Just picked up Macross Zero HK Boot DVDs...

[Coota0]

I asked for an actual copy of Macross Zero that was dubbed. I don't understand Japanese, so getting an original would be out of the question. I didn't ask for a bootleg. I don't want to download it from Kazaa like others do because it's illegal anyway.

Kensei, any subbed (let alone dubbed) M0 you can buy or download these days is going to be a bootleg. The only way to have a legal sub or dub would be to buy the original and sub/dub it yourself.

Hopefully that will change. There are vague, skimpy rumors of an eventual US release--see http://protoculture.lebhead.com--possibly inspired by one company's slip at an anime convention which was later denied by another company.

In the meantime, it's either download, buy a bootleg, or learn Japanese.

The link wouldn't work can you fill us in?

[ewilen]

Apparently at the Anime Boston con, a Manga Entertainment rep was asked about M0 and responded that he thought Pioneer had the US distribution rights. When asked, Pioneer answered "no comment", and at a later con, they said "If we had it, we'd tell you".

[bandit29]

You kids today, I swear. You get pretty well ripped DVD's bootlegged & $10 a pop of a show that may never get released here, and you bitch about the subtitles? Sheesh!!!

Gotta agree with that.

I'm sticking with the bootlegs for now. I own a region free player and did own the region 2 of Macross Zero Vol 1. I sold that. Macross Zero isn't worth 5000 yen(around 50.00-55.00) a disc.

[Macross_Fanboy]

Yeah! Subs be damned when you can watch it in HD with surround sound! Bam! My TV is equipped with both! Makes everything hella tight!! I just need the component cables for my Gamecube and DVD player to truly bring out the High Definition!

[indigofx28]

learn the language it makes things all better

[Keith]

Ain't no HK's with excellent subs, and from my inquerries to the HK companies, there will never be anything more than there currently is (it's been done adiquately, and admittedly aside from the subtitles, they're fantastic sets).

There is that independent effort over at rightstep.com, but for $20 a disc, I expect a hell of a lot more than a 4 episode a disc DVD-R with only a jewel case.

HK DVD's are significantly more durable than DVD-R's, and subtitle script's are plentiful. At the very least, technology will arise one day that will let us add our own subtitles to DVD's without using DVDsubber or some other program that doesn't require me to watch DVD's with my crappy playback software/hardware on my computer...

[kensei]

I asked for an actual copy of Macross Zero that was dubbed. I don't understand Japanese, so getting an original would be out of the question. I didn't ask for a bootleg. I don't want to download it from Kazaa like others do because it's illegal anyway.

Kensei, any subbed (let alone dubbed) M0 you can buy or download these days is going to be a bootleg. The only way to have a legal sub or dub would be to buy the original and sub/dub it yourself.

Hopefully that will change. There are vague, skimpy rumors of an eventual US release--see http://protoculture.lebhead.com --possibly inspired by one company's slip at an anime convention which was later denied by another company.

In the meantime, it's either download, buy a bootleg, or learn Japanese.

Edit: For downloading, I'd recomment bittorrent (animesuki is a good place to start). And check the pinned imacross topic for some tips on codecs and other tools.

Thanks for the tip bro. Not very aquainted with the bootleg/pirate world I'm afraid.

PS I meant to say subbed in my post

[USCOLMRNE]

There are many ways of downloading, there is IRC, and Bit Torrent!. Anime Junkies released a ok sub version of Episode II and even corrected it a few weeks later. Thats if you want to be one of the first to get it, then there is Kazaa, and WinMX(Here you can get the full unsubbed if you want to do your own subbing + you can see many more animes because of its international users, just that it can take a loong time). Like the other member said, why buy it while you can download it for yourself and burn it to a cd, just dont sell bootlegs because then... I dont have to explain, you know how it is

[Achilles2ca]

[Edit] Kensei beat me to it but here it is anyways...

Heres a link.

http://www.animesuki.com

They are essentially a library of all unlisenced [sp?] anime fansubs. Get bittorrent (google it or get it from the site), install it, and download any link from this site which isn't dead. You just click on each html link and BT will start automatically. They have a forum also, so you can request reseeded dead links.

Direct link to Macross Zero Home Page.

http://animesuki.mangaitalia.com/series.php/16.html

Make sure you check to see if they're all being seeded or starting a download is useless, its dead.

While I'm at it, pick up Future Boy Conan as well. Macross and Hayao Miyazaki's work is the only anime (IMHO) really worth watching more than once.

Edited October 27, 2003 by Achilles2ca

[Draykov]

Thanks for all the links, guys.

[McKlown]

Anime Junkies released a ok sub version of Episode II and even corrected it a few weeks later.

Never ever recommend AJ fansubs to anyone. They're the worst fansubbers I've ever seen. Not only is their subtitle quality non-existant in all their releases, but in the past they've had the nerve to send harrasing emails to the distrubting company that picked up Ninja Scroll TV while they were fansubbing it.

Edited October 30, 2003 by McKlown

[kazuo]

Wow.

1) http://www.animesuki.com/

Download Macross Zero for free there.

2) Macross Zero will be coming out on Region 1 DVD. It's just a matter of the time. Harmony Gold's whining will have little or no effect on the show being licensed. The Summer '84 movie ever being released in Region 1 is the only one you can even suggest will "never" come out here.

There are already several companies who have extended offers for Zero.

3) All of the Hong King discs are trash. Period. End of story. They should not be purchased because the subtitles are generally terrible, or in worst case scenarios, ripped from fansubs (like Initial D -- this is why Central Anime doesnt release scripts anymore), the video quality is not that good (as the bitrate is lowered to compensate for the fact that its a DVD-5) and the same applies for th audio.

I've heard they're starting to use DVD-9 but either way I'm not spending my money on their junk.

4) If you want to see Zero with good subtitles, download it from the 'net. For the guy who was complaining about wanting it in surround sound and on his TV, well, the bootleg discs have shitty audio quality, and the digisubs I have feature 5.1 audio and legible, readable subtitles... hmm. That's a toughie.

You do the math.

[ewilen]

2) Macross Zero will be coming out on Region 1 DVD. It's just a matter of the time. Harmony Gold's whining will have little or no effect on the show being licensed. The Summer '84 movie ever being released in Region 1 is the only one you can even suggest will "never" come out here.

There are already several companies who have extended offers for Zero.

Sounds like your info is more up to date than mine. Any more detail or sources on that last sentence?

[Nightbat]

ahh the choice of a lesser Evil

Buy Bootlegs and give BW's money to someone else

BW Looses - Bootleggers win -You win <_<

Or:

Download them yourself, and although BW still doesn't get paid, at least someone else isn't

BW Looses - Bootleggers loose - You win

or

BW Releases it's products worldwide

BW wins - Bootleggers loose - You win

1, 2 and 3 all make -you- win

option #3 isn't available

so my pick is #2

ofcourse if you like to have others share your happiness with somekind of reward choose #1

[makurosu]

You guys know I never like to agree with Keith, but this time I'm with him....

Those DVDs are damn cheap from the get-go (walk into a Best Buy store and see how cheap "good" anime sells for). You're getting exactly what you pay for in those HK bootlegs. Be thankful you have the animation on hand and the opportunity to figure out the story.

Now that you've learned your lesson, go download the ANBUone Fansubs and read it in good english.

I totally realize the inherent dangers in affordable HK bootlegs...it doesn't change my feelings. I never claimed to have been cheated; I just want to understand what the hell is going on.

Also, links would be helpful...

You might also want to d/l fanscripts, or episode synopsis. If you can find either or them, that is. I printed off a list of episode descriptions and background info on Orguss, and they really helped with a lot of confusion. About halfway through the episodes, I started reading through them before each episode and picked up a lot I never would have with the subs the way they were.