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REVIEW: The Skull Man DVD


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chrisb
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Joined: 07 May 2006
Posts: 617
Location: USA
PostPosted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 12:12 am Reply with quote
Have to give it to Sentai, this cover is incredible, almost as good as Righstuf's works if not better. Now if only they could match Righstuf in the extras dept. maybe then people wouldn't care that it's a sub only release.
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Mr Adventure



Joined: 14 Jul 2008
Posts: 1598
PostPosted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 12:36 am Reply with quote
I'm not an expert, but doesn't the 'open ending' tie into the fact that this series is a prequel of sorts to spoiler[Cyborg 009]? I have not watched the entire series yet (watched about 3 episodes a few years ago, liked it a lot, forgot to watch the rest, bought the DVD today to make up for it. Can't believe this ever got a R1 release.) but I did hear that this is the case.

Anyway, so very glad to have this, and yes, the box art is pretty damn great IMO.
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Quark



Joined: 07 Mar 2008
Posts: 710
Location: British Columbia, Canada
PostPosted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 1:13 am Reply with quote
Good review, Key. I have to admit I had absolutely zero interest in this title (although the cover is fantastic) but your review has convinced me otherwise. A more serious mystery/horror story, with a good smattering of violence and a solid plot with many twists and turns? Sounds like my kind of show.
This is definitely being added to my list of shows to buy. Thanks Key, and thanks Sentai for bringing shows like this over.
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ikillchicken



Joined: 12 Feb 2007
Posts: 7272
Location: Vancouver
PostPosted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 4:42 am Reply with quote
I saw a few episodes of this a while ago. My reaction was mixed but I wouldn't mind picking up this set (Rightstuf has it quite cheap). Still, I don't really want to support a release like this. There's no excuse for stuffing 6-7 episodes per disk. I have to question the whole no dub thing as well. Don't get me wrong, I'm fine with the sub only releases from other companies and even most of Section 23's releases where they are truly niche shows that clearly don't merit dubbing. I even gave em the benefit of the doubt with Ghost Hound but I really must question Skull Man. If it doesn't have enough mainstream appeal to earn a dub I don't know what does. When I see this I have trouble believing that it has anything to do with whether a title merits a dub but rather, S23 just does not dub stuff for some reason.
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Mr Adventure



Joined: 14 Jul 2008
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 5:03 am Reply with quote
Has Sentai Filmworks/Section 23 (formally ADV) Dubbed ANYTHING since they ajusted their company structure?

Or are titles distributed through Sentai* Dubbed and through Section 23 Sub-only?

*there have been shows actually distributed under the Sentai branding right? I could have swore I've seen rereleased of ADV titles with Sentai branding. Or they could have been Section 23. I wasn't looking very closely, and Skull Man is the first DVD I've bought since the branding changes for either brand.
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chrisb
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 6:43 am Reply with quote
^ I recall they dubbed a Japanese live action movie but they used a joke script like in Ghost Stories. If they aren't dubbing Gintama they must be waiting for something "Dragonball Z" quality before they take a risk and dub the show. I just don't think they want to take a risk and waste funds to dub any potential failures since they can't afford any losses at the moment.

And I feel that Sentai needs to add some quality extras in order for people not to just see their releases as "meh." Luckily the subs have been pretty flaw free lately.

And I have to agree that stuffing more than 5 episodes a disc does effect the quality, although Funimation has somehow been able to make it work with pretty solid picture.
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Key
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Joined: 03 Nov 2003
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 7:57 am Reply with quote
I would point out, though, that unless you're a videophile and/or use top-end equipment, the supposed quality degradation from stuffing more than 5 episodes on a DVD isn't readily noticeable. I watch most of what I review on an HD-ready TV and have only rarely detected the flaws that people regularly complain about in cases like this.
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geishageek



Joined: 28 Nov 2005
Posts: 571
Location: Pleasant Valley, NY
PostPosted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 9:17 am Reply with quote
It saddened me that they could not the the original opener. That song really made the show for me.

The Skull Man is not for everyone. It does have a slower pace that most people would not prefer but it always captured my attention after a few moments. I did watch this fan-subbed as it was coming out. And I am still just as much in love with this series today I was then back then.

As for the Cyborg 009 thing, I cant really say. Many people believe it to the a prequel as it was written by the same guy but I could never really connect the two myself. And I have tried. There just is not that much information out there about either series.
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Wooga



Joined: 22 Jun 2007
Posts: 916
Location: Tucson
PostPosted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 9:34 am Reply with quote
I can't believe this one went under my radar for a while. I will have to set some money aside for this and Blue Drop. Two niche titles I'm surprised the had a release at all.
I wonder if anyone will ever release the Cyborg 009 series. i still have the Sony (?) DVD that only collects 7 episodes....I really, really want to see the rest.
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hissatsu01



Joined: 08 May 2006
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 9:45 am Reply with quote
geishageek wrote:
It saddened me that they could not the the original opener. That song really made the show for me.

It seems that using TOKIO for the OP is the kiss of death in terms of getting the OP used outside of Japan. Same thing happened for the first Kodocha OP. Though since TOKIO also appeared in the first episode itself, not only could they not use the OP, TOKIO's lines were also were silenced in the episode. Totally ridiculous.


Last edited by hissatsu01 on Thu Feb 04, 2010 11:51 am; edited 2 times in total
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Zade



Joined: 03 Mar 2008
Posts: 79
PostPosted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 11:17 am Reply with quote
Omitted words aren't typos...
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geishageek



Joined: 28 Nov 2005
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 11:23 am Reply with quote
hissatsu01 wrote:


It seems that using TOKIO for the OP is the kiss of death in terms of getting the OP used outside of Japan.


I completely forgot about that. I really didn't think Tokio were really all that Huge in japan; that it was would ridiculously expensive to license the song. But with the Lead singer being a very prominent actor as well, maybe that is what brought the price up.
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psychopuppet



Joined: 01 Sep 2005
Posts: 23
PostPosted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 2:36 pm Reply with quote
chrisb wrote:
^ I recall they dubbed a Japanese live action movie but they used a joke script like in Ghost Stories.


A Fist Full of Fuku's dub was actually done a while ago. From what I recall it was shown at some Conventions a year or two ago . I believe it was done during the Sojitz mess.
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belvadeer





PostPosted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 4:52 pm Reply with quote
I watched this and Crystal Blaze last year in their entirety. Both really good shows.

I'm surprised the opener is considered weak. I think it was particularly catchy, especially the lyrics.
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Key
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 05, 2010 1:13 am Reply with quote
belvadeer wrote:
I watched this and Crystal Blaze last year in their entirety. Both really good shows.

I'm surprised the opener is considered weak. I think it was particularly catchy, especially the lyrics.


I was not aware at the time I wrote the review that the original opener was apparently replaced. That explains why the one on the DVDs is so freakin' lame.
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