Customer Reviews

Battle of the Planets - Ultimate Set with Limited Edition Toy

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

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First of all, Battle of the Planets is great Anime. Its wonderfully drawn and the stories are well told.

If you're looking at this specific set as an introduction - I would however, suggest you begin with BOTP (Battle Of The Planets) Vol.1 as this DVD boxed set starts at a point further into the Gatchaman storyline.

I honestly feel a little clarification is needed here with regards to this DVD set.

The set contains 4 discs. Episodes 14 through 27 are featured but episodes 19 and 20 are not included. I'm not sure why (perhpas there's a BOTP fan who can explain) but its worth mentioning.

In order to get a COMPLETE set (note the title of this boxed set is "ultimate" not "complete"), you have to purchase the previously released VOLUMES (Volumes 1 through 6). This DVD set starts off with the storyline started in those volumes.

Is it a good set - Oh yea! Its very cool and very watchable, just know what you're getting.

I would suggest - start with the individual volumes and then puchase this DVD set to continue your collection.

Happy viewing.
Best Regards,
turtlex

It was a sheer delight to see Battle of the Planets again, twenty years since it was last aired on television. This box set takes up where the individual releases leave off (volumes 1 through 6 of the single DVD releases) and so starts at episode 13, about where the artwork and the characterization really begins to fall into shape. Since the episodes weren't intended to air in order, the viewer doesn't miss out on any continuity, but by starting in the middle you really benefit from voice actors who have a handle on their characters and stories worth watching.

The bonus features were a pleasure: subtitled episodes of Gatchaman, the anime from which Battle of the Planets was created, and also interviews with the original cast members. I LOVE Ronnie Schell! He made Jason come alive for me and I never forgot his voice, even after all this time. It was a thrill to hear their recollections of creating the series. It sounded as if they were really enjoying themselves, and that must have contributed to why this show has such longevity.

The original show itself has some problems--notably the robot narrator and the sanitized violence--which are more glaring to an adult than they were to us in our childhood. I think that by watching both versions, we get the full experience: we remember why we loved the show, and we see what it truly was. I highly recommend this box set. I especially recommend the limited edition Jason action figure with his civilian car. I've already had to convince my daughter it's Mommy's toy and not hers! I would definitely buy this all over again if I had to, and it's terrific to see this show once more.

This Box Set ONLY includes episodes 13-24. Episodes 1-12 were released in sets of two already. So if you want the first 12 episodes, you need to buy Battle of the Planets Vol 1-6 first. This is something that isn't publicized much (not at amazon, either), but Rhino decided to release volumes 7-12 in a box set instead of individual DVDs.

I did not see the word "remastered" anywhere, so don't expect it - the "BOTP" episodes look like the 30-year-old adaptation of a 40-year-old cartoon that they are. The corresponding Gatchaman episodes are a little brighter and clearer becuase they were never messed with. If you own any of the vol 1-6 DVDs, then you already know this.

The sound is terrible. It was terrible on all of the other DVDs, and its the same here. There is a 5.1 sound option on the DVDs, but that's just louder with more bass. Its a much easier experience if you just use the standard sound option.

The previous releases included three versions of the "same" episode: BOTP, G-FORCE and Gatchaman... I believe that one of the DVDs also had an Eagle Riders episode. This Box Set appears to only contain BOTP and Gatchaman versions.

If this is the first DVD that you are buying for BOTP, lower your expectations a bit in terms of audio and video quality... but other than that - its a great ride down memory lane.

Its also an interesting glimpse at reality of children's television in the 70's. Whereas its true that Gatchaman is the source of Battle of the Planets - they are very, very different television shows. Some reasons to watch the subtitled episodes of Gatchaman:

1. You could not kill humans in cartoons, so all of the human troopers became "robots", and all the planes that crashed became un-piloted "drones" for BOTP. In Gatchman, people and animals die all the time. You rarely see Jason fight in BOTP, becuase he almost always ends up killing somebody in Gatchaman.

2. You could not show images of strife and war, so even though Gatchaman took place entirely on Earth, the outer-space theme was introduced in BOTP to make it look like all of the conflicts took place on other planets.

3. Center Neptune, 7-Zark-7 and the Ready Room were all introduced in BOTP as filler to replace all of the violence and censored content of Gatchaman and to anchor the space-theme into the story.

4. Avenging your fathers death by killing those responsible is a very good-samurai-legend-type thing to do in Japanese lore, but its frowned upon in Children's television in the US - so you will be amazed how a little editing and clipping can spin an episode around.

5. It goes on and on...

All of the previous releases, plus this boxed set brings the total up to 24 episodes out of the 85 in the US series (108 episodes in Gatchaman I in Japan), so I beg that Rhino continues producing these collections for the entire series.

In the end, the compromises in the quality don't detract from the excitement and nostalgia of watching this fantasic and ground-breaking show. If you were a fan as a kid - you can't be without this collection.

This is a great DVD set. I loved Battle of the Planets growing up and I find that now I love the original Japanese version EVEN MORE (no 7-Zark-7, continuing storylines, character development and way more action and SCIENCE). It is really great to be able to see how the story was originally intended. The subtitles for the Gatchaman episodes are great and MUCH BETTER than a Gatchaman DVD i was able to get off of EBay!! Defintely get these first so you have some of idea of what the characters names really are before you buy any Gatchaman DVD's.


For those who complained that there were eps missing, they were not BofP eps that were missing. The eps are numbered based on the corresponding Gatchaman eps. Unfortunately, of the 105 Gatchaman eps, only 85 were made into BotP, so the numbers skip when there is no corresponding BotP episode. But don't worry, you're not missing any BotP eps.

Only read this if you want to know the truth about the release of these BOTP. After researching for weeks, I have learned that BOTP eps 1-12 are contained (2 apiece) on DVD's volumes 1 through 6 (plus you get the Gatchaman counterparts and a bonus G-Force). You do not get eps 1-12 (or maybe I am mistaken and it's 1-10) on this Ultimate Set.

This Ultimate Set as I am imformed, contains ONLY eps 13 through 20 OUT OF A TOTAL OF 85! That means that there are about 75 to 77 episodes you DO NOT get.

I feel that the BOTP series is great, and I like Gatchaman too... but these people are trying to turn a dime by selling crap without telling you what episodes it contains. THEY NEED TO SAY that it only contains about eight to ten of a TOTAL of 85 epidodes. Therefore, Ultimate collection, my you-know-what.

There is a serious demand for BOTP media out there, we have the money, and we will wait to buy all 85 DVD's. RESIST THE TEMPTATION to market crap to us or there will be backlash. Although the quality is the same on these as the others, we want the episodes 21 through 85 also, and it is available on ebay in the UK, so everyone buy your international DVD players now at your favorite stores and skip this marketing crud.

When Rhino first released "Battle of the Planets" on DVD I, like most fans of the show, was ecstatic just that the show was finally available to own despite the condition and limited content--no real restoration, and only two episodes per volume which added up to a total of six volumes. This ultimate set picks up where Volume 6 left off, with the next 12 episodes in the series. Sure the picture quality looks pretty much like it did when the show aired in the 70s, and the sound is best left in standard stereo but hey, that's how I've always watched BOTP so it doesn't take away from my enjoyment. You can either critique the flaws in the presentation (and the episodes themselves) to death and not have a good time or you can be a kid again and watch BOTP for what it is--an imaginative piece of early anime with cool heroes, vehicles, weapons, heroics, and adventure. I recommend the latter. BOTP will appeal to the kid in you, while Gatchaman offers more adult substance to compare with. That's the REAL treat of this set. Here are the contents of the set:

Episodes (13-24):
Perilous Pleasure Cruise
The Thing With 1,000 Eyes
Microfilm Mystery
The Alien Beetles
A Whale Joins G-Force
Mad New Ruler Of Spectra
The Sea Dragon
Magnetic Attraction
The Musical Mummy
The Fiery Lava Giant
The Bat-Ray Bombers
Race Against Disaster


Special Features:
*12 original, uncut Gatchaman episodes with English subtitles
*Separate Commentary Track by Janet Waldo (Princess), Alan Young (7 Zark 7), & Ronnie Schell (Jason)
*Exclusive Interviews with Janet Waldo, Casey Kasem (Mark), Alan Young, Ronnie Schell & Jameson Brewer (Executive Producer)
*Memorabilia Gallery
*Cast and Crew Bios
*Promotional Trailers
*Collectible Booklet with Episode Synopses & Trivia


If Rhino continues to release further "ultimate sets" we'll have all the BOTP & Gatchaman episodes in due time.

After ordering this item I had second thoughts after reading how others had rated this box set.Some had said the sound and picture quality was'nt that good.I also was'nt sure if I would have to watch all episodes with subtitles.Come to find out you get the cartoon in english and in Japanese which is good because I would'nt have enjoyed it as much watching all in Japanese with english subtitles.As a kid I loved this cartoon and everything was just as I remember.Sound and picture were fine.If you to loved Battle of the Planets I would recommend this box set.

One of the reviewers above appears to have got the wrong impression of this DVD set. In fact, the review suggests he hasn't even had a look at what the contents actually are. YES, we know BOTP is a sanitised and altered version of Gatchaman, but the beauty of this box set is that you get both the BOTP episodes and the Gatchaman episodes from which they are derived.

Most of us watching in English will remember BOTP, not Gatchaman, and since this is a nostalgia product, that is surely what we would like to see again. Watching the Gatchaman episodes and the documentaries really brings home how drastic and tacky the US alterations to the show were, so it's not as if the superior plotting, writing and atmosphere of Gatchaman is in any way obscured or misrepresented by this package.

At least Battle of the Planets still has cooler music, though. And that's the point of this set: it aims to give you the best of both worlds. What's to complain about?

If you like the classic anime then this IS the DVD to get. Well...after you've bought the first 6 individual discs. This box set starts off where those ended. More great Gatchaman Madness. And you do not just get Battle of the Planets version but also the Gatchaman & G-Force. ALL THREE SERIES!!!! I can't understand how anyone can complain. Definitely one of the few classic series done right the first time.

Too bad all the reviewers don't wait til they actually have the item to review or even know what is in it.

Battle of the Planets is the best cartoon I grew up with and thank the story line for opening the doors to creativity. Today I am thankful for Battle of the Planets that helped develop me as a writer and an artist... we sure need more artists and writers out there...and creativity.

Why are we being left out here in the US while all of Europe can buy the entire series "Battle of the Planets" for their region? I want Battle of the Planets... Rhino animation get it in gear and stop teasing us!!!Release the series, please....


LD