Dark days of buying anime on VHS...

[Koshigaya23]

I started watching anime in the late-90s when I was about 12-years old. I'm now in my 30's and grateful to be able to buy a complete series on DVD or Blu-ray for $30-$59. However, when I first started collecting, most anime being sold was on VHS and LaserDisc. It sucked. Look-up pan and scan for starters in VHS. I remember wanting to own a whole series and having to pay 25.99 for 1 video with only 3-4 episodes. There was also the subbed VHS versus dubbed debacle. A dubbed anime was about $20-30; subbed was another 5-10 dollars. If you wanted a series like Urusei Yatsura...good luck...that was like 50 + videos for the whole series. 

 What are your memories from the days of anime on VHS?

[Ohayotaku]

@Koshigaya23 I also started  buying anime tapes in the 90s. I was in my early 20s at the time & had my first regular job. Early series I remember include Ranma 1/2, Slayers, Project Ako, Tenchi Universe & Irresponsible Captain Tylor. Went to Suncoast weekly. As you said, proved to be a very expensive hobby.  I think my first DVD purchase was either Outlaw Star or Sabre Marionette J.

Edited May 19, 2020 by Ohiotaku

[Koshigaya23]

15 hours ago, Ohiotaku said:

@Koshigaya23 I also started  buying anime tapes in the 90s. I was in my early 20s at the time & had my first regular job. Early series I remember include Ranma 1/2, Slayers, Project Ako, Tenchi Universe & Irresponsible Captain Tylor. Went to Suncoast weekly. As you said, proved to be a very expensive hobby.  I think my first DVD purchase was either Outlaw Star or Sabre Marionette J.

You went for the good stuff. Suncoast, too...they were like the go-to store for early anime collectors. How did you buy Ranma 1/2 and Slayers on VHS ? There are 70-odd episodes of the first seasons of Slayers and 160-some episodes of Ranma 1/2...

15 hours ago, The History Kid said:

The only anime I remember buying on VHS was DBZ.  I think I had four of them in all, three of them were movies.  I couldn't tell you what the episodic one was.  I think each were $20 too.  That's about the extent of my memory.  By the time I was actually "in" to anime, DVD's had pushed into the mainstream, and I was dealing with that.  Pilot Candidate, Gundam Wing, and Rurouni Kenshin were my firsts there.

That was the thing...a series like DBZ had an infinite number of episodes. So, I would buy mostly movies and OVAs. I remember seeing Martian Successor Nadesico in Sam Goody...like 15 tapes sold in 3 boxes. The price was like $199 for all. For series I never owned anything complete...just tapes with some episodes. It sucked because some tapes would end on a cliff-hanger two-part episodes...and I only had part 1; most tapes would show teasers of the next episode but that would be on the next tape. If the video store didn't have a tape, you had to mail order or search for the tape direct from the publisher (eg -- Animeworks, Central Park Media). That could take months for a tape to get out and required a credit card for purchase (I was a minor and couldn't do that). I don't recall eBay having much at that time and Amazon was still a growing co-op which was mostly in the media of books. Dark days. I bought all the Slayers seasons 1-3 in a single box set for $25 about 5-years ago...buying is much easier now...but...many older titles are yet to be released on BluRay. A lot of DVD releases have fallen out-of-print.   

[Ohayotaku]

33 minutes ago, Koshigaya23 said:

How did you buy Ranma 1/2 and Slayers on VHS ?

I didn’t buy all of Ranma 1/2, just some early episodes & a couple random ones with characters I liked. And the 2 movies & the various OVAs. I did buy all of Slayers, Slayers Next & Slayers Try. Switched to DVDs partway through Card Captor Sakura (back when it was Pioneer instead of Geneon). Of course ADV dominated things, but also remember US Manga Corps, Software Sculptures, Central Park Media, etc.

Edited May 19, 2020 by Ohiotaku

[Koshigaya23]

6 minutes ago, Ohiotaku said:

I didn’t buy all of Ranma 1/2, just some early episodes & a couple random ones with characters I liked. And the 2 movies & the various OVAs. I did buy all of Slayers, Slayers Next & Slayers Try. Switched to DVDs partway through Card Captor Sakura.

You were dedicated to buy all of the Slayers. I think the Slayers were sold in 2 VHS boxsets with 4-tapes per box. That was before-Funimation and would have been the original CPM/Software Sculptors releases. My wife and I are watching Slayers TV (first series) dubbed I English. Opinion time...remember that Zelgadis has a different VA in the first 11-episodes; good or bad when comparing him to Crispin Freeman who (in my opinion) saved the Zelgadis character voice? The first VA for Amelia wasn't too bad...not sure why she quit.  

Edited May 19, 2020 by Koshigaya23

[Ohayotaku]

The only dub voices I really remember were Lisa Ortiz as Lina & Eric Stuart as Gourry. Though Crispin Freeman is one of the best english VAs. I pretty much bought dub VHS tapes when available because they were easier to find. But once I started getting DVDs with both tracks, I listened almost exclusively to the japanese version with a few exceptions (Cowboy Bebop & Steel Angel Kurumi (Kira Vincent Davis, Monica Rial, Lisa Calliene Black, Hillary Haag) come to mind).

Edited May 19, 2020 by Ohiotaku

[Koshigaya23]

22 minutes ago, Ohiotaku said:

The only dub voices I really remember were Lisa Ortiz as Lina & Eric Stuart as Gourry. Though Crispin Freeman is one of the best english VAs. I pretty much bought dub VHS tapes when available because they were easier to find. But once I started getting DVDs with both tracks, I listened almost exclusively to the japanese version with a few exceptions (Cowboy Bebop & Steel Angel Kurumi (Kira Vincent Davis, Monica Rial, Lisa Calliene Black, Hillary Haag) come to mind).

Some anime works that way for me too. For example: EatMan, Cutey Honey OTS, Outlanders, and some others I preferred the original Japanese. I'm watching the Spanish dub of Inuyasha right now with my wife. I live in Mexico and almost all the anime here is dubbed in Spanish. Very few people here will listen to anime with Japanese audio. It has more to do with how anime has been marketed in Mexico since the 70's. A ton of anime was shown in the 70's in Mexico (more than in the U.S.). Common titles were: Candy Candy, Mazinger, Heidi, Swiss Family Robinson (yes, it was an anime), and such. However, they were dubbed and that led to later generations here insisting on dubs rather than subs. You can buy anime in Mexico on DVD bilingual...but the popularity goes with dubs. I don't feel one is greater than the other. I've heard terrible English dubs and heard Japanese VAs (eg -- YYH Yusuke  in Japanese) sound terrible. I know I'm deviating from their topic of the OP; but, shrill female characters (especially the moe blob ones) screaming in anime usually causes me to discard that anime regardless of what lies ahead. Which brings me to my next topic...Coming Soon!  

[Beocat]

I actually got the entire Tenchi Universe and the three Tenchi movies on VHS. Still have them too. They are my treasures. I think I had part of YuYu Hakusho on VHS too and my sister got quite a bit of Sailor Moon (movies included). I have a lot of good memories watching them.

 

My first DVD boxset was Escaflowne and I never went back to DVDs after that. I remember trying to get the Tenchi OVA series on DVD (then $120!) back then but it was on backorder.... never came in. Eventually when they rereleased it I got my chance to grab it and jumped at it.

[Koshigaya23]

On 5/27/2020 at 11:42 AM, Beocat said:

I actually got the entire Tenchi Universe and the three Tenchi movies on VHS. Still have them too. They are my treasures. I think I had part of YuYu Hakusho on VHS too and my sister got quite a bit of Sailor Moon (movies included). I have a lot of good memories watching them.

 

My first DVD boxset was Escaflowne and I never went back to DVDs after that. I remember trying to get the Tenchi OVA series on DVD (then $120!) back then but it was on backorder.... never came in. Eventually when they rereleased it I got my chance to grab it and jumped at it.

Yu Yu Hakusho on VHS would have been exhaustive. Was that a subbed version back then or an Animax dub (I believe YYH at that time was not yet licensed by Funimation). I recall watching the sub-par/lackluster YYH movies on VHS and knowing that the series was much better. I had to wait I until 2002 when Toonami started airing the actual TV series. 

 I had assorted VHS of Tenchi Muyo (never found Universe, though on VHS) and I had the first two movies. I remember the OVA release being exactly that...120-frickin-dollars!!! Ugh! The first DVD release was beautiful, though. It had a transparent slipcase and they went as far as to master the stereo mix with THX. I ended up finally buying the Tenchi Muyo OVA in 2010 at an FYE on markdown from $116 > $49. I was happy with that and bought the blu-ray release in 2012. I have the Geneon release of Universe with a near stained glass mural of the characters for inner artwork in the case. Did you ever watch the Mihoshi Special? If not, you need to. Btw, I know you're a Tenchi fan like me because I'm pretty sure you're the bloke who made the Tenchi quiz here. 

My first full series purchase on DVD was YYH: Ghost Files (the release with like 6 discs all large clamshell). I collect classic anime exclusively and it was easy in the 2000's to find many relicensed older anime titles in Best Buy, Suncoast, Hastings, Sam Goody, and rarely in Borders DVD section. Those days are gone, though. Most of the old Western publishers have filed bankruptcy, been bought-out, or liquidated in the late-2000's (R.I.P. original ADV, CPM, AnimeWorks, U.S. Manga Corps, Manga Video original Chicago distributor, AnimeEigo, Urban Vision, Pioneer, and others).

 

@Beocat

[Beocat]

@Koshigaya23  Haha, you have pegged me true.  I am definitely a Tenchi fan though my favorite "Tenchi" is Kenshi Masaki.  There was so much wrong with that boy...and yet I really bellylaughed at some of his misadventures (and felt his romantic interest to be more defined and less noncommittal).  I think they did the right amount of everything with him.  He basically was all the girls from the Tenchi OVA mixed together with a splash of Tenchi to round him out.  The multiple timelines/universes (not to mention the family relations...) have probably made it one of the most difficult series to explain to people.  Surprisingly enough, although my sister was not really an anime fan (she really only loved Sailor Moon), she did love the Tenchi OVA (was an Ayeka supporter from the start) and it really bothered me that they never went back to finish properly the OVA back in the day (I'm not sure what they released later on is a proper telling....it was missing some things and felt really rushed. Did not match the care and quality of the original OVA storyline).  To this day I am still aghast that they made Tenchi in Tokyo (the only Tenchi I never bothered to buy. I might someday get it via a used anime vendor if the price is right although I'll never watch it willingly).  The Tenchi Quiz was me alright    I should make another one.  I actually gave that quiz to a friend of mine and she was surprised how much of Tenchi she had forgotten.  I have to ask....do you cringe when you think of Daughter of Darkness?  And $120 for the OVA boxset...  I waited and waited for the pricedrop...then when I finally gave up on waiting they had run out of product.  Apparently, they knew we'd all eventually give in lol....  I have not managed to watch the Mihoshi Special.  It has been on my list for a while actually.  I do remember however downloading an emulator so I could play the Tenchi game on my computer (modeled after the OVA).  Even though it was all in Japanese I absolutely loved it!  Wow, I'm really showing my Tenchi obsession now...  

 

The YuYu Hakusho VHS were the dubs and I think I had around 5 or 6 of them.  I actually left them at my parents' home when I moved out since I never finished the series on VHS but I did actually get the entire series on DVD back in one of the RightStuf sales (likely a Christmas Sale),love me some Kurama and Kuwabara hehe).  I also just went through my collection upstairs and I had forgotten that I had come across a VHS boxset of Utena VHS too.  First season I believe (the Rose Bride arc?).  I saw that one and remembered it being rare.  Unfortunately, I have no way to watch my VHS anymore since our VHS player died.  So...it will remain unwatched forever.  FYE....I wish they were still around here.  I got so many good anime at FYE, and the random deals you'd find.  I remember finding Starship Operators in one and found Last Exile for 40 bucks (they had 4 of them, all 120 bucks except for the one lol).  

 

I too collect a lot of older series truth be told.  Tenchi, Cardcaptors, Solty Rei, Trigun, Big O, most Space Operas lol...a lot of the older series had great storylines and less filler/fluff.  These days there's too much distracting from the story (if there even is a story), not enough depth in the characters...I can't say that's true for all, but it is certainly true for harems these days and for most anime.  v_v  You'll have to share with me your purchase list....you share your collection with me, I'll share with you mine...    From one Collector to another.  I've got so much these days from all my years of collecting I have a list typed up by genre/alphabetical order so I can verify before I purchase if I already have it or not (this is important...I have bought the same anime twice before!  It happens...).  Still I like seeing what other people have.  It reminds me of things I've missed and still need to track down.

[Koshigaya23]

On 5/28/2020 at 10:46 PM, Beocat said:

@Koshigaya23  Haha, you have pegged me true.  I am definitely a Tenchi fan though my favorite "Tenchi" is Kenshi Masaki.  There was so much wrong with that boy...and yet I really bellylaughed at some of his misadventures (and felt his romantic interest to be more defined and less noncommittal).  I think they did the right amount of everything with him.  He basically was all the girls from the Tenchi OVA mixed together with a splash of Tenchi to round him out.  The multiple timelines/universes (not to mention the family relations...) have probably made it one of the most difficult series to explain to people.  Surprisingly enough, although my sister was not really an anime fan (she really only loved Sailor Moon), she did love the Tenchi OVA (was an Ayeka supporter from the start) and it really bothered me that they never went back to finish properly the OVA back in the day (I'm not sure what they released later on is a proper telling....it was missing some things and felt really rushed. Did not match the care and quality of the original OVA storyline).  To this day I am still aghast that they made Tenchi in Tokyo (the only Tenchi I never bothered to buy. I might someday get it via a used anime vendor if the price is right although I'll never watch it willingly).  The Tenchi Quiz was me alright    I should make another one.  I actually gave that quiz to a friend of mine and she was surprised how much of Tenchi she had forgotten.  I have to ask....do you cringe when you think of Daughter of Darkness?  And $120 for the OVA boxset...  I waited and waited for the pricedrop...then when I finally gave up on waiting they had run out of product.  Apparently, they knew we'd all eventually give in lol....  I have not managed to watch the Mihoshi Special.  It has been on my list for a while actually.  I do remember however downloading an emulator so I could play the Tenchi game on my computer (modeled after the OVA).  Even though it was all in Japanese I absolutely loved it!  Wow, I'm really showing my Tenchi obsession now...  

 

The YuYu Hakusho VHS were the dubs and I think I had around 5 or 6 of them.  I actually left them at my parents' home when I moved out since I never finished the series on VHS but I did actually get the entire series on DVD back in one of the RightStuf sales (likely a Christmas Sale),love me some Kurama and Kuwabara hehe).  I also just went through my collection upstairs and I had forgotten that I had come across a VHS boxset of Utena VHS too.  First season I believe (the Rose Bride arc?).  I saw that one and remembered it being rare.  Unfortunately, I have no way to watch my VHS anymore since our VHS player died.  So...it will remain unwatched forever.  FYE....I wish they were still around here.  I got so many good anime at FYE, and the random deals you'd find.  I remember finding Starship Operators in one and found Last Exile for 40 bucks (they had 4 of them, all 120 bucks except for the one lol).  

 

I too collect a lot of older series truth be told.  Tenchi, Cardcaptors, Solty Rei, Trigun, Big O, most Space Operas lol...a lot of the older series had great storylines and less filler/fluff.  These days there's too much distracting from the story (if there even is a story), not enough depth in the characters...I can't say that's true for all, but it is certainly true for harems these days and for most anime.  v_v  You'll have to share with me your purchase list....you share your collection with me, I'll share with you mine...    From one Collector to another.  I've got so much these days from all my years of collecting I have a list typed up by genre/alphabetical order so I can verify before I purchase if I already have it or not (this is important...I have bought the same anime twice before!  It happens...).  Still I like seeing what other people have.  It reminds me of things I've missed and still need to track down.

Tenchi in Tokyo wasn't the worst but there was so much cooler toward the end. I remember an episode about a guy being a runner (who was a human comet) with Kiyone and Mihoshi...I'm surprised I went that far. The spin-offs never sat well with me. I watched and owned all of GXP and when Tenchi finally appeared in a "back to Okinawa" episode...it was nothing but more fan service. Granted, Tenchi is known for having a ton of fan service...but I got tired of it after Universe. 

FYE closed!? Guess I have been out of the U.S. for a long time. 

Don't toss your VHS. There are a ton of decent VCR vendors on eBay. I bought one from a guy that was like brand new (Sony) and less-than $40 + shipping. Most modern TV's have no issues with VCR playback. 

Discotek/Eastern Star produces the majority of anything I find worth buying nowadays. I got into a dispute with the arrogant director of RightStuf back in 2017 and no longer do business with them. I don't have that big of a to-buy list this year. I'm planning on getting Kimagure  Orange Road the TV series on blu-ray and possibly Venus Wars for a movie. I own almost everything else that I could want.

[Beocat]

1 hour ago, Koshigaya23 said:

Tenchi in Tokyo wasn't the worst but there was so much cooler toward the end. I remember an episode about a guy being a runner (who was a human comet) with Kiyone and Mihoshi...I'm surprised I went that far. The spin-offs never sat well with me. I watched and owned all of GXP and when Tenchi finally appeared in a "back to Okinawa" episode...it was nothing but more fan service. Granted, Tenchi is known for having a ton of fan service...but I got tired of it after Universe. 

FYE closed!? Guess I have been out of the U.S. for a long time. 

Don't toss your VHS. There are a ton of decent VCR vendors on eBay. I bought one from a guy that was like brand new (Sony) and less-than $40 + shipping. Most modern TV's have no issues with VCR playback. 

Discotek/Eastern Star produces the majority of anything I find worth buying nowadays. I got into a dispute with the arrogant director of RightStuf back in 2017 and no longer do business with them. I don't have that big of a to-buy list this year. I'm planning on getting Kimagure  Orange Road the TV series on blu-ray and possibly Venus Wars for a movie. I own almost everything else that I could want.

Oh GXP....that one I dislike as well. Oh the heights and potential it could have had....  it was a flop for me. Painful to even watch though partly my own fault for mentally hyping it up before even watching it. I purposely restrained myself with WoG and was thrilled with it that said. My best friend trashed it but I believe she had already written it off before watching it (she often does).  Even if the spinoffs have not yet been your thing, I would urge you to watch War on Geminar but to keep your expectations grounded. Expect fanservice of course, but you'll probably be surprised by it (Kenshi even makes comments about how perverted some things are, almost a 5th wall moment). Generally Kenshi is just more likable than most Tenchi protagonists and his life with Tenchi and the harem before the events of WoG are referenced frequently. He would be the half Brother of Tenchi, from Rea and Noboyuki. I actually enjoyed the story and it got me back into looking forward to more Tenchi releases  

 

And FYE isn't exactly closed but a lot of the stores near me either closed or had a rebranding (and with it substantially shrank their anime supplies).

 

ugh...let's not go on about Rightstuf. The problems I've had with them over the years is far too numerous to write down. Their customer service is lousy these days. What's worse is Sentai's store uses Rightstuf's warehouse as a distributor  (no doubt they get a deal on Sentai titles for it) so every time I order from them I get worried. So far though so good on the Sentai orders. Still, I take every Rightstuf order with a grain of ghost pepper. I already know it's going to bite back.