Product Details

• Actors: Kinnosuke Nakamura
• Directors: Kinnosuke Nakamura
• Format: Color, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled
• Language: Japanese
• Subtitles: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 2
• Rated: Unrated
• Studio: Tokyo Shock
• DVD Release Date: April 29, 2008
• Run Time: 225 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0012R1R2A
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #146,027 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

LONE WOLF & CUB TV SERIES VOL 1 - DVD Movie

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Manga Comes to Life, November 29, 2009

By 

Steven Fujita "Steven Fujita, author of "... (Long Beach, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lone Wolf and Cub Collection 1 (DVD)

I was happy to see this collection on the dvd shelf because I really want to buy the series, but kept putting it off because of the price of the previous releases which only had two discs per release. With this release, there are six discs, and cover the first three volumes of the previous releases.

There is a debate between which is better, the six movie series which starred Tomisaburo Wakayama, or the television version, which starred Kinnosuke Yorozuya. And to be honest, I like both equally.

While the movies combine some of the plots of the manga, each episode of the tv series cover one storyline. The premise, in a nutshell, is official executioner for the shogun, Itto Ogami, is framed by the Yagyu clan, and instead of committing hara-kiri, escapes and raises money to someday exact revenge on the Yagyu and restore his family's name. He raises this money by becoming a hired assassin, traveling with his three year old son, Daigoro.

The relationship between father and son seem stoic, but there is a clear bond between the two. Ogami is an assassin, but it seems he only kills bad guys. It is these two factors that make these episodes work. He puts his son in constant danger, but you forgive him because of the life he leads. He kills people to earn money, but you forgive him beacuse of the people he kills. They live a brutal existence, and you root for their survival.

Kinnosuke Yorozuya is a much more soft hearted Ogami than the one Wakayama plays in the movies, and what's really impressive is the blend of being stoic and showing affection for his son and showing emotional compassion towards his clients all at the same time. As far as the action, it's classic chambara tv action. Certainly not on par with what Sonny Chiba would do a decade later with the fight choreography, but on level with what you would have seen in any other samurai drama.

This collection has the first 13 episodes of the show. No extras, just the episodes and some movie trailers of I suppose movies that are part of the dvd library of Tokyo Shock.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Box Set., July 9, 2008

By 

Perkins "...the Uncanny" (Birmingham, West Midlands, England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lone Wolf & Cub (TV) Volume 1 (DVD)

This is an excellent TV series, not as bloody as the films but it is more faithful to the original Manga books.
My biggest criticism is that Media Blasters are only putting two episodes per disc. Apart from the cost, that's an AWFUL lot of DVD's taking up shelf space.
The good news is that there will be a box set, the bad news is it could be some time coming.
Even though I have bought the first two releases (and enjoyed them enormously) I think I'll wait for the Box Set.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars yorozuya kinnosuke stars as ogami ittou, February 27, 2011

By 

OregonCoast "OregonCoast" (Oregon Coast, OR USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Lone Wolf and Cub Collection 1 (DVD)

Lone Wolf and Cub Collection 1 and 2 together comprise season 1 (April through September 1973) of the TV-serialization of the manga of the same name. The show originally ran over 3 seasons (1973, 1974, and 1976). Each season aired 26 episodes. The gap between the last two seasons was due to waiting for the manga to complete its serialization in the "Manga Action" magazine.

The TV stories generally follow the manga. The story's setting and principle characters are identical. However some TV episodes combine elements from different subplots in the manga. Readers of the manga (I own the entire series) will notice, and perhaps agree with, the screenwriters' adaptations.

The video quality of the DVD release is not stellar. Film scratches and color fading are apparent. The overall experience is satisfying.

The original TV program in 1973 was a big hit. Schoolboys would pretend to be swordsmen. I felt left out because I was unable to watch the show (I was sent to bed before the show started at 21:30 on Sundays). Truth be told I would not have understood the story then. Complex emotions and motives were out of my grasp at the time.

One bonus feature I wish Tokyo Shock would add to the DVD release is a re-run of the TV ad for instant curry. A comedian impersonating Ogami Ittou would put a pouch of heat-and-serve curry in hot water, and admonish his son Daigoro "sanpunkan matunodazo" ("wait 3 minutes") in a deep raspy voice. We thought that was hilarious!