Shout! Factory's Transformers Japanese Collection: Headmasters Box Art Revealed

It Is Him wrote:Guys. I'm flipping out about this. It seems like just yesterday I was using a 14000 bps dial-up connection, and reading an FAQ about the in-universe history of Transformers, and how Japan got several exclusive seasons. But it wasn't yesterday, it was the mid-90s. And now I can finally watch them without buying bootlegs, or dropping a zillion dollars on the Australian DVD sets.

Thank you Shout! Factory!

Sabrblade wrote:

It Is Him wrote:Guys. I'm flipping out about this. It seems like just yesterday I was using a 14000 bps dial-up connection, and reading an FAQ about the in-universe history of Transformers, and how Japan got several exclusive seasons. But it wasn't yesterday, it was the mid-90s. And now I can finally watch them without buying bootlegs, or dropping a zillion dollars on the Australian DVD sets.

Thank you Shout! Factory!

Well, you could have still watched the TV-Nihon fansubbed versions for all this time, whose subtitles are of a higher quality than those of both the UK and Australian Heasdmasters DVDs. Not to mention that they don't have any missing footage either (like the UK/AU DVDs do).

It Is Him wrote:I didn't know TV-Nihon did a fansub.

It Is Him wrote:Whatevs. Now I can own an official American version of a crappy Transformers show. Hooray!

Sabrblade wrote:

It Is Him wrote:Whatevs. Now I can own an official American version of a crappy Transformers show. Hooray!

Why do people keep saying this? The Headmasters was better than The Rebirth, and actually had something that the G1 cartoon desperately needed: and overarching plot!

It Is Him wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:

It Is Him wrote:Whatevs. Now I can own an official American version of a crappy Transformers show. Hooray!

Why do people keep saying this? The Headmasters was better than The Rebirth, and actually had something that the G1 cartoon desperately needed: and overarching plot!

Oh, that's a matter of perspective. The Rebirth are some of my favorite episodes from G1.

Sabrblade wrote:

It Is Him wrote:

Sabrblade wrote:

It Is Him wrote:Whatevs. Now I can own an official American version of a crappy Transformers show. Hooray!

Why do people keep saying this? The Headmasters was better than The Rebirth, and actually had something that the G1 cartoon desperately needed: and overarching plot!

Oh, that's a matter of perspective. The Rebirth are some of my favorite episodes from G1.

They made Fortress Maximus (specifically Cerebros) a whining wimp. And what's the point of a bunch of small organics riding inside the heads of the larger robots when they can't do anything but yell? In The Headmasters, each of them were smaller bots bonded with larger Transtector bodies using a tremendous power unlocked via the bonding process. The whole aspect of being a Headmaster in that series was way more complex and interesting than the simplistic portrayal of that in The Rebirth (and by extension, the Marvel G1 comics)

TRANSFORMERS: THE JAPANESE COLLECTION HEADMASTERS
Featuring 35 Episodes and Exciting Bonus Content in a 4-DVD Set
ON DVD FOR THE FIRST TIME IN NORTH AMERICA!

IN STORES NATIONWIDE ON JULY 5, 2011 FROM SHOUT! FACTORY
This summer, loyal fans and collectors can finally bring home a new installment of the ongoing animated saga of TRANSFORMERS as FORTRESS MAXIMUS, SCORPONOK and rest of the Headmasters make their U.S. home entertainment debut in TRANSFORMERS: THE JAPANESE COLLECTION Headmasters DVD set from Shout! Factory, in collaboration with Hasbro, Inc.

THE TRANSFORMERS Headmasters is the first part of the rare Japanese trilogy that followed the popular Generation 1 animated series. Available for the first time in North America, this collectible 4-DVD set features the complete action-packed episodes from the Headmasters series and contains the original Japanese language tracks along with updated English subtitles, a rare art gallery and more! Poised to attract an audience of pop culture enthusiasts, kids and parents who grew up with the American animated series, TRANSFORMERS: The Japanese Collection Headmasters is priced to own with a suggested retail price of $29.93.
Check out additional details after the jump!

TRANSFORMERS: THE JAPANESE COLLECTION Headmasters 4-DVD Set

Synopsis:
Optimus Prime lives again, the energy of the Matrix has been released and peace reigns on Cybertron . . . but all that is about to change with the startling arrival of the newest breed of Transformers warriors the Headmasters! Bonus Features Include:
Original Japanese Audio
English Subtitles
Art Gallery

Technical Information
Street Date: July 5, 2011
Not Rated: For All Audiences
Suggested Retail Price: $29.93
4-DVD
Aspect Ratio: 4:3
Japanese, English, stereo

About Hasbro
Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) is a branded play company providing children and families around the world with a wide range of immersive entertainment offerings based on the Company’s world-class brand portfolio. From toys and games, to television programming, motion pictures, video games and a comprehensive licensing program, Hasbro strives to delight its customers through the strategic leveraging of well-known and beloved brands such as THE TRANSFORMERS, LITTLEST PET SHOP, NERF, PLAYSKOOL, MY LITTLE PONY, G.I. JOE, MAGIC: THE GATHERING and MONOPOLY. The Hub, Hasbro’s multiplatform joint venture with Discovery Communications (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) launched on October 10, 2010. The online home of The Hub is http://www.hubworld.com. The Hub logo and name are trademarks of Hub Television Networks, LLC. All rights reserved.

Come see how we inspire play through our brands at http://www.hasbro.com. © 2010 Hasbro, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

About Shout! Factory
Shout! Factory is a diversified entertainment company devoted to producing, uncovering and revitalizing the very best of pop culture. Founders Richard Foos, Bob Emmer and Garson Foos have spent their careers sharing their music, television and film faves with discerning consumers the world over. Shout! Factory’s DVD offerings serve up classic, contemporary and cult TV series, riveting sports programs, live music, animation and documentaries in lavish packages crammed with extras. The company’s audio catalogue boasts GRAMMY®-nominated boxed sets, new releases from storied artists, lovingly assembled album reissues and indispensable best of compilations. These riches are the result of a creative acquisitions mandate that has established the company as a hotbed of cultural preservation and commercial reinvention. Shout! Factory is based in Santa Monica, California. For more on Shout! Factory, visit http://www.shoutfactory.com.

Mindmaster wrote:...So will they finally speak English? Or will they still retain the English subtitles? If they talk in English, I might be interested...

Dr. Heavy B wrote:subtitles? let me tell you somthing about myself, im not paying 30 dolors TO READ

chuckdawg1999 wrote:Any good guesstimates on when the complete Japanese series set will be released?

gothsaurus wrote:Two points:

1 - if they dubbed it in english, it wouldn't be the original actors... which would come across like a bad fan-dub. This is like a fantasy. Many actors have passed away, and others like Cullen and Welker would be so expensive, it would be prohibitive. Price would jump sharply paying actors.

2 - the series is originally in Japanese. Watching it in the original Japanese puts you directly in touch with another culture, its language, humor, style, writing... without it being diluted or dumbed down by being translated and voiced — by someone with NO knowledge of Transformers or Japanese culture. (The dreadful Omni dubs that are likely left off this set are a prime example... Characters like Blaster, Blurr, Spike get renamed as Billy, Wally, Sparkle, "Road-imus Prime", Spaceship Bruce... and The Matrix as "The Power Pack."

Seriously, I don't want to watch someone botch the dub and then charge be double for the set. (And the set is Sooo cheap!!)

Getting used to subtitles opens up a whole world of available anime and movies.

chuckdawg1999 wrote:Any good guesstimates on when the complete Japanese series set will be released?

gothsaurus wrote:Anyone hear if the big set includes Scramble City, Zone, etc.? That would make me jump to buy it.

gothsaurus wrote:NooooooOOOooo.

Ya gotta know... I'd pay for a full-price DVD just to get a crisp, direct transfer copy of those one-off episodes.

gothsaurus wrote:Too bad that DVD was the bootleg subs. I'd totally get that... to hold be over till an official release, of course.

Yeah, link away!