Flash Back to Two of the Most Beloved Live Action Pop Culture TV Series Source: Shout! Factory press release Special Thanks to Tom Chen In the wake of Shout! Factory`s POWER RANGERS DVD releases comes two more titles from Saban Brands: VR TROOPERS and BIG BAD BEETLEBORGS. Both 3-Disc DVD sets hit store shelves nationwide this October. As with POWER RANGERS, VR TROOPERS and BIG BAD BEETLEBORGS are loosely adapted from Japanese hero shows produced by Toei Co., Ltd. BIG BAD BEETLEBORGS featured footage from B-FIGHTER (?????????, Juukoo Bii Faitaa, Heavy Armor B-Fighter, 1995) while VR TROOPERS used material from three different series; SPACE CAPTAIN SHAIDER (?????????, Uchuu Keiji Shaidaa, 1984), SPIELVAN (?????????, Jikuu Senshi Supiruban, 1986) and METALDER (????????, Choojinki Metarudaa, 1987). VR TROOPERS: SEASON ONE, VOLUME ONE
This Fall, prepare to join the action and relive the action adventures of Ryan Steele, Kaitlin Star and J.B. Reese, three young heroes with extraordinary powers enabling them to transform into virtual superheroes -- the VR Troopers! On October 2, 2012, Shout! Factory, in collaboration with Saban Brands, will unleash Saban’s VR TROOPERS: SEASON ONE, VOLUME ONE 3-DVD set. Featuring the first 26 action-packed episodes from the first season, this collectible DVD set is a must-have for fans, kids and collectors, and has a suggested retail price of $19.93. Fans and collectors can pre-order this DVD set now at Amazon.com and ShoutFactory.com. When VR TROOPERS premiered in 1994, it was the first children’s series to take viewers into a world of virtual reality. In this exciting action-packed live-action series, three seemingly ordinary teens face the challenge of saving the world from total domination by a powerful ruthless industrialist and his evil alter-ego. With the gift of “inter-reality travel” the teens utilize the power to transform into crime-fighting superheroes and enter the high-tech sphere of Virtual Reality. They employ their strengths, explosive martial arts skills and newfound superpowers to prevent the evil Grimlord and his mutant armies from escaping the virtual plane and entering the real world. Technical Information: Street Date: October 2, 2012 Running Time: + / - 9 hours Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Full Frame BIG BAD BEETLEBORGS: SEASON ONE, VOLUME ONE
Premiering in 1996, the popular weekly kids series BIG BAD BEETLEBORGS follows the exciting adventures of three ordinary kids named Drew, Jo and Roland as they enter a supposedly haunted mansion after accepting a dare. Their lives changed forever when a magical spirit grants them their biggest wish -- they get to find out what life is like as their favorite super heroes, the Beetleborgs! Fans of this memorable 90’s live-action series rejoice when Saban’s BIG BAD BEETLEBORGS: SEASON ONE, VOLUME ONE 3-DVD set hits home entertainment shelves everywhere on October 16, 2012 from Shout! Factory, in collaboration with Saban Brands. Featuring the first 27 fun-filled episodes from the first season, this DVD release has long been anticipated by fans. The collectible Saban’s BIG BAD BEETLEBORGS: SEASON ONE, VOLUME ONE DVD set is priced to own with a suggested retail price of $19.93. Fans and collectors can pre-order this DVD set now at Amazon.com and ShoutFactory.com. When three kids explore Charterville’s haunted Hillhurst Mansion on a dare, they discover a lot more than they bargain for! The trio find a wild and wacky phasm named Flabber, who changes their lives forever when he grants their wish to become the superheroes they’ve read about in BeetleBorgs comics. However, not only does Flabber grant the kids’ wish, but he also accidentally facilitates the escape of supervillain Vexor and his evil gang of Magnavors from the comic book as well! Now it’s up to these three newly tapped superheroes -- aided by a friendly neighborhood phasm and armed with fantastic powers and awesome vehicles -- to save the world from the forces of darkness that threaten the peace and harmony of all mankind. Technical Information: Street Date: October 16, 2012 Running Time: + / - 9 hours Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 Full Frame
About Saban Brands
Formed in 2010 as a subsidiary of Saban Capital Group, Saban Brands (SB) was established to acquire and develop a world-class portfolio of properties and capitalize on the company’s experience, track record and capabilities in growing and monetizing consumer brands. SB applies a strategic transmedia management approach to enhancing and extending its brands in markets worldwide and to consumers of all ages. The company provides full-service management, marketing, promotion and strategic business development for its intellectual properties including comprehensive strategies unique to each brand, trademark and copyright management and enforcement, creative design, retail development, direct-to-consumer initiatives and specialized property extensions. SB is led by a superior management team with decades of experience in licensing, marketing and finance. For more information, visit sabanbrands.com.
About Shout! Factory
Shout! Factory is a diversified entertainment company devoted to producing, uncovering and revitalizing the very best of pop culture. Founders Richard Foos, Bob Emmer and Garson Foos have spent their careers sharing their music, television and film faves with discerning consumers the world over. Shout! Factory’s DVD offerings serve up classic, contemporary and cult TV series, riveting sports programs, live music, animation and documentaries in lavish packages crammed with extras. The company’s audio catalogue boasts GRAMMY-nominated box sets, new releases from storied artists, lovingly assembled album reissues and indispensable “best of” compilations. These riches are the result of a creative acquisitions mandate that has established the company as a hotbed of cultural preservation and commercial reinvention. Shout! Factory is based in Santa Monica, California. For more on Shout! Factory, visit shoutfactory.com.
For more information on Shout! Factory`s Saban Brands POWER RANGERS DVD releases, please see the earlier coverage here on SciFi Japan: