Forum - View topicNEWS: Funimation Films Launch Date
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Abarenbo Shogun
 Posts: 1573 |
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I still think it's a bad idea to start with a property that a significant portion of the anime fandom hates with a passion, in such a limited format. With limited formats, you expect to see something groundbreaking or niche like Howls Moving Castle or Steamboy. If DBZ was released in 4,000 screens coast-to-coast, then I could see the idea working. But this limited format is not worth it to travel XXX miles to the nearest theater to watch. Trinity Blood or the FMA movie I would spend the money on. Not DBZ. |
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Tenchi
 Posts: 4481 Location: Ottawa... now I'm an ex-Anglo Montrealer. |
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If Funimation released a Dragonball Z film on 4,000 screens, they'd end up tens of millions of dollars in the red. The costs of the prints and advertising for that level of release would almost certainly be many, many times what they'd likely make back at the box office.
Dragonball Z was very popular by Toonami standards, but it's not nearly popular enough to support a wide theatrical release. The 100 screen/35 top markets/Internet anime forum-focused advertising strategy is a good way to maximize revenue with relatively minimal expenditures. The P&A costs for this level of release are but a small fraction of the P&A costs for a wide theatrical release. Inevitably, there will be some North American DBZ fans outside of a reasonable travel distance from the theatres showing the film who will be left out in the cold, but there probably wouldn't be enough of them concentrated in any one given area to warrant going all that much "wider". And I'm sure that FUNi has a modest contingency plan for expansion should this experiment prove successful on 100 screens. |
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hikaru393
Posts: 525 Location: champlin MN |
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anyone know when they will release a list of the theaters instead of the kind?
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Primus
 Posts: 2779 Location: Toronto |
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I guess FUNimation wants to end DBZ in a big way.Too bad it's in the US I know that's Funimation's centre on fans but still their are people in other countries that would watch it.
I don't understand why Funimation is parring this with "Cooler's Revenge",Surely they could ahve put a DB Movie or the first DBZ movie. This Movie will probally fail in Canada(in DVD revnue that is,since I doubt a Cinema release here is possible) due to the fact that the DVD for Bio-Brolly is $34 here... |
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T0FFe3m@n
 Posts: 114 Location: Liverpool, England, UK |
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On the face of it, FUNi really couldn't have timed this any better. 12 and 13 are arguably the best DBZ movies by a country mile, and im sure seeing them on the big screen would be awsome. Shame im in the UK..
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camelot187757
 Posts: 426 Location: The Nacirema Dream (17 and counting Asuka) |
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Hmmmm. could it be that Funi went "Lets test the waters with a popular product before we end up like Sony did with Final Fantasy: Spirts Within." Yes DBZ is a safe bet (but non-insured) to test out their new theater status.
And stop hating on DBZ people. Jesus its getting old. |
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Abarenbo Shogun
Posts: 1573 |
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Just because FUNi uses a hated property doesn't mean we are censored from critizising a possibly bad move by a company that has excelled in getting past the false stigma that they do shoddy work that is synonomous with DBZ. If they fail, then it's a lesson learned a/or a knee-jerk move to scrap the idea.. If it does well.....well, it does well. |
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Nagisa
Moderator
 Posts: 6128 Location: Atlanta-ish, Jawjuh |
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That's a bit...way overboard to call DBZ a universally-hated property. Just because a few stuck-up and/or insecure anime fans raise an irrationally overblown scorn for the franchise does not mean the majority despises it just as much. In fact, you'll probably find exponentially more people who find the show to at least be "okay in places," than you will elitist types who find the show to be a crushing blight upon the anime medium. Not to mention this is also the most well-known title in FUNimation's catalogue. At the end of the day, a DBZ movie in theatres will draw more viewers than a Detective Conan movie or Fullmetal Alchemist movie ever would in this day and age. After all these years, DBZ is still a well-known and generally accepted anime franchise, and pretty much the closest to mainstream anime has ever gotten in this country outside of Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh!. |
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GATSU
Posts: 15385 |
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To tell the truth, I'm surprised it wasn't successful sooner. It was weird that so few people outside of the otaku fandom knew about it when it was first broadcast here. But I guess they were watching Gargoyles at the time. Anyway, DBZ would have probably been a more palatable series if Pierrot had produced it instead of Toei. But as much as I like to trash it, it won't leave me alone. So I accept it for what it is: a mindless slug-fest.
Though I still don't feel it'll be a major success theatrically, because the fans would rather buy it on dvd at stores conveniently located to them or via Netflix. Hell, most Hollywood films are suffering from the same problems nowadays. If FUNi cut a deal with a wider chain of theaters, then it'd make more sense. But I guess if the company offered them some exclusive collectible they could only get at that theater, then they'd show up. Also, I don't see the point of announcing it only a few weeks before the theatrical release. How does that help WOM? |
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hikaru004
 Posts: 2306 |
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I wish that they would put that theater list up already!
I don't hate DBZ. I used to watch it when I was younger, but I moved on to other titles now. If you catch it in the theaters during the cheap times, then the slugfest will be fun and economical. |
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TheVileOne
Posts: 272 Location: Texas |
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I don't believe DBZ is this widespread hated property. Otherwise they wouldn't release it. I'm not the biggest DBZ fan, but show me the data that says DBZ is a "hated" property, when in fact its one of the most popular anime properties of all time. I still see people wearing DBZ shirts at school. I still see people cosplaying DBZ at cons. I still see toys on the shelves and being sold. I still see the manga everywhere. So forgive me if I don't buy into your unrealistic assumption.
If it succeeds they might be also be able to eventually raise distribution and the theatre count. Which would be a good thing for anime fans. |
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Crawly
Posts: 204 |
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While it's an interesting idea, and one I'd find a DC area theater to view a showing in if they screened something I was interested in, there's just one major drawback. I expect it's all going to be English-only. I understand the need for it, since a good majority of the mainstream watch their anime that way. But for something this limited that's going to rely just as much on the more hardcore, subtitle-watching fans going out of their way to find theaters, a subtitled viewing here and there would be nice. Unless they've already got that planned and I skimmed over that part...
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TheVileOne
Posts: 272 Location: Texas |
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Quite frankly, I have no problem with Funimation not catering to the prejudiced and unreasonable hatred otaku have for English dubs.
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Crawly
Posts: 204 |
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To each their own. I don't like dubs, never have. I don't curse their existance, though, and don't think my dislike of them is either unreasonable or prejudiced in any way. I just haven't found very many that are good to my ears. And as someone who would love to see some anime movies on the big screen and would be willing to seek them out, and knowing that a lot of small, arthouse type productions are generally offered in their original language, I'd like to see that done here, too. |
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TheVileOne
Posts: 272 Location: Texas |
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I'm willing to give them a chance and keep an open mind. Even if I don't like them, I don't go on forums writing about how crap they are. Or I just don't continue listening to them. What really annoys me is the close-mindedness. And most anime aren't art house type movies either. But then you have Miyazaki movies, which for some are an all ages type thing and kids shouldn't be expected to know Japanese or have to read subtitles. Plus most a lot more anime is being made nowadays with the intent of an American license and distribution. Japanese companies have become more reliant on that. So I don't buy into the whole sacred value of the original Japanese language as much. |
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