licensing rights, you might be lucky to even see a BD copy here. It's rare for a series that is released individually to get a boxed set. That's typically reserved for special/popular shows. Then again, this whole deal with releasing the shows in movie theatres before selling them on disc is a new concept to me, so who knows what will happen.
Presently sales charts looks positive. http://myanimelist.net/forum/?topicid=473845&show=0 and http://forums.animesuki.com/showpost...2&postcount=20 Uchuu Senkan Yamato 2199 10,034+22,375=32,410 (2+) (Xebec, AIC) 2012/05/25 11,169 Vol. 1 (DVD) (Two episodes) 2012/07/27 *8,899 Vol. 2 (DVD) (Four episodes) 2012/05/25 23,726 Vol. 1 (BD) 2012/07/27 21,025 Vol. 2 (BD) It seems to sell a huge amount the first week and then peter off in the following weeks. I imagine some of those BD sales are foreigners in other Region A countries getting the episodes. If the source includes Amazon sales and the like. It is not the top selling anime of the year, but its total numbers seem respectible against all but the majorly popular current series...some classic family films...and Gundam.
I think the real weakness of the show and why it isn't doing too well in sales right now is because it's a bit too straight in its retelling of Yamato. Sure, it's got the robot tank dudes and the two classes of Gamilans and a few other things, but it's pretty much doing the same stuff the old show did without too much deviation. Once it starts separating itself from the original, we might see BD sales go up. I do think some of the more 70s aspects like the music and the Yamato female uniforms should've been dialed back, but it's too late for that.
I think $100+ per disc of 2 episodes is also putting a lot of people off. That price is quite patently absurd. What do they think this is, the 90's, when people had a lot more disposable income to afford it? The story has always been strong and based on many reviews I've read about it, is not only faithful to the source material but in some ways noticeably better. My bet is on the cost. It's the only reason I haven't gotten the discs as soon as they came out and I wager 500 quatloos that many others feel the same way.
Well, that's a problem everyone in the west has already figured out. The problem is that (among other things) the people running the studios are depending on an ever shrinking amount of hardcore consumers in Japan to stay afloat, so they pump up the prices to absurd levels to get more money out of those people. Then they run into the problem that western audiences aren't so willing to pay outrageous prices for so little material, so they delay the Blu-Rays, withhold Blu-Ray rights, or charge Japanese prices and take fewer sales to prevent Japanese people from reverse importing Blu-Rays. This podcast featuring a master's student studying the anime industry is pretty informative. For those who don't want to listen, the gist is that the Star Trek Terran Empire is more logical and efficient than the current Japanese way of handling their entertainment industry.
Relatively speaking, Yamato 2199 is doing well on sales. Most anime can't get to 15,000 sales average, and Yamato has twice that. Using older numbers, the series (as oppose to movies) from before 2011 that would beat Yamato 2199 in average dvd/bd sales are: 78380 ** Bakemonogatari 68729 13 Kidou Senshi Gundam SEED DESTINY 58589 13 Kidou Senshi Gundam SEED 46147 *9 Macross Frontier 45367 *9 Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch 43064 ** K-ON! 42690 *9 Code Geass: Hangyaku no Lelouch R2 41038 *8 Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu 38514 *7 Kidou Senshi Gundam 00 36511 13 Fullmetal Alchemist 34601 *7 Kidou Senshi Gundam 00 2nd Season 32410 *2 Uchuu Senkan Yamato 2199 (currently)
^^^ Encouraging numbers. Although I find the English/Japanese mish-mash combinations in some of these titles quite amusing. Very "all your base"...
^^^ Sorry, but for me, that's one of it's main strengths - and were it diverging a great deal, I would not be ordering the discs at about $100.00 a pop straight from Japan (of course were they not sub-titled in english I wouuld have passed too). I think they've done a great job updating the story while maintainuing the original flavor and intrent. I've always loved the original Yamato music, and had they changed that, it would have been a large minus as well. YMMV.