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Shout! Factory Adds Leiji Matsumoto's Starzinger/Spaceketeers

North American video distributor Shout! Factory has confirmed with ANN that it will release the abridged compilation of the classic 1978-79 anime series Science Fiction Saiyuki Starzinger on DVD. The two-disc, 660-minute Starzinger: The Movie Collection set will retail for US$19.93 on August 20.

Anime and manga pioneer Leiji Matsumoto (Space Battleship Yamato, Space Pirate Captain Harlock, Galaxy Express 999) created the original series about Princess Aurora's journey to the Great Planet to restore galactic peace. Matsumoto drew inspiration from Journey to the West (Saiyuki), the same Chinese tale that inspired anime and manga from Dragon Ball and Saiyuki to The Monkey King and Monkey Magic.

The Great Planet's queen once maintained order, but as her power fades with age, creatures have emerged and wreaked havoc across the cosmos. Princess Aurora must travel 30,000 light years to replace the Queen, battling monsters with the aid of her three cyborg royal guards.

Jim Terry Productions had dubbed Starzinger into English and aired it as Spaceketeers as part of its syndicated Force Five package in the United States. In 2009, William Winckler Productions, Toei Animation, and Rioloco Productions confirmed that they were creating three English-dubbed compilation films from the original 73-episode television anime series. Winckler later wrote, produced, and directed a nine-minute live-action pilot "based very, very loosely" on the anime.

Shout! Factory is also releasing Gaiking: The Movie Collection, the three-film compilation of the 1976 robot anime series Gaiking, on DVD on May 21. The release was delayed from its planned January release.

Thanks to WTK for the news tip.

Image © Toei Animation