For the first time, we also get the original Japanese 5.1 soundtrack included with the English 5.1 dubbed track. While a wonderful gesture (and one so desperately needed), the subtitles are NOT from the actual spoken Japanese dialogue but of the English dub. Some of the lines are so skewered it kills the films meaning and turns them into the usual "bad rubber suit monster movie." The fight between Baragon and Godzilla in GMK is especially disheartening with cheesy professional wrestling-like announcers calling off the action regardless of which language you choose. There's still a reason to hang on to those Hong Kong discs after all.

If things couldn't get much worse after the subtitle hack, the features are barren. Viewers get a couple of trailers for various (and completely unrelated) films including Tri-Star's 1998 American Godzilla (see, completely unrelated). There's not even a trailer for either of the feature films. The Japanese DVD release of GMk was a massive 3-disc box set filled with behind the scenes footage. Would it have been too much to ask to at least get ONE featurette for $24.99? GxM also had a nice DVD treatment in Japan, but the American fans get snubbed here as well.

There are plenty of positives with these two releases. The video is outstanding, the 5.1 tracks are put to good use, and the original Japanese language track is a BIG step in the right direction. The upcoming G x Mechagodzilla is also supposed to have the Japanese track and hopefully the subtitles will be done properly. Regardless, these films are some of the best monster flicks to come out of Japan in a LONG time. GMK may be a bit different to some people, but Megaguirus is a blast that harkens back to the classic Godzilla movies of the 60's. Great stuff.