Editing Excel Saga (section)

===Anime===
{{See also|List of Excel Saga episodes{{!}}List of ''Excel Saga'' episodes}}
[[File:Shinichi Watanabe.JPG|thumb|Shinichi Watanabe dressed in the style of his 'Nabeshin' character]]
An anime adaption was produced by [[J.C.Staff]] and directed by [[Shinichi Watanabe]]. Twenty five episodes were broadcast on [[TV Tokyo]] between October 7, 1999, and March 30, 2000.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tvdrama-db.com/simple_result.htm?key=%E3%82%A8%E3%82%AF%E3%82%BB%E3%83%AB%E3%83%BB%E3%82%B5%E3%83%BC%E3%82%AC&x=0&y=0|title=｢エクセル・サーガ｣でのドラマデータベース検索結果|publisher=Tvdrama-db.com|access-date=December 28, 2009|archive-date=March 3, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303194633/http://www.tvdrama-db.com/simple_result.htm?key=%E3%82%A8%E3%82%AF%E3%82%BB%E3%83%AB%E3%83%BB%E3%82%B5%E3%83%BC%E3%82%AC&x=0&y=0|url-status=live}}</ref> At the publisher's request, the anime series follows a different storyline from the manga, however Rikdo was pleased with the adaptation.<ref name="watanabe">{{cite video|people=[[Shinichi Watanabe]]|title=Excel Saga Volume 3 - Interview with Shinichi Watanabe|medium=DVD|publisher=[[ADV Films]]}}</ref> Victor Entertainment produced the music of the series, which was composed and arranged by [[Toshio Masuda (composer)|Toshio Masuda]] and directed by Keiichi Nozaki. Director Shinichi Watanabe wrote the lyrics for the opening and closing themes,. The opening theme  which were performed by [[Yumiko Kobayashi]] and [[Mikako Takahashi]] who were credited as ''The Excel♥Girls ''. The lyrics for the opening theme {{nihongo|''Love (Loyalty)''|｢愛(忠誠心)｣|Ai (Chūseishin)}} were written "on the train, five minutes before the deadline".<ref name="watanabe-ntusa"/> The closing theme was {{nihongo|''Menchi's Bolero of Sorrow''|｢メンチの哀愁のボレロ｣|Menchi no Aishū no Borero}} The two themes were released together as a CD single on November 3, 1999.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B00005GYZ3/|title=愛(忠誠心) [Single]|publisher=[[Amazon.co.jp]]|access-date=December 28, 2009|archive-date=July 21, 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120721064704/http://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B00005GYZ3/|url-status=live}}</ref>

A twenty-sixth episode, ''Going Too Far'', was deliberately created to be too violent and obscene for broadcast in Japan and was instead included as a DVD bonus. Watanabe commented that it "felt good to go past the limits of a TV series", although he thinks it "is not something that you should do too often".<ref name="watanabe"/> In Japan the series was released on 12 DVDs between March 1, 2000, and January 24, 2001.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B00005GVEH/|title=へっぽこ実験アニメーション エクセル・サーガ その1 [DVD]|date=March 2000|publisher=Amazon.co.jp|access-date=December 28, 2009|archive-date=June 4, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604234012/http://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B00005GVEH/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B00005HT1I/|title=へっぽこ実験アニメーション エクセル・サーガ への12 [DVD]|date=24 January 2001|publisher=Amazon.co.jp|access-date=December 28, 2009|archive-date=June 4, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604234020/http://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B00005HT1I/|url-status=live}}</ref>

The series was licensed for an English language release in North America and the United Kingdom by [[ADV Films]] and in Australia and New Zealand by [[Madman Entertainment]]. The English adaptation initially starred [[Jessica Calvello]], with Larissa Wolcott taking over the role after episode thirteen after Calvello had damaged her voice during production.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/convention/2002/nan-desu-kan-6|title=Nan Desu Kan 6|work=[[Anime News Network]]|access-date=December 28, 2009|archive-date=July 26, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090726015911/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/convention/2002/nan-desu-kan-6|url-status=live}}</ref> In North America, ADV released the series on six DVDs between June 11, 2002, and April 8, 2003.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mania.com/excel-saga-vol-1_article_74199.html|title=Excel Saga Vol. #1|publisher=Mania.com|access-date=December 29, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150412104352/http://www.mania.com/excel-saga-vol-1_article_74199.html|archive-date=2015-04-12|url-status=dead|first=Chris|last=Beveridge|date=May 27, 2002 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mania.com/excel-saga-vol-6_article_74530.html|title=Excel Saga Vol. #6|work=Mania.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150412104305/http://www.mania.com/excel-saga-vol-6_article_74530.html|archive-date=2015-04-12|url-status=dead|date=April 12, 2003|first=Chris|last=Beveridge}}</ref> A complete collection of the series was released on July 6, 2004, as ''Excel Saga - The Imperfect collection'' and re-released in different packaging on August 1, 2006, as ''Excel Saga - Complete Collection''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00029NMHC/|title=Excel Saga - The Imperfect Collection|website=Amazon|date=July 6, 2004 |access-date=December 29, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000FWHVOG/|title=Excel Saga -Complete Collection|website=Amazon|date=August 2006 |access-date=December 29, 2008}}</ref> In the UK, the series was first released between May 19, 2003, and March 15, 2004.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000065AYD/|title=Excel Saga - Vol. 1 - Episodes 1-5|date=June 11, 2002 |publisher=[[Amazon.co.uk]]|access-date=December 29, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mania.com/excel-saga-vol-6_article_76125.html|title=Excel Saga Vol. #6 (Uk)|publisher=Mania.com|access-date=December 29, 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090214025331/http://www.mania.com/excel-saga-vol-6_article_76125.html|archive-date=February 14, 2009}}</ref> A complete box set was later released as ''Excel Saga - Complete Box Set'' on July 2, 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000QRI4CS/|title=Excel Saga - Complete Box Set|date=July 2, 2007|publisher=Amazon.co.uk|access-date=December 29, 2008}}</ref> The UK license for the series expired in January 2008.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-01-22/adv-films-uk-switches-from-us-run-office-to-uk-partner|title=ADV Films UK Switches from US-Run Office to UK Partner|work=Anime News Network|access-date=January 2, 2010|archive-date=December 25, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091225235604/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-01-22/adv-films-uk-switches-from-us-run-office-to-uk-partner|url-status=live}}</ref> The series was broadcast on UK TV channel ''Rapture TV'' from January 2, 2007.<ref>{{cite press release|url=http://www.mania.com/excel-hyatt-crash-rapture-tv-january-2007_article_85172.html|title= Excel & Hyatt Crash Rapture Tv in January 2007!|author=ADV Films|location = London|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150412104009/http://www.mania.com/excel-hyatt-crash-rapture-tv-january-2007_article_85172.html|archive-date=2015-04-12|url-status = dead|access-date=December 28, 2009|date = December 18, 2006 }}</ref>

On October 30, 2010, Excel Saga was re-licensed in North America by [[Funimation]], who re-released the complete series to DVD on May 17, 2011.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2010-11-03/funimation-adds-excel-saga-noir-bubblegum-crisis|title=Funimation Adds Excel Saga, Noir, Bubblegum Crisis|work=Anime News Network|date=November 3, 2010|access-date=November 3, 2010|archive-date=November 5, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101105022153/http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2010-11-03/funimation-adds-excel-saga-noir-bubblegum-crisis|url-status=live}}</ref>