Anime that never made the VHS to DVD transition in the UK

I'm not talking about anime that are unlicensed in general - but those that were shown on U.K. TV and just didn't make it to DVD transition (let alone Blu-Ray!)

Sometimes I wish I had kept my VHS tapes!

I remember some classics back in the day when Sci-Fi channel and others had anime on our screens. Unfortunately, probably to due to licensing or unpopularity some never got a DVD release in the U.K. such as:

Blue Sonnet - It may not have been the best anime ever - nevertheless, I enjoyed the shoujo style of the characters, the action and outright 80's of it all (Biker gangs, Psychic abilities and Cyborgs).

Vampire Princess Miyu OVA - I know it's licensed and released on DVD in the U.S., but the AnimeEigo dub (although more accurate in translation) just does not have the charm that the Manga dub had. It's purely for this reason alone why I lament there no being a Region 2 release.

Feel free to add your thoughts/opinions!
 
We lost a lot of UK dubs that way, even though most now live on thanks to the internet.

Nevertheless, I'm quite glad I still have the original VHS tapes for KO Century Beast Warriors and Catgirl Nuku Nuku. Neither dub is particularly outstanding, but I think they've got a certain curiosity value and I have good memories of both.

The UK dub for the Cobra film comes to mind too. Although most of the replacement Yello soundtrack is just licensed music, I think there was one piece that was recorded specifically for the film, so it seems a shame that it's just been allowed to disappear.

The only significant ones I can think of offhand though (that absolutely haven't had a DVD release in English), are two the of the Lupin films; Legend of Gold Babylon and Goodbye Lady Liberty. Gold Babylon is no great loss (only redeeming feature was the theme tune), but Lady Liberty was quite entertaining - probably one of the better tv specials. I don't think it even had a VHS release in the US, so there's a bit of obscurity value there if anyone still has it.

Fake edit: Oh yeah, and the 'Super Deformed Double Feature'. Scramble Wars often gets a kicking from the critics nowadays, but I like it.
 
3x3 eyes has sadly never returned to the UK after its original VHS release dispite a new release and dub in the US. Further examples include Kimagure Orange Road , Cat Girl Nuku Nuku and of course Wings of a Honneamise,
 
Blue Sonnet

Vampire Princess Miyu OVA


I have very fond memories of watching these shows on sci-fi channel when I was about 16 yeas old. I really enjoyed both of them but I don't know if they would hold up now.

Blue Sonnet was the first time I got burned by the ending of a show. You know that there must be more to the story after the last episode ends, but that was all they ever made.
 
Professor Irony said:
The UK dub for the Cobra film comes to mind too. Although most of the replacement Yello soundtrack is just licensed music, I think there was one piece that was recorded specifically for the film, so it seems a shame that it's just been allowed to disappear.
Discotek were looking into getting the Manga UK dub with Yello soundtrack for their R1 DVD release but nixed the idea once they realised it was recorded on PAL tape, as converting that to NTSC would cause problems for both video and audio. Alas, it's destined to be lost to time.

I dunno if it was ever on TV but I'm still, 15 years on, eagerly awaiting a DVD release of Mad Bull 34. The greatest terrible show ever made.
 
Cyber City Oedo 808 is the biggest omission not mentioned. What else was there?

Legend of the Four Kings (Legend of the Dragon Kings on US DVD), Junk Boy, Genocyber, did Devilman or Tokyo Babylon get a DVD release?
 
I don't know about TV but some of the old Kiseki etc tapes were wonderful. I really loved Slow Step; thankfully I have purchased it on DVD since from abroad.

I'm not attached to any dubs and have grabbed most of the best lost shows from the US so the situation isn't too bad for me, but there are still some titles which never made it to easily obtainable DVD at all which it would be nice to see again (without buying a VHS player).

R
 
Professor Irony said:
We lost a lot of UK dubs that way, even though most now live on thanks to the internet.

Nevertheless, I'm quite glad I still have the original VHS tapes for KO Century Beast Warriors and Catgirl Nuku Nuku. Neither dub is particularly outstanding, but I think they've got a certain curiosity value and I have good memories of both.

The UK dub for the Cobra film comes to mind too. Although most of the replacement Yello soundtrack is just licensed music, I think there was one piece that was recorded specifically for the film, so it seems a shame that it's just been allowed to disappear.

The only significant ones I can think of offhand though (that absolutely haven't had a DVD release in English), are two the of the Lupin films; Legend of Gold Babylon and Goodbye Lady Liberty. Gold Babylon is no great loss (only redeeming feature was the theme tune), but Lady Liberty was quite entertaining - probably one of the better tv specials. I don't think it even had a VHS release in the US, so there's a bit of obscurity value there if anyone still has it.

Fake edit: Oh yeah, and the 'Super Deformed Double Feature'. Scramble Wars often gets a kicking from the critics nowadays, but I like it.
Ah most of those titles bring back great memories some good some bad lol,yeah the dub for Ko Century Beast and Catgirl Nuku Nuku were downright embarrassing but i still love watching those dubs for a nostalgic trip down memory lane and who give a flying feck what the critics say they know nothing anyway,Super Deformed Double Feature rules. :D
 
Corra said:
Blue Sonnet

Vampire Princess Miyu OVA


I have very fond memories of watching these shows on sci-fi channel when I was about 16 yeas old. I really enjoyed both of them but I don't know if they would hold up now.

Blue Sonnet was the first time I got burned by the ending of a show. You know that there must be more to the story after the last episode ends, but that was all they ever made.

Agreed! I always wanted to know what happened to the cast of Blue Sonnet as they just seemed to cut it off (or probably ran out of money to produce more episodes). I was just disappointed by the fact that Sonnet and Red Fang never face each other in battle like the opening suggested.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Pretty much anything languishing on the VHS anime shelf of my local FPI.. I know they have KOR and I bought a couple (one-offs that weren't volume 2 of 30 or whatever) because they were only a couple of quid.
 
I know MangaUK have looked into this and got shot down, but why the hell was Pokémon never released on DVD here? Season 1 had a VHS release, but why not DVD? (We have Chronicles and all the movies, minus 8 and 9, though)

The licensors (be they TV Tokyo or The Pokémon Company International) have said they have "other plans"...like what? Make us rely on importing from America or Australia?

Also, I really would like to see Shaman King released. Aside from the brief uncut DVDs, was that even released in America?
 
fabricatedlunatic said:
Discotek were looking into getting the Manga UK dub with Yello soundtrack for their R1 DVD release but nixed the idea once they realised it was recorded on PAL tape, as converting that to NTSC would cause problems for both video and audio. Alas, it's destined to be lost to time.

Dang, I did not know that. I'd have figured the music rights were too expensive or something.


Just Passing Through and fabricatedlunatic said:
Cyber City Oedo

Interestingly, while the US DVD release does have the Manga dub for Cyber City, it doesn't have the Rory McFarlane soundtrack for it. While it's nice to have the proper music, it's still a shame as this was one of those rare situations where the replacement score was very good.

Doraemon666 said:
Ah most of those titles bring back great memories some good some bad lol,yeah the dub for Ko Century Beast and Catgirl Nuku Nuku were downright embarrassing but i still love watching those dubs for a nostalgic trip down memory lane and who give a flying feck what the critics say they know nothing anyway,Super Deformed Double Feature rules. :D

K3BJl.jpg


SDDF puts me in mind of another one as well actually - Genesis Survivor Gaiarth. The dialogue was a bit iffy, but it was a nice looking sci-fi/fantasy OAV.
 
Professor Irony said:
fabricatedlunatic said:
Discotek were looking into getting the Manga UK dub with Yello soundtrack for their R1 DVD release but nixed the idea once they realised it was recorded on PAL tape, as converting that to NTSC would cause problems for both video and audio. Alas, it's destined to be lost to time.

Dang, I did not know that. I'd have figured the music rights were too expensive or something.


Just Passing Through and fabricatedlunatic said:
Cyber City Oedo

Interestingly, while the US DVD release does have the Manga dub for Cyber City, it doesn't have the Rory McFarlane soundtrack for it. While it's nice to have the proper music, it's still a shame as this was one of those rare situations where the replacement score was very good.

Doraemon666 said:
Ah most of those titles bring back great memories some good some bad lol,yeah the dub for Ko Century Beast and Catgirl Nuku Nuku were downright embarrassing but i still love watching those dubs for a nostalgic trip down memory lane and who give a flying feck what the critics say they know nothing anyway,Super Deformed Double Feature rules. :D

K3BJl.jpg


SDDF puts me in mind of another one as well actually - Genesis Survivor Gaiarth. The dialogue was a bit iffy, but it was a nice looking sci-fi/fantasy OAV.
Yeah Genesis Survivor Gaiarth is superb example of just good solid fun 90,s anime,it might not be outstanding but what it does it does well,another great OVA from the old VHS days is Galactic Pirates(Teki wa Kaizoku: Neko no Kyōen)this was and still is a frim fave of mine,loved the dub and the soundtrack rocked,finally got round to seeing it subbed last year.
 
Professor Irony said:
fabricatedlunatic said:
Discotek were looking into getting the Manga UK dub with Yello soundtrack for their R1 DVD release but nixed the idea once they realised it was recorded on PAL tape, as converting that to NTSC would cause problems for both video and audio. Alas, it's destined to be lost to time.

Dang, I did not know that. I'd have figured the music rights were too expensive or something.


Just Passing Through and fabricatedlunatic said:
Cyber City Oedo

Interestingly, while the US DVD release does have the Manga dub for Cyber City, it doesn't have the Rory McFarlane soundtrack for it. While it's nice to have the proper music, it's still a shame as this was one of those rare situations where the replacement score was very good.

Doraemon666 said:
Ah most of those titles bring back great memories some good some bad lol,yeah the dub for Ko Century Beast and Catgirl Nuku Nuku were downright embarrassing but i still love watching those dubs for a nostalgic trip down memory lane and who give a flying feck what the critics say they know nothing anyway,Super Deformed Double Feature rules. :D

K3BJl.jpg


SDDF puts me in mind of another one as well actually - Genesis Survivor Gaiarth. The dialogue was a bit iffy, but it was a nice looking sci-fi/fantasy OAV.
Yeah Genesis Survivor Gaiarth is a superb example of just good solid fun 90,s anime,it might not be outstanding but what it does it does well,another great OVA from the old VHS days is Galactic Pirates(Teki wa Kaizoku: Neko no Kyōen)this was and still is a frim fave of mine,loved the dub and the soundtrack rocked,finally got round to seeing it subbed last year,oh and a special mention has to go to Ushio and Tora easily one of the best 90,s OVA,s.
 
Ah, I remember Galactic Pirates - never saw the UK dub though, only the subs. Again, I thought the dialogue could have been better, but yeah, I really liked the soundtrack for that one as well.
 
Thread makes for fun reading for someone who was unfortunately too late to be much of a part of the VHS era. Wish I had come into anime fandom at least ten years earlier. :-/
 
Back
Top