Vanilla R2 UK DVD for ‘Lady Vengeance’ initially, ‘Sengoku 1549’ R2 UK DVD, ‘Ryu Ga Gotoku’ PS2 USA

Seems Tartan are issuing a Vanilla DVD for ‘Lady Vengeance’ with no extras besides an interview and (wait for it) a trailer. May 15th 2006 is the release date for that R2 UK DVD, suspect it’s to be intentionally made obsolete by a better edition? Well, I feel companies need to compete but not complain that there’s competition, or think globally rather than nationally, and think laterally rather than literally too, so why the bare-bones? In the end, it’s the film that’s the priority, extras are a bonus, but the film’s out there and subtitled. On the other hand, you need to get your hands on a scarce DVD (the Korean edition) to see it, or hope it is still making the rounds at cinemas in your country. No fixed date for the R1 USA DVD yet.

Momentum Asia are putting out last years remake of the old Chiba Movie ‘Samurai Commando’, which was originally called ‘Sengoku 1549’ in Japan during our coverage last year. First disc of this to appear with English Subtitles, to be titled ‘Samurai Commando : Mission 1549’ when it makes it out on April 24th 2006. Includes a documentary, making-ofs, SFX coverage, interviews : all bonuses. You might find the trailers still work, the background info is there in small doses too in this old Twitch Post from last May (2005), and more info in the link below.

One Takashi Miike project from late last year, his short films for the videogame ‘Ryu Ga Gotoku’ are once again on my radar. Why? Because the game is now scheduled to appear in the UK and the USA during the Summer of 2006 under the simpler title ‘Yakuza’. No word on if we will get the short films Miike made, can’t think that they appeared on the Japanese edition of the game (which was a huge hit and the word of mouth effect on the sales figures and Japanese reviews generated this quick turnaround of the USA & UK releases), but we did have links to the streams and I managed to get Todd to record them unsubtitled for me. Nice stuff. Fingers crossed they appear on the Disc with Subtitles - nice selling point? [Twitch ‘Ryu Ga Gotoku’ Post].

Oh, and a couple of things that are less surprising, the ‘Full Metal Alchemist’ movie (issued on DVD in Japan with English Subtitle - but only on the Limited Edition) will make it to the USA now it has been licensed for certain. Speculation say it may appear in a well timed run on from the end of the TV series volumes. FUNimation have also announced they’ve licensed the Afro Samurai anime series, for broadcast later this year on American TV and then DVD appearance during 2007. Finally, confirmed : no English Subtitles on the HK DVD of Jet Li’s ‘Fearless’, though I think Todd may have more to say about that later. [Source for ‘Lady Vengeance’ Specifications : DVDTimes]. [Source for ‘Sengoku 1549’ Specifications / Synopsis : DVDTimes]. [Source ‘Afro Samurai’ & ‘Full Metal Alchemist’ : AnimeOnDVD].