Anime license deals for North America

[Roy Mustang]

I would have been really happy if Funimation would have pick up the Tenchi series from Geneon.

I have a feeling that Trigun or Paranoia Agent will be back up by Funimation by the end of the year.

Right now, the only one that I will be picking up is Last Exile, since I never got to pick the series up, when Geneon had it.

Other then that, I don't care about the other re releases that much. I know that it makes other happy that they have been save and that is a good thing.

So, all I'm waiting for from Funimation is Baccano! and R X J box set and Last Exile thinpack.

[color="Red"][font="Book Antiqua"]Col. Roy Mustang[/font][/color]

[MasterDias]

I keep forgetting that it was Geneon who had Paranoia Agent, but yeah, I'd think just about anything that ran on TV would have a pretty good change of getting re-released.

Meanwhile, I keep expecting Funimation to announce more of the titles that they sent out C&Ds for awhile back. They already have several of the titles.

[Roy Mustang]

Meanwhile, I keep expecting Funimation to announce more of the titles that they sent out C&Ds for awhile back. They already have several of the titles.

I'm guessing they may wait untill the Spring or Summer to announce some of those titles.

We already know that Funimation has sent out C&Ds for Spice + Wolf, Mushi-Uta, and My Bride is a Mermaid!




[color="Red"][font="Book Antiqua"]Col. Roy Mustang[/font][/color]

[MasterDias]

...and Bokurano, Bamboo Blade, El Cazador de la Bruja, Monochrome Factor, and Kateikyoushi Hitman Reborn! and probably something else I'm forgetting.

Granted, they always include a disclaimer that a C&D doesn't necessarily mean a license but I'm skeptical that they would actually bother to send one out if they weren't seriously considering the title. It would be rather pointless otherwise.

[Roy Mustang]

Granted, they always include a disclaimer that a C&D doesn't necessarily mean a license but I'm skeptical that they would actually bother to send one out if they weren't seriously considering the title. It would be rather pointless otherwise.

That was something that was brought up the other day and an insider gave an answer to it.

When a North American anime distributor like Funimation does this, its because they have partnership with companies in Japan, which Funimation has Japanese partnership with Kadokawa, NTV, Media Factory, and TV Tokyo.

But its a very good chance that the North American anime distributor that put the C&D out will get it, but you know that the Japan company will sell it to the highest bidder.

The way that I take it is, when the Japan company or companies want to stop the US fansubs, so they can release it to North American. If they have a partnership with a North American anime distributor, they will use them to send out the C&D letters.

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[ilikegir33]

Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei is probably the least accessible Anime of all time. All the character's names are Japanese puns, a large dose of the humor is in split second kanji in chalk, etc. Any company that heavily localizes its licenses (and Funimation is) isn't going to touch it. Even companies experimenting with subbed-only distribution will have problems with the sheer ammount of translation shoehorned onto the screen at any given time.

It is possible Zetsubou is licensed, but I wouldn't pin anything on it.

But, Pani Poni Dash (which is my absolute favorite anime, and from Zetsubou-Sensei's same director, Akiyuki Shinbo, and studio, SHAFT) looked like a very unlikely license when it came in 2005. ADV then licensed it until the Sojitz Fallout™ that gave the series to FUNimation. Pani Poni Dash had many Japanese puns, split-second kanji in chalk, and all of the humor of Sayonara Zetsubou-sensei, and ADV was able to subtitle everything except the openings. They even have a nifty little feature on the DVD's called AD-Vid-Notes (also featured on Abenobashi and Excel Saga, two anime I also enjoy) that are basically a cross between Pop-Up Video and a liner notes booklet.

ADV would be able to license it, but FUNimation probably wouldn't be able to despite the fact that Negima!?, also made by Akiyuki Shinbo and Shaft and has the same kind of humor as Zetsubou-Sensei and Pani Poni Dash, was licensed by them.

[Sheol777]

Edit: What do you know, its not EVA 1.0 or Soul Eater. Funimation picks up another Geneon title and its Samurai Champloo.

Am I reading this right? Is Samurai Champloo finally getting licensed?

Its about dang time!

I was almost ready to pay 150 bottle caps for the box set....anyone with me when I ponder that Funimation would be my LAST guess at who was going to rally the anime scene?

[Solid Ronin]

Wait so... Funimantion has Samurai Champloo...

I demand a box set priced at 40 dollars with the Geneon dub.

[ilikegir33]

Wait so... Funimantion has Samurai Champloo...

I demand a box set priced at 40 dollars with the Geneon dub.

Absolutely, and $40 Last Exile and Gankutsuou box sets too! Thank you, FUNimation, for making Geneon titles affordable again. Now if they license Trigun, Paranoia Agent, and Hellsing, and release $40 boxes of those series, I will be very happy.

[Roy Mustang]

Wait so... Funimantion has Samurai Champloo...

I demand a box set priced at 40 dollars with the Geneon dub.

Absolutely, and $40 Last Exile and Gankutsuou box sets too! Thank you, FUNimation, for making Geneon titles affordable again. Now if they license Trigun, Paranoia Agent, and Hellsing, and release $40 boxes of those series, I will be very happy.

Funimantion will not go and change the dub, they only have a deal with Geneon Entertainment to manufacture, sell, and distribute DVD titles in North America.

The only ones that Funimantion will have to dub is series that Geneon didn't finishing dubbing.

Those series will be release in volumes, the ones that already been dub and Geneon had out for a bit, will only be sold in thinpak like cases.

For now, Funimantion only has Hellsing Ultimate from Geneon and I guess they want to work on that first, before getting Hellsing.

[Stephen]

And considering that Hellsing Ultimate is the most important anime ever....yah. LOL

[ilikegir33]

Fans of Maria-sama ga Miteru/Maria Watches Over Us are going to be happy about this.

Right Stuf and Nozomi have licensed the 4th season of Maria-sama ga Miteru, just a month after this season premiered in Japan.

[MasterDias]

Funimation Valentine's Day license roundup:

Bamboo Blade

The Tower of Druaga: the Aegis of Uruk
The Tower of Druaga: the Sword of Uruk

Dragonaut - The Resonance

Blassreiter


...and more licenses next week apparently. Where is Funimation getting the time to dub all of these shows?

[MasterDias]

I guess I'll maintain Roy's thread while he's gone.
Funimation has:

Seto no Hanayome/My Bride is a Mermaid

El Cazador De La Bruja, the final entry into Bee Train's "girls-with-guns" trilogy that includes Noir and Madlax.

Rin ~ Daughters of Mnemosyne

[minakichan]

CanNOT believe they picked up Mnemosyne. I mean, as a giant industry heavy-hitter I suppose they have the right to branch out more, but BSDM softcore yuri-fest? WOW.

[ilikegir33]

Funimation has El Cazador? Wow, I expected ADV to get that.

[MasterDias]

Bandai has the Lucky Star OVA.

[Roy Mustang]

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has put out a notice that the Mamoru Oshii feature film The Sky Crawlers will be release on DVD and Blu-ray this spring.

Release date is May 26


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[Gy273]

It would be nice if Funimation will license Tenchi. I am glad they did license Samurai Champloo. xxxholic-kei still hasn't been announced.. Soon...maybe?

[Roy Mustang]

Press Release


[quote="Right Stuf"]Right Stuf’s Nozomi Entertainment & Kadokawa Pictures USA to Release RENTAL MAGICA
First of two DVD box sets planned for Fall 2009.

GRIMES, IA, April 24, 2009 – Anime producer and distributor Right Stuf, Inc./Nozomi Entertainment and Kadokawa Pictures USA today announced the licensing of RENTAL MAGICA, plus plans to release the 24-episode television series as two DVD box sets – with Japanese audio and English-language subtitles – starting in Fall 2009.

Each DVD collection will offer fans the option to view Rental Magica in their choice of “broadcast order,â€

[ilikegir33]

ADV and Sentai Filmworks have rescued another expired license: the first Appleseed film, originally released by Geneon. It will be released on DVD June 30th, and will be shown on Anime Network VOD (no word on when it will be shown).

Also, I've noticed something about ADV/Sentai's recent acquisitions: most of them were shown on and/or released by the Japanese channel TBS...
Princess Resurrection
Clannad
Jewel BEM Hunter Lime
Pet Shop of Horrors
Tsukihime: Lunar Legend
Mahoromatic and Something More Beautiful
and now Appleseed.

I'm kinda seeing a trend going on here. Yes, some titles made by and shown on TBS are owned by other anime companies (most notably FUNimation) but most of these anime titles are new. Is this just pure coincidence or have ADV/Sentai and TBS become...gasp...affiliated?

(PS...i'm kidding.)

Also, to add on to Roy Mustang's post about Sky Crawlers, it has been rated PG-13 by the MPAA for "material involving violence, some sexual content, and smoking."

[ilikegir33]

Another license rescue (and one I'm very happy about):

FUNimation has acquired the rights to Heat Guy J, once released by Geneon.

[Roy Mustang]

It was already posted in the Anime DVD release date for North America thread.


[font="Book Antiqua"][color="Red"]Col. Roy Mustang[/color][/font]

[MasterDias]

Not a new license, but I didn't want to start a new thread:

RIP Central Park Media

Not a surprise as they have been in a coma for a while now. It's nowhere near as major as Geneon leaving, but CPM did have some notable titles.

[ilikegir33]

Discotek (the company that released the updated versions of The Fuma Conspiracy and some kids' anime) has licensed Fist of the North Star: The Movie and Crying Freeman.

[Roy Mustang]

Discotek (the company that released the updated versions of The Fuma Conspiracy and some kids' anime) has licensed Fist of the North Star: The Movie and Crying Freeman.

Fist of the North Star: The Movie comes out this May.

Reported back in Jan


[font="Book Antiqua"][color="Red"]Col. Roy Mustang[/color][/font]

[Roy Mustang]

Funimation licenses Vandread Integral and Turbulence OVAs.


[font="Book Antiqua"][color="Red"]Col. Roy Mustang[/color][/font]

[ilikegir33]

ADV has rescued four titles once licensed by Central Park Media: Grave of the Fireflies, Now and Then Here and There, The World of Narue, and MD Geist.

I'm only really excited about Now and Then Here and There. I have "Grave" on DVD already, and the other 2 are just bad.

[airichan623]

Has the Love*Com anime, Kirarin*Revolution, or Shugo Chara! been licensed in the US yet?
i love these but i want them on an english dvd. don't care if there's a dub. just eng subs.

PS. Roy Mustang- LUV the Azumanga Daioh! animation in your signature. My sis and i lol-ed so hard when we saw it,

[blkmage]

So Funimation announced at Anime Boston that they got Spice and Wolf. But I think I am the only person here that cares about Spice and Wolf. Someone please prove me wrong. Anyway, Yen Press had licensed the manga and light novels not too long ago, with the first volume of the light novel coming out at the end of this year.

Everyone go read/watch Spice and Wolf.

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2009-05-23/funimation-acquires-spice-and-wolf-fantasy-anime