Redwall Season 3 Slipcover – Front
Last August, FUNimation Entertainment released Redwall – Season Three on DVD– a two disc set containing the final season of the television series, episodes 27 thru 39 (otherwise known as Martin the Warrior). As always, in-depth episode reviews will be covered in the future at RWTV: Redwall on TV and this article is intended to give you a rundown of what the set entails.
The cardboard slipcover made up to look like an aged leather book returns for its final bow. This time it is the title character who gets the “embossed” treatment, although curiously they shrank the size of the picture and moved it below the text instead of above as it was on the previous two volumes. The spine in this case reads “Brian Jacques’ Martin the Warrior a tale of Redwall Season Three”. The back of the slipcover follows the design of the first two, a piece of parchment rolled out against the leather. It lists the titles of each episode, the extras (only one this time), and includes a quote from Brian Jacques (the same quote from the first two sets).
Slide the slipcover off, we find the traditional DVD package, of Martin the Warrior, Badrang and two of his vermin soldiers. The back contains a description of the show (spoken in the first-person by Martin) over the promotional image of Martin throwing the net at the gannet, next to a sidebar of six screenshots (see below).
As with Mattimeo, there is once again an insert. Unfortunately, it’s still just a general pamphlet from FUNimation, advertising their various anime series (although you can find both Redwall Season Two and Redwall Season Three listed on their release schedule). Also like the Season Two set, both discs are placed on the right side of the case, stacked on each other so that the bottom of disc one overlaps the top of disc two. Artwise, the first disc has Martin and Laterose at a campsite, while the second disc shows Martin facing off against the Mirdop. Breaking with tradition, disc one contains eight episodes instead of the usual seven– episodes 27 thru 34– leaving only five episodes for disc two– episodes 35 thru 39.
Redwall Season 3 Slipcover – Back
On the DVD extras front, we actually get less than in the past. Gone are the “Meet the Characters of Redwall” biographies– possibly because Season Three characters were never added to the bios page on the official TV show site, RedwallTV.com. “The Artwork of Redwall” on disc two does return, however, which is another image gallery of promotional RWTV artwork. Eight pieces are featured: Martin facing Badrang, who is reflected in his sword (see below); Badrang laughing as his soldiers restrain Martin; Tramun Clogg leading the charge against Marshank as the Seascarab lies anchored offshore; Rose and Grumm tunneling to free the prisoners; the aforementioned piece where Martin faces off against the gannet; Martin facing off against the Mirdop; Martin and Rose at a campsite; and finally Martin, Ballaw, Brome, and Felldoh challenging Badrang at the gate of Marshank (see below).
Rounding out the discs, once more, are previews for other titles from Nelvana/FUNimation. Disc one contains nothing but Redwall previews– the first two run through the season one opening, swapping out the text to denote “Season One” and “Season Two” (“Available Now!”). The third preview is a 60-second scene from when Cluny has taken over the Abbey, used to promote Redwall – The Movie. Disc two’s previews are irrelevant.
Like the first two sets, the episodes themselves boast excellent picture and sound quality that is vastly superior to any VHS copy out there. The opening and credits continue to air with each episode, rather than simply bumpering the first and last ones.
There’s nothing earth-shattering going on with the set, it’s simply a solid rounding out of RWTV’s DVD release allowing us to bring the series to a close. Highly recommended.
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