The Tokusatsu Thread

[Mikezilla3k]

Gridman's getting a Blu-Ray release Augest 17th.

Wonder if it will include Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad, since Mill Creek released the DVD releases for it.

[starsteam]

Does anyone own releases from Generation Kikaida? How are they? They're a bit pricey (but not outrageously so) and I'm considering seeking them out in the future since they're about as close to North American releases of Kikaida and Kamen Rider V3 that we'll get.

[starsteam]

Haven't posted this here yet - I made a master post for US disc tokusatsu releases. Keeping it updated as they are announced.
https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=341069

[mdo7]

Hi long time tokusatsu fans here. I didn't know there was a thread for tokusatsu on blu-ray.com (don't ask me how I missed or wasn't aware of this).

Beside being a toku fan, I'm also a long time East Asian TV drama fans meaning I watched Korean TV dramas, Chinese TV dramas (wuxia dramas too), Taiwanese dramas, and just started to watch Singaporean dramas on Netflix recently. But I like to add something to this. There's been more evidence of people in the US watching more foreign TV shows on Netflix (and other streaming site like Prime Video). You can read it here:

Netflix Reveals List Of Its U.S. Subscribers’ 10 “Most Traveled To” Destinations

Netflix Unveils Its Most-Watched International Series & Films In America

Netflix Viewers Search For Love, Baking Shows Rise & Foreign-Language Drama Booms As Streamer Reveals What Was Watched In 2020

And yet it doesn't look like toku shows aren't getting any boost or big increase in fandom despite people watching more foreign TV shows. The one that stand out are Korean TV dramas (or K-dramas), and probably Chinese wuxia TV dramas

I say this because look at this Reddit board:

r/toku (7.8 thousands members)

r/KDRAMA (237 thousand active members)

r/CDRAMA (13.8 thousand active members, and that does include wuxia dramas watcher)

What do you notice? The K-drama and C-drama section of Reddit has more active users then toku Reddit, and if you want evidence of K-drama having a big jump in US viewership:

MTV News: WHY ARE WESTERN AUDIENCES FALLING HEAD OVER HEELS FOR K-DRAMAS?

Forbes: Korean Drama Lovers In The U.S. Are Very Fond Of Romantic Comedies

K-drama: It's OK not to be OK, and Kingdom selected in New York Times 2020 best international TV series

So why isn't tokusatsu getting a jump in US viewership when Korean TV dramas are getting them. And this is where it get problematic. Because K-dramas have venture into sci-fi/fantasy where they borderline to tokusatsu territory. I'm not making this up, here 2 K-dramas on Netflix that looks like it should be a tokusatsu:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_YpLyPKaGs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rI56NmD33Y

I mean Sweet Home, should this be put under tokusatsu genre because of this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkS6i7oUpD8

I can name other K-dramas which in my opinion should be put into discussion on what is or is not tokusatsu.

I also want to bring up wuxia drama from China because those have been getting more viewership in the US thanks to Netflix and streaming sites like Viki, Amazon Prime Video. Also it doesn't help that wuxia C-dramas have also been compared to tokusatsu because of the stylized martial art choreography, and the costume. I mean how many of you toku fan don't think this should be discuss in toku community circle:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNsIGlXACew

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hw-WcEkOCUM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5nshXtTD-k

I bring this up because a few years ago, a blogger talked about sci-fi/fantasy K-dramas and Wuxia C-dramas should be put in the same category as Kamen Rider, Super Sentai:

2014 blog: Should Fans of Also Consider Wuxia Series and Sci-Fi Series as Tokusatsu?

2018 blog: Why Do I Even Call Certain Fantasy-Based K-Drama And C-Drama As Toku?!

Let's not forget the definition of tokusatsu:

Tokusatsu (特撮) is a Japanese word that literally means "special effects." It is primarily used to refer to live-action Japanese film and television dramas that make use of special effects.

Tokusatsu entertainment is often science fiction, fantasy, or horror, but movies and TV shows in other genres can sometimes be classified as tokusatsu as well.

So should some K-dramas (the sci-fi/fantasy one) and wuxia C-dramas be also brought up into this discussion?

[PegasusKenshiro]

Originally Posted by starsteam

Does anyone own releases from Generation Kikaida? How are they? They're a bit pricey (but not outrageously so) and I'm considering seeking them out in the future since they're about as close to North American releases of Kikaida and Kamen Rider V3 that we'll get.

Long wait for the response, I have Kikaida. All 9 DVDs. The episodes look okay except for episode 1, which has a really bad ghosting issue throughout. The 3D special on disc 9 is letterboxed and not anamorphic. The DVDs look decent for being over 20 years old.

[mdo7]

Although I'm thankful and also glad to see tokusatsu shows getting physical Blu-ray (and DVDs) release in the US, something I would like to see for K-dramas and C-dramas (both Taiwanese, and Mainland Chinese). But I think tokusatsu shows could get more mainstream fans if they put shows like GARO (not the anime series), and other adult-oriented toku shows on Netflix, Prime Video, or even put it on Viki (where people watch K-drama and C-dramas on that site).

It does bother me that Netflix aren't picking up simulcast for tokusatsu when they seem to have no problem doing simulcast for K-dramas, a practice since 2017. I've seen other K-dramas being simulcast on Netflix, and if I was a toku fans, I would've been bothered and alarmed by this. I mean don't get me wrong, I appreciate Shout Factory TV for bringing us tokusatsu shows like Super Sentai, Kamen Rider, and Ultraman series. But when a streaming provider is picking up simulcast for a latest show/TV dramas that just finished broadcasting out of the show/dramas' country of origin and broadcast on a streaming provider platform, and not your favorite show (including toku shows) from Japan, that's where I think people should maybe have a talk/debate. I've seen old Taiwanese TV dramas from early 2000's appearing on Netflix and those can attract more audiences that casually watch any K-dramas or a Netflix original from Taiwan on Netflix thanks to the recommend system.

I would've expected that Toei and Tsuburaya production to have allowed their recent shows get a Netflix streaming for worldwide audiences in the same manner that several K-dramas are getting simulcast . I would've love for these recent shows to appear on Netflix instead of waiting 5 years for it to get a English sub and US release:

• Kishiryu Sentai Ryusoulger
  
• Mashin Sentai Kiramager
  
• Kikai Sentai Zenkaiger
  
• Kamen Rider Zero-One
  
• Kamen Rider Saber
  
• Kamen Rider Revice
  
• Ultraman Taiga
  
• Ultraman Chronicle Zero & Geed
  
• Ultraman Z
  
• Ultraman Chronicle Z: Heroes' Odyssey
  
• Ultraman Trigger: New Generation Tiga

If these shows I listed were on Netflix already, then I guarantee there will be more toku fans today from the same people that watch wuxia C-dramas, and people that watch sci-fi/fantasy K-drama on Netflix. I could say the same for GARO.

As I mentioned in my previous post, there's clear evidence that a lot of American and native English-speaking audiences are watching more foreign-language TV shows with English subtitles more then ever. The popularity of Korean TV dramas and other foreign-language TV shows proves that tokusatsu shows should be on mainstream streaming platform like Netflix rather. Toei and Tsuburaya should've known about this, and yet they failed.

[Lucacanaleb]

Hello everyone! I am writing from Italy so forgive my English. I'm a Tokusatsu fans like you and for some time I have been trying to find as much as possible: between the Sentai boxes of Shout and Ultraman of Mill Creek I have satisfied my hunger for Sentai.
I recently discovered that two series (Space Sheriff Gavan and Space Sheriff Sharivan) were released in France on DVD!

Did you know? I’ll add links if you’re interested

https://www.anime-store.fr/as/XOr-Le...ideo-5699.html

[robliodan]

I didn't think to post in here sooner - did anyone else get their preorder for Howl From Beyond the Fog (2nd printing)? Mine arrived at the end of June.



SRS Cinema also had a sale going on the Reigo/Raiga films, so I picked them up too. Reigo I saw before; it was alright. The other two I haven't watched yet.
Howl, however, is good - very good. It's very short, but it's quite efficient with its storytelling and very evocative with its visuals and soundtrack. The special effects are pretty solid for a production of this size, and Nebura/Nebula is a cool monster. I definitely recommend this one for toku fans, even as a blind buy.


I'm slowly watching Mirrorman on Tsuburaya's YT channel, but I must admit, it's not very engaging so far. I like the atmosphere the show goes for, and there are some interesting personal dramas which pop up episodically, but generally the stories feel very underdeveloped. I do still appreciate being able to watch and judge for myself, though!

[starsteam]

Toho is releasing Sayonara Jupiter to Blu-ray in October
https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B0999H1MCW

Don't expect English subs, of course. At the very least Toho is showing signs of dipping back into their catalog title.

[eastx]

Nobody seems to have mentioned that Gridman got released with the totally awful Engrish subtitles that the streaming version has. It's a good show, but I'm so disappointed that the promised new subtitles did not make the cut.

[Gold Ranger]

How bad are the Subs?
I don't do streaming, so I have no idea what those are like.

[eastx]

See this thread: https://twitter.com/jumbalia23/statu...22939907051520

[bongozoid]

Originally Posted by eastx

Nobody seems to have mentioned that Gridman got released with the totally awful Engrish subtitles that the streaming version has. It's a good show, but I'm so disappointed that the promised new subtitles did not make the cut.

For some reason, most of the Gridman discussion has been taking place in the Ultraman thread.

I believe the same subtitle issue also happened with the latest Ultraman releases...

[oddbox83]

Originally Posted by eastx

See this thread: https://twitter.com/jumbalia23/statu...22939907051520

What the hell?

Have any English speaking people actually QCed the subs? Mill Creek spent a lot of time on them, apparently. A whole hour by the look of it.

[jwk94]

Kamen Rider Zero-One complete series + movie is up for pre order from Bullmoose and dealsareus! Release is January. Shout tweeted that the set is 8 discs, although we don't know if that includes the movie since that hasn't formally been announced yet.

[Mikezilla3k]

Well, looks like Toei is in trouble after someone accused them of overtime and sexual harassment:
https://twitter.com/ExpressKyoudai/s...20049495580676

The letter to Toei (translation from The Tokusatsu network):

[Show spoiler]To whom it may concern,

I am currently employed with Toei. I joined the company as a new graduate, and after working my way through the Production Department and the Directing Department, I worked as an Assistant Producer (AP) for Kamen Rider Revice, a work commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Kamen Rider franchise from November 2020.

As of June 2021, I have been placed on adjustment order. Because of this, I have decided to join the Sougo Support Union, an individually affiliated labor union in order to make demands and collectively bargain with Toei Co.

Listening to the current situation and the stories of the seniors who had left the field, I realized that this was not an issue that affected only me, but a problem that has been prevalent in the company for a long time and has been left untouched.

Additionally, the lack of legal compliance has been exposed on shows and hero shows, and questions have been raised on social media.

I don’t think I could have had the courage to file a complaint against the company on my own.

I would like to express my gratitude to Ms. Eri Nakayama, the female stage host at Theater G Rosso (*1), who courageously communicated the current situation of Toei in the past, and also to those who conveyed their awareness of questions through SNS at Gaoranger Festival (*2).

Two years ago, even though there was an incident at Theater G-Rosso that made me question the company’s decency, the internal response was to “hurry up and extinguish the fire,” and no one bothered to actually tackle the root of the issue.

Even now, even though I took a leave of absence and filed a complaint, their response remains the same.

Of course, I am very attached to Kamen Rider Revice, a show I’ve been involved in for six months. There are many people I am very grateful for: Kentaro Maeda, Wataru Hyuga, Ayaka Imoto, Noritaka Hamao, and the rest of the cast have been wonderful people to work with and have saved my life. I apologize if I cause any trouble to those people.

The Sudden Fixed Overtime System
Three months after I was assigned to work as the AP for the Kamen Rider 2021 program (i.e., when the workload would increase), I was promoted from a regular employee to an assistant producer, and my salary was changed to a flat rate regardless of how much I worked, which was called a fixed overtime system.

When it changed, the manager of the TV management department explained to me that the salary structure would change. When I asked for a specific amount, they just brushed it off saying, “It’s enough to live on.”



In the initial collective bargaining, we asked the union to provide us with the work rules, the 36th agreement, the agreement, etc., to investigate again this wage payment whose basis was unclear.

The deemed overtime hours set forth in the agreement with the union were:

Amount equivalent to overtime pay calculated based on 55 hours on weekdays and 15 hours on holidays.

The agreement was based on the assumption that 70 hours of overtime work would be performed per month, ignoring labor laws.



The arrangement that Toei has in place includes 45 hours of overtime per month. With no compensation.

In addition to that, the head of the Human Resources Department explained to us that the reason Toei introduced the fixed overtime system was “because we cannot control the hours in our work as producers.” This is not in the nature of overtime pay.

Currently, we are demanding that Toei admit that this fixed overtime system is invalid (that it does not fit the nature of overtime pay).



We are also negotiating with the employees of the Film Planning Department and Television Planning Department to admit that the fixed overtime system is invalid, recalculate it as a part of one’s basic salary, and pay any unpaid overtime for the past two years.

Sexual Harassment
I was sexually harassed by two staff members on the set.

The first was a freelance staff member in his 60s. We exchanged LINE (a messaging app) for business purposes, and he persistently contacted me. When I ignored his messages and left him on read, he called me. On a cold winter day, he even held my hand.



When I consulted Toei’s internal hotline, they were unable to give me a warning from within the company because “it is not a criminal offense” and since he was a freelance-staff (not an actual Toei staff), they couldn’t do anything. They ended up putting a vague notice in the staff room and called it a day.

The second one was by a freelance assistant director.

With the excuse he called “direction,” he called me in just us two, made me stand-in in a camera-test where we stared at each other, and ordered me to sit with him on the location bus. When I talked to my supervisor about it, he held an oppressive attitude against me. Later, when I met him again in another filming, he harassed me by not making eye contact/not giving me necessary information/overly reprimanding me.

When I became an AP for Kamen Rider Revice, I explained the situation to the producer and told him that, if given the choice, I would remove myself from staff. The producer reacted with, “You’re lucky to be popular in such a short period of time.” I would end up seeing my two harassers and working with them on set, mentally suffering.

Overworked
During the production of Revice, it was common to work more than 13 hours a day. The overtime hours exceeded the karoshi line (official measure of excessive hours of overtime per month).

I talked to my producer about my endless tears I would shed before coming into work as well as my stress-induced gastroenteritis. I suggested these five things:

Be mindful of overtime hours; on days when the clock strikes midnight, allow a certain interval for the start of work on the next day.
Increase the number of staff
Make use of remote-meetings
Have a concrete set number of days we need to be on site
If 1-4 are difficult, reassign me to a different drama.
In response, the producer replied, “I think it’s possible to work with just four to five hours of sleep”…”this is totally possible,” (in regards to number four) “There’ll be a ton more important duties to attend to so you’ll eventually need to be there fewer days,” (in regards to number five), “you’re underestimating adult dramas, you’ll find your stomach will be in more pain there than in tokusatsu.”

Essentially, nothing changed.

Disappointed that I could either keep working and collapse or give up now, I continued to work the same hours I had been working, but my strength did not last for a month, so I decided to temporarily leave because of adjustment disorder.

And coincidentally, Toei Co., Ltd. declared its health management policy to the outside world this month.



We will engage in health management to maintain and improve the physical and mental health of our employees and to create a comfortable workplace.

Eri Nakayama (*1)
Eri Nakayama spoke up about being sexually harassed as an employee at G-Rosso which included being called an inappropriate name related to male genitalia, asked inappropriate questions, groped in her buttocks in passing, as well as getting her breast fondled. On July 6, while Toei Company, Ltd. and Toei Advertising, Ltd. are currently being investigated, the allegations have been verified. The employees guilty of sexual misconduct include one employee from Toei Advertising, LTD., and five employees from affiliate companies etc.

Gao Festival (*2)
Kazuyoshi Sakai, who played Sataro Ushigome/Gao Black, touched the lower half of Gao White’s body during “Gao Fest” and posted the scene with the hashtag translating to #GaoWhite’sButt on social media.

Since this was not a “joke,” but a criminal act, questions were raised on social media. Since Toei has yet to issue any explanation, a signature campaign is currently underway.

Which has led to their shares going into free fall:


Doesn't look for the company, though this might mean they're more open to licensing deals for their shows in the US to try and make some more money.