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Wyrdwad
2007-02-27, 22:44
I'm not sure if I'm posting this on the proper board, and I apologize if I'm not... but I'm looking for a particularly rare anime that, to my knowledge, has never been translated, and I thought somebody here might be able to point me in the right direction for finding it.

The anime aired in the early 2000s as part of a Japanese children's variety show on NHK called "Tensai Terebi-kun Waido" (Genius Mr. TV Widescreen), and was a really fantastic bit of light-hearted, insane, semi-"edutainment" fun called "Alice SOS". The basic premise is that a bunch of Japanese schoolkids are friends with Alice, of Alice in Wonderland fame... and in every single episode, Alice gets kidnapped, and taken to some new world, where the kids have to go about rescuing her. But the worlds are always really crazy, and full of puzzles they have to solve, villains they have to fight, etc.

One episode in particular that I recall quite fondly took place in Santa Claus World, where all mall Santas are trained... but it was all quite twisted, as the reindeer were in charge, and they would often force the Santas to pull them around in a sleigh... and then there were the chimney people, who were none too pleased with Santa for his constant abuse over the years.

One of the coolest things about the show, too, was the mere fact that it was part of Tensai Terebi-kun, which meant NO COMMERCIALS... instead of commercials, you got live-action song and dance numbers performed by Japanese grade-schoolers, most of which were extremely entertaining -- especially when they were songs I knew, like "Roam" (If You Want To).

The show tried to work in educational content every now and again as well, but it was always put to good use, and the episodes I saw during my time in Japan were simply wonderful. Unfortunately, I caught the show right as it was ending, and I never thought to start taping it until the week before the final episode aired -- so I only ever got two episodes recorded, and I've since lost the tape.

I've inquired about getting DVDs of this show for quite some time now, but it seems that NHK never did release it, even on VHS, for some inexplicable reason. If anyone happens to have any good TV-source copies of Alice SOS episodes, though, please let me know, as I would SERIOUSLY consider fansubbing this show if I could find it again.

Thanks!

-Tom

monir
2007-02-28, 15:05
This thread can stay here since we don't have a thread for this title in question. More information regarding to this show as follows:

http://content.imagesocket.com/thumbs/5177e63.jpg (http://imagesocket.com/view/5177e63.jpg)

Production Company: J.C. Staff (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/company.php?id=478)

Release Date: April 1998

Website: ??

The entire cast and staff info can be found in ANN (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=1076). Here is to hoping Tom will find some source to this show so it can be fansubbed. :)

Wyrdwad
2007-02-28, 22:50
If Winny'll keep connected to one person long enough to download it, I should have the opening animation for the show pretty soon, at the very least. And it's a tiny file, too (less than 3 meg), so I can probably put it up for download somewhere, so y'all can check it out. It's got a really simple, but extremely adorable opening. (:

And yes, I've been searching for episodes on Winny for a long time now, on and off... but never once have I found a single one on there. Goes to show you just how rare a series this is, since Winny (Japanese Winmx) is basically the virtual dumping ground for all of Japan. If it exists in digital form, you'll eventually be able to find it on Winny, to be sure. I'm just hoping this is the exception, and it DOES exist in digital form somewhere!

-Tom

TBFBri10
2007-03-04, 05:46
After extensive research (nearly three days of asking and searching), I was given a source from Sion Sonozaki of GameFAQs:

http://shopping.yahoo.co.jp/search?p=%A5%A2%A5%EA%A5%B9SOS&cspid=&first=1

Unfortunately, I live in the Americas, so it'd probably be too much trouble to try and convert American money to Yen and stuff. I hope somebody buys this and subs it quickly. I'd love to use this in TUAC.

Wyrdwad
2007-03-04, 12:45
Wow, it's finally getting released! Thank you VERY, VERY MUCH for the find... it's extremely expensive to buy the box set, but no more than I spent for the PopoloCrois 2003 DVDs, so this is definitely something to consider.

The first question I need to definitively answer, though, before I buy this box-set, is whether or not the episodes contain all the Tensai Terebi-kun songs and such, or if it's just the anime. If all the songs and such are included, then this is a guaranteed sale, and probably a guaranteed fansub project, as well. (: I'll have to download an episode from Winny after the box-set's release, so I can find out for certain.

Thanks again for the info!

-Tom

Wyrdwad
2007-03-06, 03:15
Hmmm... funny how I never thought to look on YouTube for the intro! (: If anyone else is curious about the show, here's the OP:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j066U56PJ_M

And while this is probably NOT going to be on the DVDs, this was the ED I saw for the show in 2001, when I caught it on TV in Japan:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoZzS0l8iWY

(It's technically the ending to Tensai Terebi-kun, but Alice SOS has no ED of its own, so I always thought of this as the ending to the show.)

EDIT: And actually, a little further searching produced the 1998 Tensai Terebi-kun ending, which is what would have broadcast alongside Alice SOS during its initial airing, and is more likely to show up on the DVD set:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tiVkfczKcU

Nowhere near as good as the 2001 ED, but still rather cute. (:

Oh, and I did some preliminary asking around, and if I do indeed choose to translate this show (which seems increasingly likely!), Anime-BT is on board, as is kittenbitten (the fabulous translator who does QC/editing work for our PopoloCrois episodes). So this is seeming more and more like a reality here... and I have to admit, I'm excited about it! I haven't thought of this show in a long time, but unless my memory is completely failing me, I just recall it being an absolutely wonderful, happy, fun gem of an anime. One of those unknown titles that I can't imagine anyone DISliking, if they give it a chance, as it's just so universally appealing.

Stay tuned for any further announcements. (:

-Tom

monir
2007-03-06, 03:34
Those are some excellent news Tom. I'm sure I'm not the only one who yearns to see more series subbed from the 90's that are, otherwise, below fanfare. After listening to the first few words from the opening theme, "Otoko wa okmai nano," I'm convinced I will very much like this show. :)

Wyrdwad
2007-03-06, 03:42
Heh. The opening theme, actually, is a cover of a popular Japanese oldie from the 70s band "Pink Lady". I've always loved the song, and have heard at least four different versions of it over the years (to call this song a classic in Japan would be an understatement!), but I honestly think the Alice SOS version of it is the best.

Pink Lady is a great band, BTW. If you like 60s pop in the U.S. and Britain, you should definitely pick up the album "Pink Lady History" sometime, to hear a Japanese spin on the same kind of sound.

But yes... "otoko wa ookami na no yo, ki wo tsukenasai!"... truer words were never spoken! ;) Heheheheheh...

-Tom

TBFBri10
2007-03-06, 17:38
(video removed from YouTube)

Wyrdwad
2007-03-06, 20:52
There wasn't actually any Alice SOS footage in there, but it was still... erm... interesting. (: I'll have to learn to do video editing, one of these days. I've got a hankering to do some AMVs. (:

-Tom

TBFBri10
2007-03-15, 05:01
Whoops, my bad. I saw in this topic that you watched the OP, and I just saw various OPs for a different Alice anime. XD

TBFBri10
2007-05-05, 04:29
Around two months back, I remember a topic about somebody saying they might fansub this anime. Anybody know anything about it?