Subject: alt.tv.sentai Introduction & Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Supersedes: <tv/sentai/intro-faq_826335481@rtfm.mit.edu>
Date: 8 Apr 1996 18:16:08 GMT
Summary: This article contains Frequently Asked Questions about the
         alt.tv.sentai newsgroup itself, including what the group is
         about, and general information about the subject of Asian
         Science Fiction & Fantasy. It does not cover individual shows
         or characters.
X-Last-Updated: 1995/07/05

Alt-tv-sentai-archive-name: intro-faq
Posting-Frequency: monthly
Last-modified: Wednesday, July 5, 1995
Version: 1.2
FAQ-maintainer: Joe Sewell <jsewell@iu.net>

What's New:

-       New alternate definition of "sentai" (related to tokusatsu)
-       New Q about where to find videos
-       Misc. updates & corrections

Q:      What is "sentai?"

A:      According to Ben Dunn, editor of Antartic Press' now-defunct
        magazine, "Sentai," Sentai is Japanese for "task force." The formula
        involves an evil group (demons, monsters, "space aliens," or
        whatever) who want to conquer the Earth. A group of teens or young
        adults, who also happen to be skilled in the martial arts, is
        empowered to stop them. They get their clocks cleaned, see their
        nemesis-of-the-show grow, and summon the obligatory giant robot,
        which destroys the evil monster. For example, the Mighty Morphin'
        Power Rangers is a sentai show (obviously).

.       Sentai can also be used as a catch-all term to refer to any Asian
        live-action SF/Fantasy show. This is the definition that inspired
        alt.tv.sentai. (Thanks to Ben Dunn, editor of Antarctic Press'
        "Sentai" magazine, for this inspiration.) According to Eugene Glover
        (mailto:gridman@primenet.com), the correct word for this genre is
        "tokusatsu" (or "Special Effects").

Q:      What is alt.tv.sentai?

A:      alt.tv.sentai is an unmoderated newsgroup created for discussion
        of sentai/tokusatsu shows. These shows include originals, such as
        Ultraman, Ultra Seven, Gridman, Metalder, and Zyuranger, plus
        "modified imports," such as TNT's Ultra 7 [based on the original
        Ultra Seven], Superhuman Samurai Syber-Squad [Electronic Warrior
        Gridman], VR Troopers [Metalder & Spielban/Spielbal], and Mighty
        Morphin' Power Rangers [Zyuranger/Juranger & some Dairanger]. Related
        features, such as The Ultraman (which was animated) and Ultraman: The
        Adventure Begins (also animated), can be included here as well (note
        that these are "related" in that they are related to live-action
        shows).

.       Animated sentai shows, such as Battle of the Planets [Gatchaman] &
        Voltron [Go Lion & Dairugger XV] are probably also fair game, but you
        may want to post these to alt.tv.sentai and to rec.arts.anime, to get
        the most interest. (Heck, it's unmoderated, so anything goes ... but
        I hope we're all adult enough to leave flames & other junk in Email,
        if we must indulge in them at all.)

Q:      Waitaminnit, Ultra 7 is a "modified import?"

A:      It's halfway between the Ultraman (the one with Hayata) shows,
        which were relatively direct translations of the original, and
        Syber-Squad, which mixes Japanese footage with American footage.
        Ultra 7 (using the number, as TNT does) replaces a lot of dialog,
        probably so it fits with the mouth movements, rather than the
        original story. A net.friend of mine who has seen the original tells
        me several stories were drastically changed, even ruined, by the
        substitute dialog.

Q:      Can we post binaries?

A:      NO!      Binary postings should be left to the alt.binaries.*
        hierarchy. It may seem a small thing to some folks, but some sites
        just don't have the storage space to handle binary postings; with all
        binary articles in alt.binaries, it's much easier for a site to
        filter out binary postings.      If you want to post a picture or a
        sound, put it in one of the existing binary groups, or propose an
        alt.binaries.tv.sentai group in alt.config (but read the FAQ on
        proposing alt groups first ... I did it right, so can everybody
        else).

Q:      Can we post items for sale?

A:      Absolutely. In fact, I'd encourage folks to cross-post items for
        sale or items wanted. Other groups which may be interested are
        rec.collecting, rec.toys.misc, rec.arts.anime.marketplace, and
        rec.arts.sf.marketplace.

Q:      Where are the FAQ files for this group?

A:      Right now, this is it, although I'm working on an Ultraman FAQ as
        of this writing. With this version, I'll be following the standard
        guidelines for USENET FAQ's, so it'll be posted to news.answers &
        alt.answers (and alt.tv.sentai, of course), and archived at
        rtfm.mit.edu & the equivalent sites elsewhere.

.       This FAQ, and any others that I may submit, will be posted
        automatically by the automated FAQ server maintained by the
        news.answers moderators. Posting will be every 30 days, or roughly
        monthly (though, obviously, it may skip a February once in a while).
        Check the Last-modified and Version lines at the top of this message
        to determine if it's a new version or just a repost.

Q:      How can I contribute to the FAQ?

A:      Post a message, Email me, or whatever. If you want to start a FAQ
        yourself, let me know. (You can do it yourself, if you wish, by
        following the guidelines published in news.answers.) If you've got
        a FAQ idea that doesn't need to be archived anywhere, post away;
        otherwise, follow the news.answers guidelines, or Email the FAQ to
        me (mailto:jsewell@iu.net) and I'll take care of the rest. Some FAQ's
        may be archived elsewhere, for example on the Sentai home page
        (http://www.primenet.com/~gridman/sentai.html); this wouldn't
        necessarily affect posting/archiving via news.answers.

Q:      What's the distribution for this group?

A:      The default, which is world-wide. The standard bit about limiting
        the distribution of individual messages applies here (for example,
        mentioning a fan club in New Jersey is probably best done with a
        Distribution: line of nj,ny & perhaps other nearby areas). Discussion
        of the "modified imports" may be best distributed to "usa," but
        perhaps not. (It depends.)

.       Please note, though, that since this is an alt group, not everybody
        will carry it. Some newsadmin's refuse to carry the alt groups in
        general, while others carry all of them. It depends.

Q:      Will there be any "celebrities" here?

A:      We've had a few already. Ben Dunn of Antarctic Press has shown up
        in the past, and we've had King Wilder, director of Ultraman: The
        Ultimate Hero.  Kate McMains of Ultracom ("Tsuburaya in the US") has
        declined to participate.

Q:      These Japanese shows sound great!  How can I get videos?

A:      This has become one of the most frequently asked questions. 
        Unfortunately, every time I've requested information, I've received
        no replies. I have managed to get addresses for two companies which
        sell Japanese sentai & anime videos.  (Disclaimer: I have never dealt
        with either of these companies.  I can neither encourage or
        discourage doing business with these companies.)  They are:
        
                Henshin Video
                P.O. 260102
                Bellerose NY 11426

                Club Daikaiju
                PO Box 1614
                Fort Lee, NJ, 07024
                phone 201-461-9318.

.       (Please note that Club Daikaiju is *extremely* difficult to get to
        by phone.  They only accept phone calls, it seems, between 9 and 11
        pm EDT. I have tried repeatedly to contact them by phone, but have
        been brushed off with an answering machine that takes messages, but
        they never return calls.)

===========================================================================
This FAQ is copyright 1994-1995 by Joe Sewell.  This FAQ may be distributed
freely, provided the entire contents are provided, including this notice
and all headers.  Individual questions & answers may be quoted with
attribution (e.g. "from the alt.tv.sentai Intro FAQ"); the attribution does
not need to include the author's name.  Distribution via CD-ROM or other
computer-readable media is permitted, regardless of the sale price of the
product.

Information provided in this FAQ is not warranted to be at all correct, for
all legal purposes.      The author's best attempts at accuracy were performed
prior to releasing this FAQ, however inaccuracies may creep in.



