Golgo 13: Collection 1 (A J!-Ent Anime DVD Review)

“Fans of the long running classic, “Golgo 13″ shouldn’t be disappointed by this new adaptation.”

Image courtesy of © Takao Saito, Saito Pro / GOLGO13 Syndicate, TV T. All Rights Reserved.

DVD TITLE: Golgo 13: Collection 1

DURATION: 325 Minutes

DVD INFORMATION: 16:9 WIDESCREEN, ENGLISH & JAPANESE 2.0 STEREO

COMPANY: Sentai Filmworks

RATED: TV MA

Release Date: July 13th, 2010

Original Work by Takao Saito

Directed by Shunji Oga

Music by Seiji Suzuki

Art Direction by Toshiharu Mizutani

Character Designs by Kazuyoshi Takeuchi

Produced by Shunji Aoki/Saito Pro/GOLGO13 Syndicate, TV T.

Featuring the following voice talent:

Hiroshi Tachi/David Wald as Duke Togo/Golgo 13

Mitsuo Senda/Chris Ayres as Dave McCartney

His targets never see it coming and he’s never caught. If there is a witness to the kill, that poor SOB winds up dead too. People say he’s a ghost. A machine. A monster. He’s Golgo 13, the most feared assassin in the world, the professional’s professional, the killer of killers. And now he’s back with 13 targeted missions that will keep you glued to the screen (and away from the windows) Load up for high-powered, bullet-riddled action with Golgo 13!

“Golgo 13: Collection 1″ contains the first 13 episodes of the anime series, “Golgo 13″. It is one of the longest running mangas in Japan and is currently still going. The manga series started in January 1969 and is about a professional assassin named Golgo 13. He is a professional who gets his job done no matter what once he accepts it. He only has one facial expression… where he is frowning and looking quite serious. Also, it is better to never stand behind him, because he has the instinct to strike… or kill. The anime series was made in 2008, making it quite recent and despite the series running for such a long time, it is the first actual anime series. (There have been live action movies and some anime movies) I believe that fans of the series will find that is rather faithful to the original series and I believe that new viewers who like serious action series will enjoy this as well.

“Golgo 13 Collection 1″ focuses on the following main characters:

Golgo 13/Duke Togo – Duke Togo is the legendary Golgo 13. He is a professional assassin who will take down any target that he’s taken on until they are killed, no matter who it may be. He only has one facial expression: serious and frowning… it never breaks. He is a genius at what he does and pretty much never gets caught, despite how hard people may try. He is also quite popular with the ladies… however they are no more to him than a one night stand. Don’t ever stand behind him, because that may end your life.

Dave McCartney – Dave is the only other somewhat steady character in this series. He modifies Golgo 13′s sniper rifle and he’s pretty much the only one that he trusts afterward to make any other modifications whenever he needs them.

“Golgo 13: Collection 1” features a total of 13 episodes on two DVDs. Here is a spoiler-less summary of each episode:

DISC 1:

• Target.1- At Pin-Hole! – Golgo 13 is hired to take out a hijacker.
• Target.2- Room-No. 909 – The NYPD find a shell casing of one of Golgo 13′s bullets and link him to it, but will they be able to convict him of the hit?.
• Target.3- The Masterpiece Assault Rifle – Golgo 13 has a showdown with the Sabine Brothers in the desert.
• Target.4- Pretty Woman – A woman named Linda enlists Golgo 13 to take down the mafia boss she’s tied to.
• Target.5- The Superstars’ Joint Appearance – An old man hires Golgo 13 to take out his apprentice, before the assassin that his apprentice hired kills him.
• Target.6- An Offering to God – Golgo 13 assassinates someone linked to a political candidate in a large crowd… will he be able to escape?

DISC 2:

• Target.7- Sharpshoot on the G String – Golgo 13 is asked to take out a string on a violin of a famous Russian violinist to humiliate him.
• Target.8- Action in 4/24 – A mob boss goes to Golgo 13 to take out another mob boss.
• Target.9- Sleep Inside the Cage – Golgo 13 ends up in… jail?
• Target.10- The Targe Returned – Golgo 13 takes down a kingpin, but the hit isn’t what it seemed to be.
• Target.11- Dead Angle – A genius young sniper tries to take out Golgo 13.
• Target.12- Touchdown – Golgo 13 takes down a start football player, and a CSI unit tries to find the killer.
• Target.13- Cross Angle – A famous tabloid photographer tries to get a shot of the infamous Golgo 13.

VIDEO & AUDIO

“Golgo 13: Collection 1″ is presented in 16:9. The art looks great since it was made in 2008, however the art also has a very classic feel… because it is Golgo 13. Perhaps it’s because I’ve seen Golgo 13′s face since I can remember… but the other characters don’t look dated.

This is the first Sentai Filmworks release that I have seen with English dub along with the Japanese dub. As usual, there are only English subtitles available. The English dubbing is done fairly well with some familiar names like Chris Ayres… however I definitely prefer the original Japanese considering they didn’t get a voice actor to do Golgo 13, they got the actor, Hiroshi Tachi to do his voice along with a great supporting cast. Both vocal tracks are pretty well done though, so I don’t think fans of either will be disappointed.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

The only special features available on the discs are Sentai Filmworks Trailers, Clean Opening and Ending Animations, and DVD Credits.

Before anything, I am going to emphasize that if you want to watch a series with at least some humor, this is not the series for you. This is a ridiculously serious, straight forward action series. So if you are looking for a humorous series, this isn’t for you. If you want to watch a series about a bad-ass assassin who gets his ish done… this is for you. Just like the series, there is pretty much no humor in Golgo 13′s face. His face is always serious and frowning… it does NOT change. Ever.

“Golgo 13″ is a classic series. There’s pretty much no one in Japan who doesn’t know about the series. Takao Saito is one of Japan’s most famous manga artists and this would be his biggest series. There have been other adaptations to this series such as live action films and anime films, but this is the first TV anime series. This collection included the first 13 episodes of 50 episodes.

I’d have to say that the target audience for this series is probably mostly going to be men. Women in this series are reduced to prostitutes, drug lord wives (who were former prostitutes), and other insignificant roles… who all have a fascination with Golgo 13 and want to sleep with him because of his irresistible charm… who could resist that face? (I could, but apparently you can’t if you’re a woman in this series). I must say he’s pretty much the man… I mean he’s a no nonsense bad-ass assassin who never fails and is a hit with the ladies…

Also, this is one of the only series I have ever seen that there pretty much is no other main character. Each episode is pretty much Golgo 13, the person who orders the hit, the hit, and some random thugs and prostitutes. The only character to make an appearance in more than one episode is the man who modifies Golgo 13′s gun. Everyone else pretty much either gets killed or doesn’t appear again anyways.

I’m someone who likes at least a little humor so this wasn’t exactly an ideal series for me… however the fact that Hiroshi Tachi played the voice of Golgo 13 was enough reason for me to watch (He’s famous enough to get his name in the opening animation, not just the ending). They probably couldn’t find a better match for Golgo 13 than him. He is a famous actor in Japan and usually plays the roles of bad-ass cops(such as from the “Abunai Deka” series). If anything, I did enjoy how much of a bad-ass Golgo 13 is but that might be it. This is the first Sentai Filmworks release that I’ve seen to have an actual English dub and not just English subtitles. As I mentioned earlier, both the Japanese and English dubs are pretty well done.

This is definitely not a series for children. It’s full of violence (mostly people being shot in the head…) and full of nudity and sexual situations (I’m not kidding, the women dig Golgo 13). That would be another reason I would think that this is definitely more intended for guys rather than girls… but of course I’m sure some girls will enjoy the series as well. This series really doesn’t have too much emotion… I mean Golgo 13 will pretty much kill whoever for the money. He doesn’t care that much about the money, he just is professional enough to get the job done no matter what it might be. He doesn’t really discriminate though (at least from what I’ve seen)… he’ll kill innocent people and he’ll kill mob bosses. I prefer series like “Hissatsu” where there’s at least some sort of conscience in killing an innocent or not… On the other hand, I think some people might find it refreshing in some way that Golgo 13 never lets any emotions get in the way of him doing his job (at least that you can see in this collection…)

In the end, I’m sure there are tons of viewers that are overjoyed that this classic has been made into an anime series finally. Those who are new to the series though, I would advise that you know a little about the series before diving into it. Overall though, a great action series.

SECTION23 FILMS ANNOUNCES JULY SLATE – GOLGO 13 COLLECTION 1 Available on July 6th

HOUSTON, April 23, 2010 – Home video distributor Section23 Films today announced its July slate of releases, including the new English dubbed release of the hit series Golgo 13 from Section23 client Sentai Filmworks.

Also releasing in July is the Blue-Ray Edition of LEGENDS OF THE DARK KING COMPLETE COLLECTION.

Product details follow, in order of release.

Coming July 2010

Title: EYESHIELD 21 COLLECTION 2
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 325 min.
Street Date: 7/6/2010
Format: DVD
SRP: $49.98

SYNOPSIS: You can’t make a silk purse out of a pig’s ear, but you can make a football. And apparently with enough finagling and a little finesse, you can make a football star as well! By both hook and crook, Sena Kobayakawa’s unnaturally strong sense of self preservation and even more extraordinary skills at fleeing have turned him into the star running back of his school’s admittedly unusual US-style football team. And even more amazingly, the Deimon Demon Bats are actually starting to be taken seriously! But can Machiavellian manager Himura pull an even bigger trick and build the team into a serious challenge to the awesome might of the Taiyou Sphinx? He’ll have to if they want to have the privilege of tackling the NASA Aliens! Sena’s biggest challenge and greatest rival are about to take the field by storm in EYESHIELD 21 – COLLECTION 2!

Title: GOLGO 13 COLLECTION 1
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 325 min.
Street Date: 7/13/2010
Format: DVD
SRP: $59.98

SYNOPSIS: His targets never see it coming and he’s never caught. If there is a witness to the kill, that poor SOB winds up dead too. People say he’s a ghost. A machine. A monster. He’s Golgo 13, the most feared assassin in the world, the professional’s professional, the killer of killers. And now he’s back with 13 targeted missions that will keep you glued to the screen (and away from the windows). Load up for high-powered, bullet-riddled action with Golgo 13!!

Title: LEGENDS OF THE DARK KING COMPLETE COLLECTION
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 325 min.
Street Date: 7/20/2010
Format: DVD
SRP: $49.98

SYNOPSIS: A nuclear holocaust has robbed the world of its order, and now warring factions fight for every square inch of desert, spilling buckets of blood to gain control. But legends tell of one great warrior who will become King, using his powerful fists and an awesome rage to rise to his rightful place. That warrior is Raoh, a giant hulking fighter with the ability to vanquish his enemies in the bloodiest way possible. But other warriors will not relinquish their kingdoms so easily. Because in this world, no one gives up without a fight! Join in the adventure with one of the most exciting animated warriors ever!

Title: LEGENDS OF THE DARK KING COMPLETE COLLECTION BLU-RAY EDITION
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 325 min.
Street Date: 7/20/2010
Format: BD
SRP: $69.98

SYNOPSIS: A nuclear holocaust has robbed the world of its order, and now warring factions fight for every square inch of desert, spilling buckets of blood to gain control. But legends tell of one great warrior who will become King, using his powerful fists and an awesome rage to rise to his rightful place. That warrior is Raoh, a giant hulking fighter with the ability to vanquish his enemies in the bloodiest way possible. But other warriors will not relinquish their kingdoms so easily. Because in this world, no one gives up without a fight! Join in the adventure with one of the most exciting animated warriors ever!

Title: HELL GIRL: TWO MIRRORS COLLECTION 2
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 325 min.
Street Date: 7/27/2010
Format: DVD
SRP: $49.98

SYNOPSIS: Whenever there has been Hell to pay, Ai Enma has been the collector. Now, however, the volatile emotions she has kept entombed are slowly beginning to exhume themselves, and as a monstrous cycle of reprisal and retribution wields its deadly scythe across the people of Lovely Hills, the Hell girl and her companions suddenly find themselves confronted with visions of their own mortality. Who were they, before becoming Hell’s Collectors? And what will be their ultimate fate? As she seeks to cope with the ceaseless inhumanity of mortals consumed with vengeance, Ai Enma must take a journey she never expected, and answer the question she never dared to ask: When you’re already in Hell, are you allowed to die? The truth lies buried in the second shocking collection of HELL GIRL – Two Mirrors!

About Section23 Films

Section23 Films provides home video marketing and distribution services for a variety of companies, including Sentai Filmworks, Switchblade Pictures, Maiden Japan and AEsir Holdings. With its special focus on genre entertainment, Section23 Films distributes some of the very best anime, martial arts, and horror titles on the market today.

Golgo 13 creators celebrate the 40th anniversary of the manga series

Mainichi Daily News reported:

A party to celebrate the 40th anniversary of “Golgo 13,” a popular manga series for adults about a professional hit-man, was held in Tokyo on Thursday, with about 300 participants including manga artists and editors joining the fun.

“I couldn’t have done it without the support of fans,” 72-year-old author Takao Saito said during his speech at the party. “Fortunately, I’m still doing fine. I hope you will let me continue my work for a little longer,” he added, receiving warm applause from the attendees.

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