Beltane70 Posted October 18, 2011 Posted October 18, 2011 I watched the first one raw, but since this one drastically changes up things even more than the first, I think I'll wait for a sub for the first full playthrough. I'd love to arrange some sort of viewing party. I've actually yet to see the first one subbed. Not me. I love seeing things raw and actually enjoy seeing what I got right with my limited understanding of Japanese.
anime52k8 Posted October 18, 2011 Posted October 18, 2011 Watching raw's is only fun when everyone else is doing it at the same time. When MacF was actually on the air it was great watching crappy cam rips live via keyhole and everyone flipping out over what they're seeing in the thread as it's happening. Man, we really need a new series soon, I miss being able to do that.
Talos Posted October 19, 2011 Posted October 19, 2011 Watching raw's is only fun when everyone else is doing it at the same time. When MacF was actually on the air it was great watching crappy cam rips live via keyhole and everyone flipping out over what they're seeing in the thread as it's happening. Man, we really need a new series soon, I miss being able to do that. Agreed, that was a lot of fun. The craziest has to be the week before "Memories of Global". I've never seen the levels of posting and speculation as we had between that episode and the one before it. Looking forward to the movie, and I will be watching it raw.
Keith Posted October 19, 2011 Posted October 19, 2011 Agreed, that was a lot of fun. The craziest has to be the week before "Memories of Global". I've never seen the levels of posting and speculation as we had between that episode and the one before it. Looking forward to the movie, and I will be watching it raw. That was the best week, and the wrongest I've ever been!
Major Focker Posted October 19, 2011 Posted October 19, 2011 that was the WTF-1 episode, right? i remember that for each page i read in that thread, another 2 pages were added in that time. crazy! but those were the days. hard to believe it's been 2 years now (or was it 3?). anyway, the BD's supposed to be released tomorrow, right? fortunately i was able to just now ask Amiami to combine this with another order that came due last week. can't wait. OT: speaking of Amiami, be sure to check your shipping charges, specially for small orders. they're a good seller and offer good prices but they tend to automatically assume SAL Parcel rather than SAL small packet, or at least they tend to use boxes a size or two bigger than needed. the order i mentioned above is a 1/72 aircraft kit (albeit a relatively big bird, the sea vixen) and i was being asked JPY2200 for SAL Parcel. i wrote to them that SAL w/ HLJ was just 740, so now they've sent me an apology saying that they misjudged the size and that it actually fits within SAL small packet dimensions (which actually fits most valks). i usually just pay as soon as i get their invoice, but now in hindsight i should've been more diligent. a lot of my orders from Amiami came in boxes that were 1/3 to 1/2 empty/filler. even if they would've been SAL Parcel anyway, can't help but think that the carton weight saved by using right-sized boxes might have shaved a few hundred yen. Sorry for the OT, just thought it might be a useful reminder.
numagus99 Posted October 19, 2011 Posted October 19, 2011 I just sent off payment to Amiami for my hybrid pack. I can't wait to pop this into my PS3.
Sorata Posted October 19, 2011 Posted October 19, 2011 I just sent off payment to Amiami for my hybrid pack. I can't wait to pop this into my PS3. Yeah me too. Total came to 155 for the limited edition. 38 bucks of that was EMS shipping but it will be worth it
the_foul_fowl Posted October 19, 2011 Posted October 19, 2011 Just made payment too. I've been religiously avoiding the Movie 2 discussion threads, it's been agonizing but the wait is finally over. Can't wait to see it! I'm watching it raw. Hopefully with my limited understanding of japanese I'll be able to catch what's going on! I'll prob watch Movie 1 again soon to refresh a bit.
UN Spacy Posted October 19, 2011 Posted October 19, 2011 I guess I'll get my payment request when the renewal DX VF-25F's are in stock.
Xard Posted October 19, 2011 Posted October 19, 2011 (edited) Well, the day is finally here! It's morning in Tokyo now and I'm sure we're probably getting first subs by eg. Doki fansubs by next weekend. They also shipped my BD boxset already, I'm hoping FedEx delivers it by Friday, hehehe Here's my review of Sayonara no Tsubasa that I've been sitting on while waiting for time to become relevant again. Figured might as well put it up here in case someone is interested. It's kinda long, yeah, and I'm sorry for that but on the other hand the film does deserve it...and I think it shows that at least I enjoyed the film A LOT, hahaha Spoilered for lenght: Macross Frontier: Sayonara no Tsubasa The final chapter of Macross Frontier opens with a tremendous sequence that sets the mood and the tone for the entire film to follow. Three months have passed since the climactic showdown with the Vajra fleet at the end of the first film and superstar Sheryl Nome is holding a new concert. At the same time S.M.S. and NUNS fleet engage in regular skirmishes with Vajra while deep inside LAI labs (that owe more to Weyland-Yutani than the set designs familiar from series) research on Vajra and fold quartz goes on. The three events are terrifically crosscut with main focus, naturally, on Sheryl’s flamboyant stage show to create what is the most impressive opening sequence for anime film in a long while. It’s a superbly crafted, bold piece: aesthetically as astonishing as it’s bewildering in the way it freely mixes together gothic cathedrals and tribal paganism, alchemical formulations and nurse outfits, fanservice and disturbing eroticism that has more in common with Gerald Scarfe’s feveric visions than anything commonly seen in anime, terrific pop music with equally terrific dogfights. As always the lifeblood keeping it all running is Yoko Kanno’s exemplary j-pop, this time mixing electronic intros and hard rock guitar riffs with rhythm and keyboard parts that have more in common with 70s prog rock than anything else. As the performance comes to screeching halt as Sheryl collapses, spitting blood, the viewer has already been sucked into the film’s world. The second Macross Frontier film Sayonara no Tsubasa is simply superb work and just as exemplary in directing, characterization and performances as it is in music, effects animation and radically reinterpreting tv series in film format. The first film in cinematic retelling of Macross Frontier tv series (2008), Itsuwari no Utahime (2009), reinterpreted the key events of series first cour with combination of pre-existing and new footage, revisions and additions to depiction of some characters and new/reworked story elements added into in general familiar narrative form. It was a good if slow burning film that emphasized characterization and developing the relationships between the three leads, kabuki-actor-cum-pilot Alto Saotome, aspiring singer Ranka Lee and superstar Sheryl Nome. While Utahime was framed by explosive opening and ending acts it was a film more focused at establishing and developing characters and storylines to come than with action and constant barrage of swift story developments. In Sayonara no Tsubasa this all pays off in a major way and in few regards the film is almost the mirror image of the first one. For one the second film is made out of 100% new, gorgeous footage and while Utahime kept many of the basics of series's first cour in Sayonara the storyline and development of some characters depart so radically from the tv series calling Sayonara a “mere” reinterpretation seems hardly justified. It’s a new work using the thematic and story background of original series much more than it’s one of those tired clip show “anime films” with some new money shots thrown in a la Gurren Lagann features. Similarly in contrast to slow moving Utahime the second film is dizzying, occasionally overpowering barrage of new ideas, plot twists and turns, great character development, revelations, action, music and “what if” scenarios. Whether one comes fresh from the first film or is also familiar with the tv series doesn’t matter. The narrative is new and intriguing no matter how familiar one is with previous chapters in Macross Frontier or Macross franchise in general. Chances are it’s also mindblowing. Storyline is revised to point of being nearly incomparable experience to tv series later half. It is thoroughly gripping and in general darker experience as the “humans are apefaces” aspect of the original gets the main focus in depiction of Vajra-Human conflict, both thematically and in terms of the narrative. It’s surprisingly harsh and in some regards truly angry film, unforgiving on the human folly and meaningless ambitions, prejudices and greed in face of what’s truly important in life. Indeed, there’s something downright operatic in how the characters redeem, damn and sacrifice themselves. Poetic justice is the court that judges the good, the bad and the fabulous in Frontier fleet. Nevertheless the film never completely loses the positive undercurrent of Macross, the goofy and the heroic. The way how the film’s serious themes, emotionally resonant or grim moments stand right next to loving camp, playful homages (from past Macross titles to Osamu Tezuka), lovely concert scenes, mindblowing action, over the top heroics and shamelessly entertaining plottings without slightest uneasiness is a formidable proof of director Shoji Kawamori’s tonal control. The ending, which is far more bittersweet than the tv series ending and resolves what original left unresolved, is also pitch perfect and has true emotional depth – thus ending Frontier on a truly high note. It’s a rare film that makes ending credits the emotional high point and crucial part of the film but Sayonara does it. On the character front the cast continues being strongly developed with the main focus quite strictly on the three leads. But while likes of fan favorite Michel were doomed to lose in terms of the limited screen time most of them get their best and memorable moments from the galactic playboy himself to Cpt. Wilder here. Michel fans in particular should be happy with how things play out in Sayonara. Other characters have been revisioned in such shocking ways even mentioning their names would be spoilerous. As for main characters all three leads get excellent character development. Alto and Ranka in particular have benefitted the most as both get treatment vastly superior to one bestowed upon them in tv series. Film Alto isn’t as much jerkass as his series counterpart was and he is considerably more winsome, pulling some awesome stunts he never would’ve done in series. But it’s Ranka Lee whose character development in film is particularly superb. Here is just as definitive take on her character as film incarnation of Minmay was on the original Macross idol. Equally mature and cute by the end she has grown way beyond the constraints story placed on her in tv series. As for the Galactic Fairy Sheryl Nome, her development is in various aspects closest to the series with much of her character arc revolving around her sickness and looming death. Of course it’s still great and the story nonetheless treats her very differently this time around. To top this all of the changes in her backstory hinted at in first film come to full bloom occasionally in truly surprising fashion. As superb as on-screen development is a special mention must go to very intelligent use of dramaturgical ellipse as the three month “lost period” between the films has been skillfully utilized in service of the story. Some of the less-important developments lesser filmmakers would’ve tried to cram in have taken place without sacrificing screen time for them while leaving them inferable. The ellipse has been also used to give time for characters to grow and cope with their experiences since closure of first film. This means that while characters are still recognizably the same they were in end of the first film they also have a fresh edge and new, budding sides to them. Particularly notable is how the three months in idol business have shaped Ranka who now occasionally exhibits boldness and “idolness” one wouldn’t expect from her. Moving beyond story and characters the quality of the film doesn’t falter. For one Kawamori’s directing here is truly masterful. Perfectly framed and edited the film boasts countless scenes wonderfully shot and put together. With ever strong sense of framing and use of “camera” and par excellence editing from crosscutting to simply rhyming the flow of scenes Kawamori is at the top of his game. In particular, beyond the obvious spectacles, film should be commended for some terrific use of first person camera angles that add a lot atmosphere to sequences they're used in. Scene compositions are superb throughout and especially musical sequences are perfect from the visual extravaganza of Ranka’s and Sheryl’s concert scenes to frenzied action set to j-pop – of course these two are not mutually exclusive categories. The close working relation between Kawamori and Kanno is easy to tell in scenes where sound and images blend together perfectly bar by bar, cut by cut. The storyboards have been composed to music and vice versa. Finale is downright mindblowing. Beyond that film’s pacing is also very good. It never slows too much or rushes things, maintaining excellent balance in flow of kinetic and more introspective set pieces. Animation and art are also what you’d expect from anime feature from 2011 with colossal budget. In particular 3D animation in action scenes is eyegasmic and VF dogfights present here are as good as 3D mecha action gets, period. On the side of 2D animation special mention must go to concert scene taking place about halfway through the film where Ranka’s animation was based on motion captured dancing by her seiyuu Megumi Nakajima. The results speak for themselves and the scene as a whole is one of the most lovable in the entire film. The strong seiyuu cast chockfull with big names from Tomokazu Sugita to Hiroshi Kamiya give performance you’d expect. It’s all great and while Aya Endo’s Sheryl is still as career defining performance as ever for this film I’d like to give special shout-outs for Megumi Nakajima’s eerily perfect Ranka and Kikuko Inoue’s ever so magnificent take on Grace O’Connor. By now Kikuko has definitely turned Grace into the most memorable role and performance of her late career. Last but not least, especially not for Macross title, there’s the soundtrack which is just as brilliant as you’d expect. The orchestral score is excellent throughout and the songs twice better. By now classic standards like Aimo, Diamond Crevasse and Seikan Hikou (in a wonderful live arrangement!) are as great as ever while new songs are uniformly awesome and memorable with the best cuts - such as the title track and Ranka’s gorgeous final ballad - standing among the best of Kanno’s illustrious career and Macross franchise’s soon three decades long history. It is easily the most impressive collection of music to come out in any 2011 anime. Yack Deculture! With loads of terrifically entertaining scenes, memorable moments, mindblowing action and music, likeable characters and superb production values we’re talking about a rare thing: a modern space opera that is truly great film and worth the praise it has received in Japan. Sayonara no Tsubasa is Macross exemplified. Can't wait till I get my hands on the superhueg boxset...nomnomnom edit: if memory of first film is hazy I recommend rewatching it first though edit2: for Utahime subs I recommend THORA It's hard to see who are going to get first release of Sayonara out. I know Doki is doing the subs and common sense says THORA will do it sooner or later too... Edited October 19, 2011 by Xard
Solidus Snake Posted October 19, 2011 Posted October 19, 2011 Man, I can't believe today finally arrived
Beltane70 Posted October 19, 2011 Posted October 19, 2011 Now comes the painful process of waiting to see the shipped status from the website that I ordered from. Guess I have to wait for them to actually get it first before they ship it to me.
Tochiro Posted October 20, 2011 Author Posted October 20, 2011 WooT, Amazon Japan shipped mine yesterday so it should be waiting for me when I get home tonight :-) Preorder discount was way better than expected - 8100yen for the deluxe edition (going for 12500yen on Amazon as of today) with free shipping :-D
klam1020 Posted October 20, 2011 Posted October 20, 2011 WooT, Amazon Japan shipped mine yesterday so it should be waiting for me when I get home tonight :-) Preorder discount was way better than expected - 8100yen for the deluxe edition (going for 12500yen on Amazon as of today) with free shipping :-D Sweet! Shipping may takes few days. Waiting for Torrent~
McDuck Posted October 20, 2011 Posted October 20, 2011 Sweet! Shipping may takes few days. Waiting for Torrent~ Same here. btw, Go Jayhawks.
Tochiro Posted October 20, 2011 Author Posted October 20, 2011 Well it looks like there's been a tiny mishap with regards to one of the special items which comes with the bluray. It was supposed to come with a strip of film from the movie (much like the japanese release of the Evangelion movies did) - the last fanclub newsletter actually had an article and pictures of the people hired to sit around cutting up these enormous rolls of film. But...it seems like they got a little too eager - reports are coming in of people getting strips that have nothing to do with the movie. It looks like the anti-piracy commercials shown at the cinema were accidentally included! (scroll down for pic) http://blog.esuteru.com/archives/5161205.html
UN Spacy Posted October 20, 2011 Posted October 20, 2011 Oh man...that's horrible....I got an Ozma film strip with my Itsuware no Utahime Blu-ray. I'd hate to get an anti-piracy one....unless it becomes a collectors item.
Renato Posted October 20, 2011 Posted October 20, 2011 Well it looks like there's been a tiny mishap with regards to one of the special items which comes with the bluray. It was supposed to come with a strip of film from the movie (much like the japanese release of the Evangelion movies did) - the last fanclub newsletter actually had an article and pictures of the people hired to sit around cutting up these enormous rolls of film. But...it seems like they got a little too eager - reports are coming in of people getting strips that have nothing to do with the movie. It looks like the anti-piracy commercials shown at the cinema were accidentally included! (scroll down for pic) http://blog.esuteru....es/5161205.html Sucks for that guy but I think it's hilarious! He got "strip-trolled"! They must have put that in as a joke or something. Although shouldn't that mean that some people got strips with portions of movie trailers and stuff? Maybe some people got clips of Iron Man II or Harry Potter or something.
Keith Posted October 20, 2011 Posted October 20, 2011 That's actually pretty hilarious, and Renato, any chance you could scan the sides of the box so we can do an awesome wallpaper of th enew YF-29 images? And also....HOW'S THE GAME?!
Jefferson Posted October 20, 2011 Posted October 20, 2011 Is the first movie can be stored in the box ? Mine will be shipped today.
Renato Posted October 20, 2011 Posted October 20, 2011 That's actually pretty hilarious, and Renato, any chance you could scan the sides of the box so we can do an awesome wallpaper of th enew YF-29 images? And also....HOW'S THE GAME?! Still don't have my PS3 yet, maybe in a few days. As for the box scans, yeah, maybe soon, but I'm sure some people will beat me to the punch... Is the first movie can be stored in the box ? Yes. But I don't have it on BluRay, so I'm glad that they have an empty card box space-filler instead.
Renato Posted October 20, 2011 Posted October 20, 2011 BTW, there are loads and loads of tangible extras including full reprints of the movie pamphlets, TONS of amazing genga reproductions (probably the nicest pack-in, for me) and two full-length copies of the scripts for the two movies. As they mentioned in the interviews, the final dialogue had not been written yet, so the last few pages have a lot of blank spaces, which is really interesting from a production standpoint. Ultra nit-picking complaint: I would have included the full set of storyboards instead of the scripts -- even if it's just for one movie. I have the Akira and DYRL ones that came with their respective boxes and it is fun to compare the visual concepts of the scenes to what actually ended up on the screen.
Keith Posted October 20, 2011 Posted October 20, 2011 Here's a question, does Sayonara no Tsubasa come with a slip case over it in addition to the box (a slip like the regular edition has)?
Renato Posted October 20, 2011 Posted October 20, 2011 Here's an answer: Yes, it does. It houses the regular BR case as well as the special materials booklet with the new interviews etc. The booklet inside the actual BR case, in turn, acts as the instruction manual for the game.
Solidus Snake Posted October 20, 2011 Posted October 20, 2011 Awesome. Can't wait till my copy comes in.
Keith Posted October 20, 2011 Posted October 20, 2011 Hmm, sounds like this may be....THE BEST LE EVER!! Ok, well maybe not, but still pretty sweet.
whispo Posted October 20, 2011 Posted October 20, 2011 After months of waiting and waiting I just finally saw the raw. HOLY COWS!!!! That movie was awesome. Now I can't wait for the subs to come out ...... sometimes I wish I had the money to just order the Blu Ray like you guys
MacrossCN Posted October 20, 2011 Posted October 20, 2011 (edited) BD ISO and 1080 mp4 release~~~ online vid http://www.tudou.com...ew/oNzQucFhl7o/ Edited October 20, 2011 by MacrossCN
Major Focker Posted October 20, 2011 Posted October 20, 2011 mine's on the way too =) but not the top end set, just the hybrid one. question to those who've seen this movie and understands japanese: in your opinion, will watching this without understanding japanese significantly diminish the emotional impact of this movie? when i got the first movie i watched it raw then the fansubbed version some weeks later. sure i understood it better with the subbed second viewing, but i found that i didn't lose much when i first watched it raw. for this second movie, i gather there's a bit more drama so i'm cautious about the first viewing. thoughts?
Gubaba Posted October 20, 2011 Posted October 20, 2011 mine's on the way too =) but not the top end set, just the hybrid one. question to those who've seen this movie and understands japanese: in your opinion, will watching this without understanding japanese significantly diminish the emotional impact of this movie? when i got the first movie i watched it raw then the fansubbed version some weeks later. sure i understood it better with the subbed second viewing, but i found that i didn't lose much when i first watched it raw. for this second movie, i gather there's a bit more drama so i'm cautious about the first viewing. thoughts? If you know ABSOLUTELY NO JAPANESE, I'd definitely wait for subs.
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