Hi all! Vap has updated the information regarding their upcoming release of the live action Gatchaman movie, providing more details about what will be on the bonus features disc. That disc will have "...more than 100 minutes of bonus features!" These will include: A "Making of" video titled "The Bonds of the Five People" Two "How Gatchaman Was Made" videos; a "G Suits Edition" and a "Visual Effects Edition" A collection of the promotional videos, theatrical trailers, and TV spots The five "Good Morning Ninja Team Gatchaman" episodes that aired on the "Zip!" morning show the week before the movie premiered, guest starring Tori Matsuzaka and Go Ayano as themselves. The "Movie Good Morning Ninja Team Gatchaman" short that ran before the movie during its theatrical release. Also included will be a booklet on the movie. People who purchase the movie in brick-and-mortar stores in Japan will get an additional bonus; a set of 5 "Planning Design Visual Sheets." These sheets have small selection of some of the preproduction design images created for the movie. Four of these sheets will be the same wherever the movie is bought, but Tsutaya, Tower Records, and Yodobashi Camera stores will each have their own unique fifth sheet. Here's what the sheets will look like: While I know that plenty of people here were hoping that they'd decide to include an English subtitle option for the film, it does not look like that will happen. As I said earlier, the movie will be released on home video in Japan on March 5th. The Blu-ray release will retail for 6,090 yen, and the DVD release will retail for 5,040 yen, and can be preordered from places like Amazon Japan or CD Japan. James

Disappointed about no subtitles but what nice "extras"! Maybe we will get a fan subtitled version someday...

I agree on the nice list of extras, that's quite a collection! Too bad about the subtitles. :/ When one of my Gatch purchases arrived from Japan, the ebay seller had included a little note saying that as an anime fan, he thought it was great that people outside Japan were also fans. I thought that was very sweet.

Subtitles would have been nice. Oh well. I'd love to see those promotional cards enlarged for the detail. Is that possible, James? Thanks for sharing!

Hi all!

Originally posted by Becky Rock I'd love to see those promotional cards enlarged for the detail. Is that possible, James?

At this point, no. None of the websites for the individual shops has any mention of the sheets -- probably because they will only be available in store locations and not through their websites. Vap isn't making them large and clear because they want you to go to the stores and buy the movie, not snagging the images from their website. Once the movie is released to stores, it is likely that some of those sheets will end up on Yahoo! Japan Auctions, and we might be able to get clear pictures of them then. James

Thanks for the update, James! I guess I'll be waiting for a bootleg version in China again to get those English subtitles...

Originally posted by Transmute Jun Thanks for the update, James! I guess I'll be waiting for a bootleg version in China again to get those English subtitles...

Isn't that the truth.

Thanks for sharing, James! Waiting for English subtitles it is!!

Thank you for the update James. Now to try and find a price converter. Maybe I can get my buddy to find me one over there

Hi all! With the home video release coming up, oh, tomorrow, Vap has arranged a collaboration between two of their properties to help promote the release. You see, Vap has an online humor series called "Ponkotsu Quest," where villain characters from a fictitious RPG video game will relax during their off hours and grumble and complain about their workaday life, just like the rest of us. In their latest installment, two of the characters are about to go on a "business trip," where they are to lend their support to Gallactor in their battle against Gatchaman. A Gallactor soldier is meeting with the characters to give them a rundown of who the members of Gatchaman are, and their relationships with each other. It all gets a bit confusing for the characters, and it ends pretty much how most Gatchaman-versus-Gallactor battles do, but not without the Gallactor soldier mentioning that the movie is coming out on DVD and Blu-ray! It's all a bit silly, is entirely in Japanese, and runs 4 minutes, but if you want to see it, it can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pd_joilLC0 James

I found this to be kind of cute. Thanks, James!

Ha! Very cute! Thanks James!

I received my blu-ray of the movie today from amazon.co.jp. It's way better than I had imagined (after reading some mediocre reviews). I don't understand a word of Japanese, but it was easy to follow and there's actually some dialogue in English. Gus

Thanks for the mini-review, Gus! I agree, I was able to follow most of the movie, but I still have a lot of plot-related questions. So yeah, I'm still searching for those elusive English subtitles...

Hi all! It took less than a week, but the first of the non-Japanese releases of the movie appeared on eBay last night -- this one from Taiwan. Sadly, the only subtitle option on this particular release is in Chinese. So, while the movie can be yours for a mere $22.99 ($19.99 for the disc, $3.00 for shipping), this one won't do you much good if you're looking for the movie with English subtitles. I'll keep watching for one that fills that requirement, and will let you know when I see one. Regardless, the film is starting to appear from the usual Chinese sources, so it should just be a matter of time. James

Thanks, James! I'm keeping an eye out on Amazon for something similar (which is where I found the Yatterman movie from China with English subtitles).

Am already rubbing my hands!

Hi all!

Originally posted by Transmute Jun Thanks, James! I'm keeping an eye out on Amazon for something similar (which is where I found the Yatterman movie from China with English subtitles).

Great! When you see one there, let us know! Or perhaps one will turn up online somewhere else. At some point, it will appear! It's really only a matter of 'when,' not 'if.' James

Hi all! Okay, the first eBay listings for DVDs of the Gatchaman movie with English subtitles have now appeared on eBay. As of when I'm writing this, there are three listings for them (Here, here, and here), though I'm sure there will be more in the immediate future. This particular version is coming from Malaysia. I have not seen this release, so I have no information on the quality of the translation. Likewise, I have not dealt with any of the sellers, so I cannot recommend one over another. So, if you've been waiting for a version of the movie with English subtitles, they are now out there. James

Thanks, James! I'm sure some people have been sitting at their computers, coiled and ready to pounce on such an offer!

Have asked the son to buy me it for Mother's day..... fingers crossed!

Oooh, how exciting. Will definitely be getting that when my Gatch fan stuff $ builds back up ... (takes a while since it comes from things like bringing in returnable bottles and cans)

Okay, I've taken the plunge! (Crosses fingers, hoping it's a good translation...)

I just ordered mine, too! I'm with you, EW...hoping the translation is decent!

Okay, I got one too! Interesting how this seems to be a 'pre-order', as the DVD will not be released for another few weeks.

Hi all!

Originally posted by Becky Rock I'd love to see those promotional cards enlarged for the detail. Is that possible, James?

I just received two of the sets of Visual Sheets, a standard version and aTsutaya stores exclusive version. The sheets themselves are 7 1/2" x 5 1/4", and are printed on thin plastic. So you can finally see the images a little more clearly, here they are: In the Tsutaya exclusive version of this set, the final sheet was replaced by this one: I haven't found either the Tower Records or the Yodobashi Camera exclusive sets yet, but this should still give you a good idea of what they're like. James

Thanks James! Nice to see the sheets in their glory...

Thanks so much, James! From the second (set of G-1 versions), it appears their visors can be completely closed. The third picture makes it look as if they're all the same height. I love the fourth the most, but again they make it look as if they're nearly the same height. And the ship does look very much like the version in the OAV. It seemed to me from the movie shots I've seen so far, they don't have the uneven-bottomed capes, even though the drawings show the capes that way. And I'm still wondering why they changed Jun's color to purple.

I like Jun's color as purple: it's darker and still feminine, but less 'girly'. Interesting, in fast action scenes (like combat) she looks closer to Joe than Ken, with these colors. The main thing that bothers me about these uniforms is the back of the uniform head. It looks like it's cybernetics sticking out of the skull or something. A bit of a creepy effect!

They had a similar look to the helmets used by the pilots in the movie Pacific Rim. It was some type of attachment to the spine for controlling the robot.

Thanks James! I love that they didn't put Jun in a miniskirt, all exposed. I also kind of agree with TJ on the purple, it's less "look at the token girl!!!" and purple's a bit more of a powerful color than baby girl pink, heh.

Oh wow, those sheets are amazing James I'm sure we'll get to see all kinds of goodies in the up and coming Bird Scramble. I'm way behind on all things Gatchaman thanks to kiddos and work but so excited to see the movie goodies. You are the best!!!