Voltes V: Legacy – The Cinematic Experience premiered in the Philippines on April 19, 2023; 2 weeks before Voltes V: Legacy premiered in GMA Network on May 8, 2023.[3][4][5][6][7]
Japan will release the Ultra Electromagnetic Edition of the film in theaters on October 18, 2024. This production will feature improved editing and additional scenes not shown in the original release.[8][9]
Voltes V: Legacy – The Cinematic Experience is based on Voltes V: Legacy, a Philippine live action adaptation of the Japanese anime series Voltes V produced by Toei Company and Sunrise.[13][14]GMA Network acquired the rights to produce the television series through Telesuccess Productions.[14]
The Cinematic Experience is a compilation film covering the TV series' first 15 episodes, hence it consequentially shares production history with its source material.[15][16] In January 2020, GMA Network hired Riot Inc. for the post-production of Voltes V: Legacy. Toei Company supervised the series, whom later gave an approval through a commendation letter.[17]
Mark A. Reyes was hired as the director of Legacy, and has been attached for eight years, from the pitching and approval of the series.[18] Noel Layon Flores served as the lead visual designer.[19]Suzette Doctolero was attached as the writer.[20] GMA Network President Annette Gozon-Valdes is credited by Reyes on the idea of producing The Cinematic Experience, the film version of the TV series.[21]
The Cinematic Experience adapted a rearranged version of the score from the source anime.[26] The theme of the anime was also used for the film, with Julie Anne San Jose doing a cover of Mitsuko Horie's song.[27]
Release
Voltes V: Legacy – The Cinematic Experience premiered in SM North EDSA, Quezon City and in SM Mall of Asia, Pasay on April 19, 2023.[3][5][6] The source material, Voltes V: Legacy would make its television debut after The Cinematic Experience's premiere on May 8, 2023 in GMA Network.[27]
Japan will release the Ultra Electromagnetic Edition of the film in theaters on October 18, 2024. This version will feature Japanese audio and additional scenes not included in the Cinematic Experience release shown in the Philippines.[8][28][29][30][31]
Reception
A positive review in The Philippine Star stated, "Although multilingual in dialogues, the movie mostly showcases a more poetic form of Filipino, occasionally injected with gay lingo and modern-day pop culture terms like “fake news,” which help bring the “Voltes V” brand from the ‘70s to today’s Gen-Zs."[32] A review on PEP, also positive, admitted, "It is easy to get lost in its superb visual effects, albeit there are a few hard-to-miss details that demonstrates the limitations of CGI (Computer-Generated Imagery). One example is the cartoonish appearance of the Voltes V members while alighting from the launch conveyors."[33] Another review, in PhilStar Life, found the film was a "good preview" of the series but presented some flaws in is conception.[34]
In 2024, The Mindanao Times announced that the film would be the first "Tagalog film to be featured in the Japan Film Festival."[35]
^Garcia, Cara Emmeline (11 February 2021). "In Photos: Meet the cast of Voltes V: Legacy". GMA Network. Retrieved 19 February 2021. The series, directed by Mark A. Reyes and written by Suzette Doctolero, bears the potential of being the Philippines' first serious epic sci-fi TV show