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Is Funimation an afficionado for Gonzo titles?


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Ktimene's Lover



Joined: 23 Apr 2005
Posts: 2242
Location: Glendale, AZ (Proudly living in the desert)
PostPosted: Wed Dec 31, 2008 9:44 pm Reply with quote
Samurai 7, Speed Grapher, Gad Guard, Vandread, Desert Punk, Origin, Trinity Blood, Basilisk, Welcome to the NHK, Glass Fleet, Solty Rei, Black Cat, Kiddy Grade, Ragnarok, Witchblade, Hellsing, and Afro Samurai (and others potentially I haven't thought of) are all Gonzo titles Funimation either licensed or acquired the license from another company. I know lists are generally frowned upon but I did this to relay the point they have a lot of Gonzo or GDH titles. If this thread gets locked somehow due to this, I understand.

But my question is: Does Funimation have a thing for Gonzo titles (similar to how Crispin Freeman and Steve Blum have been cast in over 20 titles together)? It seems like it. When I got an e-mail back from the beautiful and talented Caitlin Glass (though she is known for Ouran's character Haruhi, her most well known and potentially biggest role ever was the sexy blonde mechanic Winry in Fullmetal Alchemist) about Funimation potentially licensing the legitimately subbed Gonzo shows of Druaga and Blassreiter, she e-mailed this response to me:

"Thanks so much for stopping by my website and taking the time to write to me! Those are some interesting sounding titles! I'm sure FUNimation already has their eye on some of them, especially the Gonzo titles, as we have a good relationship with that company. I'll take whatever work i can get!"
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BellosTheMighty



Joined: 27 Nov 2007
Posts: 767
PostPosted: Wed Dec 31, 2008 9:57 pm Reply with quote
Ctimene's Lover wrote:
It seems like it. When I got an e-mail back from the beautiful and talented Caitlin Glass (though she is known for Ouran's character Haruhi, her most well known and potentially biggest role ever was the sexy blonde mechanic Winry in Fullmetal Alchemist) about Funimation potentially licensing the legitimately subbed Gonzo shows of Druaga and Blassreiter, she e-mailed this response to me:

"Thanks so much for stopping by my website and taking the time to write to me! Those are some interesting sounding titles! I'm sure FUNimation already has their eye on some of them, especially the Gonzo titles, as we have a good relationship with that company. I'll take whatever work i can get!"


I hope you're noticed the fact that the esteemed Ms. Glass enthusiastically failed to answer your question. Anime smile

Putting that aside- well, keep in mind that FUNimation recently absorbed most of the combined catalogs of both of the other major stateside companies. They probably do control most Gonzo titles right now, because they control most titles, period. In other words, I wouldn't make too much of it.
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Kruszer



Joined: 19 Nov 2004
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Location: Minnesota, USA
PostPosted: Thu Jan 01, 2009 12:22 am Reply with quote
Yeah, as much as I really like Funi they do kind of have a general monopoly right now as the other 4 major companies aren't liscensing much new stuff. They need some friendly competition, that way maybe some of the 15 or so unliscensed shows I want to own may get picked up.

As far as Gonzo goes, I don't really follow series by that studio since the quality varies, but yeah, it seems they have a lot and I actually have most of those you mentioned, now that you mention it.
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pajmo9



Joined: 24 Feb 2005
Posts: 630
PostPosted: Thu Jan 01, 2009 1:23 am Reply with quote
I think your on to something. A while back, me and my friend noticed the same thing. It seemed like Gonzo has been producing a massive amount of shows recently and Funimation has been licensing all of them.


Kruszer wrote:
As far as Gonzo goes, I don't really follow series by that studio since the quality varies


Man, thats no joke. That studios like a crapshoot.
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walw6pK4Alo



Joined: 12 Mar 2008
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 01, 2009 2:39 am Reply with quote
They probably just have a good friendship together with is good for business. Now the question remains if FUNi would dare touch Dragonaut, Strike Witches, or Rosario + Vampire, and possibly Linebarrels.

Druaga would be a reasonable license.
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Shiroi Hane
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Joined: 25 Oct 2003
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Location: Wales
PostPosted: Thu Jan 01, 2009 5:01 am Reply with quote
At one point FUNimation announced they were "going Gonzo", however ADV did something similar later with a glut of Gonzo titles. I thin the reality is that Gonzo offers package deals.
Gonzo series tend to be good bets for licenses by someone anyway, since they are generally targetted at least partially at a western audience.
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ishmael



Joined: 21 Jul 2006
Posts: 128
PostPosted: Thu Jan 01, 2009 8:42 am Reply with quote
My guess is, since Gonzo seems to produce a lot, they license a lot. I personally wouldn't mind a Strike Witches release. Embarassed
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Ktimene's Lover



Joined: 23 Apr 2005
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Location: Glendale, AZ (Proudly living in the desert)
PostPosted: Thu Jan 01, 2009 10:28 am Reply with quote
I think Caitlin did answer my questions. I also asked her about shows like World Destruction and others and she said Funimation may be keeping an eye out for them.
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doctordoom85



Joined: 12 Jun 2008
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 01, 2009 10:34 am Reply with quote
Ctimene's Lover wrote:
I think Caitlin did answer my questions. I also asked her about shows like World Destruction and others and she said Funimation may be keeping an eye out for them.


Ooh, sweet, I haven't seen World Destruction, but it looked interesting, and I'd love for Funi to get it.
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v1cious



Joined: 31 Dec 2002
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 01, 2009 11:13 am Reply with quote
walw6pK4Alo wrote:
They probably just have a good friendship together with is good for business. Now the question remains if FUNi would dare touch Dragonaut, Strike Witches, or Rosario + Vampire, and possibly Linebarrels.

Druaga would be a reasonable license.


Tower of Druaga would be a perfect license for Fumimation.

sorry but i don't see Strike Witches doing well outside of Japan.
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Yawnny



Joined: 11 Dec 2006
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 01, 2009 12:14 pm Reply with quote
Luckily I love my gonzo Razz
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rg4619



Joined: 30 Jun 2007
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 01, 2009 1:34 pm Reply with quote
Gonzo shows are more American oriented, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that Funimation (who is in a more secure position than its competitors) targets them.
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Craeyst Raygal



Joined: 30 Apr 2002
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Location: In the garage, beneath a 1970 MGB GT.
PostPosted: Thu Jan 01, 2009 1:52 pm Reply with quote
I'd also wager that Gonzo titles don't carry the licensing expense of something by Madhouse, Production IG, Gainax, or AIC.

As of recent, the solid majority of Gonzo titles have been reasonably popular, certainly popular enough to keep Funimation in the black. Why mess with a good thing?

Granted, I tend to be a Madhouse fan (have been ever since I saw Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust in theaters) but sometimes you can't argue with a good business model.
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Kruszer



Joined: 19 Nov 2004
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 01, 2009 3:15 pm Reply with quote
Ctimene's Lover wrote:
I think Caitlin did answer my questions. I also asked her about shows like World Destruction and others and she said Funimation may be keeping an eye out for them.


...which is business code for "I don't know" or "I can't say". In short it's a non-answer.
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Ktimene's Lover



Joined: 23 Apr 2005
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PostPosted: Thu Jan 01, 2009 3:18 pm Reply with quote
What's up, Doc(tor) Doom? World Destruction is a great series. I've seen it. Mamoru Miyano does the ditzy hero Kirie and Maaya Sakamoto plays the sexy heroine Morute. This is the 3rd series they played love interests after them doing Haruhi and Tamaki in Ouran and Kiyomi Takada and Light in Death Note.
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