Star Blazers - The Quest for Iscandar - The Complete Series I Collection (Episodes 1- 26)
by Leiji Matsumoto
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DVD details
Actor: Amy Howard Wilson, Eddie Allen, Kenneth Meseroll, Lydia Leeds, Michael BertoliniDirector: Leiji Matsumoto
Producer: Yoshinobu Nishizaki
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
Format: Animated, Box set, Color, DVD, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 598 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2001-09-26
Audience Rating: Unrated
Studio: Voyager
DVD Reviews of Star Blazers - The Quest for Iscandar - The Complete Series I Collection (Episodes 1- 26)
DVD Review: Excellent Release for what Voyager has access to
Summary: 3 Stars
People have to Understand that Voyager Entertainment as a small company charge more for their dvd's and have less money to spend on materials or remastering. They have done a fine job on what they have had access to.
The video masters look the best they can from the ones they own, and they audio English dub has never sounded cleaner.
They don't have the rights to the uncut japanese audio or video masters.
There was a recent expensive season 1 set in japan for an equivalent of 400 american dollars that Had season 1 remastered from the original negative in an HD telecine and 35mm original masters. What voyager has are video masters probably a dupe of the master 16mm tv negative reduced from the original 35mm one. And therefore being several generations removed is not the best quality.
This is the best english version you are going to get or see marketed here in America. To expect voyager to Have the same resources and money as well as the masters that bandai of japan has is ludicrous.
This is a big if. But if they did get access to the new telecine from japan they would have to recreate the censored and cut starblazers from scratch like the US release of Voltron. They also don't have the license to the japanese Show Space Battleship Yamato as it was originally and uncut.
One thing the japan releases do have real Dolby Digital stereo mixes not faux Dolby Digital because voyager could not afford to pay Dolby inc for to slap the name on the box.
DVD Review: The Star Force's mission to Iscandar is chronicled on this set
Summary: 4 Stars
This set contains all twenty-six episodes that comprise the first Star Blazers series are included. It should be noted that there are some errors when it comes to the chapter marks on the DVDs. However, the messed up chapter marks are the only real complaint I have with this set.
The first disc contains the first five episodes of the series, as well as two bonus features. The first bonus feature is labeled as "Planet Earth: 2199 A.D." This is a text-only feature that talks about the history of the war between Earth and Gamilon. However, if you just let a page of the text just sit without clicking on "Next" after a pre-determined about of time, the DVD will automatically move you onto the next page, whether you're done reading the first page or not. Personally, I found that aspect of the feature to be rather frustrating. The second bonus feature is "The Argo Inspection Tour." This is an external visual inspection, where you can choose what area of the Argo you want to see. From this menu, you are taken to a page that includes stills from the show and production art related to that section of the ship.
The second disc contains four episodes of the series, as well as four bonus features. The first feature is a "Crew Roster." This feature includes pictures for the major crew members on the ship, as well as a brief write-up for each character (which includes that character's original name from Space Battleship Yamato). There is a trailer for the third disc of this set, as well as a splash screen that includes the address for the official Star Blazers website. The best bonus feature on this disc, however, is the inclusion of a scene cut from the second episode of the series; this scene depicts the sinking of the original battleship Yamato in 1944.
The third disc contains four episodes, as well as one bonus feature. This feature is labeled as "Interior Deck Configuration." This is similar to "The Argo Inspection Tour" on disc one. However, the interface on this feature is terrible. For whatever reason, I couldn't choose a particular location to look at, even though it has a menu configuration like the inspection tour. It would only let me select the Captain's Cabin, and you had to progress from there. This feature also consisted of stills from the show and production art.
The fourth disc contains four episodes, as well as one bonus feature. Even though it's only one feature, it's a rather extensive feature. This bonus feature includes several selections to learn more about the Gamilon Empire: history, personnel, spacefleet, fightercraft, bases, weapons, and mecha. Each section has text, and is illustrated by production art and stills from the show.
The fifth disc in the set contains four episodes, as well as two bonus features. The first feature is labeled as "Equipment of the Star Force." This feature includes labeled production art of the various mecha, weapons, and equipment used in the series; in fact, it even includes a film projector. The second feature is labeled as "Friends & Enemies." This is a gallery of the minor characters, done in the same way as the "Crew Roster" on disc two. However, I thought it was rather interesting that Queen Starsha wasn't included in this feature, since it is due to her that the Star Force goes to Iscandar in the first place.
The final disc in the set contains the final five episodes of the series, as well as one bonus feature. This is the "Argo Mission Map." It's divided into four sections (three for the trip to Iscandar, and one for the return trip to Earth). There are dots on the maps for each place the Star Force visited in the series. If you click on a dot, it shows the date(s) they were there, as well as a write-up for what happened at each place. The write-up is illustrated with stills from the show.
If you're a fan of Star Blazers and want to get all of the Quest for Iscandar series on DVD, then I would recommend purchasing this set.
DVD Review: Another HORRIBLE Dubbed Voyager release
Summary: 1 Stars
Why won't this company realize that real fans don't want hokey, non remastered, dubbed, 1970's American TV quality versions of classic Anime! Oh, they don't mind charging you 3 times more than all the other companies who DON'T have substandard releases. Pathetic, I really hope the rights to Space Battleship Yamato are purchased by a company that actually knows what it's doing.DVD Review: Outstanding!
Summary: 5 Stars
The Star Blazers Quest for Iscandar series is a faithful adaptation of the original. The bonus features showing the different ships and the cut scene from the Japanese series were very good.
Minor points that have been brought up by others:
1) The series hasn't been digitally cleaned up. That would have been nice, but it doesn't detract from the overall enjoyment of the program.
2) The episodes don't have the part with Wildstar introducing scenes from the next episode. It doesn't seem to be that great a loss, but one does wonder why they did it.
Even so, the series is a wonderful addition to any anime collection!
DVD Review: Have I changed or the series?
Summary: 2 Stars
I remember being enthralled with this series when it came on TV years ago; it was the one show that my son and I would not miss. We awaited each new installment with great anticipation.
So we decided to purchase this series of discs when they were offered; they (the discs) were expensive, but you know what those good memories are like...well, they sometimes have a way of clouding sound judgement.
And with the result...
What a disappointment; what a bore! Have I changed that much with time? I fail to understand how this series could have, at one time, enamoured me so much. Now, this childish, immature cartoon series, that I once thought was so great, has me shaking my head in disbelief.
One of the other reviewers, seemed to indicate that something had been left out; maybe so, because something seems different. But then, maybe it's me. In any event, a major letdown! 2 Stars...1 Star (because it's the least available) plus 1 Star for the memories.
Description of Star Blazers - The Quest for Iscandar - The Complete Series I Collection (Episodes 1- 26)
The original Sci-Fi adventure series that created a generation of anime fans-and still stands at the head of the pack-is finally available on DVD! The star blazers series 1 DVD collection contains the entire 26-episode series on 6 DVDs, each in its own package and loaded with bonuses, from deleted scenes to music tracks to brand new image galleries. Relive all the drama and excitement as the star force launches for the first time in the space battleship Argo on their epic 148,000 light year quest for Iscandar! Standing against them is Desslock and the might of the Gamilon Empire... and the fate of Earth hangs in the balance!The first animated work from Leiji Matsumoto, who would create the popular Captain Harlock saga, Star Blazers (Uchu Senkan Yamato or Space Cruiser Yamato, 1974) was a landmark program in Japan and America. When it aired in syndication in the U.S. in 1979, the character names were anglicized (Susumu Kodai became Derek Wildstar; Admiral Okita, Captain Avatar, etc.), the violence and drinking were heavily censored, and the World War II connections of the Yamato were tactfully downplayed. The Quest for Iscandar comprises the first 26-episode continuity; two additional TV series and several features would follow. In the year 2199, the war with the planet Gamilon has turned the Earth's surface into a radioactive desert. The radiation will penetrate the bedrock protecting humanity's underground cities in another year, destroying all remaining life. A message arrives from Queen Starsha of the planet Iscandar, offering a way to eliminate the deadly radiation and providing plans for an engine that can power a ship across the 148,000 light-year gap. Scientists convert the ruined shell of the battleship Yamato into a starship in a desperate attempt to save the planet, and the perilous voyage begins. The animation and character designs look very dated, but Gen-Xers who grew up watching it remember Star Blazers vividly. The bonus materials include a virtual tour of the Argo, an interactive map of the journey to Iscandar, and some footage deleted from the American broadcast version. Unrated; suitable for ages 8 and up: Violence largely restricted to spaceship and robot attacks. --Charles Solomon
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