Forum - View topicREVIEW: Iczer-One DVD
|
Note: this is the discussion thread for this article |
| Author | Message | ||
|---|---|---|---|
Captain Crotchspike
 Posts: 355 Location: Phoenix, AZ |
|
||
|
And again I have Media Blasters to thank for bringing an old classic back on DVD. With Iczer Reborn already out, that leaves Iczelion, unless I missed it at some point...?
I love Hirano. He's one cool dude. |
|||
|
|||
cyrax777
 Posts: 1825 Location: the desert |
|
||
|
and cheap to makes me happy.
Old School I've been wanting for a while and cheap price. |
|||
|
|||
Chrno2
 Posts: 6172 Location: USA |
|
||
|
Ok, so the music wasn't top notch. It was the 80's for crying out loud!
 I had a friend that thought the music was top notch. I'm not kidding. Actually, I own the soundtrack myself. And it's still just as cheesily action oriented as it was the day you first saw it. Very 80's sounding.
I remember coming across an add for it in an 1986 issue of 'OUT' magazine. Not many are familiar with this title. It was one of the many anime magazines imported by various comic and Japanese bookstores. It's long gone out of publication of course. The only remaining anime magazines (that I've seen so far) that are still alive and well from that time are 'Newtype', 'Animedia' and 'Animage'. I had the opportunity, to see the first episode in the "raw" at an anime club back during my HS days. A member brought his master VHS tape that he bought from Japan. Ever since then I was hooked. Not to mention hooked on anime as well. And for many years I strived to find out the story with what little Japanese I knew, which was none during that time. And each time I would get a little closer. Not to mention this was the first time I saw "shoujo-ai". And yes 'Iczer-1' due to the nature of this series, it did sort of originate off as a subgenre of the "hentai-train". Those unfamiliar with the adult series called 'Cream Lemon', which also originated in the mid 80's, this would be considered the "hentai" of that time. Though much tamer in comparison. Then along came 'Iczer-1', the first title that founded the benchmark for the concept of the OVA and marketing the idea to success. Not to mention possibly opening a door in "erotic-horror" anime. That would later bring on such big budget titles as 'Urotsukidoji' and 'Wicked City', as well as others. I'm glad that 'Media Blasters' re-released this title. I'm also glad that they released the original 3 OVAs and not the "movie version". For those who have probably asked about this before, 'Iczer-1: Special Edition' was basically the studio taking all 3 OVAs and splicing them together then adding 45 min. worth of new footage in between to piece together the story in a somewhat "linear" fashion. They changed the sequence of the story by placing the OP to episode 3 at the beginning of episode 1. Then episode 1 opens up. They later spliced in new footage during certain scenes to add to those events. The difference in the animation over those 3 years, with the exception of episodes 2 and 3 was highly noticable. In a way you could call it their first "production cut" or "Director's Cut". Even the soundtrack suffered at the hands of change. The music and background noise was the same but it now sounded distorted. Like they were trying to make it stereo. To me it sounded like it was playing out of a a tin can in stereo.  And they were selling this bad boy for almost a whopping $200 at one local Japanese bookstore. Because it came with the soundtrack to the "special edition" (EWW!), the "special edition" (BLARRGHH!) and a booklet on the series with illustrations. All packed nicely in a large flat box. The LD version which was released years later came with both the original 3 parts, the "special version" and a LD booklet.
But honestly the series did well enough explaining itself the first time. There wasn't any reason to go back and lay it out like "dance steps". While it may not appeal to everyone it's a classic in it's own right. |
|||
|
|||
NeoEllis
 Posts: 35 |
|
||
|
Looks great, I love 80's mecha OVAs (also, thanks for the commentary, Chrno2).
*squint* Is that Toho Co.'s Goten in the upper right hand corner of the cover? |
|||
|
|||
|
Chrno2
Posts: 6172 Location: USA |
|
||
No problem. It was my pleasure.  Now off to 'Brigadoon'.
I think you're right on that one! Though I never knew what 'Toho Co's Goten looked like even though I probably seen this ship tons of times, and I have. 
And for those who haven't here's a pic: http://www.tohokingdom.com/web_pages/aliens_sdf/atragon_mech.htm Hey, who better to throw in little references than the folks that created them. Y'know there might be more to this film yet. Giant monsters (Toho)and giant alien invasions (Toho). Thanks for pointing that NeoEllis.
|
|||
|
|||
|
TornadoTatsumaki
Posts: 145 Location: Mission Bend,Texas |
|
||
|
I just watched Iczer-One for the first time. After hearing all the heresay about it, I can't honestly say it's a great pick up for old school otaku but it's definetly worth watching. Like everyone said here it DOES have the "Cream Lemon" feel to it.(After all CL was already a year old when this OAV was released late in '85) But the main problem is that the storyline is way too unbalanced and some of the characters are too hollow and one dimensenal. As for being yuri, it not that much of one at least not yet. Plus, the dub IS worthless.
Now considering that this release might be out of print soon, I may pick it up if it's $10, but if it isn't I may pick up Iczer-Reborn instead(hopefully I can find it.) Also, if there are moderators here, could they please fix the rating on thier from Teenagers to Mature because the Rating does say 16+ on the box. |
|||
|
|||
|
Zalis116
Moderator
 Posts: 6900 Location: Kazune City |
|
||
|
|||
|
|||
 |
All times are GMT - 5 Hours |
|
|
|
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group