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Welcome to Daizenshuu EX, your most authoritative and complete stop online for anything and everything DragonBall for more than a decade! |
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Welcome to the all-encompassing DragonBall fansite, Daizenshuu EX. We cover anything and everything relating to the Dragon World in hopes of enlightening... and a little bit of entertaining. Daizenshuu EX began its journey in 1998 as VegettoEX's Home Page, and has grown to be one of the most authoritative DragonBall sites on the web. If you're new to the world
of DragonBall, why not check out the
"Newbie
Guide" ? Been around the block as a DB-fan? Check out some great discussions every week in our podcast! See you soon! |
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03 July 2009
VegettoEX @ 8:10 pm EST -- Though we have known for a while that Namco-Bandai would be releasing its own new DB-based games in North America (completely circumventing Atari) the company has finally issued a formal press release that details this agreement, rather than simply saying they are releasing new games.
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Leading video game publisher and developer NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. today confirmed that it has secured exclusive North American rights to publish future official videogames for the longstanding classic anime and manga series, Dragon Ball®, across all major consoles and hand held platforms.
This agreement will run for five years beginning in January 2010 and supersedes the existing rights granted to publish titles on the Nintendo DS™, Wii™, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, and Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft.
Additionally, NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. has secured the right to initially publish three titles in 2009, Dragon Ball®: Raging Blast for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, Dragon Ball®: Revenge of King Piccolo exclusively for Wii™, and Dragon Ball® Z: Attack of the Saiyans exclusively for Nintendo DS™.
The note of the new agreement beginning in January 2010 makes complete sense, with this being the termination date of Atari's original sub-license with FUNimation. However, Namco-Bandai swooping in with their own release of the three new games prior to that date makes for an interesting license/legal/arrangement nightmare, but from the sounds of it, everything is sorted out behind the scenes.
This new agreement begins in January 2010 and runs for five years. Coincidentally, as previously noted, FUNimation has also renewed their sub-license on the series for another five years, and while no dates were specified, it does conveniently seem to line up. |
01 July 2009
VegettoEX @ 8:10 pm EST -- The newest trailer for Tenka-ichi Dai-Bôken (being released outside Japan as Revenge of King Piccolo) finally gives us a name for the new theme song performed by Hiroki Takahashi -- "POWER OF DREAMER". It wouldn't be a DB song title without the wonderful Engrish, now, would it?
Furthermore, IGN has updated their listings for all of the new video games with release dates for Japan, Europe-ish, and North America. Here's a run-down of what they say (listed by their North American titles):
DragonBall Z: Attack of the Saiyans (DS)
- JAPAN: 28 April 2008 (already released)
- UK: 30 September 2009
- USA: 30 November 2009
DragonBall: Raging Blast (PS3/360)
DragonBall: Revenge of King Piccolo (Wii)
- JAPAN: 23 July 2009
- USA: 30 December 2009
Whether or not these release dates are accurate remains to be seen, but it's a good first stab at it. Big thanks to everyone on our forum for keeping us up-to-date! |
28 June 2009
VegettoEX @ 10:06 pm EST -- Episode #0181 of the podcast is available for download! Among all the news updates, we manage to cram in a little review of the DragonBall Kai ending theme CD single for "Yeah! Break! Care! Break!" We are also running a contest to win that very same CD single, so make sure you don't miss out on it! Download the show now, or head on over to the podcast page for more information or to subscribe.
VegettoEX @ 11:19 am EST -- While the "Koro-chan Pack" ended up getting canceled, it seems as if the Kai cash-in is not yet complete. Big thanks to Rachel for pointing us to a listing over on CDJapan for a "Dragon Ball Kai Original Soundtrack Vol. 1". There are regular [COCX-35744] and "Limited Edition" [COCX-35743] versions available (¥2940 and ¥3150, respectively).
Coming out 19 August 2009, the CD will contain 35 tracks. Two will be the TV-sized versions of the OP and ED, and 33 will be BGM tracks. The "Limited Edition" version is slated to include three bonus tracks as well as an "original card holder".
VegettoEX @ 10:13 am EST -- It is impossible for FUNimation to ignore it at this point, so their hint that we will just have to wait until Anime Expo for the full, real, true, official confirmation will have to suffice for now.
Visitor EDDYS318 sent us a note with a link to a very real trailer for the first season DVD set over on the YouTube profile of Welch Compositions. Jim Welch is a "music composer and sound designer" that does work for companies like FUNimation, and has done trailer music for properties like One Piece and Romeo x Juliet.
Whether or not this is a true, accidental "leak" or if FUNimation just figures the cat is out of the bag at this point, all it does is end up as pretty brilliant marketing... I mean, we continue to go on and on about it, right? To be fair, since this will be the first time ever that the first 13 episodes of the franchise as a whole will be available uncut and in its original Japanese language in North America, it is a pretty big deal.
The commercial is played in a 4:3 aspect ratio (conflicting with the "Widescreen" listings online), and notes that the first set will contain 31 episodes spanned across 5 DVDs, and will be "digitally remastered" (seemingly closer to the DBGT style of "remastering" than the DBZ style). No release date is set, though online listings (as we know) peg it for 15 September 2009 for an MSRP of $49.98, though it should be clear that those details are subject to change.
In a random bit of other news, Shueisha's website notes that the first volume of the Majin Buu arc (Majin Buu: Fukkatsu Hen or "Revival Chapter") of the "TV Version Anime Comics" (or redundantly-redundant "animanga") will be released on 03 July 2009 for ¥730. No cover art is currently available.
Check back later today for this weekend's podcast episode! |
27 June 2009
VegettoEX @ 2:50 pm EST -- Thankfully I found one or two little tidbits to include that would prevent this from essentially being lazy plagiarism from Kanzentai, so that makes me feel better about it all...!
We noted in a previous update how the listings for the upcoming DragonBall Kai Blu-ray sets on Amazon Japan were a bit confusing in that episode 28 seemed to be skipped entirely (Box 2 ending with 27, and Box 3 beginning with 29). Those listings have since been updated, with Box 1 still containing episodes 4-15, but now Box 2 containing episodes 16-27 and Box 3 containing episodes 28-39. This puts all three of the previously-announced sets at 12 episodes worth of material, right in line with the details on Happinet's official website for the release.
In addition to these three boxes, Happinet's official website for the home release notes a fourth box coming sometime in June 2010, yet only containing episodes 40-49 (that being only 10 episodes as opposed to the other sets' 12 episodes).
The first box will have extra space to hold the individual Blu-ray release of "Volume 1" for the series; remember that beyond this first disc, the Blu-ray release will be box-only, while the DVD release will be individual-disc-only.
Aspect ratios continue to be a bit of a head-scratcher. While it was previously-announced that the Blu-ray release would actually be a full-frame 4:3 high-definition presentation (meaning that the broadcast 16:9 was actually "cropped" from their master production), the DVD release will be... 16:9. Whatever the logic behind this is absolutely escapes us. Both the Blu-ray and DVD releases will have a standard stereo audio track (no surround sound). Coupled with last week's episode 12 of Kai was a commercial for the home release which showcases the opening theme, "Dragon Soul" in 4:3. Head on over to Kanzentai for a little comparison.
This brings everything back full-circle to our inside source "Wasted Wisher" noting back in February that it appeared no cropping was taking place with the series' production work.
In entirely different news, the official website for Tenka-ichi Dai-Bôken (being released outside Japan as Revenge of King Piccolo) has updated with the game's cover art:
Also confirmed are multiple control schemes, which include Wii Remote + Nunchuck, Classic Controller, and the Gamecube controller:
The latest commercial on the website also confirms a new theme song by Hiroki Takahashi (the performer of "Makafushigi Adobenchâ!", the opening theme to the original DragonBall TV series), as previously confirmed here on Daizenshuu EX via our forum member GotenZ1 from E3.
The game is set for a Japanese release of 23 July 2009 (just a couple weeks!) for ¥7,140. While Namco-Bandai has confirmed European and American releases, no set date has been confirmed other than this autumn.
We had a little change of schedule for this weekend's forthcoming podcast, and will be reviewing the CD single for the DragonBall Kai closing theme, "Yeah! Break! Care! Break!"
We will also be starting up a contest to win that extra copy, there, so stay tuned! |
23 June 2009
VegettoEX @ 8:29 am EST -- While no cover art is present (unlike the Wal-Mart listing), RightStuf now has a catalogue entry for the first season of DragonBall uncut on DVD, specifically noted as "hybrid" (meaning it will include both the Japanese and English audio tracks). It has the same information we've seen elsewhere (September 15th, $49.98)...
Still waiting on FUNimation to come out and confirm...
UPDATE: FUNimation's official Twitter account now states:
At Anime Expo 2009, we'll FINALLY be able to announce a release that you know about already!
What could it be...?! |
21 June 2009
VegettoEX @ 12:22 am EST -- Episode #0180 of the podcast is available for download! With "season one" of the fantastically hilarious "DBZ Abridged" now complete, we decided it was time to bring some of the guys from TeamFourStar back on the show to talk about the project. This week we have KaiserNeko and MasakoX talking about the journey through the first season, the writing process, voicing Goku, and so much more! Download the show now, or head on over to the podcast page for more information or to subscribe.
Finally, big congrats to Stephen for winning our "Dragon Soul" CD single contest. Stay tuned for another contest in the very near future when we'll be giving away the Kai closing theme CD single, "Yeah! Break! Care! Break!" |
18 June 2009
VegettoEX @ 9:13 am EST -- We already told you all about how Wal-Mart's website updated with a listing for a so-called "Dragon Ball: Season One (Widescreen)" set, which FUNimation has officially stated was a "mistake". Well, now that Wal-Mart's listing has gone even further and included cover art for the set, it is pretty safe to assume that the "mistake" was on FUNimation's part for leaking information to retailers ahead of time yet again (just like in 2006 with the original remastered "Z" sets).
Unless there is some cunningly-nefarious IT intern at Wal-Mart that specifically has it out for North American-based DragonBall fans, we are getting pretty close to calling bullocks on FUNimation's denials, here. The box art falls right in line with the "remastered" releases for both the DBZ and DBGT TV series, and is different enough from the original 1995 dub's box art and the box art used for the Australian release of these episodes in conjunction with Madman (where Lionsgate's sub-license did not apply):
We will continue to keep you updated as this develops, but it does not seem like much more needs to "develop"... with the exception of FUNimation coming out and admitting it's coming, anyway. As it stands right now, the set appears to be coming out 15 September 2009 for an MSRP of $49.98. The Wal-Mart listing indicates it will be "widescreen", most likely in the faux-"remastered" style of the DBZ TV sets. There is no word on running time or the number of episodes it will contain, as well as the story with the oft-forgotten DB Movie 1.
UPDATE: Totally forgot to mention this before, but Wal-Mart is also listing single releases for the two DBZ TV Specials previously released as a "remastered double feature". They seem to be coming at a discounted price (MSRP of $9.98) with their own individual cover art, also on 15 September 2009:
So there ya' go. |
17 June 2009
VegettoEX @ 12:23 pm EST -- I love trading updates back and forth with Kanzentai; it gives us each time to relax and let the other do a little work!
As you may have read, more details on the home release of Kai have surfaced. We already knew about the first volume coming out on DVD and Blu-ray, as well as the first few sets. We now know that individual volumes will also see the light of day, and have a pretty good release schedule. Furthermore, online retailers are getting around to putting up listings for them all, so get ready to get your pre-order groove on. Here's a break-down of what's available when and where you can purchase them from:
As noted on Kanzentai, it's intriguing how past volume one, only the DVD release is getting individual volumes, and there are no boxes set for the DVD release. It certainly seems to be a case of "see if you're interested" with the single volume and going on from there, though it is rather unconventional to not include those episodes in the "first" box of the series.
As always, it certainly helps us when you order through our CDJapan affiliate links, but we absolutely won't hold it against you if you choose to order elsewhere. We already have our Blu-ray volume one on pre-order, the first pressing of which will come with a Dragon Battlers card (similar to what comes with the CD singles for the opening and ending themes), as well as a music video for Raging Blast (which may or may not be the same promotional video for the game that will be featured on the first Blu-ray set). |
16 June 2009
VegettoEX @ 10:42 am EST -- The last few news entries have been heavily focused on Japanese releases, so I suppose it makes sense to pull it back over to North America and do a little financial analysis.
Navarre, FUNimation's parent company, issued their annual report earlier this month. There are quite a few interesting tidbits we can pull out of this relating to DragonBall. Here are just a few of them:
In particular, one licensed property accounted for $32.0 million, or 46%, of FUNimation’s revenues for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2009.
Seems pretty safe to assume that this "one licensed property" was DragonBall. It is certainly interesting how the property seems to account for half the money its licensees make.
Our gross profit decreased to $67.0 million or 10.6% of net sales for fiscal 2009 compared with $101.6 million or 15.4% of net sales for fiscal 2008. The decrease in gross margin of $34.6 million was a result of:
• impairment and other charges of $16.4 million related to accounts receivable reserves, inventory and prepaid royalties associated with the BCI restructuring;
• impairment and other charges of $8.8 million related to license advances, production costs and inventory associated with the FUNimation restructuring; and
• decreased sales volume.
While the restructuring over at FUNimation certainly caused a bit of a hit, it was no surprise and most likely necessary for them to continue operations.
In connection with the FUNimation acquisition, the Company entered into an employment agreement with a key FUNimation employee providing for his employment as President and Chief Executive Officer of FUNimation Productions, Ltd. (“the FUNimation CEO”). Among other items, the agreement provides the FUNimation CEO with the ability to earn two performance-based bonuses in the event that certain financial targets are met by the FUNimation business during the fiscal years ending March 31, 2006-2010. If the total earnings before interest and tax (“EBIT”) of the FUNimation business is in excess of $60.0 million during the period consisting of the fiscal years ending March 31, 2009 and 2010, the FUNimation CEO is entitled to receive a bonus payment in an amount equal to 5% of the EBIT that exceeds $60.0 million; however, this bonus payment shall not exceed $4.0 million. No amounts have been expensed or paid under this agreement as the targets have not been achieved.
While we have noted this plenty of times before, we will continue to bring it up as we get closer to the magical money date for Gen Fukunaga. It appears that they have still not hit the threshold for the bonus payout. 2010 seems to be a de-facto big ending point for a lot of organizations, with the Atari license also supposedly ending in January 2010 (but with Namco-Bandai seemingly releasing things on their own, already... who knows?).
In other important news, a quick article over on ICv2 on Navarre/FUNimation notes that they have extended their license on the DragonBall franchise for another five years. Nothing is stated with regards to when their prior license runs (or ran) out, and what the new end-date in their contract may be. Thanks to everyone for sending that tidbit in (and shame on us for somehow missing it this week). |
15 June 2009
VegettoEX @ 12:07 pm EST -- The CDJapan entry for what would have been the July release of the Koro-chan Pack Dragon Ball Kai CD (which was also set to include a little picture book) is now listed as "Release Cancelled". I had not actually put in my order for it yet, so if anyone out there did and received any kind of addition word (from either CDJapan or whomever you pre-ordered from) let us know if you received any additional details. Perhaps Columbia released how much of a redundant release this was, coming a month-after-month-after-month with the OP and ED singles...?
However, the big news of the day is clearly the DragonBall Kai Blu-ray and DVD sets and their listed details. The first Blu-ray set is due out on 23 October 2009; keep in mind that the first disc (with the first three episodes) is due out 18 September 2009. That first disc is important because this first set appears to contain only episodes 4-15, rather than the entire 1-15. Amazon Japan has it with a list price of ¥15,960 (~$163) but with a decent pre-order price of ¥11,810 (~$120).
Furthermore, the description for the box specifically details it as being 4:3 with a description of now seeing the full image from the broadcast 16:9 version and how we will now finally be able to see everything in full detail. While we are excited to see someone take the lead with a high-def release of the series in its intended aspect ratio, this goes against everything we have seen and heard so far with regards to Kai and its production.
Extras with this first set will include a promotional video for the upcoming Raging Blast PS3/360 game, creditless versions of the opening and ending, and more.
There are also two more boxes dated, with BOX 2 covering episodes 16-27 with a release on 19 February 2010, and BOX 3 covering episodes 29-40 with a release on 23 April 2010. Note the missing episode 28, in there. Both additional boxes follow the same pricing structure as the first.
The official website for these Kai boxes is listed, but does not yet appear to be live -- http://www.happinet-p.co.jp/dragonball
We will continue to keep you updated as more information about these sets leaks its way to us. |
14 June 2009
VegettoEX @ 11:28 am EST -- Episode #0179 of the podcast is available for download! This week Meri and I took it easy and discussed the crazy all-speculation news week with talks of an Evolution sequel and Wal-Mart's listing for a "widescreen" DragonBall season one DVD set. We also talked the Kai home release, June's releases, e-mails, and our song of the week. Don't forget about our "Dragon Soul" contest, either! Download the show now, or head on over to the podcast page for more information or to subscribe.
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13 June 2009
VegettoEX @ 10:10 am EST -- Our buddy Corey pointed us to a new Jump scan confirming a Japanese Blu-ray release for the currently-airing DragonBall Kai.
Set to release on 18 September 2009 for ¥3045, the first volume will contain three episodes. There will also be a standard DVD release with the same contents (albeit not in high-def) retailing for ¥1995.
Making no justification for the pricing scheme, here is a breakdown of some of the currently- and previously-offered deals on episodes both in the US and Japan.
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FUNimation's DBZ Season One Set on standard DVD contains 39 episodes and has an MSRP of $34.98. This breaks down to approximately $0.90 per episode. These sets were "remastered", are missing approximately 20% of the footage, encoded as progressive, and contain three voice tracks. These sets were the second full release of these episodes on DVD in the US, and a third release for the beginning of the series.
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FUNimation's "Ultimate Uncut Edition" on standard DVD contained 3 episodes and had an MSRP of $24.98. This breaks down to approximately $8.32 per episode. These sets used old masters, were encoded with low bitrates, and contain two voice tracks. FUNimation's original DVD singles retailed for the same amount and contained 3-4 episodes per disc.
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Toei's R2 singles based on the "Dragon Box" sets for DBZ contained 6 episodes each and retail for ¥3990 (approximately $40 US). This breaks down to approximately $6.66 per episode. These discs are remastered, are encoded at an extremely high bitrate, encoded as progressive, and were previously unavailable in Japan in any home format (other than the box sets they came from).
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Toei's upcoming releases for Kai contain 3 episodes each and retail for ¥3045 on Blu-ray and ¥1995 on DVD (approximately $31 US and $20, respectively). This breaks down to approximately $10.33 and $6.66 on Blu-ray and DVD, respectively). Learn more about Kai.
In other news, FUNimation has officially stated that the Wal-Mart listing for Dragon Ball: Season One (Widescreen) is a "mistake". Things still seem a little too fishy based on the comment we received from Lionsgate and the original Saga of Goku sets mysteriously becoming unavailable on retailer sites. While the commonly-accepted "Lionsgate's rights expire in 2010" nonsense is nothing more than just that... nonsense... based on random Wikipedia edits, we may see some additional developments sooner rather than later. Keep in mind the runarounds in June 2006 when information about the first DBZ remastered "season set" leaked via online retailers.
It could also just be one giant mistake, and Lionsgate's rights are indeed "indefinite". |
11 June 2009
VegettoEX @ 6:13 pm EST -- Civilized James has updated their re-published interview with James Marsters from Nautilius magazine to note that it was originally released on May 15th, and that the interview most likely took place in April... meaning it may be out-dated information, was true at one point in time and no longer is... or is still accurate. No-one really knows. Does this mean a sequel to Evolution really is or is not coming? We continue to wait on Fox to give updated information.
In other news, we contacted Lionsgate back in April regarding their sub-license to the first 13 episodes (and first movie) of the original DragonBall TV series. At that time, they would neither confirm nor deny any information at all to us, saying that the information we were "...seeking is confidential and cannot be used for a website."
Since then, our forum members have noticed a listing on Wal-Mart's website for a Dragon Ball: Season 1 (Widescreen) with na MSRP of $49.99 and a release date of 15 September 2009. As Wal-Mart's site has hosted inaccurate information in the past, we all mostly shrugged it off. Since then, other forum members have brought to our attention that many online retailers are now listing Lionsgate's (originally Kidmark's) Saga of Goku as "discontinued" and no longer available.
Did FUNimation obtain new film masters for the first TV series and now have plans to released a faux-"remastered" version a la their DBZ TV season sets, including the first 13 episodes? Is it all one big misunderstanding? We await further clarification as the longest-running business blunder in FUNimation's entire history perhaps moves into a new chapter.
For more information on the history with FUNimation and Kidmark (later incorporated into Lionsgate), check out our "Newbie Guide" and the respective "DVD Guide" page. |
09 June 2009
VegettoEX @ 9:11 am EST -- James Marsters (Piccolo, DragonBall Evolution) has apparently been given the OK to "...actually tell that there is going to be a sequel," to the American-made live-action movie. There is no word on anything other than beginning to film the movie after his tour in the spring and summer.
For some completely different news, our forum member GotenZ1 spent some time at E3 this last week and got a chance to play Tenka-ichi Dai-Bôken (being released outside Japan as Revenge of King Piccolo). Confirmed is a new vocal theme song! We do not yet have any details on the performer, but do know that it will not have 2D animation for the opening sequence (which we still have not seen since Budokai 3 back in 2004). |
07 June 2009
VegettoEX @ 12:29 am EST -- Episode #0178 of the podcast is available for download! Meri, Julian, Jeff, and myself all sat down to take a look at Volume 27 of the manga. The Freeza arc is coming to a close... but it's not quite done just yet. Was there enough to keep us interested? Are we totally ready for this saga to end? Doesn't something pretty major happen this volume...? Another exclusive music track, some great video game news for those in North America, and our usual shenanigans round out the episode. Download the show now, or head on over to the podcast page for more information or to subscribe.
We would like to give a huge congrats to Tekkaman James for winning our "Super Exciting Guide" contest! Listen in to the latest podcast episode for his name suggestion for Mr. Satan's wife.
Didn't win? Want another chance at something? No problem! We have immediately started up another contest, and this time we are giving away more music. We reviewed the "Dragon Soul" CD single back on Episode #0177, and are now giving one away to a lucky visitor. Should you win, you'll also get an exclusive poster. It's another random-drawing giveaway, so get your entries in now! Read the full details on our "Contests" page. |
02 June 2009
VegettoEX @ 11:45 pm EST -- We have it on good authority from our buddy godofchaos over at The Fanboy Review that all of the new DragonBall video games are due out this fall in North America in addition to their European releases. These games include Attack of the Saiyans on the DS (dropping the Kai title just like its European release), Revenge of King Piccolo on the Wii, and Raging Blast on the PS3 & 360. The real clincher here?
They're coming straight from Namco-Bandai, just like in Europe. Atari is nowhere to be seen.
(EDIT: And in come the press releases... )
We've reached out to Atari for a statement on their current and future role in the franchise. As you heard on our most recent podcast episode (and will eventually come in some sort of concise written form to the home page), quite a bit is going on with the company these days. |
31 May 2009
VegettoEX @ 11:45 pm EST -- Episode #0177 of the podcast is available for download! Meri and I took a listen with the "Dragon Soul" CD single for your review enjoyment. We also talked about the latest two episodes of Kai, went through some great e-mail, etc. You know the drill by now. Download the show now, or head on over to the podcast page for more information or to subscribe.
We didn't get around to sharing all of these links last week, so here are the official press releases from Namco-Bandai announcing that all recent video games will see a release in Europe:
There is also a ton of Atari/Infogrames news, but it will have to wait until tomorrow so I can type up a coherent explanation. It's all in the podcast episode, if you want to give a listen.
We are also re-debuting the "Music" section of the site with this episode! You will find exclusive music for download that has been premiered first on the podcast. The "Music Database" has been moved over to the "Guides" section and has a few updates here and there. I still have some tinkering to do with it, so go easy on me until I have a chance to give it a fresh look tomorrow with some sleep in me...!
Don't forget about our contest... you have just a few days left to get in those entries and win the two "Super Exciting Guide" books...! |
25 May 2009
VegettoEX @ 9:10 pm EST -- Episode #0176 of the podcast is available for download! We apologize for the day-late-posting on it, but it's a long holiday weekend for us... so that's our excuse. This week we brought on Herms (and eventually Hujio showed up) from Kanzentai to discuss and totally dissect the two recent "Super Exciting Guide" books from Japan. Beyond some of the repeated information from past books, we got a chance to dig into new information like Mr. Satan's real name, and perhaps the most intriguing, the idea of "Makaiôshin". Download the show now, or head on over to the podcast page for more information or to subscribe.
We had to leave you with the following image to go alongside one of the later discussions in the episode. You'll know it when you hear it.
We also started up our newest contest with this episode! Do not fear, non-podcast-listeners... this one is (as always) open to everyone.
If you are interested in winning copies of both books courtesy of our good buddy Tanooki Kuribo, head on over to the "Contests" page for full details. You have a little under two weeks... get those entries in!
VegettoEX @ 10:59 am EST -- Just as we have been expecting based on the current relationships between Namco-Bandai and Infogrames, Namco-Bandai will be releasing the new Wii game entirely on their own in Europe. Re-titled (from Tenka-ichi Dai-Bôken to) Revenge of King Piccolo, it should show up over in Europe some time in the fall of this year.
CERGY-PONTOISE, FRANCE – 25 May 2009 – NAMCO BANDAI Games Europe S.A.S. today announced the forthcoming launch of Dragon Ball®: Revenge of King Piccolo exclusively for Wii. Scheduled for European launch this autumn 2009, Dragon Ball: Revenge of King Piccolo promises to thrill fans with the first ever appearance of the original Dragon Ball story on Wii in glorious 3D.
Heading back to the early days of the Dragon Ball story, players will control Kid Goku as he sets out on fantastic adventures with his friends. The title faithfully reproduces the uniqueness and special humour of the early Dragon Ball series, while adding an original blend of action and adventure to the mix. With the original Japanese music and voiceover included for maximum authenticity, Dragon Ball: Revenge of King Piccolo offers fans a dazzling new experience with the characters and universe they know and love.
The visuals in Dragon Ball: Revenge of King Piccolo take the series to a new level by faithfully reproducing on-screen the original drawings of legendary Dragon Ball artist Akira Toriyama down to the finest pen strokes. Thanks to the high-quality, state-of-the-art graphics, fans will be able to immerse themselves in the Dragon Ball universe like never before.
Game modes include Story mode which follows Kid Goku from the Red Ribbon Saga to the King Piccolo Saga with the ability to replay previously completed stages, and the unlockable VS mode where players can take different unlocked characters into battle.
With in-game collectables, a host of unlockables, and more fun, fights and adventure than ever before all delivered in dazzling 3D, Dragon Ball: Revenge of King Piccolo is the definitive Dragon Ball videogame experience coming to Wii this autumn 2009.
Still no word on an American release, but we will of course keep you up-to-date. Same goes for the now-a-little-old new DS game, faithfully translated as (but dropping the "Kai" element), Attack of the Saiyans.
Dragon Ball Z: Attack of the Saiyans coming exclusively to Nintendo DS™ this autumn 2009 in Europe and the PAL regions.
The game follows the Saiyan Saga of the original DBZ story starting from the World Tournament and Goku’s triumphant defeat of Piccolo. Players will take the role of Goku and travel the DBZ universe from jungle to Snow Mountain on their quest to victory.
Dragon Ball Z: Attack of the Saiyans features a host of original features which will be sure to thrill fans, such as brand new gameplay, unique game modes, fun side quests and content never before seen in either the anime or manga series.
More details about this exciting addition to the DBZ range of video games will be announced soon. Dragon Ball Z: Attack of the Saiyans is scheduled for launch across Europe and the PAL regions in autumn 2009.
We will hit you back later not only with the podcast episode for this week, but also a new contest! Stay tuned...! |
22 May 2009
VegettoEX @ 11:05 am EST -- In addition to the news below, we just added a quick update over to the "CD Singles" page. Since the Dragon Soul CD single is out, we have an official tracklisting for it. We also have the tracklisting for the Yeah! Break! Care! Break! CD single, though no cover art yet. Look for a review of the opening's CD single very soon. We'll also be giving away a copy of the Limited Edition version, so stay tuned!
VegettoEX @ 10:12 am EST -- We are finally getting a chance to catch up on a couple news stories still straggling behind.
First up is the home release of Evolution, which seems to be coming 28 July 2009. Amazon's listings for both the DVD and Blu-ray have this date, so it seems like a pretty safe call. Our buddy godofchaos over at The Fanboy Review also notes that the home release (or at least a particular version of a home release) may be getting the subtitle "Z-Edition" from Fox. After having watched a screener of this version, it was noted that no additional footage was contained within the normal stretch of the movie, though this does not include any extra material that will be included.
In related news, it looks like the Japanese DVD and Blu-ray release will be on 24 July 2009, and will include English subtitles along with their Japanese dub.
Our European buddy sangofe managed to get in touch with Plus Licens and inquired about the franchise's situation over there. I clearly remember reading this on the podcast back in April, but it doesn't appear to have ever hit the home page.
Thank you for your e-mail concerning DragonBall. Plus Licens represents the rights holders for the DragonBall TV series, DragonBall GT and DragonBall Z, as well as the upcoming movie DragonBall: Evolution, in the Nordic region and Eastern Europe. This map shows the countries in question: (link #1)
For DragonBall we handle both the TV/DVD rights and the merchandising rights. That means that our potential customers are TV channels and DVD distributors who want to buy the right to show the TV series, but also different companies who want to use the DragonBall characters on their products or in their marketing. Such contracts can cover different territories; sometimes they only apply to a single country and sometimes multiple countries (e.g. the Nordic region). In practice this means that the salespeople at our offices in Stockholm, Warsaw, Moscow, Kiev, Budapest, Prague and Bucharest now regularly present DragonBall to potential local customers in different market segments. You can see a few examples of how we present DragonBall to potential customers in both marketing and TV/DVD here:
(link #2)
(link #3)
When it comes to the TV series we can negotiate the rights to both the original and the version adapted for children, it's the customer who decides based on his wishes and needs. If we sign a deal with a TV channel or DVD distributor Plus Licens is however not involved in the translation/dubbing other than on an administrative level. That is handled by separate studios. The translation of names and proper nouns are often coordinated with the company that published the manga so that they remain consistent. All material - voices, translations, marketing material - is continually reviewed and approved by Toei, the rights holder.
We are happy to hear about your interest in DragonBall and know that there are many knowledgeable and dedicated anime fans in the Nordic region as well as Eastern Europe who will hopefully contribute to making the series as successful on TV and in merchandising as it already has become as a manga.
There you all go... a little bit of news from around the world. We'll hit you back this weekend with a podcast episode, so check ya' then. |
21 May 2009
VegettoEX @ 9:47 am EST -- Now that a couple days have passed, a little more information has slipped out about the two new games on the DB-horizon. First up is the new game for the Nintendo Wii, titled 天下一大冒険 (Tenka-ichi Dai-Bôken), or The World's Greatest Adventure. Our Korean forum buddy DongHyun even has some new images over at their website which seem to come from the game's official website that just opened:
From the looks of it, we will finally be getting a new console game for the first time in many years that is not a fighting game (though keep reading, since you know a fighting game is also on its way). Goku skiing? Gigantic fish jumping over bridges? Fighting Bear With Sword™? Sign us up.
Our forum buddy (and Sparking! METEOR non-apologist connoisseur) Innagadadavida is certainly keeping up on the other new game coming our way for the PS3 and 360, DragonBall: Raging Blast. Namco-Bandai has already put up not just the official website for the game, but a slew of screen-shots in the opening video:
So there you have it. We will continue keeping you up-to-date on all the latest information with these games, including if Atari/Infogrames announces anything about a domestic release.
We have a little bit more for you this update, though. Julian sent me over a couple pictures he took:
While we may not necessarily like the new covers the tankôbon have received, it's certainly nice to still see a huge set-up promoting the series after all these years. |
19 May 2009
VegettoEX @ 11:15 am EST -- Remember back in late February when we and our buddy godofchaos told you that a new game based on the original DragonBall series was currently in development for the Nintendo Wii?
French site wiiz.fr has a photo/scan from an upcoming magazine feature with the first details and screens from the game. We'll keep you up-to-date with details and the full name of the game as our Japanese friends get us higher-quality versions from the magazine.
In addition to this, gamekult.com spills the beans that the new DBZ game mentioned in the Namco-Bandai fiscal report from the other day is a new game entitled DragonBall: Raging Blast. The current photos/scans from Xbox Evolved make it impossible to tell anything else, but it appears to be a new game more along the Sparking! style than Burst Limit (the word Sparking! on a prior page of the magazine also hints that way).
Big thanks to Innagadadavida for the heads up on this one. Once again, we'll keep you updated with any and all forthcoming information and details. |
17 May 2009
VegettoEX @ 11:06 pm EST -- Episode #0175 of the podcast is available for download! This week, in addition to our usual Kai talk, releases, e-mails, and all that jazz, we have tons of music content for you. First up is an awesome new-age cover of "CHA-LA HEAD-CHA-LA" from Vitek over in Spain. In addition to that, we finally get around to doing full reviews of both Maximum the Hormone's Tsume Tsume Tsume / 「F」 and Sherry's Romantikku Ageru yo. For those of you who want some written content in addition to the audio, our "Reviews" page has been updated with full written reviews of both, as well! Download the show now, or head on over to the podcast page for more information or to subscribe.
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16 May 2009
VegettoEX @ 12:17 am EST -- Courtesy of examiner.com, we have learned that the latest fiscal report from Namco-Bandai leaks the information that a new DragonBall Z video game is in development for the PS3 and 360 and is tentatively due sometime in Q2 of the 2009-2010 fiscal year (putting it anywhere between October and March). Namco-Bandai expects to sell 800,000 copies of the new game across Europe and Japan (specifically listed as such; North America is not included).
There is obviously no additional word just yet, though it would make sense that the game will perhaps be a sequel to 2008's Burst Limit.
While the game is being developed in Japan, remember that Atari's (and therefore Infogrames') sub-license with FUNimation to distribute DB games for certain markets expires in January 2010. At the same time, significant business developments continue to transpire with Namco-Bandai and Infogrames across Europe with their Distribution Partners business.
This news is also in addition to the as-of-yet officially-unannounced game currently in development for the Nintendo Wii. |
15 May 2009
VegettoEX @ 3:10 pm EST -- A couple little things throughout the site have been given some attention. The "DVD Guide" is finally all updated and pretty, including the extensive DBZ TV section. Do things make a little more sense? Do you feel any important information is missing. Let us know.
The "DragonBall Kai" tidbit has also been updated with just a few, but interesting, minor items.
Hopefully you enjoyed the full written review we put up of the Rule/Sparkle CD single a little while back. We have another two coming your way very soon, hopefully in conjunction with the podcast this coming weekend. Stay tuned for that! |
12 May 2009
VegettoEX @ 9:35 pm EST -- Episode #0174 of the podcast is available for download! We meant to get this up yesterday for everyone, but hey... things happen. This week, Meri and I discussed the three most recent episodes of Kai along with how you all seem to think we feel about the show, catch up on some news, cruise through May's releases, and check in with some great e-mails. We're also debuting a new little section for at least the near future — we have an exclusive song for you! Download the show now, or head on over to the podcast page for more information or to subscribe.
In other news, I have been going through the "DVD Guide" and updating things here and there, along with doing some general clean-up work. The last section to go is the DBZ TV series... being the biggest, of course! |
08 May 2009
VegettoEX @ 12:42 pm EST -- We have been following these manga delays for a while, so it is no real surprise to see that a couple of the upcoming omnibus "Viz Big" editions for the "DBZ" portion of the manga have been delayed... again. DBZ #4 (covering tankôbon 26-28) has been pushed back from 21 April 2009 to 23 June 2009, while DBZ #5 (covering tankôbon 29-31) has been pushed back from 21 July 2009 to 20 October 2009 according to their Amazon listings.
While this may be another series of unpleasant delays for those of you following along with the podcast's "Manga Review of Awesomeness", it slightly works out since we have not yet decided if we will end up doing a manga review this month. Meri and I are going to try and get back into the swing of recording this evening to have an episode for you on Sunday. We do not like having manga review episodes too close to one another, so we will have to re-evaluate our schedule and see what makes the most sense. Look forward to what we have coming your way, though... it involves some exclusive audio you will not hear anywhere else, and maybe even some new "Tidbits"...! |
01 May 2009
VegettoEX @ 9:21 am EST -- Despite the CD singles for the opening and ending to DragonBall Kai seeing a release this month and next month, respectively (see the news from the end of March), it appears that Columbia will be double-dipping us with a "Koro-chan" version of a Kai CD in July.
The new CD will be called Koro-chan Pack Dragon Ball Kai and appears to feature (according to the CDJapan description) at least the opening and ending themes to the series, seemingly karaoke versions, and possibly more. It will be interesting to see how this release separates itself from the individual CD single releases for the opening and ending themes. The inclusion of a "picture book" along with the CD is certainly one way to set itself apart. This new CD will be released on 15 July 2009 for ¥1575 (right about at $15-16) by Columbia under the catalogue number COCZ-1083. You can pre-order it over on CDJapan.
You may remember back in September 2007 when Columbia released two "Koro-chan Pack" CDs for both the original DragonBall as well as DragonBall Z, both of which were also re-packs of previously-released music at a reduced price.
In other news, RightStuf is running a special sale on FUNimation items, so if you have any holes in your collection, now might be a good time to fill them in. While more recent items like the DVD season sets and Blu-ray double-features are brought down to only near-appropriate prices, older items like the (4:3) single DVDs range anywhere from $2-$6 a pop. Missing some DBGT DVDs? Want some DBZ with the Spanish audio track? Take a look and see if there's anything interesting to you. |
29 April 2009
VegettoEX @ 1:53 pm EST -- We are through the announced one-week break, but it turns out we are going to need another week to get things in order at the new Daizenshuu EX headquarters. For all the regular podcast listeners out there, we do have some special material to keep you busy. Meri and I recorded a special guest episode of R5 Central a little while back, and the episode has now gone live. We talked a bit about the series as a whole, a little bit about Kai, a little bit more of Evolution, and closed it up with our Top 5 DBZ Movies That Don't Suck. Download the show now!
In other podcast listenings, our buddies over The S-Words Podcast did an episode about DragonBall, and more specifically, Evolution (all veiled under the phrase Super Saiyans). Check it out if you need some more audio entertainment. |
24 April 2009
VegettoEX @ 1:20 pm EST -- Just posted by our buddy kei17 over in Japan is some information regarding new cover art that the tankôbon are going to be receiving. While the basic images will remain the same, the surrounding details are being freshened-up quite a bit:
Yes, although the kanzenban run has been the de-facto version of the manga that Shueisha has been promoting and referencing (such as in new guide books) since their release a few years ago, the original 42-volume tankôbon run has been very much alive alongside its higher-quality cousin. It is certainly interesting to see it get an update at this point in time, especially considering that even games like Super DragonBall Z paid extreme homage to its iconic style.
It will be interesting to see whether or not this new tankôbon run will take any elements from the kanzenban (such as minor censoring details, the "Welcome" fix, or the new ending), though we tend to think it unlikely. kei17 does mention that the spine art will be "changed" (such as not including two Yajirobe), and it will see its release at the beginning of May.
Also, while I will be personally moving this weekend, expect to see the forum (finally!) moved over to its new server very soon, as well. If you see anything going down, don't panic... and be sure to check here on the home page for details. Faster updates will also be seen over on my Twitter page. |
22 April 2009
VegettoEX @ 3:08 pm EST -- The "CD Singles" page has been updated with the "Dragon Soul" information from below, as well as the accurate cover art and tracklistings for the various "Rule / Sparkle" releases (which we recently reviewed). Look for some more "Music Database" updates in the near future.
VegettoEX @ 2:07 pm EST -- CDJapan has updated with (a low-res version of) the cover art for the CD single release of the DragonBall Kai opening theme, "Dragon Soul":
EDIT: Higher-quality version added courtesy of Tanooki Kuribo:
As a reminder, "Dragon Soul" is coming out on 20 May 2009 in both a regular (COCC-16247, ¥1200) and "Limited Edition" (COCC-16273, ¥1300) version. There is still no full tracklisting yet, and there are no details on what additional material the "Limited Edition" will come with. The first-pressing is still available on CDJapan, though, so get those orders in while you still can. |
21 April 2009
VegettoEX @ 10:18 am EST -- Our Japanese buddy kei17 posted up to let us know that Kai went down to an average household rating of 9.6 in its third week. It was not a significant drop (into fourth place overall for anime), but One Piece did end up beating it out.
I also wanted to share something that does not seem to have gotten much attention outside of our forum. Our good buddy Herms from over at Kanzentai got in a copy of the recently released Super Exciting Guide: Character Volume earlier this month and went through the book to share a wealth of information with everyone. Now that we finally have our own copies of the new books in, it makes sense to more publicly share a little bit of wonderfully hilarious information.
Mr. Satan's real name is Mark.
As Herms describes, a Q&A/interview section with Akira Toriyama in the book dives into Mr. Satan's character. As we have known, the name "Mr. Satan" is really just his "show" or "ring" name (and no, the dreaded "H-word" has no relevance to this discussion). According to Toriyama, Mr. Satan's actual first name is "Mark". While it seems like a common name, it is actually written out in kana as マーク (mâku or maaku). If you rearrange the syllables, as you would with many names in the series to derive their puns, you end up with akuma (meaning "devil" or "demon"; you may be familiar with the name as the North American name-change of the Street Fighter character otherwise known as "Gouki").
Personally, I love the name. While it has a cute, consistent, underlying pun to keep the family in check, the fact that it is such a common-sounding name really fits with how I feel about him. While I do not particularly love Mr. Satan as a character, you cannot help but feel like he is just some poor, regular ol' guy that consistently gets in way the Hell over his head. "Mark" seems fitting, in that respect.
Big thanks to Herms for digging in and sharing the info. Make sure you go visit our buds over at Kanzentai if you have never been before. |
20 April 2009
VegettoEX @ 12:44 pm EST -- As noted in the podcast update last night, things have been a little crazy around here. Thankfully it has been a relatively slow news week or two, so we have been able to breathe a little bit. There have been a couple tiny bits to share, though, so let's cruise through them.
The ratings for DragonBall Kai seem to be somewhat acceptable. The first episode saw an average household rating of 11.3 (giving it the number four slot for anime), while the second shot down to 9.8 (but still enough to give it the number three slot for anime). Big thanks to kei17 for the numbers ahead of time, and then later reported over on Anime News Network.
Evolution, despite its huge build-up in the community, has given us little more than a whimper to discuss after its North American release. It has been essentially considered a flop, especially when you look at its mere $4.8 million take on opening weekend. It only did another $1.5 million this last weekend, so if you were planning on seeing it in theaters and have not done so, your chance is very quickly fading away. Our buddy Tanooki Kuribo let us know that on the date of its theatrical release, Amazon was already taking pre-orders for the DVD and Blu-ray versions of the film. No release dates have been set, however.
Finally, we have added a page for "DragonBall Kai" over in our "Episode Guide" section. We won't be going into as much detail as what the crazy-but-lovable folks over at Kanzentai are doing, so if you are looking for a quick-glance list of episodes and a couple brief thoughts, we've got you covered. If you would like a little extra commentary from us here at Daizenshuu EX, there's always the podcast to tune into. |
19 April 2009
VegettoEX @ 11:15 pm EST -- Episode #0173 of the podcast is available for download! It's been a crazy week for us here at the Daizenshuu EX headquarters in New Jersey, but things are coming along. Meri and I were able to crank out a show for you this evening mostly talking about episodes 2 & 3 of DragonBall Kai, but there's some other good material in there for ya'! Download the show now, or head on over to the podcast page for more information or to subscribe.
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12 April 2009
VegettoEX @ 1:29 pm EST -- Episode #0172 of the podcast is available for download! While we previously reviewed the movie with Julian based on its Japanese theatrical release, we thought it would be worth it to take a second look now that the rest of us had a chance to go see it. We came back with a ton of guests (some old, some new!) to discuss the movie's merits and pitfalls. Anything and everything you wanted to hear discussed was touched upon. Download the show now, or head on over to the podcast page for more information or to subscribe.
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08 April 2009
VegettoEX @ 9:30 pm EST -- Chris Roper over at IGN has reviewed the latest DragonBall video game, DragonBall Evolution for the PSP. Without spoiling too much of the review for you, let's just say that an entire paragraph is essentially the word "square" pasted over and over. Read for yourself.
McKinley Noble over at GamePro also has up a review for the game which seems ever-so-slightly more forgiving. Check that one out, as well.
Our copy shipped yesterday, so look forward to our own take on it here on the website. |
05 April 2009
VegettoEX @ 1:50 pm EST -- Our always-ongoing tidbit for DragonBall Kai has been updated with a couple bits of information now that the first episode has premiered. While there is nothing extraordinarily interesting, we have at least detailed a couple quick facts about the show and its presentation. Check it out if you need a recap on how this all came to be! Don't miss this weekend's podcast episode below, where we gave our immediate thoughts on the episode right after it aired.
VegettoEX @ 1:22 am EST -- Episode #0171 of the podcast is available for download! This week is a doozy with us not only doing our regularly-scheduled Volume 26 in the "Manga Review of Awesomeness", but we also start-up the appropriately-titled "DragonBall Kai Review of Awesomeness"...! That's right, mere hours after its debut airing, we already have thoughts for you. Tune in to see what we think about this so-called "refresh" of the TV series, as well as our thoughts on this part of the Freeza arc in the manga. Lots of good stuff for ya'! Definitely check it out.
Apologies on my own mic sound during the non-Kai parts of the episode. Looks like my gain wasn't set as high as I thought it was, and I sound a little like I'm being recorded on someone else's mic. Still highly listenable. Just saying... |
02 April 2009
VegettoEX @ 10:20 am EST -- Shueisha has finally updated with the cover art for the first volume of the Ano-Yo-Ichi Budôkai" TV Version Anime Comics" (or "animanga"), as well as the second "Super Exciting Guide", the Character Volume:
Both are due out tomorrow in Japan for ¥730 and ¥630 respectively. We finally have both of the "Super Exciting Guide" books on their way to our courtesy of your lovely donations, so look forward to a nice review of them in the near future.
Finally, Amazon is having a sale on DragonBall-related DVDs and Blu-ray discs in preparation (excitement?) for the upcoming American release of DragonBall Evolution. They have DBZ seasons four through eight and the two new DBGT season sets for $24.99 a pop, a good number of the DVD double-feature releases for $14.99 a pop, and then the Blu-ray releases of those double-features for $17.49 a pop. |
01 April 2009
VegettoEX @ 7:41 am EST -- Special thanks to kei17 for giving us the update on this. In what I initially thought was a joke, Toei's website for Kai has announced that none other than Hikaru Midorikawa will be the formal replacement voice for Tenshinhan in DragonBall Kai (in place of the late Hirotaka Suzuoki). Midorikawa previously played the roles of #16 and Paikuhan in the series, so it will be interesting to see his performance of Tenshinhan.
Also, in case you were wondering, reports of our deaths are greatly exaggerated. |
31 March 2009
VegettoEX @ 12:37 pm EST -- As I predicted based on the short Jump blurb about a CD single release for the DragonBall Kai opening theme, we are going to get double-dipped with the new opening and ending themes getting their own separate releases.
CDJapan is listing the opening theme, "Dragon Soul", coming out on 20 May 2009 in both a regular (COCC-16247, ¥1200) and "Limited Edition" (COCC-16273, ¥1300) version. There is no full tracklisting yet, and there are no details on what additional material the "Limited Edition" will come with.
CDJapan is also listing the closing theme, "Yeah! Break! Care Break!" (though mis-titled with "Year!" as the first word), as coming out the next month on 24 June 2009. This one will also come in both a regular (COCC-16248, ¥1200) and "Limited Edition" (COCC-16283, ¥1300) version. As with the opening, there are no details on a full tracklisting or additional material in the "Limited Edition" beyond receiving a sticker.
Both songs will be performed by Takayoshi Tanimoto, though the new closing is also listing Takafumi Iwasaki as a performer.
In the interest of full-disclosure, as with the "Rule / Sparkle" review, the above links are affiliate links with CDJapan. If you want to support Daizenshuu EX and were planning on picking up the CDs anyway, click on through to do so. |
29 March 2009
VegettoEX @ 10:25 pm EST -- Episode #0170 of the podcast is available for download! This week it was just Meri and I, so we dipped back and took a more thorough look at Ayumi Hamasaki's "Rule/Sparkle" CD+DVD single. You heard some general thoughts about it two weeks ago on the show, but tune in for more in-depth thoughts and tons of sample bits. There is also a huge written review over in the new "Reviews" section! All the regular news, releases, e-mails, and the good stuff you have come to expect is also in the show. Definitely check it out.
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27 March 2009
VegettoEX @ 6:53 am EST -- Huh. Looks like the American debut of Evolution has been delayed yet again, though this time it just goes back from a Wednesday to a Friday. Instead of the pretty firm April 8th release date, we are now set to go on Friday, April 10th.
For those of you in the central Jersey area, kick us a line and let us know if you would like to all see it together! |
25 March 2009
VegettoEX @ 11:37 am EST -- While it is general video game industry news, it certainly affects DragonBall fandom in a huge way. According to a news piece over on Gamasutra, Infogrames (Atari's full owner at this point) has agreed to sell a 66% stake in its "sales, marketing, and retail distribution" business called "Distribution Partners" to Namco-Bandai.
"Distribution Partners" was apparently set up as a joint-venture with Namco-Bandai in the first place, and many of its products were Namco-Bandai items distributed across Europe and Asia by Infogrames.
"This announcement is the culmination of our strategic relationship with Namco Bandai Games Europe who have proven to be an outstanding partner in creating the Distribution Partners business,” said Infogrames CEO David Gardner.
“The exercise of the put option will now allow Atari to focus its financial resources and creative energy exclusively on developing and publishing online-enabled games, shifting our operations towards servicing recurring revenues and a higher-margin online business model while still benefiting from access to Distribution Partners strong international distribution network."
As a reminder, Bandai (and therefore the larger company, Namco-Bandai) holds the exclusive rights to DragonBall merchandise such as video games. In North America (and many countries abroad), Atari (and therefore the larger company, Infogrames) holds the sub-license from FUNimation (and therefore the larger company, Navarre) to distribute these products to their local market(s).
Yes, that is a lot of holding companies and sub-licensing. In a nutshell, Atari/Infogrames is creating additional business ventures and ties with Namco-Bandai, and DragonBall is in the midst of it. It will be interesting to see where this all takes us in January 2010 when Atari's current sub-license from FUNimation expires. |
23 March 2009
VegettoEX @ 11:06 am EST -- Thanks to folks like kei17 and LaRésistance, we have even more news to share with everyone regarding DragonBall Kai. While Wasted Wisher has already noted to us that scenes from the Bardock TV special would be used in the first episode of Kai, an upcoming Jump apparently confirms that Freeza will be making an appearance in the first episode, so this all lines up pretty well. Additionally, Jump states that a CD single release for the opening theme, "Dragon Soul", will come out in May.
Also, there is a new trailer for the upcoming Kai-based Nintendo DS game, DragonBall Kai: Saiya-jin Raishû. It showcases a ton of game footage, so be sure to check it out.
Our respective "Tidbit" page has been updated with all necessary information, so if you need a quick run-down, that is the place to check out. |
22 March 2009
VegettoEX @ 8:26 pm EST -- Episode #0169 of the podcast is available for download! We originally wanted to do a "bonus" episode mid-week to follow up and do a more thorough review of the "Rule" CD single, but that didn't end up happening. We considered doing that for this week's regular episode, but decided that a more traditional topic would be better (and not so much overkill with regards to the live-action movie). As you may have read previously on the home page, I posted up a response to a YouTube video asking and discussing what it meant to be a "true fan" of the series. We all decided to have our own discussion on this topic, so be prepared for an onslaught of indecision! We hit up all the regular news, releases, e-mails, and even the new "Donate" button/page that is linked over on the side of the home page (including naming our first "memorial" item!). Definitely check it out.
One thing I want to follow-up on from the podcast is the sales of DragonBall Evolution on the PSP. As noted in the update from yesterday, those are first day sales, not first week sales. |
21 March 2009
VegettoEX @ 11:55 am EST -- We have a bunch of tiny news tidbits to report, so get ready for a slew of news and a sale!
Digital Media is reporting that five marketing agencies went after the DragonBall Online market in Asia, but it went to TBWA in the end. The account is estimated at 2 billion KRW (or approximately $1.34 million). TBWA will be handling a full-scale marketing blitz for the game from April to August.
Our buddy godofchaos (The Fanboy Review) has a few tidbits for us, as well. Apparently DragonBall Evolution for the PSP did around a mere 1,200 copies in its first day. A Japanese blog gives a little break-down of first-day sales for other recent DB games, so you can see just how much of a gap there is with this latest one (even the Xbox 360 version of Burst Limit did better). On the American side of things, DB is actually the 12th top-selling game franchise. More than 14 million units have been sold since 2002, coming out to over $300 million.
Finally, Play-Asia is running a spring sale right now, and the Burst Limit soundtrack is going for about half-price at $15.90. We reviewed the CD back on Episode #0147 of the podcast if you would like to hear some samples and opinions before you jump in and confirm your purchase. |
19 March 2009
VegettoEX @ 1:33 pm EST -- Toei Animation has announced that Plus Licens has been granted the license to the DragonBall franchise in "Nordic and Eastern Europe". This license covers television, home video, and merchandising rights, but does not extend to video games and publishing.
"We are very pleased to be working with Plus Licens AB, who is one of the top licensing brokers in the Nordic countries and Eastern Europe," explained Kanji Kazahaya, director of international at Toei.
"We believe that they have a deep commitment to continuing Dragon Ball's licensing success and we look forward to working with them on expanding the brand in this vital region."
Any east-Europeans out there have anything to say in the matter? Have you had a severe lack of merchandise lately, and are you happy to hear about this? Let us know. |
18 March 2009
VegettoEX @ 9:15 pm EST -- Our Japanese forum member kei17 posted up a scan from the latest V-Jump that contains the schedule and episode titles for the first four episodes of the upcoming DragonBall Kai. While the first two titles seem to be pretty set, the third and fourth are listed in a "tentative" state, and may be subject to change. They are listed as follows:
Episode 01
05 April 2009 |
「闘いの幕開け！帰ってきたぞ孫悟空」
Tatakai no makuake! Kaette kita zo Son Gokû
The curtain opens on battle! Son Goku's back [, yo] |
Episode 02
12 April 2009 |
「敵は悟空の兄！？最強戦士サイヤ人の秘密」
Teki wa Gokû no ani!? Saikyô senshi Saiya-jin no himitsu
The enemy is Goku's [older] brother?! The secret of the Saiya, the mightiest warriors" |
Episode 03
19 April 2009 |
「悟空とピッコロ最強タッグ！激闘ラディッツ戦（仮）」
Gokû to Pikkoro saikyô taggu! Gekitô Radittsu sen (kari)
Goku and Piccolo, the ultimate tag-team! The fierce battle against Raditz (tentative title) |
Episode 04
26 April 2009 |
「孫悟空が死んじゃった…あの世とこの世のキビしい修行！（仮）」
Son Gokû wa shinjatta... Ano yo to kono yo no kibishii shugyô
Son Goku's dead... Arduous training in both this world and the next! (tentative title) |
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The "DragonBall Kai" tidbit has been updated with this information. Be sure to check it out! If you are interested in comparing titles, we have the first few episodes of DBZ over on the respective page in the "Filler Guide".
Finally, you may notice a new button over on the side of the home page. There is a "Donate" page that has been added, and I will let that page do all the explaining it needs to do. You will very rarely see of hear us mention it, but know that it is there if you are interested. Thanks, everyone! |
16 March 2009
VegettoEX @ 11:45 am EST -- The "DragonBall Kai" tidbit has been updated with a couple little nuggets of information that Wasted Wisher dropped on our forum. It sounds like the first episode of the new refresh will have some flashbacks to earlier DB material, as well as some of the Bardock TV special. Very interesting!
Also, as Julian pointed out in the podcast episode (which you should listen to, as we review anything and everything DragonBall Evolution!), the new ending theme to DragonBall Kai is actually a play on words similar to "CHA-LA HEAD-CHA-LA" being a spin on hetchara, which means "carefree". While the new closing is written out in English as "Yeah! Break! Care Break", it is a play on yaburekabure, which means "utter desperation".
Finally, super-long-time fans of Daizenshuu EX will remember ye' olden "Editorials" on the website. Now-a-days, this type of section is rather insignificant and irrelevant. That doesn't stop us from occasionally having things to get off our chests, though. Pop over to my personal blog if you have the time to read a little bit about "true fans" and the sustainability of our fandom. I'd love to hear what you think. |
15 March 2009
VegettoEX @ 10:11 pm EST -- Episode #0168 of the podcast is available for download! You know, we joke time and time again how if we discuss the live-action movie on the podcast, it will "blow up" or otherwise give us horrible technical problems (like it genuinely did back on Episode #0148). Sure enough, while editing the podcast I noticed how either Meri's mic itself or the XLR cable fritzed out occasionally. In addition to that, random background noise would temporarily overtake the local recording track. Thankfully we do multi-track recording here, and I was able to (mostly) edit around Meri's issues, and simply silence out those strange anomalies. We will overcome this curse once and for all at some point in time, I assure you.
This episode, we did anything and everything DragonBall Evolution. That's right. We start out with Ayumi Hamasaki's CD single and music video for "Rule" (the movie's theme song), go into the VizKids adaptation of the story for their "Junior Novel", and finally... the big one... Julian reviews the movie itself from its Japanese theatrical debut. Definitely check it out. You don't want to miss this one. |
13 March 2009
VegettoEX @ 2:00 pm EST -- Toshio Furukawa (Piccolo) gives us more information regarding DragonBall Kai with another blog update from the other day. Masaharu Satô will be playing the role of Kame-Sen'nin, as opposed to what seemed to be the character's formal replacement seiyû, Hiroshi Masuoka.
As a bit of background, Kame-Sen'nin's original seiyû, Kôhei Miyauchi, passed away in 1995 just before the end of the DBZ TV series. While Masaharu Satô and Kinya Aikawa stepped in at various points to play small bits of dialogue for the character, the entirety of DragonBall GT (and many other spin-off items like video games) were performed by Hiroshi Masuoka.
(We actually did a show all about the many voices of Kame-Sen'nin back on Episode #0107 of the podcast. If you are interested in taking a look back at all of the performances, definitely check out that episode.)
Furukawa updated his blog with this information and the following picture, showcasing (left to right, back to front) Masaharu Satô (Kame-Sen'nin), Ryô Horikawa (Vegeta), Toshio Furukawa (Piccolo), Shigeru Chiba (Raditz), Jôji Yanami (Narration, Kaiô-sama), Mayumi Tanaka (Kuririn), and Masako Nozawa (Son Goku, etc.):
With all this information building up so much and being a little difficult to keep track of, we are very proud to premier a new "Tidbit" on the website, and one that will actually be constantly updated over time with the latest information.
Our "DragonBall Kai" tidbit chronologically showcases every single last bit of information we have come to learn about the series since we first heard about it on our own forum a full month before any official announcements. Be sure to check it out, and refer to it with any discussions you may have online or offline! |
12 March 2009
VegettoEX @ 8:54 am EST -- kei17 dropped us a line on our forum to let us know that the Fuji TV website has announced that Kenji Yamamoto will be responsible for the background music of DragonBall Kai.
While it is unfortunate that Shunsuke Kikuchi's score will not be making a return, those unfamiliar with Kenji Yamamoto will be happy to hear that he has actually been involved with the series and its spin-off properties for around twenty years, himself. Yamamoto is responsible for the arrangement of many TV and movie theme songs throughout the years, including TV songs like "CHA-LA HEAD-CHA-LA" and "Unmei no Hi ~Tamashî VS Tamashî~", as well as movie songs like DBZ movie 6 closing theme "Hero (Kimi ga Hîrô)" and DBZ movie 2 insert song "Pikkoro-san Da~isuki". In addition to direct involvement with the series, Yamamoto has been responsible for the scores of countless DragonBall video games like the Super Butôden series from the Super Famicom era, all the way up through more current games like Burst Limit.
Our personal opinion is that if there was going to have to be a background score replacement, this is how we would want it handled. We have full confidence in its integrity and its ability to fit the mood and tone of the series. Of course, we will just have to wait and see what the final product looks (and sounds!) like come April 5th...!
(For the record, this Kenji Yamamoto is different than the Kenji Yamamoto responsible for Metroid music. They are two different people that spell their names with different kanji.) |
11 March 2009
VegettoEX @ 9:15 pm EST -- Our old buddy Greg (who ran "The Ulimate DBZ Info Site" for many years, starting it up back in 1997, a year before this site began) has posted up his review and thoughts on DragonBall Evolution over in our forum. Hopefully we'll be able to get Julian to go see it this weekend, and we'll all wait another month before it hits our theaters...
Beware that there are a few spoilers in the thread... unless, of course, you're looking for that kind of thing.
VegettoEX @ 8:09 pm EST -- The blog "We Remember Love" posted an update last month with a little behind-the-scenes look at the blog's owner taking a stab at DragonBall Kai in the office of in-between animator Joey Hernandez down at the Philippines branch of Toei Animation. There is not much to it, but it's still pretty interesting stuff!
You may also want to take a look at their interview with Toei Philippines President Soya Satoshi, just for the heck of it.
VegettoEX @ 3:51 pm EST -- The official website for DragonBall Kai has updated with details on the upcoming Tokyo International Anime Fair and its DB-related events. We knew from a prior update that on March 20th the singer of the new theme song would appear, and that Masako Nozawa would also be on-hand for an interview. Since then, we have learned about Takayoshi Tanimoto and his performance of the new theme songs (OP: "Dragon Soul"; ED: "Yeah! Break! Care Break!").
The new update confirms that beginning at 10:00 am on the 20th they will distribute tickets to a special event (which will take place from 11:00 to 11:30) where Masako Nozawa will host a sort of "kick-off party" for DragonBall Kai. Also on-hand will be Hiromi Tsuru (Bulma) and Toshio Furukawa (Piccolo). Finally, Takayoshi Tanimoto will perform the new opening theme!
C'mon, Julian... make sure you go! We will have a little more for you later today concerning DragonBall Kai, so stay tuned! |
09 March 2009
VegettoEX @ 10:45 am EST -- It looks like next week will see a couple CD releases that those looking forward to the upcoming DragonBall Evolution might be interested in. Amazon has listings for both the "soundtrack" for $14.99 and another "soundtrack" (which is actually the movie's score as composed by Brian Tyler) for $17.99, both listing for about the $18 point MSRP and both due out on 17 March 2009.
It is a little confusing, since the entry for the "soundtrack" that has "Original Score" in the URL is not the same entry that has the front and back cover clearly showing that it is, in fact, the original score. Maybe Amazon crossed their streams...? Nothing good ever comes of that. Thanks for the heads up, Tanooki.
Heading over to Japan, it looks like Shueisha will be following up the Story Volume with yet another "Super Exciting Guide". DragonBall: Super Exciting Guide - Character Volume is due out 03 April 2009 along with, sadly, the first "TV Anime Comics" (or "animanga", if you will) volume of the Ano-Yo-Ichi Budôkai arc. There are no pricing details yet, but the recent Story Volume guidebook went for ¥630 and the animanga typically go for ¥710, so you can expect them to be in the same ballpark. Thanks for the heads up, Herms.
For one last news tidbit, our inside-source Wasted Wisher tells us that Raditz will die by episode three in DragonBall Kai. In the original broadcast of DBZ, Raditz kicks the bucket at the very beginning of episode five.
Finally, I just wanted to leave you with some self-promotional reminders. We rarely do this anywhere other than on the podcast, but I figured I would toss them in. Be sure to follow along with me on Twitter, and check out my personal blog (which has a few interesting Daizenshuu EX behind-the-scenes if you are interested in that kind of thing). You can also find me every two weeks over on lo-fidelity with Jeff reviewing and appreciating music, and every month over on Video Game Conversations with Jeff and Andrew blogging and podcasting it up. |
08 March 2009
VegettoEX @ 10:11 pm EST -- Episode #0167 of the podcast is available for download! Since the "Rule" CD single didn't come in until recording day (which actually lets us do an all-Evolution episode next week), we decided to bring on prior guests Hujio and Corey to talk some more DragonBall Kai with us. We have all seen the new commercial and its selective re-framing on the cropping, and it's safe to say that everyone has an opinion on the situation. Tune in to hear what's going on and what the current situation is. Beyond that, we've got your regular news, releases, e-mails, and a ton more. Definitely check it out.
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06 March 2009
VegettoEX @ 8:40 am EST -- kei17 (who else?!) dropped in with a new Jump scan that gives a little more information on the music for the upcoming DragonBall Kai.
Both the (new) opening and ending themes will be performed by Takayoshi Tanimoto, known for theme song performances in shows like Konjiki no Gash Bell!!. The new opening is called "Dragon Soul" and the new closing is called "Yeah! Break! Care Break!" (both of which are written out in English). There is no word on whether these two songs will last the entire length of the series, or if there will be a theme song shift for the Buu portion of the series as it was originally done.
Also provided on the page is a list of all of the original seiyû for the series. Interestingly, Tenshinhan is not included on this list at all, providing no further information on a possible (more formal) replacement for the late Hirotaka Suzuoki. While Tenshinhan was played by Eiji Takamoto in Sparking! METEOR, Tenshinhan did not appear in the recent Jump Anime Tour Special, and there have been no further appearances of the character to be voiced. Neither "Kame-Sen'nin" or "Muten-Roshi" are listed on the page, either, so it will be interesting to see which of the many voices ends up taking over the role (though it will most likely be Hiroshi Masuoka).
The characters listed are:
- Son Goku & Son Gohan (Masako Nozawa)
- Bulma (Hiromi Tsuru)
- Kuririn (Mayumi Tanaka)
- Yamcha (Tôru Furuya)
- Oolong (Naoki Tatsuta)
- Chiaotzu (Hiroko Emori)
- Gyû-Maô (Daisuke Gôri)
- Chi-Chi (Naoko Watanabe)
- Kami-sama (Takeshi Aono)
- Piccolo (Toshio Furukawa)
- Raditz (Shigeru Chiba)
- Vegeta (Ryô Horikawa)
- Freeza (Ryûsei Nakao)
- Narration (Jôji Yanami)
All have their expected performers (with the exception of Chi-Chi's second voice doing the earlier parts of the series where it was originally Mayumi Shô), so this (again) leaves us with more questions than answers.
There is no confirmation on whether or not the full background music score will be a replacement of Shunsuke Kikuchi's original work or if it will be an enhnacement of that work. |
05 March 2009
VegettoEX @ 9:38 am EST -- It seems like the last couple days have been filled with lots of little tidbits of news, so let's do our best to catch up on everything!
kei17 flipped through some Japanese blogs to let us know the current going-ons with DragonBall Kai. Toshio Furukawa (the voice of Piccolo) updated his blog yesterday to say that they were recording lines for the first episode of DragonBall Kai, while Naotoshi Shida (keyframe animator for DBZ) also had a blog update noting that they finished up the keyframe animation for the new ending theme to the series.
CDJapan is currently having a special sale to tie-in with the Japanese release of DragonBall Evolution this month. They are offering up to 20% off most DB-related DVDs (though some are only, for example, 10% off). If you have any holes in your R2 collection, this may be another great chance to fill them in. Be sure to compare with other online retailers, though, since Amazon Japan occasionally has better deals on certain volumes. For example, the first DragonBall movie (which many American fans are still struggling to get an uncensored version of due to the ongoing Lion's Gate licensing fiasco/confusion) is on sale for ¥2520 on CDJapan, while it's going for ¥2175 over on Amazon Japan. Make sure you balance out prices with shipping costs, as well. Just a heads-up!
Continuing with DragonBall Evolution news, IGN has put up a "new" trailer for the movie (though it is one that has been floating around for a while, especially in other countries). This one showcases some more of the special effects, Shenlong at the end, and includes Ayumi Hamasaki's "Rule" as the backing music.
Speaking of "Rule", it is apparently not selling so well for Hamasaki... comparatively speaking, anyway. According to Oricon, while "Rule" is Hamasaki's 20th #1 single in a row (and her 32nd #1 single in total), it sold "barely" over 95,000 copies, and is the lowest first-week sales ever in her career. We were planning on reviewing the song (along with its complete CD+DVD single package) on the upcoming podcast this weekend, but since it has (shockingly) not yet arrived, we'll be discussing some other current news with a few familiar voices.
Finally, our buddy Greg popped over to our forum with a couple quick bits from the new DragonBall: Super Exciting Guide - Story Volume guidebook that came out this week in Japan. Greg notes that while most of the material is information we have seen packaged and repackaged many times before, there are a couple new bits by way of a new interview with Toriyama. In it, the author notes that in discussing how to make Goku stronger with his assistant Matsuyama, by making Goku's hair "blonde" (or "gold" or "yellow" or however you would like to describe it), it actually made it easier on them since they would no longer have to color in all of Goku's hair, which took a long time to dry. The logic is astounding! Toriyama also lists out his five favorite battles (#1 was Goku vs Piccolo-Daimaô), and a few other nice little tidbits. We will dive into the book a little more very soon on the site, assuming Julian picks us both up a couple copies...! |
03 March 2009
VegettoEX @ 3:30 pm EST -- Back in December we first told you about the "Chapter Books" coming out under the VizKids label. Courtesy of Amazon (by way of our buddy Tanooki Kuribo), we have cover art for the first four announced volumes:
While I am sure that very few of us are genuinely interested in the contents of these books (like we say with the "animanga", if you want to read the story, why not just read the original manga as the author originally drew/wrote it...?), the cover art nevertheless leaves us intrigued. The art comes from sources like various chapter title pages, but some things are swapped around and re-colored. Quite honestly, they are rather nice looking! Volumes 1 & 2 are due out 04 August 2009, while volumes 3 & 4 are due out 01 September 2009.
Heading over to Japan (and you have probably already read about it over on Kanzentai, but that's OK!), we actually have a new guide book coming out! This one is called DragonBall: Chô ("Super") Exciting Guide - Story Hen ("Volume").
We unfortunately do not know too much about it, other than it costing ¥630 and running 96 pages, and is actually due out tomorrow, 04 March 2009. It sounds like the folks over at Kanzentai will be doing a little run-down, but you can expect us to have a few words on it, as well. Hopefully we can get Julian to pick it up this week and give us a few words on the next podcast. |
01 March 2009
VegettoEX @ 10:42 pm EST -- Episode #0166 of the podcast is available for download! This week we're up to volume 25 in our "Manga Review of Awesomeness". This was definitely a strange volume to analyze, but I think we ended up with some interesting points. In addition to that, we've got all the news you've come to enjoy (though nothing from today, as we recorded the show on Friday). DBZ ABCs, March's releases, and even Meri's Top 5 makes a brief return... all good stuff. Definitely check it out.
VegettoEX @ 12:11 pm EST -- Now that we've had time to digest the commercial (and get a good night's sleep after far too much Street Fighter IV), we are ready to dive into this commercial and pick apart what little we have to go on.
Big thanks to Taku and Snaku for spreading the word and providing up some screen shots to compare with. The below comparison shots showcase the differences between the Dragon Box masters and what was presented to us in this first commercial for DragonBall Kai:
With this image, you can see that a bit of the top and bottom of the screen have indeed been cropped for the new presentation. Like FUNimation's releases, there is also additional footage on the sides to help bring it into the new 16:9 aspect ratio. However, take a look at the next shot:
Drastically different from FUNimation's own faux-"remastered" releases (which are a dead-on-center cropping), it appears that DragonBall Kai will actually be selectively re-framing the shots to focus in on the most important visual information. As you can see above, the cropping is shifted from the center all the way up to the top of the screen.
While an HD version of the trailer did make its way online, I think it's important to wait until the actual TV broadcast of the full show to comment on things like colors, and even for a little additional commentary on the cropping. Very quickly, however, it does appear that the colors have been adjusted, though they are much softer and consistent in tone than FUNimation's over-saturation adjustments. The softness carries over to the upscaling, which is not nearly as sharpened (causing a loss of detail) as FUNimation's.
In addition to the trailer on YouTube, our buddy sangofe went ahead and created a subtitled version of the commercial from the HD version that leaked online. You can check that one out over on YouTube, as well.
In addition to the above DragonBall Kai news, SSj_Rambo wrote in to let us know that Bandai is going to be releasing new "Real Works Warriors of the World" figures later this year in May, also under the DragonBall Kai label (similar to the new DS game also getting the Kai branding). They will run about ¥3500, and a little bit of information has popped up online. We'll let you know when we get some pictures of them!
Finally, kei17 let us know that a new idol group named "Sherry" is going to be releasing their debut single... which happens to be yet another cover version of "Romantikku Ageru yo" (the closing theme to the DB TV series). There is no word on whether or not this is going to be used as the closing theme to DragonBall Kai or if its release is just a coincidence, but it is interesting none-the-less. It will be out 22 April 2009 for ¥1200 (catalogue number UPCH-5586). I don't see any pre-orders up yet on any sites, but they should be coming soon enough.
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Romantikku Ageru yo
("I'll Give You Romance!")
Sherry
UPCH-5586
¥1200
3 tracks
22 April 2009
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| Track 1: |
ロマンティックあげるよ
Romantikku Ageru yo
I'll Give You Romance! |
| Track 2: |
SEPARATE |
| Track 3: |
SEPARATE＜ajapai goes to Brazil remix＞ |
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So there you have it. Check back later today for this week's podcast episode! |
28 February 2009
VegettoEX @ 9:25 pm EST -- We will have a little more analysis on it soon (right now it's Street Fighter IV time), but we definitely wanted to let everyone know that the first commercial for DragonBall Kai has made its way online!
Check it out over on YouTube, and come back soon for more information, analysis, and a podcast tomorrow! |
27 February 2009
VegettoEX @ 10:56 am EST -- Last podcast we mentioned these delays, but totally forgot to note them here on the website. There has been a little more related information, so it makes sense to toss it all up here (all release dates from Amazon).
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DBZ VizBig 4
Original Release Date: 17 February 2009
Current Release Date: 21 April 2009
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DB VizBig 4
Original Release Date: 17 March 2009
Current Release Date: 19 May 2009
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DBZ VizBig 5
Original Release Date: 19 May 2009
Current Release Date: 12 July 2009
In what may be related news, Anime News Network reported a few days ago that Viz will be undergoing some restructuring and has laid off an unspecified number of employees. They received the following statement from Viz CEO, Hidemi Fukuhara:
Viz Media is in the process of refining its focus and is restructuring to adjust to changing industry and financial market realities. VIZ feels confident that with these changes, the company will be more streamlined to face the current economic climate.
It seems to be the same song and dance we have heard from everyone (including FUNimation), and we are curious as to whether or not these layoffs and restructuring contributed to these DB product delays. |
26 February 2009
VegettoEX @ 7:23 am EST -- kei17 is keeping is as up-to-date as we could ever possibly be! The official website for DragonBall Kai notes that the new theme song will be premiered at the Tokyo International Anime Fair on March 20th, and the singer of the song will be there. In addition to that, Masako Nozawa will be on-hand and interviewed. Neat stuff...!
Still waiting for some type of confirmation on whether we're getting a new song, though. Is it a re-make of either "CHA-LA HEAD-CHA-LA" or "We Gotta Power"...? Is it an entirely new song? Who performs it...?!
Big thanks to Rachel for a couple translation clarifications. |
23 February 2009
VegettoEX @ 1:50 pm EST -- kei17 wrote in to let us know that the official website for DragonBall Kai has gone live!
http://www.toei-anim.co.jp/tv/dragon_kai/
There's not much there yet, but you can check out the logo and bookmark it for more prettiness down the road. |
22 February 2009
VegettoEX @ 7:53 pm EST -- Episode #0165 of the podcast is available for download! This week we gave a little recap of all the huge news going on (in fact, I had to do a little break-away during the show's editing to record a little extra based on today's stuff). Sure, there's no "topic" like our normal episodes, but that didn't stop us from delving pretty in-depth with stuff. Definitely check it out.
VegettoEX @ 11:14 am EST -- kei17 has a fresh V-Jump scan for us with even more information on the upcoming DragonBall Kai:
The opening stuff is the standard fare we have come to expect from the earlier announcements (like "Commemorating the 20th Anniversary of the Start of Dragon Ball Z's Broadcast!" and "The Son Goku Legend, Once More!! And its name is... DRAGON BALL KAI"). However, the interesting material appears under the header "The four points that make up the world of "Kai"!":
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The story will be developed speedily!
"Kai" starts from the invasion of the Saiyans. This version will be re-edited to hew more closely to Akira Toriyama's original story, so the story's development will progress all the faster!
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The opening and ending songs will be completely renewed!!
The opening and ending songs will together be made anew! Furthermore, in "Kai", the background music will be newly recorded. Let's enjoy "Kai", where even the music has been powered up!!
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Through digital processing, the image will be made vibrant!!
All the grime, damage and noise remaining on the "Z" film will be removed! In HD, the image will be even clearer. We've carefully made the ultra-powerful "Kai" world even more impressive!
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An all-star voice cast will record the lines anew!!
The original main cast, centered around Masako Nozawa as Son Goku, will reunite, yo. They'll breathe life into the characters again, to support their appeal!!
So there you go. We once again are left with just as many questions as we have answers, but we're heading in the right direction. While it doesn't blatantly say, "Yes, we are specifically cutting down filler material", it heavily implies something along those lines. We just have the phrasing "renewed" for the music, without any confirmation on whether or not it's Shunsuke Kikuchi's original score as-is but re-recorded to match the higher fidelity of the newly-recorded voices, or if it's a completely new adaptation of that score. Along those same lines, the true nature of the OP/ED themes are up in the air.
We won't leave you hanging with that, though. Our buddy Wasted Wisher popped in again with a couple additional remarks:
Don't know anything about the intro and ending song yet, or anything past episode 1.
All of the scenes that were being worked on so far are not being cropped...in fact, quite the reverse, they're being extended. The old format of the original footage is too small to fit the standard frame sizes used for anime nowadays. So all the artwork has to be extended outwards to fit the new frame sizes; this includes both the animation itself and the background art.
While slightly unrelated to DragonBall Kai, we do have one little nugget of info for you courtesy (yet again) of kei17:
Another page I haven't scanned yet says that they will carry Manga version of 2008 Special on V Jump. It's not drawn by Akira Toriyama.
Mangaka is オオイシナホ (Ooishi Naho), who never drawn manga under this name.
OK, then! Look for a manga adaptation of last year's Ossu! Kaette Kita Son Gokû to Nakama-tachi!! at some point in the near future courtesy of V-Jump.
UPDATE: Here's the source image on that one. The issue will be out on 21 March 2009, so we'll be sure to grab a copy!
Finally, it looks like DragonBall Z Story for the Nintendo DS has been renamed DragonBall Kai: Saiya-jin Raishû ("Saiyan Invasion"), and will be hitting the DS over there in Japan on 21 May 2009 (there is still no word on a domestic release).
We'll have a podcast for you later today. It's already completed, but now I think I want to go back and add in a couple of these tidbits so it's more timely... |
21 February 2009
VegettoEX @ 12:19 pm EST -- Wasted Wisher hasn't led us wrong in the past yet, so we have faith that the trend continues!
The upcoming "refreshed" version of DBZ being produced in HD for Japanese television (now called Dragon Ball Kai, so we'll just call it that from here-on-out) will apparently have the following new content going for it:
- A brief look at the last moments of Bardock and Planet Vegeta
- An overview of young Goku's growing up years (Dragonball, the pre-Z period) up until his triumph over Piccolo at the Tenkaichi-Budokai.
- The all-too-brief and yet still somewhat triumphant return of FARMER WITH A SHOTGUN!
And sadly (although that really all depends on how you look at things...)
- Goku's winky has disappeared!
That's right, through the miracle of "we're just not gonna draw it anymore", Li'l Goku is no longer going to be allowed to show off "Even Littler Goku" on TV. But don't worry, they won't do anything so blatant as to digitize tighty-whiteys on him.
There ya' go. We're pretty confident with the inside-scoop, but we'll see for sure how it plays out on April 5th. |
20 February 2009
VegettoEX @ 4:18 pm EST -- We know about DragonBall Evolution coming for the PSP in the next couple months (March in Japan, April in the US), and we know about DragonBall Z Story coming for the Nintendo DS in the spring over in Japan.
Anyone interested in another new game?
While we can't confirm any additional details right now, we have it on good authority that yet another DB game (note that we're talking the original DB... no Z or GT here) is in the works right now, and it's a Wii game, at that. Furthermore, General White will be playing some kind of role.
The last we heard anything like this was way back in July 2004 when a URL and description for a so-called Red Ribbon Army Saga game for the GBA popped up on Atari's website. It was quickly taken down, but it would certainly be interesting to see if the idea was being revisited five years later on a new platform.
VegettoEX @ 8:56 am EST -- The upcoming issue of Weekly Shônen Jump confirms that the "refreshed" version of DBZ for Japanese TV (you know about this, right?) will in fact be called...
Dragon Ball Kai
As pointed out on Kanzentai, the kanji 改 means "renewed" or "revised". I personally find it interesting that, if they were going to give it a new name in the first place, they didn't go with something like Shin DragonBall Z, as said kanji has popped up in a variety of products over the years (like Shin Butôden and Shin Budôkai, so perhaps that alone would have led to too much confusion). The "Z" appears to be dropped completely, but this will indeed be the DBZ TV series (at least for now; there has been no word on any other DB series receiving a similar treatment).
There is not a whole lot of additional information, but you will notice that the two screen shots in the image are indeed semi-cropped, similar to FUNimation's "faux"-remastered boxsets. Keeping in mind that Toei's promotional materials for the "Dragon Box" versions of the movies are all shown in 4:3 despite the products being 16:9, we should not yet jump to any conclusions. At the same time, it will/would be incredibly disheartening to see Toei go such a cheap route. However, we did receive word from our buddy Wasted Wisher way back when that:
it seems that TOEI is going to be re-drawing some scenes from Dragonball for broadcast on high-def tv. The touch-ups will include some re-done background art (most likely to broaden certain scenes for widescreen)
Will it be a combination of cropping and actual extension, as opposed to FUNimation's sets which did not create actual new footage? I suppose we will have to wait until April 5th...! |
17 February 2009
VegettoEX @ 5:15 pm EST -- Check it over on Game Trailers. It's fully in English, but it's technically the Japanese trailer for the upcoming PSP fighting game based on the upcoming live-action movie.
Be amazed at the "KamayamaYA!" pronunciation among a couple halfway-interesting things like "character" and "story". Moderate sarcasm aside, I'm going to have to get this damn PSP fixed so I can review the game in the coming months.
I'm done with updates for the day, and am heading back to Street Fighter IV. I swear.
VegettoEX @ 3:00 pm EST -- Ah, what the heck. Let's fill in those holes over in the "Animation" gallery.
132 screens from the Sparking! NEO opening are available for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy, and don't miss the ones below!
VegettoEX @ 12:28 am EST -- Due to being sick, taking a nap earlier, and now looking for some grunt work to keep myself busy with, I've gone ahead and updated the "Animation" gallery.
120 screens from the Infinite World opening are available for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy! |
15 February 2009
VegettoEX @ 2:51 pm EST -- Episode #0164 of the podcast is available for download! This week Meri and I discussed those few hints at "love" we see in the series, and the relationships that form this love. Trust me, you have to dig pretty deep to find this stuff in a shônen like DB, but there are some bits here and there. Definitely check it out.
In other news, our buddy sangofe has let us know that France is going to be seeing a new DVD boxset release for the DBZ series.
Here's a run-down on the info for this release:
General information:
- Aspect ratio: 4:3
- Distributor: TF1 VIDEO
- Number of DVDs: 17
- Episodes: 001-117
- Price: €170
- Release company: AB VIDEO
- Release date: 19 March 2009
All episodes have been remastered from scratch and are presented in the correct 4:3 aspect ratio by a team of fans at AB France (we are unsure which of film masters were used). The parts of the French dub where there had previously been some type of censoring have been replaced with the Japanese soundtrack with subtitles. The voice actor for Goku (as opposed to the Japanese version's own narrator) recorded all of the episode title card narrations, where none previously existed for this dub. The Japanese version will be included in addition to the French dub. Finally, next-episode previews are included, but will only appear with Japanese audio.
Go France! |
13 February 2009
VegettoEX @ 9:16 am EST -- For all those who love long tirades of text to complement the audio goodness we deliver every week, you are certainly in for a treat today. First up, the "Newbie Guide" has been significantly updated to bring everyone up-to-speed with the events going on both in the US and Japan. If you feel that anything else significant has been left out, absolutely let us know. We think it's back to a good place, though, and encourage everyone to check it out. Yes, we'll eventually add some pictures into the mix! ^_~
We also have a new page added to our "Movie Guide" which further expands the feature-length, non-"movie" material that has been released for the series. While we do not yet have the general information page done for it yet, the summary for the Terebikko feature+game, DragonBall Z: Atsumare! Gokû Wârudo, has been done for a while and we would rather share it with you now than hold onto it any longer.
Enjoy, and look forward to a special podcast this weekend!
Want updates on when things like these go up? Follow me on Twitter! :P |
11 February 2009
VegettoEX @ 12:23 pm EST -- We've known that the game is due out 19 March 2009 over in Japan (not to mention the general Asian version of the game, as well), but now we have confirmation of an American release date. Amazon is listing a $39.99 price point for a 7 April 2009 release date, just in time for the movie, itself. You can hear a first-hand account of the game from our buddy Bryce over on the most recent podcast episode from his play-through up at New York Comic-Con.
Also, Ryûsei Nakao (Tambourine / Freeza / Coola) has been officially announced as a Guest of Honor yet again for North Carolina's Animazement 2009. Think I may go... |
08 February 2009
VegettoEX @ 6:16 pm EST -- Episode #0163 of the podcast is available for download! This week we brought on our buddies Hujio and Herms from Kanzentai to discuss the biggest news of the last decade, which you've no doubt read below. In case you missed it, DragonBall Z is getting a "refreshed" production for airing on Japanese television, including a complete re-voicing by the original cast, an extended widescreen presentation, new special effects, and more. Definitely check it out.
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06 February 2009
VegettoEX @ 9:20 am EST -- Forget the American live-action movie... this is perhaps the biggest news to hit since DragonBall GT ended in Japan back in 1997! We've heard rumblings since last month about this on our forum via our new-favorite-inside-source "Wasted Wisher", but now that Jump confirms it, I think we all feel a little more comfortable sharing the information (due to it being so strange-yet-incredible).
Another big thanks to kei17 over in Japan for the Jump scan and translation/information. Let's just break it down clearly and quickly for you, since I'm pretty sure that we can all barely contain our excitement:
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The DBZ TV series is receiving an extensive "refresh" for Japanese television airing
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This is a celebration of the 20th anniversary of DBZ
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While based on the original animation production, it is being updated with new technology
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This includes extending the frames for formatting on an HD 16:9 display (note: not cropping the image)
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The original Japanese cast is re-grouping to re-voice the show (where available, and unfortunately not including those that have passed on, such as Hirotaka Suzuoki [Tenshinhan])
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Sound effects are being updated
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Unlike the general show, the OPs and EDs are being completely redone
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While not in the above announcement, other reports are noting that the number of episodes is being reduced from 291 to approximately 100
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This begins 05 April 2009 @ 9 am
This is huge. Expect additional clarification over the coming days, and a podcast dedicated to this sole topic this weekend. |
03 February 2009
VegettoEX @ 10:49 am EST -- Our good ol' buddy Greg just took a quick capture for us from television over in Japan... showcasing Shenlong in the upcoming live-action movie! As far as I know, this is the first time we're seeing him... but since I don't follow this quite as closely as some others, maybe I missed it before.
There you go! You can check out his video on YouTube.
VegettoEX @ 8:54 am EST -- We are not intentionally covering only material related to the Japanese release of the upcoming live-action movie, but it certainly seems like it's coming in all in one giant barrage.
Anime News Network (by way of Sankei News) reports that Akira Toriyama himself sketched Ayumi Hamasaki as "Goku" for her CD single release of "Rule" (the international theme song for Dragon Ball Evolution).
This is the first time that Toriyama is responsible for this type of music-related release. The first pressing of the release will have these sketches, though there is no confirmation on whether or not it will resurface down the line for additional pressings of the CD.
We have the CD+DVD combo on pre-order, and will be reviewing the entire package once it comes in. It all drops 25 February 2009 in Japan. |
02 February 2009
VegettoEX @ 9:11 am EST -- Our forum member kei17 dug into the Newtype website's news section to grab a list of the Japanese voice actors & actresses playing the roles in the upcoming American-made live-action movie. We will link over to the corresponding encyclopedia page on Anime News Network for each seiyû.
Of the group, only Hisao Egawa and Mami Koyama have actually played any characters in the DragonBall anime, and even then only as some of the more "minor" characters. While it's true that Masako Nozawa probably would not match up that well with Justin Chatwin, it is a shame that the actual characters' voices for the last two decades could not slide in. Maybe it was an "all or nothing" situation...? The talent management firm(s)...? It's a shame, really! They are all well-established and talented people, but I don't think anyone will deny that it would have been pretty cool to have the actual cast of the show doing the voices in the movie... |
01 February 2009
VegettoEX @ 3:33 pm EST -- One of them is slightly delayed (you may have noticed it missing in your feeds!), but Episode #0161 and #0162 of the podcast are available for download. Everything is back to normal here at the Daizenshuu EX headquarters, so we were able to go ahead and toss up #0161 into the feed (it was actually there last night), and also put up #0162 right on time! In last week's #0161, we took a look at the CD single and full soundtrack for Infinite World, which recently came out in Japan. In #0162, we took a look at volume 24 in our on-going "Manga Review of Awesomeness". Definitely check it out.
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