Megazone 23 Vol.1 ADV

[Keith]

Just got my copy with box yesturday. Despite the crapass dub trailer they've had out for download, it's actually an impressive release. The video is clearned up nicely, must have gotten the new R2 DVD masters. The Japanese stereo is also vastly superior to the HK set, though for obvious reasons I didn't check out the dub.

Subtitle script is pretty free of trash, though I'm sure there's plenty in the dub. If they can keep up the video & audio quality for all 3 releases, I'll be happy, though the box art is vastly inferior to the HK set, barely any mikimoto art, just a couple images and then a large side dedicated to part III.

The extra's are pretty slim. Just an art gallery, and commentary track. The commentary track is actually interesting. Most of the 10 minutes I listened to was shooting back & forth about anime in the 80's, OVA's, how hard it was to get tapes & LD's, etc. Then they go into talking about the show, and obvious comparison with Macross (which they pronunce "mu-cross.") Even funnier was in pronuncing a show they themselves released, "Moss-peada." I just can't help but laugh at how much "old school anime" cred is lost with such blatantly idiotic pronunciations. It also doesn't help that they demeened Macross for having a "music saves the day" theme, when in the very next part of Megazone 23, a very similar occurance happens.... suffice it to say I gave up on the commentary at that point.

All things considered though, a nice release, and in my opinion at least, its worth upgrading from the HK set. Hell, I may track down a double jewel case, and switch the new box set with my HK set art & box since it looks that much better.

[Kamui 777]

It's out? I gotta go my NYC stores as i assume large retailers like Best Buy and Suncoast don't got 'em.

Keith, did you see the edition w/ the box set? Or is the box are you mentioned the one on the DVD case?

If you saw the edition with the box, how thick is it? Pioneer thick or Evangelion thick?

[Keith]

It's not due until June 1st, but mine shipped out last week. And yeah, I got the edition with the box (you may notice the little description above), suffice it to say it's really freakin' thin! Almost VHS slipsleeve thin. In art & construction, the box is vastly inferior to the box that the HK set used.

[Hikuro]

Yeah but it's ADV, can you REALLY honestly expect good things from them?

[Keith]

Only other box I have from them is the Eva box, which is thick & sturdy enough (cardboard, not the metal case).

[wakobi]

Just ordered Megazone 23 boxset today from ADV, never seen this anime before in my life but have followed the love/hate posts on MW for sometime now.

Hope I made the right choice!

Edited May 24, 2004 by wakobi

[Keith]

It's a fun OVA, and the blatant source for the story of the Matrix. If you like mecha & fanservice, you'll like Megazone 23.

[bandit29]

In all my years of watching anime (20 plus) I've never seen Megazone 23. Read about it, heard about it etc. Just never got around to seeing it. I'll buy it sans ADVs crappy box and mouse pad.

[Keith]

In all my years of watching anime (20 plus) I've never seen Megazone 23. Read about it, heard about it etc. Just never got around to seeing it. I'll buy it sans ADVs crappy box and mouse pad.

That'd be the way to go, live & learn.

[JELEINEN]

I'm just watching Jungle to see if an import copy shows up either on LD or DVD. I'll just skip ADVs release.

[Kamui 777]

I just got mine today from DDD. $20 and change w/Box.

I thought it was a very good release. The box wasn't as cheap as I thought it was. For me, it's the same sturdiness of the reg EVA box. Thicker than the Animego Macross Box.

Great release overall. And yes, the commentary pronounciations are VERY frustrating. When Mai drops her Dagger of Kamui bag, Janice Williams pronounces it like "Ka Moo ee". ARGH!!

[Keith]

I may listen to the rest of that commentary one day....it'll take a while though

Perhaps you got a different box than I did though, mine was near paper towel tube thin, not nearly as sturdy as the macross or eva box.

As for waiting for an import LD or DVD, if you're going to do it, get the DVD. Both this release, and the R2 DVD used newly restored footage on some of parts 1 & 2. Its also fully remastered to the extent that I can almost see why animeigo wanted to add some grain "back in" to their Macross remaster. Animation this old almost doesn't look right being this clean

Other than that, all ADV touched themselves were the end credits (as per usual).

[Neova]

Keith et all,

Can you guys post a screencap so I can see how good it looks? I have the HK bootleg with all 3 movies but would to see if this is a worthy upgrade in the future.

Thanks

[Keith]

unless someone beats me to it, i'll post up comparison shots tomorrow. Do you have a scene in mind?

[Neova]

None in particulate but a shots of Eve and the Motoslaves would work.

[Black Valkyrie]

Love part-1 especially Shougo Yahagi or Hikaru`s clone .This one really needs to be remade and bring back Mikimoto as the character designer for all episodes this time not only one part. I wonder why did they change the charatcer designer and the seiyuu`s.

[Beltane70]

As far as I remember, only Yahagi Shougo's seiyuu changes from part 1 and 2. Takanaka Yui, Tokimatsuri Eve, and BD still have the same voices (Kawamura Maria, Miyasato Kumi, and Shiozawa Kaneto).

[Vinny]

Ugh, I hated how the animation changed from Part One and Two. When I watched it, I thought a few years had passed and the dude had matured, but then it says something like only a few months have passed.

And Megazone 23 is the greatest anime commercial vehicle ever. McDonalds, Coca-Cola, a few different bike companies, a couple dozen cigarette and beer companies, and probably lots of other stuff I missed.

[Keith]

Ok, from the looks of it, prahaps the HK version "does" use the newer R2 masters, but here are some comparison pic's anyway.

[Keith]

ADV

[Keith]

HK

Edited June 2, 2004 by Keith

[Keith]

ADV

[Keith]

HK

Edited June 2, 2004 by Keith

[Keith]

ADV

Edited June 2, 2004 by Keith

[Keith]

HK

[Keith]

ADV

[Keith]

HK

[Keith]

And the last ADV, honestly, not as big a difference with my rom player, but you I can see a huge difference on my stand alone player. Anyhoo, subtitles are better on the official

[Neova]

Keith,

Thank you. You said the audio was much better. Was this noticable on your DVD ROM? Now if I can find some decent fansubbed English scripts, I think I just saved 20 USD.

Edited June 2, 2004 by Neova

[Keith]

Actually, I meant the audio was better in regards to the old image release, both the HK & ADV use japanese stereo tracks, as opposed to the old image release which used a mono japanese track.

BTW, as I said, take the quality of those screen caps with a grain of salt, the image quality of the R1 shows through a lot better on a stand alone player & TV than it does my software player.

[Legioss]

ADV looks better to me. The black lines are sketchy in ADV and solid in HK, but it looks like it's blurred, not restored. In the HK, Yui's mouth is pixelated, but the lines on her mouth are continuous in ADVs.

Edited June 2, 2004 by Legioss

[renegadeleader1]

anyone know if this adv release is remastered?

[Keith]

anyone know if this adv release is remastered?

ADV version uses the R2 masters were were redone for DVD.

[Legioss]

If ADV doesn't include the omake, the Robotech movie footage to Megazone music, I could try to capture it off LD.

[wakobi]

Just got round to watching Megazone 23 part 1 today and I must say, i'm quite happy with what I saw. Firstly, the story is quite compelling and interesting, let down only a smidge by a couple of vanilla characters, but the mecha action (what there is of it) is pretty cool too.

I also really enjoyed picking out all the nods to different anime of the time like Mai's 'Dagger Of Kamui' bag, the SDF mug and the Jigen and Luplin lookalikes that chase Shogo down the streets later on in the episode.

The video tranasfer also is far better looking than it has any right to be considering the age of the darn thing!

Overall just quite happy with my purchase (box is nasty cardboard however - doesn't look too strong - like the funky lettering though) and just thought i'd chime in with my two cents about it!