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Destroy All Podcasts DX Episode 190 - Zeiram

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22 comments posted
You guys should check out

You guys should check out GARO. It's a TV series Keita Amemiya did a few years ago. It's basically a superhero action show like Kamen Rider, Kikaider, Power Rangers, etc. but it's more of a fantasy show than sci-fi. Most of it has got the usual monster-of-the-week format, so they can work in a bunch of crazy monster designs. The practical effects aren't as good as Zeiram (and there is a lot of CG of varying degress of quality), but it's still got most of what makes Zeiram kind of worth sitting through, and it's WAY less boring. It's a pretty awesome show, honestly.

TheMarkSewell's picture
Posted by TheMarkSewell on 30 May, 2011 - 01:24
Garo

Is this available in English? How long is it? I've heard people mention it before, but never checked it out.

Destroy All Podcasts DX's picture
Posted by Destroy All Pod... on 3 June, 2011 - 12:30
It's 25 episodes, but you

It's 25 episodes, but you wouldn't have to really watch the whole show to get the gist of it and do a good podcast on it. I watched the whole thing, but I'm a deeply-entrenched tokusatsu nerd, and I'm not sure whether it'd be worth watching all the way through if you aren't or not. It's one of the best toku shows in recent memory, though, if not the best. The only thing in the last few years that might be better is Kamen Rider W. But GARO's more my length of show; Kamen Rider seasons are freaking long.

And I don't believe there's an English release, but TV Nihon did good subtitles for it.

TheMarkSewell's picture
Posted by TheMarkSewell on 4 June, 2011 - 12:42
Never knew that the

Never knew that the liveaction version showed on Sci-Fi. Must have been a favorite story back then.

I love the Caberet-Tomb Raider, corset-Storm Trooper description for her outfit. I wasn't sold on watching this until that phrasing.

guyalice's picture
Posted by guyalice on 31 May, 2011 - 10:03
Sci-Fi Channel

I guess? I definitely saw Iria: Zeirman the Animation on Sci-Fi Channel's Anime Week one summer in the mid-90s and then a few months later saw Zeiram (which was spelled just Zeram back then from the Fox-Lorber release). I might even have a VHS tape off of TV of that one kicking around somewhere still. I never saw Zeiram 2 on Sci-Fi Channel, though!

Destroy All Podcasts DX's picture
Posted by Destroy All Pod... on 3 June, 2011 - 12:33
I love Zueys (not sure if i

I love Zueys (not sure if i spelled her name right) futuristic button noises "beep boop boop". This is one of those movies that I always hear about or happen to see things flipping thru some anime magazine or something, but never have bothered to watch. I'll have to throw this on the old netflix just to check out the monsters.

NEOGETTER's picture
Posted by NEOGETTER on 31 May, 2011 - 14:35
Zuey Noises

Yeah, it's spelled Zuey. You can see the spelling in the hosts part of each podcast listing that she appears on. Glad you like her special effects! I definitely think Zeiram is an entertaining little B-movie worth checking out, even if Zuey disagrees.

Destroy All Podcasts DX's picture
Posted by Destroy All Pod... on 3 June, 2011 - 12:42
Stuff

I've only heard of Zeiram in passing, from what I've seen it looks similar to Mechanical Violator Hakaider which was pretty fun stuff. Also, I was surprised at the lack of comment reading in this episode; still that means more feedback next episode.

Lastly: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEddTSFonvk I felt like giving this to Jeremy, everyone else is going on about this show, so why the hell not? I'm from good ol' Blighty so the sudden popularity of this is news to me. :P

Invid Ninja's picture
Posted by Invid Ninja on 31 May, 2011 - 16:13
Zeiram and Hakaider

Well, Zeiram and Mechanical Violator Hakaider have the same director so no surprise they look similar! We didn't read any comments in this one or next week's podcast because we recorded several in one week because I am again studying for a stupid Microsoft test and don't have time to podcast again until after I take my test. We answered all the feedback that was available already when we recorded. Oh well! I can promise we don't reply to any feedback on the next podcast either -- it was recorded like two days after the Zeiram podcast. My test is next Monday, though, so we should be back to normal soon.

Destroy All Podcasts DX's picture
Posted by Destroy All Pod... on 3 June, 2011 - 12:51
Japanese B movie

I like this movie because it really has good visuals for the time and I think Gantz borrowed a lot from it, like the alien tech and the concept of the zone

domcalmet's picture
Posted by domcalmet on 1 June, 2011 - 02:09
Zeiram vs. Gantz

I haven't seen Gantz. Are you talking about the anime or the live action version?

Destroy All Podcasts DX's picture
Posted by Destroy All Pod... on 3 June, 2011 - 12:52
If Zuey doesn't like to hang

If Zuey doesn't like to hang out with s-y people, then DAP DX shouldn't exist!

I liked Zeiram, even though it does the lame "oh, we took the characters from this fantasy setting and moved them to modern day reality!" probably to save money on sets. The anime is better and you should review that at a later time.

Yotaru's picture
Posted by Yotaru on 1 June, 2011 - 03:04
Wha?

What does, "If Zuey doesn't like to hang out with s-y people, then DAP DX shouldn't exist!" mean? I don't get it. s-y?

Like I think we said on the podcast, we're going to do Iria: Zeiram the Animation and Zeiram 2 as well.

Destroy All Podcasts DX's picture
Posted by Destroy All Pod... on 3 June, 2011 - 13:16
Zeiram

Yay, I remember Zeiram!

I knew about it for ages before I ever managed to watched some of it (didn't catch the whole thing, though) on TV about ten years ago. I still haven't seen it in its entirety, and I was planning to rent it recently, but the shop that had it closed down before I could do so.

Also there was "Iria: Zeiram the Animation", directed by Tetsuro Amino, of Macross 7 fame. I'm not sure if that's a prequel or sequel or what, though.

Anyway, I just wanted to point out that the "removing flesh striptease" thing has been done, but it's not a hot chick, it's Robbie Williams, I'm afraid. Check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGelsMOIJZY That video was banned in the UK, by the way.

Renato's picture
Posted by Renato on 1 June, 2011 - 09:00
I forget now, but the

I forget now, but the chronology of the Zeiram movies is explained in the extras of the DVD.

Yotaru's picture
Posted by Yotaru on 1 June, 2011 - 11:35
Hmm...do I thank you???

I knew there were people who took of skin suits!!! ...I just forgot all of them!
Please don't let Robbie Williams ever make a come back!!!!

Ok, now that I got that out I can easily argue that Zombie Strippers is a better example!
I wish there was a male substitute but I can only think of Tom Waits' "T'ain't no sin" ...good song but not quite it.

DArczilla's picture
Posted by DArczilla on 1 June, 2011 - 22:39
Iria and Robbie Williams

Iria: Zeiram the Animation is definitely a prequel to Zeiram. Bob's still alive and not a computer yet, Iria's just an apprentice, et cetera. However, I'm not sure the continuity really holds up. In Zeiram, it's like this is the first time Iria and Bob have encountered Zeiram, but we'll go into it more in the podcast.

Thanks for the link to the Robbie Williams video. While the song is awful and Robbie Williams is a weird looking dude, that's basically the sort of thing I was imagining (though I was imagining a woman, of course, and not Robbie Williams), but it is well-executed special effects until the awfully dated CG skeleton shows up. Really good muscle suit thing, though!

Destroy All Podcasts DX's picture
Posted by Destroy All Pod... on 3 June, 2011 - 13:20
I hope Mike will be back

I hope Mike will be back soon. He really helps balance the podcasts. Huge respect for using Commando as musical reference. It's moments like that which make this podcast priceless.

Novacaine31's picture
Posted by Novacaine31 on 2 June, 2011 - 14:36
Awww, thanks

I would kind of like to watch the sequel to this. I keep learning about all these Japanese live-action SF movies from the Nineties that I *haven't* seen, like this and GUNHED...

RobotBastard's picture
Posted by RobotBastard on 2 June, 2011 - 16:03
Mike

Mike is definitely going to be back soon -- he's on the next podcast.

Destroy All Podcasts DX's picture
Posted by Destroy All Pod... on 3 June, 2011 - 13:20
Sneezing

I remembered one more thing.

Sneezing in Japanese culture is attributed to a superstition: basically when you sneeze, it means that somebody somewhere is talking about you. Hence all those scenes in anime etc. with the cutting back and forth between groups of characters talking, then some others sneezing.

Which is odd anyway, it seems to have become its own visual trope. I mean, you don't see Hollywood films putting in scenes of superstitious beliefs just for comedy value. Like, is there a scene in Terminator where Arnie walks under a ladder just before he falls over or something? Or did a black cat cross Leonardo DiCaprio's path before the Titanic sank? Yeah, doesn't seem to work, but that would be the equivalent, really.

Oh, and Gunhed, yeah, that would be an interesting movie to review...

Renato's picture
Posted by Renato on 2 June, 2011 - 19:38
Sneezing Thing

Yeah, I mean, I know it's based on a superstition, but it's a lame overused gag in anime. It is weird seeing it live action, though. It's sort of the equivalent of the western "I feel like someone just walked over my grave" thing. I get the idea, but I doubt it was even funny the first time they did it a zillion years ago. In 1991 it was beyond played out and when it's done in new productions these days, man, gimme a break! It's like a "Why did the chicken cross the road?" joke! Weak!

We may do Gunhed. It's another fun Japanese b-movie that is trying so hard but doesn't really pull it off, but good effects! I also have the Gunhed manga so I can talk about that, too.

Destroy All Podcasts DX's picture
Posted by Destroy All Pod... on 3 June, 2011 - 13:23