Sorry, late to the party...
Nope, I can't. It was on a PM conversation I had and I have already deleted the PM. I'm not saying I'm creditable, just saying what I heard.
That was me, I think.
It is SAFE to conclude that the current Ultraman dvds under Speedy Video's licensing are legit.
You gotta to understand that the copyright for Ultraman in the region of South-east Asia was screwed multiple times by the dispute between Tsuburaya and Chaiyo. - There were the old days when local distributor were dealing directly with Tsuburaya and then there were times when Chaiyo's claims were legal (and undisputed) and there were also era of confusions when most just stopped inquiring the copyrights when the court-room drama started to escalate which created a gap where no Ultraman related merchandise could be found on the market (TV broadcast came to an abrupt stop); So there were actually many VHS\VCD\DVD release from these different era.
But, I think it would be safer if you just stick to the newer releases.
No, they aren't legit sadly. The packaging on some of them are quite good, but the quality varies a lot from set to set from audio to video. Some even have hilariously bad English dubs too.
This isn't limited to just Ultraman, I've seen Sentai and Kamen Rider sets which use OT and TVNs translations or actual hardsubs. They're in shops everything. The same goes for quite large collections of J-Dramas and anime, Speedy shops are jammed packed full of them.
Fortunately, these are legit. As I mentioned above, there are plenty releases from different time during the great era of copyright dispute.
And back then, the copyright was obtained invidually by individual title and also according to the format (either Tv series or Theatrical release). Quality varied when they are out-source to different video editing studio or when sourcing from different copyright holders. Dubs are official though even if they sounded bad or hillarious, they are made to cater the english speaking tv viewers especially in country like Singapore. Dubs are just plain 'voice-over' here since no one is expected to make a career here as a Voice-Actor. - they read the lines and they get paid, that's it, it's their job.
And yeah, pirates wouldn't waste their time doing dubbing anyway, google translate (translated from a proper official HK or TW release) or out-sourcing (online money making scheme - create subtitle using your imagination and make money) is the easier route.
Anyway, thing kinda changed after Tsuburaya 'beat-up' Chaiyo which lead to a major take-over by TYO and Bandai and then finally a full transfer of all their stocks from TYO to FIELDS - 51% owned by FIELDS and 49% owned Bandai.
All the previous copyrights have been re-updated, and new copyright holders started to appear. - Dream Express (Drex Club) in Thailand was awarded the copyright instead of the original Pro Link (who actually supported Tsuburaya against Chaiyo but in the end was ditched by TYO). MediaLink (a famous licensing agency registered under International Licensing Industry Merchandisers' Association aka LIMA ) from Hong Kong seemed to have kept their copyrights (DVDs are distributed by Asia Video Production and lately, Neovision). Mighty Media as opposed to Muse Commucation acquired the rights to Ultraman in Tawain. And surprisingly, Speedy Video was appointed as the official licensing agent for the Ultraman franchise in Malaysia and Singapore which actually give them the right to represent Tsuburaya regarding every kind of investment related to the property ranging from home videos, broadcasting rights, stage show, and other merchandise.
Anyway, one really have know to differentiate between Speedy Video as a licensing agency, copyholders, exclusive distributors, and Speedy Video as
a major home video retails chain.
Speedy Video is not just any company, they are actually a corporate group with multiple subsidiaries which included a major local cinema chain known as Golden Screen Cinema (GSC -
http://www.gsc.com.my/).
According to Malaysian law, a foreign company wanting to sell their properties or franchise in the country must seek a local company as their partner. - Speedy Video owned Alliance Entainment which is the exclusive distributor for all Warner Bros titles and also Movie Magic which is the exclusive distributor for all 20th Century Fox and Metro-Goldwyn Mayer titles.
Read this - about Speedy Video Distributor
http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=39296949
Anyway, last year Speedy Video also acquired 100% ownership of HVN which was previously owned by Cosway Malaysia (owned by Berjaya Group which also owned the Kenny Rogers franchise, Borders Bookstore and local Starbucks Cafe), which kinda turned Speedy Video into the local equivalent of ol' 'Microsoft' since they are now practically monopolizing over most of the exclusive distribution rights in the country (read the details below), except Sony Pictures, which is distributed exclusively by Mediamax.com (
http://corp.sony.com.my/csr/companies.html).
Read this - Berjaya HVN
http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=30984419
HVN owned these exclusive distribution rights in Malaysia and others in Singapore. -
http://www.bhvn.cc/malaysia/about.php
# Buena Vista Home Entertainment - Walt Disney Home Entertainment, Touchstone Home Entertainment
# Universal Pictures International
# Paramount Home Entertainment Global including DreamWorks SKG
# Sesame Workshop
# Nickelodeon
Regarding to the stuff they sold in their retails video stores, unless they are exclusively distributed by Speedy or in the past HVN and a few other company, most stuff are actually supplied by the wholesale supplier who obtained their supply from near one hundred other manufacturing and production company (some already defunct or exposed as counterfeiters) who get their stuff through dubious sources. - This is the stuff that you saw selling in their store. These company are licensed manufacturer who already screened their products through 'legal' means and as long as they are acknowledged by the government and as long as there are no other legal claims upon the properties they *ahem*procured*ahem*, they are 'legit' and will be sell legally. ~ There is totally no choice unless one wants to cause 'turbulence and unrest' in the local market (as in opposing the choices made by the ruling body)... You either sell them or you better closed down your shop since you'll be facing the wrath from the entire market.
So yeah, that Malaysian Market 101, and there's more to it, but those are secret of the trade shared to me by a bottom feeder (owner of a small video store which is currently surviving on selling PS3 games, some cardgames and figurines - they suffered much because of the exclusive distribution rights which rendered them unable to acquire alot of the legit stuff)...
Knowledge of proper distribution rights and ect is the only way to do it.
^ I've seen those KR sets and anime stuff, but most of the time, the KR bootlegs lack proper copyright info. Toei is not mentioned on the KR DVDs (at least for the most part), for example, just some generic "un authorized copying is not allowed, yadda yadda". But the Ultra DVDs do have Tsuburaya credited on the packaging. Also, a Malay dub for Ultra Galaxy that first came out from them was later shown on Malaysian TV. Makes little sense they would take a dub from a bootleg. And also, um
this.
Besides those, Tsuburaya did mention an exhibition Speedy video did in Malaysia on their very own website
(scroll down for the entry dated 10/07/2010). Just,
makes sense that the people conducting it have had
some business dealing with Tsuburaya previously, doesn't it?
Yes, the ultra dvds are safe and legit, you don't need to worry or to doubt their genuinity, but sticking to the newer release is the best option there is. Since Speedy Video owned(licensed) the broadcasting right for the Ultraman series\movie as shown on tv, they won't have any problem doing and providing the dubbing for broadcasting anyway, there is such a thing called 'out-source' anyway.
Anyway, the problem with the Kamen Rider or Masked Rider copyrights is totally a different beast. Copyrights for Kamen Rider aren't acquired as a whole (as in the whole franchise), but individually by title and seperately by format (tv series\theatrical release), I would know since I've been buying them release for a whole 10+ years now (of course, I have to thank the owner from a small video store I frequent for telling me the ups and downs within the market). You could see the trend here. - Whenever a new series is aired back in Japan, we would always see one or two company competing to release the latest episodes pretty quickly and we are pretty sure where they get their source anyway, don't we? Since the copyrights are acquired invidually, there are always a vacuum between the newer copyright (currently, it supposed to be Kamen Rider Decade or W) and the latest series back in Japan (Kamen Rider Fourze of course). With no one yet to really legally claim their right to the latest series, everyone could lay their hands on the properties and made money out of it, and once the copyrights are claimed (a year or two or even more), they would have already sold them out or clear the last stocks off the shelves.
So voila, there you are, I hope you are satisfied with this report, sir. - it gets worse for the anime series, most copyrights are not claim at all, leaving them free for all.
As I mentioned to Tom above. - According to Malaysian law, a foreign company wanting to sell their properties or franchise in the country must seek a local company as their partner.