What’s happened to the old anime HK bootleg DVDs?

[Doryu2025]

Since Macross World is a well established forum that doesn’t shoot people for even suggesting the existence of bootleg DVDs (OK, maybe I’m exaggerating a little…), I’m naturally asking my questions here.

I used to look forward to seeing just what would be the latest bootleg DVDs coming out of HK, and have been able to see quite a few shows that I would otherwise be unable to see completely AND understand at the present time, like Urashiman, Cat’s Eye, Mazinger Z, L-Gaim, Dragonar, etc…

Now, it’s one thing to have bootleggers put out DVDs based on modern shows that are 100% guaranteed to get licensed in R1 anyway, and I think that this is a waste of time, money and resources. But it’s quite another thing when they were putting out sets (admittedly of varying subtitle quality) of old shows that are not very likely to ever be released officially (especially since a lot of highly sought-after old shows were made by Toei, who are fast gaining a reputation of being difficult to deal with).

Something has obviously happened to the supply chain of booted stuff from HK, since series such as Galaxy Express 999, SPT Layzner and Dirty Pair TV have been stopped after one release each. Other obvious releases with potential that have seemingly been ignored would be the R2 Yamato movies, original Harlock series, Dorvack, other 70s Super Robot shows, the three Japanese G1 Transformers shows (I’m particularly surprised that no one touched these) and many more.

I know that they’re unofficial, but for people who don’t actually understand Japanese there’s not many alternatives. If any of this stuff was available anywhere with subs, then I’d get them (like the official Galaxy Express movie DVDs from S. Korea).

My questions essentially are these; exactly how long has it been since the last substantial release of an old show/movie on HK DVD (my guess is that it’s been about a year – I didn’t think too much of the longer gap between releases at the time) & does anyone know anything about why the supply chain has unquestionably stopped?

Oh, just one more thing, after downloading the OP for an old show called Ai Shite Night (also known as Rock ‘N Roll Kids), I noticed a familiar symbol in the corner of the picture. Anybody know anything about this release, such as exactly what it’s called? I’ve naturally looked under all the alternate titles I could think of and came up with nothing, any help would be appreciated.

[Nightbat]

Bootlegs? Bootlegs? Bootlegs?

Shoot him!!! Shoot him!!!!

Snap his neck, break his eggs, set his nest on FIYAAAA!!!!!

....

Nope, can't help you but

Welcome to MW Doryu

[therealfolkblues]

Well, I love bootlegs, and I don't know what you consider "old school", I am guessing 70's anime. I do know, from reading the Arcticnightfall HK message boards that a few of the bootleggers had their factories raided in the last year, but I don't think that is the problem. The trend now is either something that they release is very new(as in horrible, taped off of TV and slapped onto DVD with crappy subs) or direct rips of Region 1 discs which makes things nice and easy for them. And until they realize that people really want alot of this stuff(in my case, GoLion and DairuggerXV) and Toei makes it easily available, which I don't think they will seeing as how they are showing alot of these older shows on their own channel instead of trying to release them on DVD, we are probably SOL. Off the top of my head,from the ones you mentioned, these are all I know of:(some of these are early 80's series)

Space Runaway Ideon(early Tomino series)

Space Battleship Yamato(which I believe was the last significant release)

Science Ninja Team Gatchaman(one of my faves)

Mobile Suit Gundam Movie Trilogy

Lupin the Third(1st, 2nd, and third series, plus tons of movies)

Doraemon

Godmars

Orguss

Macross(Animeigo rip )

That's all I got, but I am sure you can probably dig up more info on any of the various forums on sites like www.importanime.com or www.arcticnightfall.com.

Hope this helps!!

[Vinny]

About MI's logo in the picture you posted. MI ripped some DVD that came out that had a bunch of openings on them. There watermark appears on a few. Same thing led me to believe they did a Great Mazinger set.

Anyways, yeah, I'm pissed too that they never seem to do classic shows much anymore. I mean, we occasionally get them, like Zambot 3 and Machine Robo, but not as much anymore. The two shows I just mentioned had HK sets released not to long ago. Hell, the AV rip I just bought of Machine Robo just came out.

I think the major reason is the advent of R1 rips. That's where the money lies, so that's what they focus on. And that's unfortunately not what I buy . I too remember a time when these HK companies would just rip every DVD that came out in Japan, but that time has passed, I guess. AV, my favorite company, still seems to be doing older shows, but they have also began dabbing into the field of R1 rips (horribly, if I may add.).

Now, you mentioned 70s stuff. There's a few problems with that. One, is sources. Most of the old school Super Robot stuff has no good ones. The reason Getter Robo and Mazinger Z were done is because of extremely easy to come by LDs. Zambot 3 was done because it had a DVD boxset released. But alot of the other shows many want to see, like Daitarn 3, Raideen, etc. etc. have no good sources, if any! I'm hoping these HK companies, especially AV, who do the best original sub jobs and enjoy doing the classics apparently, will rip the Great Mazinger and Getter Robo G sets. Now, something I wouldn't be surprised to see in the near future is Grendizer. Why they haven't done it yet, I don't know. It would be such a huge hit. There are subtitle scripts for the whole series available in dozens upon dozens of languages. Hell, the sources are overwhelming, too. There's the R2 sets, Italians sets, maybe more sets out there, too.

It's all about what will and won't sell. Something I can almost guarentee we'll see real soon is an HK set of the original Cutey Honey series. The movie and new cartoon are coming out. The orignal series is getting a DVD release, if the boxet isn't out yet already. They'd be stupid not to rip that.

Anyways, enough ranting. All I can say is that if you want to see more classic shows, you have to buy them. That's why R1 rips are the in thing now, because they sell like crazy. A few of my old favorite online stores and even shops I frequent in Los Angeles don't even bother with non-R1 rip stuff. But what can ya do?

And there are TONS more classic shows on Hk DVD then therealfolkblues listed, but those were just off the top of his head. Go to www.import-anime.com and check the review section to see if what you want it out.

[Doryu2025]

Thanks for the info so far guys - it seems as if my observations were accurate, that only extremely recent stuff (bound to be licensed) makes it to boots of R2 DVDs, with the majority of the other releases being rips of R1 stuff, which is really annoying.

therealfolkblues: I already knew about all these shows and importanime, and was very happy to get the last major release of Yamato myself (but not before I bought all of Star Blazers first!).

Vinny: You're probably right about the clip coming from that DVD with all the openings, I didn't think of that myself. However, the only stuff I was expecting to see on DVD was stuff that would've been easy to source, since all the stuff I listed that hasn't been come out is in fact already (or at the very least, forthcoming) on R2 DVD anyway. I'm not looking for boots of really hard-to-get stuff (although that would be nice) since its rarity would make it an unlikely choice for a release anyway. I was just after stuff that's out on R2 DVD and thus, easily rippable

Nightbat®: Thanks for the welcome!

The thing about all this that's really annoyed me the most is the fact that the three series I mentioned before; Dirty Pair TV, Galaxy Express 999 & SPT Layzner were simply stopped partway through. It would've been nice if they'd at least have finished those series (especially GE999).

[Nightbat]

all in good fun

(seems I forgot a few smiles here and there)

[Keith]

Actually, there were 2 Galaxy Express 999 sets (1-16, & 17-36). Rumor has it the 3rd set was about to go into production right before SARS broke out, and hasn't seen the light of day since....frakking bastards I NEED MORE GALAXY EXPRESS!!!! THEY WERE JUST ABOUT TO GET TO THE FREAKIN' MI EPISODE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I WILL FOREVER HATE THEM FOR NOT FINISHING!!!!!!!!!!!

....I also heard an R2 rip Yamato movie set was in the pipeline, but that too seems to have faded away, leaving us no choice but to buy Voyager's VHS dump set..

The way I look at it, these older shows are still popular in HK, and Japan is pumping out more official sets each year. Sure the trend now is to churn out TV rip after TV rip, R1 rip after R1 rip, but within a year or so, the good stuff will return. Once Harlock TV gets its individual disc release in Japan, hopefully that will come out. Although I am shocked that there has been no new rip of V Gundam with the improved DVD masters.

What pisses me off almost as much as the 999 thing though (and that pisses me off more than you can imagine), is the OOP Gunbuster disc. Right when i went to order it, it disapeared off the face of the planet. Same thing with the 0079 TV set. Hopeflly with Gunbuster 2 bringing back interest, either an R1 or HK company will do something about it.

[Vinny]

Keith, there are still plenty of Gunbuster DVDs up on Ebay. The thing I'm having trouble finding is Psybuster, Cybuster, Cybaster, or whatever the Hell you want to call it . I see on Import Anime that MI did a set. From what I hear, they don't include Enlgish subtitles, though. I don't know if that's just a few sets or the whole run, though.

[therealfolkblues]

Keith, I have the Gunbuster disc, would you want a copy of it? If so, PM me.