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NEWS: Crunchyroll to Stream Secret Agent Erika Live-Action TV Series

I'd heard somewhere that up until about three years ago, drama licensing was a nightmare because contracts did not include international rights, so "female supporting character number 2" could be the hold up on getting the rights. Now that the producers are more likely to be holding the rights, Crunchyroll might be able to expand their licensing of J-dramas.

agila61 wrote:

I'd heard somewhere that up until about three years ago, drama licensing was a nightmare because contracts did not include international rights, so "female supporting character number 2" could be the hold up on getting the rights. Now that the producers are more likely to be holding the rights, Crunchyroll might be able to expand their licensing of J-dramas.

I think part of the problem is that a lot of J-dramas (especially the ones for which the masses clamor) have someone from Johnnys Entertainment in them. I'm not complaining about that aspect (I actually like a lot of those actors) but supposedly JE is exceptionally difficult to work with. I've seen promo pics for dramas where the Johnnys actor's picture in the cast roster is represented by a silhouette or drawing (ex: Kame & Yamapi as pigs in the Nobuta chart) or altered/blurred digitally (ex: Ikuta Toma's face in the Voice promo). And that's not even outside the country. I can't imagine trying to promote a foreign TV show, with an unknown (to most Westerners) cast and not even being able to use the likenesses of the stars of the show.