Tobei Miyake
04-20-2005, 06:47 PM
I'm quite sure some of you have already heard that Bandai is thinking about doing it with some of their titles; Gundam being one, of course (if not):Stateside UMD Releases from Bandai (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/article.php?id=6524)
Bandai Entertainment is planning on releasing some of their theatrical titles on UMD later this year. While nothing is finalized yet, they are looking at titles that will "mesh well with gamers," for example Gundam Seed Movie 1, Escaflowne: The Movie and one other unnamed catalog title.
At this time it isn't clear whether or not Bandai will be able to include multiple audio tracks and subtitles on the UMD releases. As the product and authoring process is brand new, the limitations of the technology aren't entirely clear at this point.
Bandai is looking at a $19.98 price point for the UMD releases, which will not be bundled with regular DVDs.If you owned a PSP would you buy it?
I was reading some of the talkback comments from Anime News Network, and some of them said "no, they'd just watch a DVD on their laptop if they wanted to go portable." And I guess that's fine. But to me most laptops are kind of clunky for that. Sure, Sony has some pretty small Vaios, and Apple has a small iBook and a small Powerbook.
(And I'm sure other makers have small stuff too -- but outside of Sony I steer clear of PCs, they give me the creeps; I'm a Mac person.)
Anyway, it would seem cooler to me to watch it on a PSP as opposed to a laptop.
(But I guess that's really more of a personal situation thing.)
For Instance, say... getting on the train in Midtown and riding it way-the-hell out to the middle of Brooklyn or whatever; you're on the train for 45 minutes. So, instead of starting up your laptop; sitting it on your lap; knowing that the train's going to get crowded and that you're going to be constantly moving it so that you're not in other people's way... Instead of doing that, just whip out your PSP, click it on (boom-bam), and watch Cowboy Bebop on your slick-a** screen.
Like I say, though, I guess that's really more of a personal situation type thing. Because if you don't live in a city with a subway, then the laptop problem isn't really a problem.
I would buy certain titles, though -- like Bebop; because I don't own the anime. If Bandai released it for the PSP I wouldn't even have a decision to make; it wouldn't be: do I get the Bebop remix that's coming out, or do I get the PSP Bebop? I'd go with the PSP Bebop.
I read that Gundam is supposed to have "PSP-exclusive content":Tentatively titled "Kidou Senshi Gundam for PSP," this first in a new UMD-only "Disk Series" of titles will bring Bandai's ubiquitous franchise to the UMD format. The UMD will include part of the original 1979 cartoon series, although Bandai has yet to reveal the number of episodes. In addition to this, Bandai has announced that the disk will feature artwork, bonus materials, staff interviews and a dictionary of Gundam terminology.
While these bonus materials sound a bit like the features found in today's DVDs, Bandai apparently plans to take things further. As the Disk Series continues, it hopes to make it so that viewers can look through bonus material as they watch the video footage. This alone would take the UMD a ways beyond what current DVD players can do.That alone is cool to me.
Because I'm thinking with Cowboy Bebop: Tokyopop (http://www.tokyopop.com/dbpage.php?propertycode=CBB&categorycode=BGM) made some anime guides for it awhile back, so I think it would be cool to be able read extra info and insights on whatever episode you're watching while you're watching it. Maybe have it be a cool overlay or something... And have the episode pause and maybe have music playing from one of the soundtracks. Something like that.
I had said in a thread over on the game forum that the main reason that I'm getting a PSP is because I think it's cool -- I'm waiting for Gran Turismo Mobile to come out before getting it. (And I guess I can read manga on it, too. (http://psp.1up.com/do/feature?cId=3139112)) But if Bandai releases, say, Bebop (and if whatever they release sells well, then you know Geneon and ADV and everyone else is going to follow suit), then that's just another plus.
Anyway, thoughts? Pro anime on UMD? Con?
***
Update: apparently Geneon is releasing Appleseed on UMD for the PSP in July for $19.95. Interesting...
Bandai Entertainment is planning on releasing some of their theatrical titles on UMD later this year. While nothing is finalized yet, they are looking at titles that will "mesh well with gamers," for example Gundam Seed Movie 1, Escaflowne: The Movie and one other unnamed catalog title.
At this time it isn't clear whether or not Bandai will be able to include multiple audio tracks and subtitles on the UMD releases. As the product and authoring process is brand new, the limitations of the technology aren't entirely clear at this point.
Bandai is looking at a $19.98 price point for the UMD releases, which will not be bundled with regular DVDs.If you owned a PSP would you buy it?
I was reading some of the talkback comments from Anime News Network, and some of them said "no, they'd just watch a DVD on their laptop if they wanted to go portable." And I guess that's fine. But to me most laptops are kind of clunky for that. Sure, Sony has some pretty small Vaios, and Apple has a small iBook and a small Powerbook.
(And I'm sure other makers have small stuff too -- but outside of Sony I steer clear of PCs, they give me the creeps; I'm a Mac person.)
Anyway, it would seem cooler to me to watch it on a PSP as opposed to a laptop.
(But I guess that's really more of a personal situation thing.)
For Instance, say... getting on the train in Midtown and riding it way-the-hell out to the middle of Brooklyn or whatever; you're on the train for 45 minutes. So, instead of starting up your laptop; sitting it on your lap; knowing that the train's going to get crowded and that you're going to be constantly moving it so that you're not in other people's way... Instead of doing that, just whip out your PSP, click it on (boom-bam), and watch Cowboy Bebop on your slick-a** screen.
Like I say, though, I guess that's really more of a personal situation type thing. Because if you don't live in a city with a subway, then the laptop problem isn't really a problem.
I would buy certain titles, though -- like Bebop; because I don't own the anime. If Bandai released it for the PSP I wouldn't even have a decision to make; it wouldn't be: do I get the Bebop remix that's coming out, or do I get the PSP Bebop? I'd go with the PSP Bebop.
I read that Gundam is supposed to have "PSP-exclusive content":Tentatively titled "Kidou Senshi Gundam for PSP," this first in a new UMD-only "Disk Series" of titles will bring Bandai's ubiquitous franchise to the UMD format. The UMD will include part of the original 1979 cartoon series, although Bandai has yet to reveal the number of episodes. In addition to this, Bandai has announced that the disk will feature artwork, bonus materials, staff interviews and a dictionary of Gundam terminology.
While these bonus materials sound a bit like the features found in today's DVDs, Bandai apparently plans to take things further. As the Disk Series continues, it hopes to make it so that viewers can look through bonus material as they watch the video footage. This alone would take the UMD a ways beyond what current DVD players can do.That alone is cool to me.
Because I'm thinking with Cowboy Bebop: Tokyopop (http://www.tokyopop.com/dbpage.php?propertycode=CBB&categorycode=BGM) made some anime guides for it awhile back, so I think it would be cool to be able read extra info and insights on whatever episode you're watching while you're watching it. Maybe have it be a cool overlay or something... And have the episode pause and maybe have music playing from one of the soundtracks. Something like that.
I had said in a thread over on the game forum that the main reason that I'm getting a PSP is because I think it's cool -- I'm waiting for Gran Turismo Mobile to come out before getting it. (And I guess I can read manga on it, too. (http://psp.1up.com/do/feature?cId=3139112)) But if Bandai releases, say, Bebop (and if whatever they release sells well, then you know Geneon and ADV and everyone else is going to follow suit), then that's just another plus.
Anyway, thoughts? Pro anime on UMD? Con?
***
Update: apparently Geneon is releasing Appleseed on UMD for the PSP in July for $19.95. Interesting...