Bandai Otakon News

Bandai is planning a new expanded VHS release of Brain Powered (Gundam creator Yoshiyuki Tomino’s intended answer to Evangelion) with 7 episodes on 1 VHS tape for $29.98. As far was their upcoming release schedule, it’s Outlaw Star DVD with nine episodes per release, Escaflowne VHS dubbed and DVD uncut, and the fourth and final volume of Blue Submarine No. 6 in October. November will see the DVD only release of Tennamonya Voyagers. All 13 episodes of “Don’t Leave Me Alone Daisy” will be released in December for $39.98. Cowboy Bebop will be finished in a few months.

Bandai’s new title plans are Angel Links (an Outlaw Star related series), Crest of the Stars (sometime next year), Fancy La-La, Betterman, Z-Mind [a retro girls & mecha OAV series, not a live-action production as reported elsewhere], and the original Gundam TV series. There are no plans to release Macross 7 or the G-Savior, Gundam CGI/live action hybrid TV series domestically. In terms of merchandise, they are trying to get soundtracks for Escaflowne and Cowboy Bebop. They are trying to shop Outlaw Star around for a TV release, and Cartoon Network may be interest in the original Gundam. It was stated that no television network has showed any interest in Cowboy Bebop.

Gundam 0083 and Gundam 0080 will be released on DVD next year, possibly as a boxed set. The remaining Gundam Wing TV series DVDs will be released bi-monthly beginning with volume 3 on September 19th and concluding with volume 10 on November 20, 2001. The planned February 2001 release date for Saber Marionette J on DVD will contain three language tracks (English, Japanese & Spanish). A DVD release of Saber Marionette J to X is also being planned. The Endless Waltz OAV DVD will be release in February 2001 with the “uncut, unmolested” movie version included on the DVD set. The VHS dub will be the Cartoon Network version. Silent Mobius on DVD “will have to wait a few years.” Bandai was quoted as saying, “There will be no subtitled VHS from Bandai from now on,” which seems to contradict statements made regarding VHS releases for Brain Powered, and the following comments: Cowboy Bebop DVDs are doing “very, very well,” “much better than VHS.” Gundam, however, is doing “very, very well” in VHS, “much better than DVD.” Mainstream audiences are going for Gundam.

On the Escaflowne front, Bandai will try to distribute the Escaflowne movie theatrically if TV series does well on Fox. No Escaflowne toys are planned, but Bandai does have the toy license should popularity spawned by the TV broadcast generate enough demand for them. The Escaflowne DVDs will be uncut (no edited Fox opening) with sub and dub translations, interviews, and a mail away tarot card offer. (Save up UPCs from tapes/DVDs to mail in for a set of Tarot cards.) Fox will air an English techno version of the opening; Fox may not be showing the first episode (except in flashbacks) because “they want to stay away from that entire schoolgirl thing.”

Source: Anime on DVD