Which came out in the US first, Animeigo's MADOX-01 or US Renditions' Gunbuster?

[llj]

This question was brought to my attention today. On the US Renditions wikipedia page, it states that Gunbuster was the first subtitled anime home video release in the US, in early 1990.

On Animeigo's website, it states that MADOX-01 came out in early 1989. The copyright dates on the VHS tapes also seems to suggest this as well. However, various fan recollections I've come across seem to suggest that MADOX-01 in fact came out AFTER US Renditions' Gunbuster.

Anyone have any other sources, such as magazines or advertisements for these releases they'd like to share that might shed some light?

[davemerrill]

MADOX was first.

[llj]

MADOX was first.

You're positive about this? Then I guess the US Renditions Wikipedia page needs correcting.

[DKop]

ANN isn't helping confirm this either.

Madox: https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encycl ... 92&page=28

Gunbuster: https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encycl ... 66&page=28

I do at least have a solid month on when Gunbuster came out and that is in Janurary of 1990 thanks to my own blog where I've collected and archived old anime magazines. I got nothing on my end scanned for Madox, but i'm sure it's out there.

http://animeofyesteryear.blogspot.com/2 ... ue-11.html

[llj]

So indeed, the plot thickens...!

But yeah, I think magazine ads are probably the only way to confirm release dates. I wouldn't necessarily trust the memories of older fans. I certainly cannot remember details from even 12 years ago, let alone over 30.

[davemerrill]

There's an issue of my anime zine "Oxygen Destroyer" that features a print advertisement for MADOX-01's release, I'll dig it up when I get home and see what it says in terms of release dates.

[DKop]

It wouldn't happen to be this ad would it?

[davemerrill]

that's exactly the ad I was thinking about, but as it happens, the ad we ran in "Oxygen Destroyer" was for their Riding Bean release. The memory DOES cheat!

I did, however, find the Summer 1990 issue of "Animation Velocity" which continued the letter-writing feud between Randall Stukey and Robert Woodhead about the MRSP of MADOX-01 (Stukey thought AnimEigo was charging too much, Woodhead explained basic economics to Stukey).

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I also dug up the May 1990 issue of "Arale", which was the newsletter of New Japan, the Birmingham Alabama anime club. This newsletter reprinted some news from the February 1990 issue of MI-ANIME, a Michigan anime club, which reports on MADOX-01 being available.

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arale5-90_0002.jpg (265.16 KiB) Viewed 9662 times

So it seems there's some evidence here that MADOX was available in early 1990.

[davemerrill]

here's Woodhead promoting a sneak preview of MADOX at the 1989 Boston Worldcon: https://groups.google.com/g/rec.arts.an ... Tu1pBpB6IJ

and here's where he mentions a February ship date. https://groups.google.com/g/rec.arts.an ... 2PU9MZQPEJ

[DKop]

So it looks like in conclusion in Aug of '89, Madox was being promoted at Worldcon, but wasn't distributed until Feb 1990. The only thing someone can argue is that Madox could've been shown to any audience before Gunbuster did, because who knows if Gunbuster was premiering at any convention before their release in Janruary of 1990. So Gunbuster was first before Madox. However in hindsight, AnimEigo is still around, everyone else isn't.