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NEWS: Durarara!!, Vampire Knight, Eden of the East, More Licensed in U.K.

ikillchicken wrote:

So I guess that probably means that funimation isn't getting Durarara. You know what...I don't even care about funimation any more. It's fairly apparent I'm not in their target market if they pass up a show like Durarara for the crap they've been getting lately.

Wow, poor you.

You don't even know if they were on the inside track for Durarara ... Aniplex may have had that penciled for their own direct subtitled R1 release all along, and were only shopping it around to see what R2-ex-Japan, R3 or R4 distributors would be interested.

P.S. Random question on a related topic: Anyone happen to know if Manga UK's BDs are region free?

ikillchicken wrote:

P.S. Random question on a related topic: Anyone happen to know if Manga UK's BDs are region free?

Never seen any region locked. But it's not like I collect all of them.

Damn you, I just realized that my Halo BD doesn't contain Japanese audio.

And because of that I just came across this video.

Well, then. This means war.

ZeetherKID77 wrote:

Bakemonogatari is a Kodansha title (at least, they hold the international rights for it) and usually FUNimation releases those. I say "usually" in italics because it was on Crunchyroll if I recall, and that may mean they passed on it...or not.

Bakemonogatari wasn't on Crunchyroll.

Well the news about Eden of east is the most exciting for me, since I was thinking I was going to have to wait a couple of years or import it if I ever wanted it on dvd.

In all honestly the drrr news doesn't even seem that relevant to me (I don't really care much for quality as long a I can watch it legally) considering it won't have a dub; it would only make sense if the UK was region blocked for that title :/

The only thing this article is telling me is that Durarara was licensed in the U.K., they're releasing it sub only, and if a dub is available, they'll release that version too. I don't see anything about U.S. releases being mentioned.

Since I was there when Andrew announced this (and spoke to him a few minutes before where he explained things to me better) I'll weigh in on this.

Beez has decided to experiment on sub only licences for one simple reason.

Funimation

The UK market is wholey dependant on the US market right now, and is getting largely damaged by Funimation and their production cycles. The classic example of this is Slayers Revolution. MVM announced that in October 2008, shortly before Funimation announced it. Funimation took 15 months to release Revolution. MVM who had to wait for the materials for the dub for Slayers Revolution still haven't released it. It's currently tentatively pencilled in for an Autumn release - which would make it a 2 year announcent to release cycle!

Beez are now licencing things for the UK directly from Japan, before Funimation can get them. If Funimation does pick them up, and a dub is likely to be produced, they'll delay the title and pay the materials usage fee (using US dubs isn't free) and release it with a dub, but if no release is seen on the horizon they'll release it sub only.

Obviously, releasing titles with dubs makes huge business sense, but waiting two years to release a title doesn't. What Beez are doing is preempting the import market with a sub-only release.

With Durarara!, it has been picked up for US release too, but it will NOT be getting a dub. No company was announced, with Andrew taking a quick dig at Manga's recent history of outing US licences.

Sub only is great for me. Hope it knocks a few dollars off the price.

But it does mean that some fans will whine and call it "glorified fansubs" as an excuse to pirate it once it is taken off of Crunchy Roll. And that it would never make it to US television. I doubt it would have anyway.

Someone, I don't care who, but for the love of all that is holy someone PLEASE bring DRRR to the States on DVD!!!

For once, I don't care anymore if it's dubbed or has subtitles! I want it, dammit!!!!