Hi all! Just a few quick updates for you. The first is the news about Gatchaman Crowds. As has already been noted here in another thread, the series has proven popular enough that it will be returning! At this point, the only solid info is that the series will be called "Gatchaman Crowds Second," and that it will air once again on NTV. I think they should have gone with "Gatchaman Crowds II," and then a third series could have been "Gatchaman Crowds Fighter," but maybe that's just me. No staff or voice cast has been announced, though it is expected that the major players from the first series will be involved. No premiere date has been set, but it's safe to say that it will be sometime in 2014. Anyway, more news when it happens! In the meantime, you can enjoy this banner announcing the new series that has appeared on the Gatchaman Crowds website: Second, the release date for the Sentai Filmworks Gatchaman Blu-Ray and DVD releases has been pushed back to December 10th. So, while you won't be able to watch them on Halloween, you should be able to enjoy them over the holidays. Lastly, Sentai Filmworks has also announced that they will be releasing the Time Bokan OAVs, titled "Time Bokan: Royal Revival," with a new English dub and subtitling. These OAVs are notable for Gatchaman fans because the Nambu and the Science Ninja Team appear briefly in the second of the two OAVs that will be on this disc (Along with numerous other classic Tatsunoko characters). Also, Katsuji Mori and Kazuko Sugiyama returned to voice their roles as Ken and Jun. As Time Bokan is a comedy, the characters have some funny moments that are well worth watching. You might recall that these OAVs were released here in 2005 by U.S. Manga Corps. You might also recall that their dub was fairly awful and their subtitles were even worse (Calling Hurricane Polymer "Polymer, the Mecha Gorilla?"). Sentai won't have to work hard to raise the bar on that one. According to Sentai's press release, these OAVs will be "available soon through select digital outlets with a home video release to follow in 2014." Just as a reminder, here's the cover from the U.S. Manga Corps release: And that should bring you up to date on things you ought to know! James

Thank you so much, James! Now I know what to ask for my birthday (even if it will be a couple days late) and for Christmas. (Pleeeeese, Santa? I swear I had nothing to do with that Stormageddon thing that's terrorizing Europe!)

The Time Bokan DVD is definitely interesting, from many perspective. And it's more than just 'one brief appearance', as the SCience Ninja Team shows up in a later scene, with quite a bit of focus on Ken and Jun, particularly Jun. Very worth watching!

I'm very much looking forward to the Gatch Blu-ray release (especially since I missed out on the old ADV DVD's).

Originally posted by Transmute Jun The Time Bokan DVD is definitely interesting, from many perspective. And it's more than just 'one brief appearance', as the SCience Ninja Team shows up in a later scene, with quite a bit of focus on Ken and Jun, particularly Jun. Very worth watching!

Really? I might have to give it a go.

The Time Bokan cover says 'Special Guest Star Ken from Battle of the Planets'. How could they make that mistake?

IDK, is it some kind of anime spoof?

Originally posted by KT1972 IDK, is it some kind of anime spoof?

I can't speak for the original series, but the spinoff Yatterman is! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wr5Hw7g-Sj4

oh dear...poor Jun!! Lol...

Originally posted by ElectricWhite I can't speak for the original series, but the spinoff Yatterman is!

So I'll let James step in here as the expert on all things Tatsunoko, but this is not a spinoff of Yatterman. It's actually an early predecessor to Yatterman, and came at least a decade (perhaps 2) before the more recent Yatterman, with which you may be familiar.

Originally posted by Transmute Jun

Originally posted by ElectricWhite I can't speak for the original series, but the spinoff Yatterman is!

So I'll let James step in here as the expert on all things Tatsunoko, but this is not a spinoff of Yatterman. It's actually an early predecessor to Yatterman, and came at least a decade (perhaps 2) before the more recent Yatterman, with which you may be familiar.

Uh, TJ, I didn't say Time Bokan was a spinoff. Yatterman is.

Originally posted by tatsunokofan Second, the release date for the Sentai Filmworks Gatchaman Blu-Ray and DVD releases has been pushed back to December 10th. So, while you won't be able to watch them on Halloween, you should be able to enjoy them over the holidays. James

I've read online that people who ordered through rightstuf have stated they've already received their orders, or have received notice their orders have shipped.

Hi all!

Originally posted by Transmute Jun So I'll let James step in here as the expert on all things Tatsunoko, but this is not a spinoff of Yatterman. It's actually an early predecessor to Yatterman, and came at least a decade (perhaps 2) before the more recent Yatterman, with which you may be familiar.

Okay, a pocket history of the Time Bokan shows. The original "Time Bokan" was a comedy series that ran for 61 episodes on Japanese TV in 1975 and 1976. The show featured heroes and villains who travelled through time -- the heroes searching for the lost inventor of their time machine and the villains searching for the rare dynamond -- and the goofy adventures they had in different histoical periods. In short order, the three villain characters became more popular among viewers than the heroes, and more and more of the stories focused on their antics and eventual defeats by the heroes. Time Bokan The series was popular enough that, after it ended, it was followed immediately by a sequel series, "Yatterman." The heroes of the series were Yatterman 1 and Yatterman 2, but the true leads in the series were once again the villains. These villains were essentially modified versions of the villains from "Time Bokan," looking the same but wearing new outfits, given similar sounding names, and using the same three voice actors. "Yatterman" was very successful, running for 108 episodes over 1977 to 1979. Yatterman "Yatterman" was followed up by another sequel, "Zendaman." Like "Yatterman," "Zendaman" had new heroes facing off against modified versions of the same villains (Slightly different look, similar names, same voice actors), and lasted a year between 1979 and 1980 (52 episodes). "Zendaman" was followed by "Otasukeman" (1980 to 1981, 53 episodes), which was followed by "Yattodetaman" (1981 to 1982, 52 episodes), which was followed by "Ippatsuman" (1982 to 1983, 58 episodes), and "Itadakiman" (1983, 20 episodes). All these shows followed similar patterns of pitting the heroes against modified versions of the same three villains in comedic battles, with the villains as the true stars of the show. These seven series were grouped together under the umbrella title "Time Bokan Series." Zendaman Otasukeman Yattodetaman Ippatsuman Itadakiman Following "Itadakiman," the "Time Bokan Series" went on an extended hiatus. Tatsunoko made several proposals for more follow up series, but none made it to a production stage. By the early 1990s, the OAV market was well established in Japan, and fans of the "Time Bokan Series" shows were adults who were nostalgic for their childhood favorite. This led to the 2 volume "Time Bokan: Royal Revival" OAV series, released in 1993 and 1994. It is these two 30 minutes tales that are being released here. The first volume has the villains from the seven "Time Bokan Series" shows face off against each other in a race, with the winners being the stars of the second volume in the series. The second volume has those winners in a story where they go to the Tatsunokon Kingdom and encounter the stars from a number of different Tatsunoko shows. Time Bokan: Royal Revival The "Time Bokan Series" added a new chapter in 2000 (26 episodes), when TV Tokyo aired "Kiramekiman." After that, the "Time Bokan Series" went into hiatus again until 2008, when a remake of "Yatterman" was produced. This series ran for 60 episodes over 2008 and 2009. It was while this series was airing that the live action "Yatterman" movie was released in 2009. The "Time Bokan Series" franchise has been taking a rest again since then, but it is likely that this rest is only temporary. Kiramekiman Yatterman This is only the main highlights of the overall "Time Bokan Series" shows, and doesn't include the various movies, the radio show, the comics, and more, but you get the idea. As you probably guessed, the original "Yatterman" is far and away the most popular show from the run. Whenever there are any sort of polls regarding which tatsunoko production is the best, it's always aneck-and-neck race between "Gatchaman" and "Yatterman." I hope this helps at least a little.

Thank you, James! It helps a lot! And I learned a lot from reading through this!

Wow. I had no idea it was that extensive. Thanks James for the info.

Always many thanks for your precious and kind info, James! You always keep us on track!

I always learn something new from you, James! Thanks!