For many convention-goers, Mike Toole’s panels are simply unskippable. Whether he’s hosting Dubs that Time Forgot or Anime Hell, he always seems to bring something new and interesting to the table.
One of his most memorable events, though, came about at 2011’s Otakon convention. In his Dubs that Time Forgot panel, Toole showed off a number of fascinating relics from the past. This included the first known dubbed anime feature in 1958’s Korochan the Little Bear, as well as footage from Starvengers, Vicky the Viking, and Shonen Mowgli: The Jungle Book. Little-known gems like a Harmony Gold pilot for Dr. Slump.
Basically, there seemed to be something for everybody.
Possibly the most interesting part for the event, though, was Gurren Lagann. Before the series was acquired by Bandai, ADV Films briefly held the rights to Gurren Lagann. Though it never hit stores under ADV’s label, the first five episodes were dubbed in Houston, and preview discs were sent to press outlets.
Toole showed highlights from the show, and highlighted some of the more drastic differences between the two dubs. For many, it was a fascinating look at what could have been, and just how differently studios treat shows when giving the dub treatment.
Earlier today, Anime News Network uploaded the panel in its entirety to YouTube. It’s a fun watch, that still stands as one of Toole’s best over the years.
