The Merchandise GuideDVD: Japan
Compiled by Martin Willey
The Merchandise Guide|
Japan 2001. Each 37800 Yen. The series was released in two box sets, each set covering an entire season. Each box set comprises 6 discs, with four episodes per disc (apart from Season 2 volume 6). Audio track 1 is English, track 2 is Japanese. Japanese subtitles. The DVDs are NTSC region 2 coded. The disc has no opening sequence, apart from a logo for "Panorama Communications". The boxes show the discs are produced by Pioneer. The episodes are in the original Japanese broadcast order (unlike the UK and US releases, which were in production order). Only 46 episodes are released (Bringers Of Wonder is excluded). The prints correct the obvious image problems of the US releases. However, they do not have the clarity and vivid colours of the best of the US and UK discs. Like the US and UK releases (and the US and Japanese laserdiscs), some episodes are a little dark. The extras are minimal: a 4-page "alien profile" on each disc, framed in a stylised version of the Main Mission Big Screen. The episodes do not have the original Japanese theme song (sung by Tsunehiko Kamijo) or title texts. There is one menu error: selecting 'The Full Circle' on Disc 3 displays the submenu of 'Episode 12, [Japanese Title]'. This is only a display error. If you select 'introduction (whole episode)' here, the correct episode is shown. (Thanks to Haruo Toda) The Season 1 box cover was dark gray, inscribed with blueprints of the Eagle. The Season 2 box cover was a light blue-gray, with identical blueprints. For Season 1, each disc case features the same picture of Landau and Bain with a coloured monochrome picture of a spaceship as backdrop. For Season 2, each disc features different characters, with an identical backdrop (an off-colour picture of the front of an Eagle). Each box set includes a small colour leaflet with small pictures, an introduction to the series, and short profiles of the stars (all in Japanese). The box has a coloured paper band wrapped around it (a Japanese curiosity called an "obi"). Translation of text from box set obi, thanks to Haruo Toda.
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Copyright Martin Willey
