Kite Editing Report (less-cut version)

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Japanese name(s):	A-Kite (it is listed as A-Kite in several Japanese sites I have visited to verify this)
English name(s):	Kite
Overall description of edits/changes:	Various scenes were edited or removed entirely to change this adult title into a general release title and the OP/EDS were removed from between the two OVA episodes. A less-cut adult version was also released as a "director's Cut". The most recent release is finally "Uncut". DETAILED REPORTS

Reviewed by:	Jim Lazar (Webmaster/animeprime.com)
Date reviewed/updated:	Sunday, October 10, 2004 11:13 AM
North American company releasing title:	Heavily edited version: Media Blasters under their AnimeWorks label Less-cut version: Kitty Media (after being spun off as a separate company from Media Blasters) Uncut version: Kitty Media
Japanese version that North American version is based on:	Original OVA release containing two complete and uncut OVA episodes with mosaic censor

Due to the various versions of this title released in their North American market, I have divided this report up to cover each release in several ways. Since Kite is an adult title, some language used in these reports may not be suitable for all readers.

General release (heavily edited) of Kite from Media Blasters under their AnimeWorks label (non-spoiling)

This editing report covers the original AnimeWorks release of Kite on sub VHS, dub VHS, and bilingual DVD. All AnimeWorks versions were heavily edited from the original version released in Japan.
Click HERE to read the editing report for the AnimeWorks version without spoilers for the story.

General release (heavily edited) of Kite from Media Blasters under their AnimeWorks label (with spoilers)

Adult release (less-cut) of Kite from Kitty Media (without screen shots)

Adult release (less-cut) of Kite from Kitty Media (with screen shots)

This editing report covers the adult release of Kite on sub VHS and dub VHS. While this Kitty Media release is mostly uncut, there are still several cuts concerning the younger Sawa.
WARNING! Some of the screen shots in this report are sexually explicit, please do not view this page if such images offend you or if you are not interested in viewing such material.
Click HERE to read the editing report for the Kitty Media version that does contain screen shots.
WARNING! Some of the screen shots in this report are sexually explicit, please do not view this page if such images offend you or if you are not interested in viewing such material.

Adult release (fully uncut) of Kite from Kitty Media

The "Kite: Special Edition (UNCUT)" is completely uncut as far as we can determine. The openings, ending credits, and previously edited video have been restored.

While it appears some of the dialog has been changed to make it seem like the older Sawa is going to college (other versions of Kite from Mida Blasters had various mentions, including one where she was studying to get into college), the disk is uncut otherwise.

Here is the cover of the uncut version:

Adult release (less-cut) of Kite from Kitty Media (without screen shots)

Detailed description of VIDEO EDITS

Since there were six scenes that were edited in the AnimeWorks version, this editing report of the less-cut version will concentrate on those scenes. If you are not familiar with the edits made to the AnimeWorks version of Kite, you can read about them by clicking HERE.

Before I get into the six edited scenes, a few comments:

They obviously didn't have problems with the length of Sawa's skirt for the Kitty VHS cover (see above). The covers for the AnimeWorks version apparently had to go through some revisions to make it acceptable to the retailers who Media Blasters were trying to get to carry Kite. I'll refrain from expressing my thoughts about retailers determining cover and content for anime releases here.
I still don't like the use of "Director's Cut" to identify this release, but I guess they had to use some distinguishing name to keep this release from being confused with the AnimeWorks version.
The opening montage of the Kite logo has been restored between the two OVA episodes, although there's still no credits at the end of episode one. Since the endings are just credit scrolls, this is a major issue.
The opening used at the start of episode one (the same as used at the start of episode two) is different on my uncut Japanese version, but that could just be a case of a different version being provided to Media Blasters. I didn't even notice the first time I checked for edits on this title.
The English subtitles and English dub appear to be the same in the Kitty Media version as they were for the Kitty Media versions (except with the subs and dub for the missing scenes restored). I didn't do a direct comparison, but several spots I spot checked were the same.
The Kitty media version does not have the mosaic censoring that is present on the original Japanese version.
The video for the subtitled and dubbed Kitty media versions appears to be identical. No overlays or other changes appear to have been made for the dubbed tape.

FIRST CUT SCENE:

Original Japanese version: After the news report of the elevator car killing, Sawa turns down Akai's request for sex. Regardless, a graphic scene of sex between Sawa and Akai takes place and then the scene cuts to the bench scene with Kanie and Oburi.

AnimeWorks version: Sawa turns down Akai's request for sex and the scene cuts immediately to the bench scene with Kanie and Oburi.

Kitty Media version: Fully restored. As far as I can see, it is identical to the original Japanese version except without the mosaic censoring.

SECOND CUT SCENE:

Original Japanese version: As Sawa talks with Oburi over green tea, Sawa remembers her parent's death and how she become involved with Akai in a series of flash backs.

AnimeWorks version: Many edits to remove any nudity involving Young Sawa and any sexual contact between her and Akai.

Kitty Media version: Mostly restored, but scenes depicting actual sexual content between Young Sawa and Akai are still missing.

AnimeWorks Version	Kitty Version	Original Version
Scenes of Young Sawa in shock at seeing her murdered parent's bodies	Scenes of Young Sawa in shock at seeing her murdered parent's bodies	Scenes of Young Sawa in shock at seeing her murdered parent's bodies
Naked Akai in shadows (the shadows hide his genitals), Young Sawa in bed, Akai rubs her leg, Akai picking up Young Sawa	Naked Akai in shadows (the shadows hide his genitals), Young Sawa in bed, Akai rubs her leg, Akai picking up Young Sawa	Naked Akai in shadows (the shadows hide his genitals), Young Sawa in bed, Akai rubs her leg, Akai picking up Young Sawa
CUT	Naked Young Sawa against wall	Naked Young Sawa against wall
Head shot of hand touching Young Sawa's shoulder.	Pan up Naked Young Sawa, Akai touched naked Young Sawa's shoulder	Pan up Naked Young Sawa, Akai touched naked Young Sawa's shoulder
CUT	Akai's hand reaches for Young Sawa breast	Akai's hand reaches for Young Sawa's breast
CUT	CUT	Akai's hand massages Young Sawa's breast (~1 second long)
Head shot of Young Sawa arching her back up	Head shot of Young Sawa arching her back up	Head shot of Young Sawa arching her back up
CUT	CUT	Akai having intercourse with Young Sawa (~1 to 2 seconds long)
Hand on window	Hand on window	Hand on window
CUT	Naked Young Sawa in bed rocking back and forth (Akai off screen)	Naked Young Sawa in bed rocking back and forth (Akai off screen)
Various shots of Sawa crying, her earrings, and her murdered parents	Various shots of Sawa crying, her earrings, and her murdered parents	Various shots of Sawa crying, her earrings, and her murdered parents

THIRD CUT SCENE:

Original Japanese version: When Sawa is falling from the destroyed bathroom (after her flashback), there is a short scene of a boss having sex with one of his young female employees on a desk.

AnimeWorks version: Scene is completely missing.

Kitty Media version: Fully restored. As far as I can see, it is identical to the original Japanese version except without the mosaic censoring.

FOURTH CUT SCENE:

Original Japanese version: After Akai scolds Sawa fro botching the job, Kanie has sex with a young woman in his apartment. Various toys can be seen around the room. Kanie draws his gun when Akai walks in on them. He continues having sex when he realizes who it is.

AnimeWorks version: Scene is completely missing.

Kitty Media version: Fully restored. As far as I can see, it is identical to the original Japanese version without the mosaic censoring.

FIFTH CUT SCENE:

Original Japanese version: While Akai talks on the phone and to Kanie, the young woman that Kanie was having sex with gives Akai a blow job. Although you can really see anything, it's obvious what she's doing.

AnimeWorks version: The scene is edited to remove the shots that show the young woman servicing Akai.

Kitty Media version: Fully restored. As far as I can see, it is identical to the original Japanese version.

SIXTH CUT SCENE:

Original Japanese version: After Akai and Kanie thwart Oburi and Sawa's attempts to kill them, Akai forces Sawa to have sex with him. She resists until kanie threatens Oburi's life. During the sex, Sawa has flashbacks to when she was raped by Akai as a young girl. Her expressions change throughout the scene.

AnimeWorks version: Scene is completely missing, except for the dialog between Sawa and akai at the end. In the AnimeWorks version, they removed the shot of them naked in bed together and replaced it with with close ups of their faces.

Kitty Media version: Mostly restored. Some very brief shots depicting actual sexual contact between Akai and Young Sawa are missing, but the rest appears to be identical to the original Japanese version without the mosaic censoring.

AnimeWorks Version	Kitty Version	Original Version
"Sawa, you should thank me."	"Sawa, you should thank me."	"Sawa, you should thank me."
CUT	Sawa resists at first, but gives in after Oburi's life is threatened	Sawa resists at first, but gives in after Oburi's life is threatened
CUT	Shot of Young Sawa's breasts (through her clothes) being fondled by Akai	Shot of Young Sawa's breasts (through her clothes) being fondled by Akai
CUT	Older Sawa's panties removed. Several scenes of intercourse between A&S	Older Sawa's panties removed. Several scenes of intercourse between A&S
CUT	CUT	Flashback to Young Sawa being rapped. Rubbing of her vagina through her panties, Young Sawa on top with Akai's penis in her, Akai taking rest of Young Sawa's clothes off (~1 to 2 seconds long altogether)
CUT	Older Sawa again, shot of Kanie's back.	Older Sawa again, shot of Kanie's back.
CUT	CUT	Flashback of Young Sawa lowering herself onto Akai's penis (less than a second)
CUT	More sex with older Sawa	More sex with older Sawa
CUT	CUT	Akai lowering Young Sawa onto his penis (less than a second)
CUT	More sex with older Sawa	More sex with older Sawa
CUT	CUT	Akai licking Young Sawa's breast (less than a second)
CUT	Akai on top of her, Sawa looks at Oburi, but Oburi isn't watching anymore	Akai on top of her, Sawa looks at Oburi, but Oburi isn't watching anymore
Kanie drags Oburi away	Kanie drags Oburi away	Kanie drags Oburi away
Alternating close ups of Sawa and Akai's faces	Akai and Sawa in bed together, both naked. Akai massages Sawa's thigh briefly.	Akai and Sawa in bed together, both naked. Akai massages Sawa's thigh briefly.
Sawa gets out of bed to get dressed	Sawa gets out of bed to get dressed	Sawa gets out of bed to get dressed

Overview of the less-cut version of Kite (opinion)

Well, I would have preferred it if Media Blasters/Kitty Media would have released Kite 100% uncut and uncensored, but given the nature of the scenes that were removed from the less-cut Kitty Media version I have to say this is probably the best we are going to see in the 'Land of the Free' that supposedly has a constitution protecting freedom of speech. Unless the laws change and/or Kitty Media stops being so gun-shy about releasing it 100% uncut, I have to grudgingly recommend this release to anyone wishing to see it in English.

Overall, the less-cut version retains most of the story and plot that had been lost in the AnimeWorks version. Watching the Kitty Media version did not leave me with the feeling that something was missing as when I first saw the AnimeWorks version.

The restoration of the brief shots of Young Sawa in the nude during the second edited scene makes it much clearer what Akai did to her to make her his puppet. If Sawa had talked about it with Oburi then the visuals wouldn't have been as important, but since her history with Akai was told in pictures, having most of those pictures restored really helps.

On the sixth edited scene, I would have preferred it if they could have put more of the Young Sawa into the quick flashbacks to drive home the point that I believe that scene was trying to get get across: Sawa now and then. Since most of the Young Sawa scenes in this part were very graphic and were removed, there's almost no flashbacks in the final edited scene. Even if they would have put other shots of Young Sawa in here it would have helped keep the same feeling of the original scene.

All in all, only about twenty seconds were removed from the original Japanese version to make the Kitty Media "Kite Director's Cut" version. And the difference between the Kitty media and the AnimeWorks version is like night and day. So if you want to see the real story of Kite and don't understand Japanese, the Kitty Media release is your best choice.