UltraSeven On DvD

[Shougo B'Stard]

It's about time, dammit! It's hard to find decent downloads for this show, and I'm not a big enough Ultra fan to buy R2s.

I don't like that cover, though.

 

[Mr. Yellow]

I kinda like it only because it matches with the Ultraman DVD set cover I have

 

[Shynilyte]

I find it PATHETIC that Tsuburaya has made ZERO attempts at localizing Ultraman for the US. It was extremely successful the last time aka Great, so why not recall the thunder especially when the Toku lightning is hot?

Eh, no. One, Great/Towards the Future was not "the last time". There was that less successful Powered/Ultimate Hero version after Great. Second, they have tried since, at least with Ultra Galaxy. SciFi Japan had an article on the "visual translation system" they used specifically so that a Power Rangers-style localization would be easy to make. That's apparently why they used so much green screen for that show. It'd be easy to redo the scenes with different actors, with less need to build new sets. Seems it's just that, no company actually took the offer or something.

I kinda like it only because it matches with the Ultraman DVD set cover I have

Wait, so is this set a Chaiyo thing?

 

[Dark Heart]

Wait, so is this set a Chaiyo thing?

Yes.

 

[Burkion]

No.

It's a complicated matter, but apparently a group called Golden Media are the ones to have the rights for release this time around.

http://augustragone.blogspot.com/2012/09/ultra-seven-complete-series-dvd-box-set.html


"August Ragone said...

Fort Max,
Sorry, I'm not privy to that information; but again, at this time, Tsuburaya Productions isn't allowed to distribute ULTRA Q through ULTRAMAN TARO outside of Asia. Golden Media Group, which distributes a number of Japanese properties, apparently has some of these titles. Not sure how Golden acquired them, but it's legitimate and legal at this time — unless Tsuburaya is able to overturn the court's decision at some point in the future.

From their founder's bio: "Golden Media Group Inc. a California corporation owned by Mr. Aki Komine commenced business in 2002, mainly to handle the films of Japanese clients which include all the major Japanese studios such as: Kadokawa Pictures, Nikkatsu Corporation, Shochiku Co, Ltd., Toei Co.Ltd. and Toho Co., Ltd."

"From 1985- 1989 Mr. Komine served in executive positions with Daiei Studios in Tokyo Japan. In particular he was in charge of the company's Video distribution."

So, they aren't some fly-by-night company.

Cheers,
August"

 

[Shynilyte]

Why aren't Tsuburaya allowed to distribute their own stuff, exactly? Also, the wording makes it sound like they'd want to "overturn the court decision", whatever that is. Will any of the money this would make actually go to Tsuburaya?

 

[Burkion]

Don't ask me. I just share what I read.

 

[Dark Heart]

Golden Media Group gets it's Ultra materials through Chaiyo, though. GMG released the Ultraman DVDs through Navarre's Mill Creek label.

 

[kpa69]

Looking at some of the online discussions there seems to be a lot of confusion about this release. Shout! licensed the series from Golden Media Group, an American company that handles licensing deals for companies in Japan. Golden Media was involved in the Americanized KAMEN RIDER DRAGON KNIGHT, the Gamera DVDs from Shout! Factory, and the Gamera and Daimajin Blu-rays from Mill Creek. They are also affiliated with GooHead, the online video service that streams Gamera and Sonny Chiba movies. The company has contributed to a number of articles we've run on SciFi Japan.

Months ago, the owner of Golden Media told me they were negotiating for ULTRA SEVEN with UM Corporation, which is a Japanese company affiliated with the Thai company Chaiyo, who has been in a legal dispute with Tsuburaya Pro over the rights to some of the early Ultra series. The legal battles have been fought in multiple countries with Tsuburaya winning in court... except in Japan. Based on the rulings in the Japanese courts, Golden Media licensed ULTRA SEVEN from UM/Chaiyo.

The good news is that this series will finally get released on DVD and, knowing Shout, they'll do a great job with the materials they were given. The downside is Tsuburaya is not involved, no one who made ULTRA SEVEN is involved, and Shout does not have access to any of the original TPC materials from this show.

I wish this was a fully authorized Tsuburaya release but that won't happen until Chaiyo is defeated in the Japanese courts... orTPC chooses to fight Chaiyo/UM's efforts in the US and deal directly with American distributors themselves.

 

[Shynilyte]

If this isn't a legit release, why are Shout going through with it anyway? Wouldn't that get them in trouble?