The 1960s brought us addicted television audiences all over the world no shortage of brain pan-melting live-action programming, and some of the craziest – and mostly forgotten – of those shows came from Japan. The kaiju craze that kicked off with the success of the first Godzilla movie has greatly influenced Japanese film and television to this day, but many of those beloved series either ended up distant memories for young viewers with active imaginations or were poorly dubbed and packaged for American audiences to enjoy on their local UHF stations at 6 in the morning before heading off to school. One of those shows was Giant Robo, a tokusatsu created by Mitsuteru Yokoyama that aired for one season from October 1967 to April 1968.

Produced by Toei Company Ltd, Giant Robo was later purchased for broadcast on U.S. stations by the television arm of the great drive-in and exploitation movie company American International Pictures. Under the supervision of Reuben Guberman the show was dubbed into English and had its title changed to Johnny Sokko and His Flying Robot. It would continue to run in syndication throughout the next two decades and even had several episodes edited together to create the movie Voyage into Space. The show reached cult status with fans of Japanese fantasy and sci-fi but has long been unavailable on home video in the U.S. Shout! Factory is about to rectify that egregious misfortune this March when they release Johnny Sokko and His Flying Robot: The Complete Series on DVD (available for pre-order now).

You can check out the DVD cover art here below.

America: The Story Of Us: Rebels
DVD | Instant Video
Narrated by Liev Schreiber
History Channel
Release Date: August 16, 2011

This is the first time I have been asked to review something from a channel that I watch more than any other. I loved this mini-series when it came out but watching it without commercials is far superior to my original viewing. I was very excited to have this opportunity to spend an evening watching and writing about America: The Story Of Us: Rebels.

History Channel does an excellent job of bringing the story to life and allowing the viewer to immerse themselves in it on every available level. I love the way the storyboards in this initial episode are set to show the settlements being built and the population increasing and expanding throughout the new world. We see how the cultivation of tobacco positively impacted the settlers and allowed them to thrive in the harsh new land. Showing how the native tribes helped these early settlers grow food and hunt in order to survive, the first part of this episode really concentrates on how these hardy folk adapted to their new country.

Marvel Anime: Blade
DVD | Instant Video
Directed by Mitsuyuki Masuhara
Written by Warren Ellis
Starring Harold Perrineau, Kim Mai Guest, JB Blanc, Troy Baker
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: July 31, 2012

Marvel Anime: Blade is the last of the first wave of Marvel DVD releases of anime versions of their characters produced by Japanese animation company Madhouse. These anime series aired in Japan originally, were dubbed in English, aired on G4, and were then collected on DVD and Blu-ray.

Blade is Eric Brooks, a half-human, half-vampire hybrid known as “The Daywalker” because sunlight does not affect him. While Blade’s mom was pregnant with him, she was attacked by the vampire Deacon Frost, resulting in Blade’s unique nature. Blade struggled to control his bloodlust until he met Noah Van Helsing, an old vampire slayer. He taught Blade to control his urges and Blade began training and traveling the world, vowing revenge on Deacon Frost and seeking the destruction of the vampire race.

Right now, Amazon is selling Batman Beyond: The Complete Series DVD box set for only $42.99 (that’s 57% off the list price of $99.98).

This 9-disc DVD set comes with all 52 episodes of the Batman Beyond animated series and includes bonus features and a 24-page collectible booklet. See full details of set here below and grab this box set now before the deal ends!

The TV show box set deal of the week over Amazon this week is The Complete Monty Python’s Flying Circus 16 Ton Megaset for only $29.99 (that’s 66% off the list price of $99.95).

This 16-disc DVD box set contains all 45 episodes of the 1960s British television sketch comedy series Monty Python’s Flying Circus, which starred John Cleese, Eric Idle, Michael Palin, Graham Chapman, Terry Jones, and Terry Gilliam, along with the two-disc 1982 concert film Monty Python Live, all in a slim casing.

The set also includes plenty of bonus features: Meet the Chaps, Pythonisms Glossary, Gillianimations, Art Gallery, Troupe Career Highlights, Trivial Quest, Useless Tidbits, Monty Python’s Fliegender Zirkus: German Episode #1, Post-Python Troupe Highlights, Pythonisms, Bleeding Critics, and Confusing Musings.

Below are Amazon’s shipping schedule for the holidays – there’s still time to get this item on or before Christmas Eve!