quote:

although if that was the only reason, I don't see why they'd have needed to change Elena to Orla, or Alor to Bandor. Sincline, Sadak, and Honerva were all easy to understand and pronunce for a western audience too

It's possible WEP didn't know the characters' GoLion names, villains or otherwise, and had to make up new ones for Voltron.

Also, they might not have had legal clearance to use the Japanese names.

quote:

Also, they might not have had legal clearance to use the Japanese names.

I doubt name clearance has anything to do with it. it makes no sense that they would get the rights to the show, but not the names of the characters.

Beside which, in the dvd extras, they talk quite a bit about "americanizing" the show. I think they just thought that names like Lotor and Haggar would work better in the US.

Of course, I suppose it's also possible they just didn't know what the original names were. I'm still not clear on what translations, if any, they had to work with.

quote:

Originally posted by Aaron:

quote:

Also, they might not have had legal clearance to use the Japanese names.

I doubt name clearance has anything to do with it. it makes no sense that they would get the rights to the show, but not the names of the characters.

Beside which, in the dvd extras, they talk quite a bit about "americanizing" the show. I think they just thought that names like Lotor and Haggar would work better in the US.

Of course, I suppose it's also possible they just didn't know what the original names were. I'm still not clear on what translations, if any, they had to work with.

i like the names in voltron MUCH better then what was used for go-lion i think changing the names was the right thing to do

I've watched the first disc, and I'm really impressed.It's different to see the show in Japanese and it adds another layer in the Voltron story. I took some notes while I was watching.
Notes:

• They don't know how Golion was built
  
• Music okay. Better Castle Doom music in Voltron (More onmious I think)
  
• I like Suzuishi's voice better than Pidge's (No offense Neil Ross)
  
• Fala had siblings
  
• Mice names were Platt and Chuchulte(sp?)
  
• Hagger and Coba had better voices in Voltron(In My Opinion)
  
• Male minus Seidou and Suzuishi sounds alike.
  
• Suzuishi descened from ninjas
  
• I like the nicknames though(Chief,Shorty,Quiet,Moody,Hothead)
  
• Castle Gradam is the Castle Of Lions
  
• Like the launch music

I haven't watched the other 2 yet. But I like what see thus far. 5 out of 5 stars
My DXV Romance

Finally, the DVD is available. Not only do You get to watch the deleted scenes, You get to see what they're saying.

In addition, we discover each team member had a nickname:
Chief (Keith/Kogane), Moody (Lance/Korogame), Hothead (Hunk/Seidou), Shorty (Pidge/Suzushi), and Quiet (Sven/Shirogane)

The Castle of Lions is known as Castle Gradam in the original series. Their are no extras but everything from the original series is on the DVD -- including recaps and previews for each episode.

It's interesting to know the DVD is region coded. That means Japanese DVD players won't play the DVD unless they're altered. This is a Japanese show, right?

Ed

Yup, but it's pretty much like Region 2-coded DVDs containing American TV shows only being playable in the UK, not the US. It's standard practice, these days.

Region coding sucks.

quote:

It's interesting to know the DVD is region coded. That means Japanese DVD players won't play the DVD unless they're altered. This is a Japanese show, right?

I honestly don't understand why it's "interesting" that the dvd is region coded. All dvds made by a professional company are going to be region coded. Yes, it's a Japanese show, but it's still one that been licened and distributed by a North American comany for release in North America.


EDIT: after looking around a bit, it seems that Toei makes and distribute dvds for their own shows. So if GoLion--and Dairugger-- ever get a dvd release in Japan, they'll be the one to do it.

I managed to pick up a copy at Best Buy this weekend. I checked to make sure all 3 discs were in it before leaving the parking lot

I haven't watched any of it yet but I will sya that I like the box art, however, I agree with statements that the disc art if pretty plain.

I'm looking forward to watching the first disc tonight.

Edit: Ok, I watched the first 3 episodes of GoLion and I must say that I enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed Voltron.

For starters, the story line makes more sense and flows much more smoothly than in Voltron (at least for the first couple of episodes).

Secondly, Voltron's/GoLion's origin makes a little more sense. GoLion basically confirms that Voltron/GoLion was a sentient being originally but no one knows how he was created. The fact that he challenged the Goddess of Space instead of Haggar in disguise also makes more sense.

Thirdly, I definitely prefer GoLion's Galra Empire over Voltron's Doom Forces. GoLion's Zarkon and Yurak are much more ruthless, threatening, and powerful than their Voltron counterparts.

Fourthly, I really liked how GoLion's Hunk commented on the amount of technology inside the old castle of lions. He was genuinely surprised to see the control room and elevator leading to the tomb of the King of Altea.

Fifthly, thanks to GoLion, it really is hard to tell if Pidge is suppose to be a boy or a girl.

The music from the opening and closing credits reminds me a lot of the original Mobile Suit Gundam.

quote:

Originally posted by KiethBlackLion:

Thirdly, I definitely prefer GoLion's Galra Empire over Voltron's Doom Forces. GoLion's Zarkon and Yurak are much more ruthless, threatening, and powerful than their Voltron counterparts.

BOOOOOO! You hath angered the goofballs


Nah, we're all entitled to our opinions, I'll forgive ya some, but only if Lance gets stuck with Zarkon and Daibazaal in the Elevator Hopefully he'll have some flag stickers he can stick on their crowns to tell them apart, hehe.


I agree that they are more ruthless, but why do they have be some darned boring about it? I'd rather have more innocuous and interesting than "Rawr me be evil drink West Nile, blah" and be dull as nails about it (hmm, maybe Daibezaal had tetanus in that ep, would explain a bit). C'mon, Kim Jong Il 2 in real life is a ruthless dude, but also a nutty guy who once kidnapped a South Korean actress and her husband so she could star in his own personally directed movies. So, if real life can make a dictator like this, than hemoglobin imbibers should have been a lot more than just that. But maybe I just set my standards too high, really hoping the Galrans would have ruthlessness AND personality. Oh well, at least the Golion team got some snark to them.

quote:

Originally posted by KiethBlackLion:
Fourthly, I really liked how GoLion's Hunk commented on the amount of technology inside the old castle of lions. He was genuinely surprised to see the control room and elevator leading to the tomb of the King of Altea.

Although this element of awe was still retained in the American version, when Keith and the rest of his crew descend in the elevator into the higher-tech underground castle -- they mention how ginchy it all is, and Coran says something to the effect of Arus possessing "the most advanced scientists in the known universe."

quote:

Originally posted by KiethBlackLion:
Fifthly, thanks to GoLion, it really is hard to tell if Pidge is suppose to be a boy or a girl.

And somebody suddenly faces another "Taylor Hanson" dilemma...

quote:

Fifthly, thanks to GoLion, it really is hard to tell if Pidge is suppose to be a boy or a girl

For what it's worth, Hiroshi is a fairly typical boy name in Japan.

quote:

Originally posted by Kyence:

quote:

Originally posted by KiethBlackLion:

Thirdly, I definitely prefer GoLion's Galra Empire over Voltron's Doom Forces. GoLion's Zarkon and Yurak are much more ruthless, threatening, and powerful than their Voltron counterparts.

BOOOOOO! You hath angered the goofballs


Nah, we're all entitled to our opinions, I'll forgive ya some, but only if Lance gets stuck with Zarkon and Daibazaal in the Elevator Hopefully he'll have some flag stickers he can stick on their crowns to tell them apart, hehe.

Now there's an interesting idea.

quote:

Originally posted by KiethBlackLion:

quote:

Originally posted by Kyence:

quote:

Originally posted by KiethBlackLion:

Thirdly, I definitely prefer GoLion's Galra Empire over Voltron's Doom Forces. GoLion's Zarkon and Yurak are much more ruthless, threatening, and powerful than their Voltron counterparts.

BOOOOOO! You hath angered the goofballs


Nah, we're all entitled to our opinions, I'll forgive ya some, but only if Lance gets stuck with Zarkon and Daibazaal in the Elevator Hopefully he'll have some flag stickers he can stick on their crowns to tell them apart, hehe.

Now there's an interesting idea.

Hehe, I try to inspire chaos when I can! I know what you're capable of

All in all, it's great how the Golion release has stimulated a whole range of reactions to it, how everybody walks away from it with something a little different. Like a Booster shot for the fandom.

quote:

Originally posted by Kyence:
Hehe, I try to inspire chaos when I can! I know what you're capable of

All in all, it's great how the Golion release has stimulated a whole range of reactions to it, how everybody walks away from it with something a little different. Like a Booster shot for the fandom.

I do what I can.

But you're right in the that it's a booster shot for the fandom. Minus the lack of any real extras and the disc art, the GoLion release has been a fresh breath of air for Voltron fans.

Mainly because we have all seen Voltron, but few of us have seen GoLion, except for a few clips here and there and some notable websites on the show. So seeing the original form of Voltron opens up all arenas of discussion.

With GoLion on dvd, debates over motivations of characters from both series will now have an almost limitless supply of evidence to back up the respective arguments. We'll now be able to see the original footage concerning Lotor and his visions of his mother.

We'll be able to see the original relationship between Allura and Keith and how it was suppose to play out.

I don't know how it is for the rest of you, but for me watching GoLion is like going back in time and sitting next to Shakespeare as he writes one of his plays and being privy to the exact motivation and meaning behind his words.