Friday, August 21, 2015

Ippei Kuri: On Battle Of The Planets

"That [Battle Of The Planets] was around the time Star Wars came out. To be honest, I really didn't like having my work fiddled with. It was changed to be gentler, and there was really no other choice. The culture is different, so I was like, 'go ahead and change it.' At that time you had to [localize] or you wouldn't sell anything. It didn't exactly turn lame, but we noticed that there were poorly done drawings stuck in."
 
-Ippei Kuri, president of Tasunoko Production, [Inside] Tatsunoko Production, Newtype USA, August 2004, (p.19)-


Kuri reflected on the adaptation of Tatsunoko Production's Science Ninja Team Gatchaman (1972-1974) into America's Battle Of The Planets (1978)and the economic realities and cultural realities involved in making the sale. And of course the Jar Jar Binks of Battle Of The Planets, 7-Zark-7. Okay, but truthfully, he was never that bad.

*These images were extracted from the Ippei Kuri Art Works book review over at halcyonrealms.com.

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