Forum - View topicNEWS: BV USA to Stream Super Robot Wars TV, Galaxy Angel Rune
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nargun
Posts: 930 |
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I believe I have, in my previous post to this thread. Diebuster is literally incomprehensible without a deep familiarity with the original gunbuster. So the people who buy Diebuster are a strict subset of the people who buy gunbuster. And Gunbuster is a really tough sell. It's twenty years old, it's genre-schitzophrenic, its animation quality is average for the time; none of this is stuff that leads to huge sales. Which makes Diebuster -- like all the rest of BVU's releases -- a really really really tough sell. Which makes Diebuster a poorly-selling title. Which means that the fixed costs of Diebuster have to be amortised over fewer sales and your prices are going to be high. |
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Gewürtztraminer
 Posts: 1028 Location: Texas - Its like whole other country. |
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As a newcomer to anime, I realized all of that, but still there is no story as EPIC as the Gunbusters. I have posted my views on BVU's pricing many times. In summary, at the very least they should make the effort of getting their titles into the popular rental channels (netflix, blockbuster), which they have not done since geneon went into limbo. I will pay their prices if it is worth it. |
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ManSlayer07
Posts: 214 |
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CCSYueh, my response to your recent post (in the same order):
Why are you comparing the first Ah! My Goddess TV series with Haruka? AMG already had fanbase and presence in NA before it came over (the movie, the original OVA series, the ongoing manga, and recently novels). Haruka on the other hand didn't. The only reason why any licensor would have even considered Haruka back then was because a similar title had already been brought over: Fushigi Yugi. I wouldn't be surprised if Geneon had passed on it and went for Saiunkoku. AMG's "A" title recognition didn't meet MB's expectations and that's why MB decided to save its money and not pursue Fighting Wings (S2). Angelique seems popular enough to keep getting new TV series but it's not very well-known or popular outside of Japan (its fansub presence is a good indicator). At this point, MB and Nozomi have probably already checked it out and passed. The SRW OVA from I've read, especially here on the ANN forums, is pretty much aimed at fans who played the original video games. The games aren't even available in the US so that's probably the biggest reason nobody brought it over before BV. Title recognition in this case is more important than it being a short series which is probably what also hurt the TV series (that along with its length and the fact that mecha doesn't sell in R1). You're right about Supergals 2, TRSI took an interest in it because it was already available in R1 but they did it sub-only because they knew it would never make a profit if they had it dubbed (the second half of Kodocha is comparable although it's twice as long). MB and manga: they never were too huge in that area. A lot of the popular shonen stuff nowadays goes to Viz and manga has gotten more crowded, especially yaoi which is where they do well. Being connected to a certain Japanese publisher is how the more successful companies are getting titles now (Del Rey with Kodansha, Viz, Yen Press, etc). Monster... I've seen it and it's a damn good show so I know why people always have it on their license wish-lists/requests but... it's a 74 episode psychological mystery. Simply put it's really long and its subject matter doesn't sell. No matter how Monster gets released it will not sell well which is exactly why it's still unlicensed. Going sub-only already reduces your audience but it's too expensive to dub because of its length. Adult Swim probably wouldn't air it because of its length (I mention them because Paranoia Agent is a title with similar content that they've broadcast and arguably, With Hunter Robin). I think getting it on AS would be the only reason to dub it though. And finally, the only way to release it on DVD would be in sets (that's how it was released in Japan too). Viz continues to shop Monster at every NATPE so at least it is getting offered for licensing... About Geneon license rescues: each title has its own circumstances which leads to each one having different chances of getting picked up. MB's John Sirabella has said this before on Anime on DVD's forums (he even said that other companies were already looking at Geneon titles). TRSI/Nozomi probably has more titles than BV (with or without hentai), I really don't think they're comparable though. What does 12 Kingdoms have to do with anything? And Geneon went after Saiunkoku because licensing and dubbing titles with little sales potential is something they were good at (they were definitely my favorite licensor though). Why did BV go after Demon Prince Enma? They actually produced it (they like they do with pretty much all their titles) and even they were smart enough to know that a short dark/violent OVA equals success in R1. But wait, they didn't dub it and they priced 33% higher than it should have been (the only way to give it a worse release was to have put one episode/disc). DPE might have actually met their expectations but we don't know. Samurai Horror Tales is another example Geneon going for the wrong titles as mentioned above. In terms of mech to non-mech titles in their catalog, BV does to a lot of mech titles but Bandi Ent., ADV, and Geneon have all licensed a lot of mech titles as well. Funimation dips into the genre every once in a while, Aquarion being the most recent example. Yes, MB does hentai along with like only 2 or 3 other companies but hentai is clearly hurting more than non-hentai right now. MB's release and current hiatus on GaoGiGar is a clear example that they won't be doing any more old titles (Voltron and similar nostalgia-driven titles excluded). |
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CCSYueh
 Posts: 2707 Location: San Diego, CA |
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quote="ManSlayer07"]
I believe that both TRSI/Nozomi and Media Blasters (Serge mentioned Strawberry Panic above) are doing exactly that. And that's exactly "why it's so hard for us to understand": because those companies actually have to pay for licenses and yet their prices are significantly cheaper than Bandai Visual USA's. Nozomi actually goes a step further than doing sub-only for niche titles and just does sets. BV does too many things wrong for anyone to actually care so instead of complaining people have just decided to not even care anymore when they announce a new title.[/quote] Remember? You protested TRSI & MB licensed niche titles, but as Goodpenguin & hikaru pointed out, these are niche titles within that niche. As I pointed out, instead of paying way too much for Ah My Goddess MB could have licensed Haruka but didn't. It seems Weiss did well enough for them as has yaoi, why not gamble on shojo harem? It was reported here that last robot title didn't do all that well for MB & they don't plan on going for more--why did they go with that & not SRW? BV seems happy with SRW to move on from the OVA to the tv series. As I said, none of us can probably understand how these guys license stuff. Why haven't they brought over Bronze & other older yaoi titles when they claim yaoi is doing well for them? Only they know. Gee, I thought Geneon went for Saiunkoku because Kyo Kara Maoh, Saiyuki Reload Gunlock & Fushigi Yugi were wrapping up & they appreciated the fact gals were buying these titles. It's not all about you guys, you know. Look at yaoi manga (I know you'd prefer not to). AL the guys at these forums seem to whine & boo hoo over every license & that it takes up too much shelf space, but it appears gals are buying it, even if it's not in the numbers of Naruto or Bleach. Yen is just the current incarnation of dead companies. They've picked up titles from companies that have vanished (Ice Kunion, Comics First, DR MAster I forget which ones have vanished & been replaced. I just know it seems I've been reading certain titles forever as they change hands. I look forward to continuing Antique Gift Shop, 1001 Nights, Angel Diary & Heavenly Executioner Chiwoo. Right Stuff shipped another Dark Edge this week to me Yeah!) Most Saiunkoku fans insist it's similar to 12K (I don't see it, but it was excellent for the 10 eps we got) I don't see why MB wouldn't license it if they had stuff like Kenshin, 12 K, & Weiss. I said Bandai, not BV. THere is a dif. Bandai does pretty much land all the Gundam titles, but other companies can land mech titles. Again, it just shows we don't really understand what attracts a licensee to a title. Obviously most of the companies often favor stuff that does well for them--if a mech title does well, they'll likely seek out more. And the point is TRSI & MB(& animeigo), while they pick up more obscure titles still pass on others. If someone else brings those passed over titles here for a higher price because they assume it will only sell whatever smaller number of dvds than Naruto, then those who want that item will pay the price. No all of us see fansubs as a viable option. For me it is stealing & I prefer not to do it. I'm not looking down on those who do download. I'm saying I can't do it. I would rather pay $9-$11 per ep to buy the licensed version with a clear conscience. |
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