Bandai Entertainment will release a DVD featuring four episodes of The Big O on June 19, 2001.  The Big O, currently a vital part of the Cartoon Network's Toonami Block (see 'Big O Debut Set'), combines elements of Batman Animated and Metropolis with the Japanese love of big robots.  The Big O DVD will include the full, uncut, Japanese version of the anime.  It will have animated interactive menus, a bilingual language track (English or Japanese), English subtitles, and textless openings.  Special extras include trailers, creator commentary, and staff interviews.  The DVD is rated '13 UP' and will carry a suggested retail price of $24.98.

 

Bandai will also be releasing an anime collector's set of Big O toys (see 'Bandai America Unveils New Line') this summer, so with the DVD and the figure set, retailers will have a chance to profit from one of the most interesting animes of the past few years.  Bandai is not preparing a VHS release of The Big O at this time, but fans and retailers alike should applaud the timely release of the DVD, which will be in stores while the Cartoon Network run of the series is still fresh in the viewers' minds.

 

Escaflowne had a brief run on Fox Kids, but this series by Shoji Kawamori (Macross Plus) which mixes fantasy and adventure elements, deserved a better fate than Fox's attempt to shoehorn it into the straight 'boy's adventure' format of  American TV.  In June Bandai is releasing two volumes containing the final six episodes of Escaflowne on both DVD and VHS.   The VHS tapes for Volume 6 & 7 are available only in dubbed versions, while the DVDs include both English and Japanese subtitles as well as such extras as trailers, interviews, Esca PSX Animation footage, concert clips and the Escaflowne movie trailer. The DVDs of Vol. 6 & 7 will retail for $29.98, while the VHS tapes will go for $19.98.

 

Bandai is also releasing Angel Links: Fallen Angel, another fascinating anime with a US television connection.  Angel Links is set in the same rough and ready science fiction universe as the Cartoon Network's hit anime Outlaw Star (see 'Outlaw Star Makes the Lycos Top 50').  Angel Links introduces new characters and new villains but maintains the exciting Outlaw Star background of the pirate-infested Oracion star system.  Just as with The Big O, Bandai is only releasing a DVD version of Angel Links at this time.  It has become apparent that one of the big advantages of the DVD format is that it has enabled manufacturers like Bandai to market anime titles in the U.S. much more quickly than when they had to create separate dubbed and subbed VHS versions.  The Angel Links DVD includes both Japanese and English soundtracks (with optional English subtitles) as well as trailers for the series.

 

In June Bandai is also releasing the third collection of Saber Marionette J on DVD. This special two-DVD set includes eight full episodes of the series with a total of 200 minutes of anime.  Once again this collection is only being released at this time on DVD.  The DVD has lots of extras including both Spanish and English soundtracks (along with Japanese) and both English and Spanish subtitles, as well as animated interactive menus, music videos, and trailers.  The suggested retail for this two-disk set is $44.98.