Wednesday, January 02, 2008

What do Kimba fans want?

I am trying to make the White Lion Shop into everything the Kimba fan wants. So far, I have offered only the ORIGINAL, 1966 version of Kimba The White Lion on DVD and video. There is the other, re-dubbed version from 1993 to be considered, especially since it is only this newer version that shows up on TV these days. I want to know if you would like to see that version offered for sale here, as well. My introduction to both versions of Kimba can be found here. When you read that page, it will be obvious that I do not like the 1993 version, but I am not every Kimba fan--some people like the 1993 version very much.

Here's a simple little web poll so that you can let me know what you want:

5 comments:

  1. I can't see quicktime things, so I can't vote. The verification picture was being a problem as well, it just wouldn't show up!
    Anyway...
    It would be really great seeing the manga, even if it's not likely from the interview in the blog. It would be so nice to be able to understand the manga withought having to go crazy with a translator.
    It's nice that this site had some information about the manga, it was so hard to find anything about and english adaptation. Thank you for being so dedicated with this site!

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  2. I wanted to comment on the poll, but didn't want to make a vizu.com account. So I'm posting it here. ^^;

    Although I also don't like the 1993 version, it is still Kimba. And since it is a Kimba the White Lion shop, it would make since to have "everything" that is Kimba. Right?

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  3. I'm sorry that the poll presents a technical problem. It's actually in Flash, not QuickTime, and that's about as close to universally accepted as you can get, although I realize that nothing is completely universal.

    I will keep pursuing the manga in English. That's a major portion of the history of Kimba. It's a crime that it's never been available to the English-speaking world.

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  4. It's certainly possible to argue that the 1993 version of Kimba is still Kimba, especially since they kept some of the original plot points that were altered in 1966.

    However, my own feeling is that they did more damage to the show than good. First, there is the removal of Isao Tomita's marvelous music, replaced by some of the most insipid, pointless, irrelevant noodlings I have ever heard inflicted on anyone's work. The addition of sound effects from the Hanna-Barbera library doesn't help, either.

    Also, each 1993 episode is severely edited and, unlike the Leo the Lion series which was dubbed in full and then edited later, with the 1993 Kimbas there is no missing material to reinstate--the editing was done before the dubbing. And with such atrocities as the 'Kimba's mother in the stars' scene reduced to a mere 17 seconds, and the end of the "Fair Game" episode completely missing, it's hard for me to not get angry over the 1993 version.

    The fact that the newer version is available on TV on 4 different national channels in the US alone is a double-edged sword. I'm afraid that people will see it and be turned off by the bad music, bad acting, and bad editing and never see the original version. On the other hand, I know that some people can see the new version and see the great show that lies within. These people have not been served well in the video market, with just a few dollar-store DVDs of poor quality.

    Do we need the 1993 Kimba shows on DVD? The votes are still coming in...

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  5. I personally think you should add anything you find about the 1989 Leo. I know some people don't like it, but to me it has more emotion, drama and life than the 1966 Kimba, which was just too kidish and repetitive for me to watch. I hope this didn't offend you.

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