Our friends at Media Blasters have very kindly sent over a special preview DVD (and no, it is NOT generally available, so please don't e-mail and ask; we will not respond) that has the first episode of
Voltron - Defender of the Universe on it. The episode, "Space Explorers Captured," is the first of the four-part "Castle of Lions" arc that began the whole thing. We meet the five space explorers from Galaxy Garrison: Keith, Sven, Lance, Hunk, and Pidge, who are destined to bring back Voltron from the planet Arus.
That planet, as the space explorers approach it, is under attack by King Zarkon's forces from Planet Doom. In this episode, we see more of Doom than Arus, and we meet Zarkon and the witch Haggar, but not Prince Lotor just yet. Similarly, when our heroes escape and return to Arus, the episode leaves off just as they find the mysterious Castle of Lions, and recall old legends of the robot Voltron. So we don't meet Allura yet (though she appears briefly in the closing credits), nor Coran. But we do see a quick glimpse of the space mice when Zarkon's forces attack! We also see more of Galaxy Garrison in this episode then we will in most of the Lion Force stories to come.
Media Blasters' preview DVD presents "Space Explorers Captured" in both 2.0 and 5.1 sound. That 5.1 surround sound re-mix is surprisingly lively in the rear speakers for a show over 20 years old, and sounds better than the vast majority of efforts along these lines (way better than
Transformers). For those of you who prefer the original experience, the 2.0 mix will suit you well...but give the 5.1 a chance. You'll probably never turn back! I give the Audio an 8 out of 10.
Video. Video. Video. What to say about the video? How about "you won't believe how good this looks?" That just about sums it up. Is it perfect? No. There are a few tiny white specs that appear and disappear all throughout, in enough quantity to be noticeable (but not distract). And a few shots get fuzzy from time to time. And...those are all the nits I can pick. The colors are spectacularly brilliant, and the vast majority of scenes are sharp and clear. Some that aren't are simply a product of their time, and you have to accept it as an animation product from twenty years ago. But I had vast appreciation for what I did see, and if this is a sample of what the entire run of the show will look like, then there's no doubt that our long wait for these DVDs was very well worth it! See for yourself below. I give that a 9 out of 10 score.
Media Blasters has painstakingly put this together, and their loving efforts are clear all throughout this preview disc's sample episode. I only saw a single error, a typo, and you'll spot it below. It involves something that came up
in our most recent Voltron news (in which, by the way, I owe Media Blasters a big apology, because I had a massive brain-fart and called them "Media Play" all throughout, despite the fact that I never have set foot in the now-defunct DVD retailer chain...sorry, guys! I've fixed it!). In that story, it was mentioned that the font for the main locations are titled on-screen using equipment that is now unavailable, and that the font used originally was not available to them now. So they used a slightly different font to re-title those shots from the original
GoLion shots they re-mastered for these DVDs. In the establishing shot for "Galaxy Garrison", they spelled it wrong ("Garrision"). Media Blasters knows about that typo, and are hopefully going to be able to correct it by the time the final sets ship. As far as "how different is the font?" goes, I've got VHS tapes of the original version, and I can assure you that you will barely notice the difference in fonts. I don't consider it to be a big thing at all, and I'm a pretty hard-core fan of the show.
So, it's time for me to stop typing so much and c'mon with the pictures, right? Once more, I will emphasize that this is a special press-only preview package that is not meant for the public. I hope nobody who is fortunate enough to get one chooses to part with it, but if they do then I suppose eBay is the place to look. I will never, ever part with mine (so don't ask). And no, I can't help you get a copy from Media Blaster, no matter who you are. All I can do is share it this way, okay? Enjoy!
The Special Preview DVD Package For Voltron
The Package Unfolds To Talk About The Set (No Info We Didn't Already Know)
A Close-Up Of The Package Shot, With A First Glimpse Inside!
The Preview DVD Itself (If IT Looks This Nice, I Can't Wait To See Production Disc Art!)
The Preview DVD's Main Menu Screen (The Trailer Mentioned Is Available Online)
Our Heroic Space Explorers: Sven, Lance, Keith, Hunk and Pidge
Princess Allura Only Appears In The Credits Of "Space Explorers Captured"
The Space Mice Briefly Appear, Though...Looking Very Sharp!
Evil King Zarkon Looks Equally Sharp On This Preview Disc!
Witch Haggar Is Ever At Zarkon's Side
Minor Typos Aside, This "Galaxy Garrison" Shot Looks Beautiful!
Castle Doom, Home Of King Zarkon, Is As Creepy As You Would Expect!
The Mysterious Castle Of Lions Appears Out Of The Mists!
Ugly As Citizens Of Planet Doom Are, This Is a Gorgeously Remastered Shot!
Our Future Voltron Force Makes A Plan To Escape From Zarkon's Dungeons!
We Cant' Leave Without Giving You A Shot Of The Big Guy Himself! Nice, Eh?
...And there you have it! As you can see, the preview disc makes it look like this is going to be sweet. The 5.1 sound is very nice, and it looks like our patience will be well rewarded. Media Blasters has a lot to be proud of here. And I'm glad, because I'm probably going to be one of their toughest customers. Me, and my elementary-school-age son! How did he like it? "It was great!," Stephen says. That just about sums it up.
