Dash no Chris:
The original Samurai Spirits anime TV special was, to the best of my knowledge, never released to home video in Japan (no VHS, no LD, no DVD, no nothing). It was, however, released on dubbed VHS in the U.S. in 1994 by A.D.Vision. The U.S. DVD release is scheduled for 3/4/2003 -- assuming that the Japanese language track is included, this may be one U.S. DVD I'll actually need to pick up. Hopefully, this release may prompt the Japanese to do an R-2 release of their own. As it stands now, less than half of the NEO-GEO-based anime have made it to Japanese DVD:
Battle Fighters Garou Densetsu anime TV special
- released in Japan on VHS and LD [no R-2 DVD]
- released in the U.S. on VHS and DVD as "Fatal Fury: Legend of the Hungry Wolf"
Battle Fighters Garou Densetsu 2 anime TV special
- released in Japan on VHS and LD [no R-2 DVD]
- released in the U.S. on VHS and DVD as "Fatal Fury 2: The New Battle"
THE MOTION PICTURE Garou Densetsu theatrical anime film
- released in Japan on VHS and LD [no R-2 DVD]
- released in the U.S. on VHS and DVD as "Fatal Fury: The Motion Picture"
Battle Spirits Ryuuko no Ken anime TV special
- released in Japan on VHS and LD [no R-2 DVD]
- released in the U.S. on VHS and DVD as "Art of Fighting"
Samurai Spirits anime TV special
- never released in Japan on any video format
- released in the U.S. on VHS as "Samurai Shodown: The Motion Picture" - DVD release 3/4/2003
Samurai Spirits 2 Asra Zanmaden original video animation Vols. 1-2
- released in Japan as 2 VHS, LD, or DVD volumes
- never released in the U.S.
Choujin Gakuen Gowcaizer original video animation Vols. 1-3
- released in Japan on 3 VHS or LD volumes; R-2 DVD finally released in early 2002
- released in the U.S. on 2 VHS vols. or 1 DVD vol. as "Voltage Fighter Gowcaizer"
Choujin Gakuen Gowcaizer International Edition digest film
- released in Japan on 1 VHS or LD vol.; R-2 DVD finally released in late 2002
- released in the U.S. on VHS and DVD as "Voltage Fighter Gowcaizer: The Movie"
It should be noted that as of 3/4/2003, every one of these works (with the exception of SS2 Asra Zanmaden) will be available in the U.S. on both VHS and DVD. Given the fact that almost every other fighting game-based anime has made it to R-2 DVD in Japan (the notable exception being Street Fighter II V), I have to wonder why the NEO-GEO-based anime are comparatively sluggish in this regard. One could argue that there's little point in an R-2 DVD of the Battle Spirits Ryuuko no Ken or Samurai Spirits anime TV specials, since they were so universally panned. But given Oobari Masami's continued popularity and growing body of work (Dangaizer 3, Ginsou Kikou Ordian, Choujuushin Gravion, Angel Blade, etc.), I am surprised that the 3 Garou Densetsu films haven't received an R-2 DVD release (especially given their overall good production values when compared with many other fighting-game-to-anime projects).
