Japanese specialist AnimEigo is beginning to bring Tora-San to DVD, starting with the Tora-San: Collector’s Set: Volume 1 featuring films 1 – 4.

“Tora-San” is Japan’s 48-film series, made from 1969 – 1995. It is by far the longest-running film series in Japanese history and the second-longest overall in the world, and is a national treasure in Japan.

Typical story lines have Tora-san, a suitcase carrying, leisure-suit wearing, traveling salesman visiting different parts of Japan, where he meets a beautiful young woman, is smitten, and tells her if she ever needs help, she should come visit him in his hometown. After returning home to his family, which disapproves of his wandering lifestyle, the damsel in distress shows up, and Tora-san falls in love. Alas, his attempts to help her, and win her heart, invariably cause her to fall for someone else.

The Volume 1 DVD set will feature the first four films of the series, made in 1969 and 1970, in their original Japanese language with English subtitles. Also included in the set is a 28-page booklet with series info, as well as an Audio Commentary and a Retrospective Featurette by the director.

“Tora-San,” Japan’s most beloved loser will make his DVD debut here in the US on November 11 for $79.98.