Grumble Grumble Grumble
FUNimation has been busy of late. They have recently announced the licensing of series that were formally licensed and distributed by GENEON USA, including the valuable and highly popular series who's dub was completed, but never finished distribution, (e.g. Black Lagoon: The Second Barrage, When they Cry, Hellsing Ultimate, Rozen Maiden 1st and 2nd seasons, Shana, Karin, Tales of Saiumkoku, Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha), which means that sometime next year I'll be able to take my incomplete.
Funimation Agrees to Distribute Select Geneon Titles - Anime News Network
FUNimation has also announced that they are receiving licenses transferred from ADV Films, including series that are currently unfinished in distrubution, (e.g. Welcome to the NHK, Kanon, UFO Princess Valkyrie, Red Garden, Moonlight Mile and Keroro Gunsou)
Funimation Picks Up Over 30 Former AD Vision Titles - Anime News Network
So the good news is that these series will eventually see a Region 1 release. The bad news is that it will take 6 months to a year (or more) for collectors to finish the series that were prematurely halted in distribution. And what does this say about the Sorry State of ADV Films??? This sounds like good news for FUNimation, but does this also mean were starting to see a major consolidation of the US Anime industry???
I've noticed this as well and my sister and myself have thought through some possible reasons why Funimation is making such a large move of late. Some of our more realistic reasons involve money, some kind of internal dispute, or maybe a monopalization of anime in the US.
Personally though I'm glad that Funimation has taken over Kanon for the distribution, specifically because I see much more Funimation products where I live than any other. Coincidence?
Well I do hope that there is no more further delays, I've been waiting and waiting for the new volumes of Rozen Maiden, When They Cry, and Hellsing Ultimate. Its also about time that Keroro Gunsou/Sergeant Frog and Lyrical Nanoha gets ready for its releases, especially Sgt. Frog as its been brought up in publications and everything for so long....
As always thank you for the updates Len.
->:Be descriptive in your posts or its like you didnt post at all:<-
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lGrumble Grumble Grumble
There are still two other major distributors to contest control of the Region 1 Anime distribution market. There's Bandai Entertainment, which just announced the license for 'Hayate no Gotoku', (which interesting enough was a GENON production in Japan), as well as the absorption of Bandia Visual USA, which implies access to the Bandia Visual distributed titles in Japan...Originally Posted by zyta
Bandai Entertainment Adds Hayate Anime, TokiKake Manga - Anime News Network
The other major player, (that is just getting started...) is Kadokawa Shouten, who's title distributed in Region1 include 'The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, and Lucky Star, both distributed by Bandai Entertainment and The Third, distributed by NOZOMI/Right Stuf International. Kadokawa has recently the formation of a US division based on Los Angles to translate and sell Manga titles directly in the US market. You can bet that Kodokawa will try to push the associated Anime series for video advertising of their Manga titles (which is what VIZ/Shoujo does with its Shounen Jump titles, such as Bleach, and Naruto...)
Neat...I've seen all of When They Cry and Red Garden in fansubs, but they're definitely series I want to own, so it's great that they're being picked up by FUNimation.
I wonder though, with Geneon going under and ADV looking primed to go next, what are the ramifications of a monopoly in the anime industry in the US for us loyal consumers (besides the fact that prices for new series would undoubtedly rise)?
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