News

Toei, William Winckler Prod., Rioloco Dub 23+ Features

The California-based company William Winckler Productions (WWP) has confirmed with ANN that it is working with the Japanese companies Toei Animation Co., Ltd. and Rioloco Productions on new English-dubbed feature compilations of several Toei Animation anime. These titles are compilations of "classic and current Toei Animation television series." 23 full-length features have already been produced, and the team is planning more in the future. The titles so far include:

• Gaiking
• Gaiking II
• Gaiking III
• Danguard Ace
• Danguard Ace II
• Danguard Ace III
• Space Pirate Captain Harlock
• Space Pirate Captain Harlock II
• The Adventures of Nadja
• The Adventures of Nadja II
• Fist of the North Star - The Shin Saga
• Fist of the North Star - The Ray Saga
• Fist of the North Star - The Souther Saga
• Fist of the North Star - The Toki Saga
• Fist of the North Star - The Raul Saga
• Fist of the North Star - The Kaioh Saga
• Starzinger
• Starzinger II
• Starzinger III
• Lun Lun The Flower Girl
• Lun Lun The Flower Girl II
• Kitaro's Graveyard Gang
• Kitaro's Graveyard Gang II

According to Jim Tousignant of WWP, "Winckler Productions and Rioloco Productions have been tapped to become involved in the U.S. distribution of these titles." Tousignant adds that "distribution, including DVD, broadband, and television, will be announced in the coming months." Neither Toei Animation Co., Ltd. nor its American affiliate Toei Animation Inc. (TAI) have announced plans to release these titles in the United States or other territories. TAI declined to comment for this article.

Kōzō Morishita of Toei Animation Co., J.F. Oya of Rioloco and William Winckler of WWP are the executive producers of this effort. Winckler is also the writer, producer, and director of the dubs. Winckler had previously worked on the 1984 English dub for Tekkaman, the Space Knight (Uchū no Kishi Tekkaman, 1975).

The dubbing cast includes Winckler, G. Larry Butler, Robert Axelrod, David Gerrold, Kyle Rea, Marieve Herington, Don Glut, Paul Oberle, Bradford Hill, Jason Barker-Avellino, Laura Siegel, Alison Lees-Taylor, Caleb Pearson, Fred Laderman (Fred Ladd), Chase Masterson, George Lindsey Jr., Anne Lockhart, and Butch Patrick. Winckler voiced the title character in Captain Harlock, Kenshiro in Fist of the North Star, Sir Jogo in Starzinger, Sanshiro in Gaiking, Uncle Herman in Nadja, Yavoque in Lun Lun, Captain Dan in Danguard Ace, and Nezumi Otoko in Kitaro. Ladd acted in the dub of Nadja.

[via The Fanboy Review]

Image © Leiji Matsumoto, Toei Animation