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The Mike Toole Show - Return to Super Robot Island


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Paploo



Joined: 21 Nov 2006
Posts: 1875
PostPosted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 5:50 pm Reply with quote
My Magnos dvd is eerily staring at me right now, and I came across my Gaiking compilation film vhs yesterday. Super Robots were everywhere in the realm of wierd dubbed kiddie anime of the 80's Smile I remember the sad part about CPM closing was that they seemed to be hinting at a dvd re-release of Dancougar after the VOTOMS dvd's. Too bad that didn't pan out.
Looking forward to Mazinkaiser SKL though!

btw- minor note, it was Mego, not Mattel who did Micronauts, though Mattel did do Shogun Warriors- I saw some of those w/their boxes at a comic shop a little while ago, and WOW, toys were fantastically dangerous and awesome in the 70's.

Thanks for the keen column as always Mike Smile
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Charred Knight



Joined: 29 Sep 2008
Posts: 3085
PostPosted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 6:25 pm Reply with quote
For whatever reason they keep making these Giant Robo shows for people who play Super Robot Wars (Dancougar has always been an SRW favorite, and Jeeg showed up in Alpha 2). The weird thing is that I don't know what there really expecting. It's one thing to plunk down money for a video game but it's something else to pay huge amounts of money to buy anime. Shin Mazinger failed badly, and Super Robot hasn't been popular outside of the occasional hit since the mid 90's.

This is really too bad since nothing is more awesome than a well written Super Robot show. Its kind of sad that no one is really interested in them anymore.
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Lord Geo



Joined: 18 Sep 2005
Posts: 2530
Location: North Brunswick, New Jersey
PostPosted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 6:59 pm Reply with quote
Charred Knight wrote:
For whatever reason they keep making these Giant Robo shows for people who play Super Robot Wars (Dancougar has always been an SRW favorite, and Jeeg showed up in Alpha 2). The weird thing is that I don't know what there really expecting. It's one thing to plunk down money for a video game but it's something else to pay huge amounts of money to buy anime. Shin Mazinger failed badly, and Super Robot hasn't been popular outside of the occasional hit since the mid 90's.

This is really too bad since nothing is more awesome than a well written Super Robot show. Its kind of sad that no one is really interested in them anymore.


I think you're overreacting and over-analyzing these kinds of things. Obviously they aren't going to be big hits in terms of DVD sales when they aim them at otaku and fans of SRW. That's why there's also things like figures, especially the Soul of Chogokin line. Also, if these shows aren't made then what else is there? As for Shin Mazinger get ready to see it a lot as the producer of SRW, Takanobu Terada, admitted that the show will become the general Mazinger rep for the future of SRW. We might get one or two more appearances of the old Z stalwart this year, but after that it's all Shin. And, who knows, maybe SRW could result in another season being made. If Kaiji, which was also known to not be a big DVD seller, is getting a second season this Spring, then you can never know.

Anyway, great article Mike. I was happy to see Dancougar on the list this time as I really enjoyed watching it via CPM's old VHS tapes a few years back. Too bad we'll probably never get the show released here again; Media Blasters would have been the company I could see doing it, but John Sirabella has openly stated how much he hated the show when he worked on it during his time at CPM and there's no way he'll touch it again. And there's no real indication that Discotek would go after mech anime, either. Shame, too, as the God Bless Dancougar movie was very enjoyable and I'd love to see the Blazing Epilogue OVA series with English subtitles.

Can't wait for the next trip to Super Robot Island, too. If you want an interesting entry to use there's always Mechander Robo, a super robot anime from the late-70s that heavily re-used footage due to the animation company going into bankruptcy and the sponsors forced the company to even create entire episodes out of re-used footage. Also, considering all of the weapons, including a flamethrower, it has it could have been considered the most violent super robot show made at the time if the enemies grunts weren't robots.
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Emerje



Joined: 10 Aug 2002
Posts: 7328
Location: Maine
PostPosted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 7:03 pm Reply with quote
Several years ago I got one of those "Spaced Out Japanimation" VHS box sets at Suncoast. Basically it's 2 episodes of each part of Force Five with the exception of Danguard Ace which was left off the set. It's cheesy stuff, but at least I can say I've seen some of it. Almost as long ago I also picked up some Macron 1 VHS tapes at Big Lots which basically acted as my introduction to the campiness of GoShogun.

Admittedly I had never even heard of Groizer X until HLJ made a hard push to get people to buy their limited GN-U Hagane Chogokin figure in limited Manga colors back in '08 (it wasn't a very good push, they've still got a ton left at 70% off 3 years later).

Emerje
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Charred Knight



Joined: 29 Sep 2008
Posts: 3085
PostPosted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 7:51 pm Reply with quote
Lord Geo wrote:


I think you're overreacting and over-analyzing these kinds of things. Obviously they aren't going to be big hits in terms of DVD sales when they aim them at otaku and fans of SRW. That's why there's also things like figures, especially the Soul of Chogokin line. Also, if these shows aren't made then what else is there? As for Shin Mazinger get ready to see it a lot as the producer of SRW, Takanobu Terada, admitted that the show will become the general Mazinger rep for the future of SRW. We might get one or two more appearances of the old Z stalwart this year, but after that it's all Shin. And, who knows, maybe SRW could result in another season being made. If Kaiji, which was also known to not be a big DVD seller, is getting a second season this Spring, then you can never know.


Obviously I am happy that Shin Mazinger is going to become the Mazinger rep, Yasuhiro Imagawa is my favorite Director, and from what little I have seen of Shin Mazinger, the series looks fantastic. The thing is that taste shift with time, sure you have a few mecha series that are still going but they don't really have the passion and action of Super robot series. People no longer want stuff like Shin Mazinger, they want stuff like K-on.
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Paploo



Joined: 21 Nov 2006
Posts: 1875
PostPosted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 8:52 pm Reply with quote
Charred Knight wrote:
Shin Mazinger failed badly, and Super Robot hasn't been popular outside of the occasional hit since the mid 90's.


I don't know, I'd certainly put Gurren Lagann into the Super Robot mold. It's a little off model, but it continued the colour-filled wierd robot fun of Gunbuster II that leant a little towards Super Robot shows.... the current Star Driver show from Bones also seems to fit in that mold. Silly colour filled fun with robots that ignore science altogether for the most part.

Kids shows have kept it up to some degree too- Transformers has been a pretty consistent franchise again since the mid 90's, and there's been different kids robots shows along the way. I think the formula's just moved away from the Go Nagai mold a little bit. Then there's also the wierd nerd niche stuff like Kirameki Project.
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Charred Knight



Joined: 29 Sep 2008
Posts: 3085
PostPosted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 9:28 pm Reply with quote
Paploo wrote:
Charred Knight wrote:
Shin Mazinger failed badly, and Super Robot hasn't been popular outside of the occasional hit since the mid 90's.


I don't know, I'd certainly put Gurren Lagann into the Super Robot mold. It's a little off model, but it continued the colour-filled wierd robot fun of Gunbuster II that leant a little towards Super Robot shows.... the current Star Driver show from Bones also seems to fit in that mold. Silly colour filled fun with robots that ignore science altogether for the most part.

Kids shows have kept it up to some degree too- Transformers has been a pretty consistent franchise again since the mid 90's, and there's been different kids robots shows along the way. I think the formula's just moved away from the Go Nagai mold a little bit. Then there's also the wierd nerd niche stuff like Kirameki Project.


Gurren Lagann is part of the occasional hit. From what I have heard Star Driver isn't doing to well, and most like SRW is basically being watched by SRW fans only. I don't know how well Gravion or Godannar did but there not exactly remembered all that much.
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Lord Geo



Joined: 18 Sep 2005
Posts: 2530
Location: North Brunswick, New Jersey
PostPosted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 9:33 pm Reply with quote
Emerje wrote:
Admittedly I had never even heard of Groizer X until HLJ made a hard push to get people to buy their limited GN-U Hagane Chogokin figure in limited Manga colors back in '08 (it wasn't a very good push, they've still got a ton left at 70% off 3 years later).


Yeah, I got one a few weeks back at that price. I must say, though, that that Groizer X figure is very nicely done and has some nice weight to it, especially in robot form. I have the Yamato GN-U Dou Sasuragier right in front of it in my display and Groizer just owers over Sasuraiger.
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FaytLein



Joined: 21 Jun 2008
Posts: 1260
Location: Williamsburg, VA
PostPosted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 10:25 pm Reply with quote
Just like the 80's were scifi/mecha's time to shine, the 00 seems to be the age of moe. Trends shift, and people are buying more moe than mecha. Things happen. SRW fans are going to be the major supporters of the shows that come out. And getting shown in SRW leads to increased recognition and remakes coming out. Daikyu-Maryu, Shin Jeeg, Dancouga Nova? All were made because the small but vocal fanbase of mecha led to them being made. I wouldn't say the SRW fanbase is small, it isn't the equal to the moe juggernaut, but these guys have been supporting things for nearly 30 years. Mecha isn't going anywhere, but it isn't the powerhouse it was (which makes me a sad panda.)
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SantaBla





PostPosted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 11:14 pm Reply with quote
Koutetsushin Jeeg wasn't a sequel to the original Jeeg tv series. In fact, it's more of a retcon because of the drastic changes to the plot and timeline.
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Lord Geo



Joined: 18 Sep 2005
Posts: 2530
Location: North Brunswick, New Jersey
PostPosted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 11:17 pm Reply with quote
SantaBla wrote:
Koutetsushin Jeeg wasn't a sequel to the original Jeeg tv series. In fact, it's more of a retcon because of the drastic changes to the plot and timeline.


Yeah, I think Shin Jeeg is a sequel to the manga version of Jeeg that Go Nagai made around the time the anime aired.
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SantaBla





PostPosted: Sun Feb 13, 2011 11:44 pm Reply with quote
Lord Geo wrote:
SantaBla wrote:
Koutetsushin Jeeg wasn't a sequel to the original Jeeg tv series. In fact, it's more of a retcon because of the drastic changes to the plot and timeline.


Yeah, I think Shin Jeeg is a sequel to the manga version of Jeeg that Go Nagai made around the time the anime aired.

There are two published jeeg mangas. they aren't prequels to koutetsushin jeeg either.

Like i said, the new jeeg happens in a different continuity.
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enurtsol



Joined: 01 May 2007
Posts: 14746
PostPosted: Mon Feb 14, 2011 1:44 am Reply with quote
We were watching Voltes V and Daimos there! Laughing
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fuuma_monou



Joined: 26 Dec 2005
Posts: 1816
Location: Quezon City, Philippines
PostPosted: Mon Feb 14, 2011 5:01 am Reply with quote
enurtsol wrote:
We were watching Voltes V and Daimos there! Laughing


I think I can still find the English-dubbbed VCD sets in local video stores. Probably too much to hope for a DVD release, at least here. Great Toys had the Japanese DVD set for Voltes V a few years ago.
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Generic #757858



Joined: 03 Nov 2008
Posts: 1354
PostPosted: Mon Feb 14, 2011 6:14 am Reply with quote
Really hope that SKL sells well enough for Media Blasters to consider giving Shin Mazinger a shot. Hey, a man can dream, right? Anime cry

BTW, didn't Imagawa say he's working on a new project? Has there been any info on that?
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