Last month
we discussed new 3" DVD releases of the 2003
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series, and three other shows from Funimation (
Sonic X, DragonBall GT, Yu-Gi-Oh!). We now have more information about the releases...basically because I walked into Target and bought one yesterday! First, here's what the packaging looks like: front, back, and inside.
As you can see, this is designed to hang from a peghook, and I found it mixed in with the trading cards near the front registers. Cost was $3.99 each.
Sonic X wasn't available, but one selection each was there of
DragonBall GT and
Yu-Gi-Oh! There is a mini-jewelcase inside that slides out of the cardboard and opens up (CD-style). The sticker was inside the cardboard, behind the jewel case. Round clear stickers keep the mini-jewelcase inside the cardboard.
As I said, there was one choice from each show there (although
Sonic X seemed to be sold out). I bought only the
TMNT mini-DVD,
Raphael (pictured above). It says that it's part of the "Shellshock Collection", and urges you to "collect all 4" of these "limited edition" releases. Here are the 4 titles and the single episodes on each:
- Michelangelo: "The Unconvincing Turtle Titan"
- Raphael: "Lone Raph & Cub"
- Donatello: "The King"
- Leonardo: "Tales of Leo"
These episodes are all available on the full-size DVD releases, on Volumes 4, 6, and 8. But it's neat for a quick 22-minute fix of a single episode, and the mini-jewelcase easily fits into a shirt pocket. Be aware that I found this small DVD to be no less loaded with advertisements than the full-size ones are. Never too tiny for marketing, I guess!
For each of the 3 shows I found in-stock at this particular Target (not a Super-Target, but still a larger, nicer, more modern one than the location I usually shop at, which still doesn't have these), there was just one selection available.
Like the
Turtles, the cases of the other shows indicate that the one your holding is part of a 4-item collection. Our
earlier news, quoting
Video Business, said that "Funimation will release a first wave of 4 singles, each carrying an episode from one of the (shows.) A second wave of four releases is reported to be coming next quarter, in the Fall."
I admit to being confused: I'm not sure if I should be able to find the "Michelangelo", "Donatello", and "Leonardo" releases right now, and then in the fall there will be another collection besides the "Shellshock Collection"? Or do I have to wait for the Fall to get one of the other three titles in the "Shellshock" series? The folks at Target sure didn't know, and I don't see anything about these mini-discs at the Funimation website. I might just be missing it, but neither have I been able to find out about this by e-mail. If anyone at Funimation is reading this, and knows what's going on with these, please drop me a line and fill me in!
As for the rest of our readers: stay tuned, and if I find out anything more, I'll certainly let you know.
