MediaOCD Archives | Otaku No Culture

When Nobody’s Boy Remi Is Heading “Home” In The Warm Month of May!

When 19th-century life was harsh, what options were available? In Nobody’s Boy Remi, this French country boy learns what the true meaning of family is after getting sold off by his mean spirited father…

Nobody's Boy Remi Slipcover Box Art Back in the 70s, I often tuned into CBC’s French channel to get my daily anime fix. They often featured films and series more often than the other channels, and two such works included Sherlock Hound and Nobody’s Boy Remi. As for The Mysterious Cities of Gold, that did not arrive until the early 80s, and together they defined a part of my childhood. ‘

Flash forward to the present, I’m thrilled to see that anime distributor AnimEigo and parent company MediaOCD have announced the home media Blu-ray release of Nobody’s Boy Remi. This series will become available for purchase on May 11th.

Before advances in technology reinvented the three-dimensional effect for modern day televisions, some production houses used a built-in illusion without having to change anything. The Pulfrich Effect (more information below) created the sense that objects appear closer than they are. This technique preserves the visual image, allowing viewers to see both flat and pronounced images with or without glasses.

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A Bubblegum Crisis and Crash is Available From MediaOCD!

The love I have for Bubblegum Crisis is rather obvious, and as for why upgrade, it’s worth it for Holiday in Bali, the live-action travel journal featuring the voice actresses.

Bubblegum Crisis Perfect Collection — **Available to order from MediaOCD or Amazon USA**

Many older fans will still rave over Bubblegum Crisis, and have no problem buying a re-release as video technology improves. When the audio fidelity is amped up too, maybe one day a simulated concert experience is possible! Also, the 90s was an anime Renaissance which helped show to western audiences that this genre is unique. With the release of Bubblegum Crisis: The Complete Collection, I can say I got everything from my VHS and laser disc days gathered onto two compact discs. And there’s a 50-page booklet containing interviews and staff memories too! Although this is mostly text, I’m fine with that because I own the art books.

I started wanting the latter because of AnimEigo’s covers. They are a testament to how diverse my collection is and I got the latter album cover signed by Kenichi Sonada when he attended Emerald City Comic Con close to a decade ago! Although I missed getting the crowdfunded version of this latest release which had a special art book, I’m sure I could track down the Japanese version. But after meeting Sonada-san and asking for something complete different from others (to have him draw me anime style), it’s tough to top that!

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MediaOCD’s Bubblegum Crisis Perfect Edition is Ready to Burst!

No anime fan should be without Bubblegum Crisis Perfect Edition in their collection for the simple reason: their music defined the 90s and explains why the Knight Sabers are still beloved today!

Release Date: February 11, 2025

Fans of Bubblegum Crisis may well wonder what the differences are between all the “collected” and remastered editions that’s still floating around on online shops. Aside from all the new content (see below) produced for Bubblegum Crisis Perfect Edition, being handled by MediaOCD, if you already have the crowdfunded release, this latest includes all three music video compilations and brand new packaging!

The good news for owners of previous editions is that there’s a coupon code to get an incredible discount for this new one! For more information, please visit the official website. And if that’s not enough, there’s even a brand new tee-shirt to show your love for this fond 90s classic that can be ordered through this distributor!

From the Press Release:

Originally released in Japan starting in 1987, and an OVA (Original Video Animation) mega-hit among the early American anime scene, Bubblegum Crisis is the show that put AnimEigo on the map. Over the years the series, and its unique noir blend of mecha, cute girls, 80s J-pop, and cyberpunk dystopia, has inspired countless imitators. It stands as a seminal work in the world of Japanese science fiction and is a landmark part of anime history.

The AnimEigo Perfect Collection Blu-ray edition features all 8 episodes of the original series presented in full 1080p HD and includes a new video interview with the renowned character designer, Kenichi Sonoda, and a 50-page book filled with additional interviews and insightful liner notes. Continue reading “MediaOCD’s Bubblegum Crisis Perfect Edition is Ready to Burst!”

A Time of Eve is Set For Dec 10, 2024! Thankfully, That’s Not the Final Countdown.

Pardoning the pun, the timely release of a Time of Eve is very relevant to today’s concerns regarding the propagation of robots with enhanced artificial intelligence in the commonplace. This latest release includes both edits (original streaming and theatrical cut)

A Time of Eve Complete Collection Blu-Ray Cover — Available to pre-order directly from MediaOCD or Amazon USA

Release Date: December 10th.

A Time of Eve may well be a spiritual precursor to other movies where androids are everywhere. Some look ready to upset the status quo. And like those tales like Blade Runner or even I, Robot where action and theosophy are intertwined, here, two teenagers are curious about a message found in their robot’s memory banks. It is an invitation to a café–whose name is also that of this movie.

This story made waves back when it was streamed on Yahoo! Japan in 2008, and simulcast on Crunchyroll. Two years later, they released a regional home video version. An international theatrical release followed. Back then, the ramifications of AI being everywhere was not as big as it is now. It’s mostly about Skynet back then, and now, MedicOCD/AnimEigo aims to change all that with additional material in this North American release.

Continue reading “A Time of Eve is Set For Dec 10, 2024! Thankfully, That’s Not the Final Countdown.”

The Deets Are In for Time of Eve’s Home Video Release

Whether or not the themes explored in the anime Time of Eve is considered ahead of its time, fans can find out when this collection comes out!

Time of Eve Cover — **Also available to preorder on Amazon USA**

Release Date:
Dec 10, 2024

The challenge with artificial intelligence is that will the creators allow it to evolve and grow, and back when the anime Time of Eve first came out (2009), not everyone felt too concerned. Not everyone may have been aware about this web series; these days, the concern with what machines can do is cause for concern. There’s consequences, which many documentaries have explored, and the can of worms that various works of entertainment have opened up suggests many possible ways machines can go renegade!

Now, anime distributor AnimEigo and parent company MediaOCD are bringing this series for all to discuss and examine with the upcoming blu-ray release. That’s because there’s an all new featurette which may delve into the discourse too!

From the Press Release:

An auteur independent work from director Yasuhiro Yoshiura (Patema Inverted, Sing a Bit of Harmony), Time of Eve is a critical darling that won the 2010 Tokyo Anime Award for Original Video Animation. This new edition from AnimEigo contains the feature film version in English and Japanese, along with the original 6-episode web series from which it was assembled.

Time of Eve is set during a time when humanoid robots are everywhere, and every home has one as a servant. Some people treat them with contempt, while others become obsessed. One day, two high school boys stumble across a mysterious café that offers a third option: talk to them, free of prejudice, or even full knowledge of who’s a robot and who’s human. Shocked and rattled by the experience, the boys find themselves learning more about the world and themselves than they ever could have imagined.

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When Megazone 23 Gets an Explosive, Shiny Update!

The late 80s and 90s was a good time for anime and music to really shine. Megazone 23 may well be the best from this era and it’s getting released anew for fans to enjoy the trilogy as its meant to!

Release Date: November 12th.
Pre-order this title here.

Megazone 23 is a series that has a special place in my heart, and I’m very excited an updated collector’s edition is being released by Media OCD/AnimEigo. Not only was the soundtrack phenomenal, but also it paved the way to help make anime mainstream. The compositions scored by Shirō Sagisu still holds up today, and he’s better known for other series like Evangelion and Berserk.

Also, anyone who loves Mikimoto Haruhiko’s art will most likely say he was on his A-game during this era! That’s because a lot of his watercolour works were used to help promote many a series. From Macross to Gunbuster, his style had a quality which is beautiful to look at.

Production-wise, this series created by Noboru Ishiguro and Hiroyuki Hoshiyama (Artland/Tatsunoko) has lots to like. I believe it was the first to introduce virtual idols to the cyberpunk anime genre, and in North America, Carl Macek took notice. He spliced bits and pieces of this series to create Robotech the Movie. That was not as well received as the original. Continue reading “When Megazone 23 Gets an Explosive, Shiny Update!”