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Speed Racer - Episodes 1-11 
Actors : Katsuji Mori, Michiko Nomura, Yoshiko Matsuo, Kinya Aikawa, Teiji Ômiya
Director : Hiroshi Sasagawa
Studio : Lions Gate
by Lions Gate
Brand : LION'S GATE ENTERTAINMENT
Release Date : 2003-04-22
Publisher : Lions Gate
Availability : Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Number of Items : 1
EAN : 0012236116509
UPC : 012236116509
Avg. Customer Rating: (based on 63 reviews)
List Price : $14.98
Our Price : $7.69
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Product Description |
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The world's favorite high-octane animated hero is back!Roaring into action aboard his trusty Mach-5 it's the intrepid young race car driver who sparked an international cult phenomenon: the one-and-only Speed Racer!Now for the first time ever the first eleven episodes of this classic hugely popular "Japanimation" series are brought together in this special limited edition DVD. Turbo-charged with all of Speed Racer's trademark animated thrills offbeat humor unforgettable characters and cliff-hanger action these collectible specially rematsered episodes are the stuff of every fan's dreams.So fasten your seatbelts-and join Speed girlfriend Trixie Speed's two brothers one mischievous monkey and an outrageous assortment of villains for one fast-lane no-brakes nonstop adventure after another! Ready...Set...Go Speed Racer Go!Includes: The Great Plan Part 1 The Great Plan Part 2Challenge of theiMasked Racer Part 1Challenge of theiMasked Racer Part 2The Secret Engine Part 1The Secret Engine Part 2The Race Against theiMammoth Car Part 1The Race Against theiMammoth Car Part 2The Most Dangerous Race Part 1The Most Dangerous Race Part 2The Most Dangerous Race Part 3System Requirements:Running Time: 120 Minutes. Copyright 2003 Artisan Entertainment.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: TELEVISION/SERIES & SEQUELS Rating: NR UPC: 012236116509 Manufacturer No: 14591 |
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Americancivilwar.com |
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One of the first "Japanimation" series to air in the U.S., Speed Racer (Mach Go Go Go) debuted in syndication in September 1967. Eighteen-year-old Speed Racer wants to become a race car driver, but his father, automotive engineer "Pops" Racer, "blows a gasket" at the idea. Pops, who designed the amazing Mach 5, relents when Speed demonstrates his extraordinary driving skills. He embarks on a series of fantastic adventures that pit him and his friends against Skull Duggery, Snake Oiler, Mr. Wiley, and the Alpha Gang. With their wide chins, large mouths, and small eyes, the Speed Racer characters reflect the influence of contemporary Hanna-Barbara series, rather than the indigenous style the Japanese animation industry would later develop. Members of Gen-X who grew up watching the original show will enjoy this "collector's edition" that offers the first 11 episodes, a theme song sing-along, a villains' gallery, and an interactive demonstration of controls of the Mach 5. (Unrated: suitable for ages 6 and older: mild cartoon violence) --Charles Solomon |
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Speed RULES!!! --- but WHERE ARE THE JAPANESE EXTRAS?! |
This FIRST set is GREAT! The first 2 episodes detail the Mach 5, it's development history, and enough character history to add much enjoyment and fun to the rest of the series. Now as an adult I really appreciate that the art and production quality for the first episode is the same as for the very last; no rough beginning that loses value after watching refined episodes later on. And the stories in this first set are the best introduction to this Great Classic racing (and adventure) series. They'll make devoted fans out of you, leave you anxiously yearning for more, and prepare you to get the most enjoyment from the rest.
Speed Racer was my favorite cartoon growing up. I would pass up an after-school KickBall game to watch Speed and the Coolest Car on Earth. I always laughed myself onto the floor watching Spritle's tears spraying out like fountains. These cartoons were crude ... but they had a unique character and spirit that made refined art, sound, and production irrelevant. In fact the mismatched mouth movements (seemingly due to more than translation) and coarse animation only added to it's unique charm. I've waited a long time for a collection like this.
These characters are beyond endearing. You just love them; even the villains! And the voices are so perfectly cliché, and in that way so uniquely Speed Racer; they're hilarious! The main characters have such great personalities and charm. And you've got to love the 60s/70s music and pop culture as well as the fun Japanese interpretation (and Japanification) of it that stands out to western audiences (like Trixie's sort-of full-bodied winking peace-sign expression and stance). And you'll never forget that great opening sequence in which Speed is frozen in that Groovy Racing/Go-Go pose that spins around in a 3D effect. And the Mach 5! It's as beautiful today as it was so long ago! To me, it's the most beautiful car EVER conceived. I Treasure this great show!
HOWEVER, I agree with other reviewers in that Lion's Gate should have included the ORIGINAL JAPANESE theme song, and it would have been GREAT to have included a whole episode in Japanese as it aired in Japan. Interviews with voice-cast members and the Japanese creators (who've got to be the Grooviest most interesting guys!) would have been nice. Such extras would have made this a much better collection. But they provided none of those things in any of the 5 sets.
Also, they should have put forth some effort to improve the video quality. I have a VHS tape that provides better image quality. It's as if they did not use original masters . . . or perhaps those masters have not been well kept (although it's not terrible).
I'd give the Series itself every star in the Universe, but I have to give the collection only 3 Stars. It could and SHOULD be so much better with the extras and improvements I've mentioned. |
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go speed racer, GO! |
With the imminent release of the "Speed Racer" live action film, a review of the cartoon series that spawned it is in order. This cartoon series having been made in the sixties, shows the simplistic animation prevalent in Japanese cartoons of the period. It's peers, such as Astro Boy, Kimba The White Lion, Gigantor (which were released in Japan under different names) and others, all display this type of animation. There are many adults today, who grew up with these cartoons, that hope the "Speed Racer" Live action film meets or exceeds their expectations. Today's kids won't care, obviously, as their knowledge of this cartoon series is slim to none. It is this reviewers' hope that it WILL be good, and thus possibly reinvigorate interest in the cartoon series.
The episodes following are in volume 1 of the series:
The Great Plan (part 1)
The Great Plan (part 2)
Challenge of the Masked Racer (part 1)
Challenge of the Masked Racer (part 2)
The Secret Engine (part 1)
The Secret Engine (part 2)
The Race Against The Mammoth Car (part 1)
The Race Against The Mammoth Car (part 2)
The Most Dangerous Race (part 1)
The Most Dangerous Race (part 2)
The Most Dangerous Race (part 3)
There are a host of special features included in the DVD that are a must for fans of this popular cartoon series.
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A decent introduction to this classic anime series |
This release contains the first eleven episodes of the series, as well as a few extras; however, only the English dub versions of the episodes are included.
There are a few special features included in a section labeled as, "Speed Racer Files." The special features menu is designed to look like file folders, and you click on the tab of the "file folder" you want to look at.
"Production" gives a text-only history of Tatsunoko Productions, the company that produced Speed Racer in Japan. There is also a text-only history of the U.S. adaptation of the series, a page of lyrics for the Speed Racer theme song and a text-only history of the theme song (including a link to hear the song), and the credits and information for the American voice actors.
"Mach 5" shows the various controls on the steering wheel of the Mach 5. Speed Racer can be heard explaining what a control does when the viewer clicks on it. You can also "see the feature in action" (which is footage from the show).
"Villains' Gallery" includes brief profiles and pictures of eight of the villains.
"Speed Lives On!" provides two links: "Sequels & Spin Offs" and "Speed Merchandise." Under "Sequels & Spin Offs" there is a text-only explanation of The New Adventures of Speed Racer (and the opening credits of the series can be viewed), and a text-only explanation for a Volkswagen commercial that included Speed Racer (however, the actual commercial itself is not included). Under "Speed Merchandise," this is a gallery of merchandise; however, it contained only five items.
My biggest disappointment watching this DVD was the fact that, even though it has chapter marks, they're useless for the viewer. When watching the DVD, you can't use the "skip" function to move ahead to the next chapter; you're forced to use the fast forward button.
The episodes on the disc are actually pretty good. However, I think the design of the DVD menus are a bit clunky, the extras are a bit underwhelming, and I'm disappointed by the fact that the chapter marks are useless for the viewer. I wish that instead of trying to cram eleven episodes onto one disc, that this had been released as a two-disc set with some better bonus features.
If you're a fan of the original Speed Racer anime, this is worth picking up to have the first eleven episodes in your DVD collection. However, just don't expect anything terribly spectacular in the way of special features. |
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Not so silly after all |
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After reading some of the reviews, I thought I might be unhappy when I watched the DVD's for the first time. I can see why they changed the opening credits. They wanted it to match the Trademark that is on everything else. No big deal. The song is the same. The closing credits look just like I remember. The remastered prints are great. The extra content that explains how fast they had to produce the American versions is amazing. A theme song recorded in one day. The sound effects are exactly as I remember growing up. You must get at least the first two DVD's before you see the new movie. |
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Vintage japanese animation"" |
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Come on guys,quit complaining.Be greatful that you have a chance to buy the episodes.I hate people who just pick something to death.I for one am very happy to have these episodes. |
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