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Series that are most deserving of an American License.


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Amasa



Joined: 25 Jan 2007
Posts: 340
Location: Japan
PostPosted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 6:32 am Reply with quote
As the Fansubbing 'community' is expanding there are more of us anxious about official American Anime releases. There are some titles that make me think that Western anime companies are mad, licensing this series over that series, so I'd like to express the titles that I think are most deserving of an American release. There is some anime out there that has risen to popularity for a few years but has never been able to earn money for it's creators from it's fans who don't live in Japan.

One such series is Hunter X Hunter. HXH has accumulated a huge fanbase thanks to it's fansubbers and I would personally love to financially show my appreciation, as well as enjoy it over and over again on legit DVDs Smile . I think it's a crime that it hasn't been licensed yet, since I would pay top dollar for this top notch series. It is better than a lot of shounen that has been on the shelves in some stores I've been to and it's relatively old now as well, which is strange seeing it's very accessible characters and storyline.

I am eagerly awaiting news of Honey and Clover's American release since this series as well as it's sequel are diamonds on my hard drive collection. I can't wait to buy the box-set to this (thinking optimistic here Anime catgrin) and I'm even more excited to witness it's popularity grow as more and more people are able to view the josei masterpiece.

Of course there are hundreds of titles that should be published overseas but obviously that would be inefficient for it's distributors. This is just a discussion on the series you wish to see an American company purchase the rights' of.

Some light reading that inspired me to make this thread was from a statement by an Anime Fansubbing Database website (unable to name): "Whether fansubs have a future remains to be seen. David Williams of ADV Films recently mentioned at Anime Boston 2003: "One thing fans might not know is most shows are licensed now during the financing stage, before the show is even produced. This makes a lot of fansubs pointless now. Of course, there are still old shows that probably won’t be licensed; but new shows are almost guaranteed."

Still some series might need some help to get popular. Would you buy Azumanga Daioh DVDs if you had have never heard about it? Fansubs probably helped this series and others gain popularity. Also as there is so much anime being created in Japan, there will usually always be some series which don't get licensed for some reason, like Boys Be or Kokoro Library.
"
Just realizing now that five out of ten of my favorite series are unlicensed, this fact saddens me a bit and I'd love to see them all get published in the US.
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undeadben



Joined: 06 May 2006
Posts: 1212
Location: West Texas
PostPosted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 7:16 am Reply with quote
I would also love to see Honey & Clover licensed, the sad thing is that just because it sold well in Japan doesn't mean companies think it would sell here. But I agree that there just might be a large enough fan base to spread word if it ever comes stateside and make it profitable for someone. They can even skip H&C II if they wanted in my book, I mean I liked it but not nearly as much as the first series. So if a company were to just get me a nice set of disks of the first season, I'd be Happy.

And I think time, sadly, has come and gone for HunterXHunter. Which is really sad because it is such a wonderful show, actually one of my favorite shounen series. However the art and animation style and oldschool character designs just wouldn't fly as well with the new generation of Naruto and Bleach watchers who are the majority of the market now. However if someone did take a small chance, not spending a lot of money, maybe sub only disks, I'd jump all over this series too.

Aside from the top of my list of shows I'd like to own but can't stands at NANA, Air TV, Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora, REC, Maria-sama ga Miteru, Yakitate, and Aishiteruze Baby in that order. I would add Nanoha to that list but it looks like some good news may come any day now, keeping my fingers crossed.

And NANA will probably come along sometime within the next year, I am almost sure of it. The popularity of the franchise (movies, manga) alone will probably be enough to get me NANA DVDs before too long. And it is an incredible show, so I know it will sell well when it does come over.

Hanbun no Tsuki ga Noboru Sora and REC are just wonderful romantic series in my opinion, Maria-sama ga Miteru and Aishiteruze Baby are a couple of atypical shoujo series that have just really gotten my attention in a good way recently, and I would love to see them all licensed but I think that it would take a hell of a lot more than wishful thinking to get any of these over. Especially a slow moving series like Maria-sama and a character driven story like AiBaby that has some pretty weak animation.

Yakitate though, I think would do really well in the US. With the right people I think the dub could be absolutely hilarious. Just imagining some of the accents during the Monaco tournament makes me laugh. And this would be another series near the top of my favorite shounen shows, even if they do bake bread. So this series out of the ones I've mentioned, aside from NANA, I think would do really well in the US if someone would just take a chance on it.

Anyway, I rambled on for a while there but I also wanted to link to this older thread in case you want to do some reading on the subject while you wait for replies here. Some of the shows mentioned in that thread have actually been licensed already.

Licensing soapbox!
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Steventheeunuch





PostPosted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 7:23 am Reply with quote
If my post can encompass OAVs and movies, then I guess here we go.

One series I've been pining for majorly over the past year or so (and others for longer) has been Legend of the Galactic Heroes. This is an OAV series comprising of three movies and roughly 150 standard episodes (110 in one series, and 24/26 in another two side story series). It was made during the 1980's till 90's, and was broadcast on TV, and is seriously one of the best Anime shows I've seen. It can take itself seriously without being overbearing to the point of ridiculous (Gundam, anyone?), and is really well written and designed (They manage to make very unique, non-Anime esque looking characters in a similar standard uniform without restorting to crazy purple hair or what not). The series does have it's moments of really well animated scenes and the voice cast, if you look in the ANN encyclopedia, covers nearly every actor in the 80's/90's Japanese voicing industry aswell as various Japanese TV/Film stars. Of course, it being so long and technically an OAV, and being too old to really market to anyone, it's perpetually stuck in a sad spot, probably never to really see any kind of release in the west.

Another thing that other ANN members want, from what I can remember, is an R1 release of the Studio 4c movie Mind Game. I can't be bothered explaining why it isn't out, though I think it's mostly because it's not very markettable, but either way, it's practically criminal that it's not out in the US yet.
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Iwatch2muchanime



Joined: 19 Dec 2006
Posts: 1291
PostPosted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 12:37 pm Reply with quote
Since HanTsuki, Air, REC, and NANA were mentioned already.

Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha should be. This is a pretty good show, although it takes a little while to get into it, but it could be another addition to the magical girl lovers here, in AMERICA, and I know they would love it and buy it.

Although Kanon didn't get picked up here, Kanon 2006 should be after it's finished, ughh, I have no other reasons besides just me wanting it.

Zegapain should be also. This is one of the best shows of 2006, just nobody knows it, with a LOT of heart wrenching moments and the saddest plotted character I've seen in a long time. Not to mention it's a mech show with flashy lights.
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Brand



Joined: 30 Jan 2006
Posts: 1029
PostPosted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 12:42 pm Reply with quote
Honey and Clover would be the series I'd most like to see licensed. I'd probably hug my dvds or something, I love that show a lot. Probably in my favorite anime after Utena. In fact is the first anime in a long time that has made it into my top 5. I've been dying for a stateside release. I'm still wondering why nobody has even licensed the manga for U.S. release, you would think it would be a no brainier.
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Richard J.



Joined: 11 Aug 2006
Posts: 3367
Location: Sic Semper Tyrannis.
PostPosted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 1:14 pm Reply with quote
undeadben wrote:
Maria-sama ga Miteru and Aishiteruze Baby are a couple of atypical shoujo series that have just really gotten my attention in a good way recently, and I would love to see them all licensed but I think that it would take a hell of a lot more than wishful thinking to get any of these over.
Maybe not. AoD's got this little nugget on the homepage:
Quote:
Domain Registrations Continue (11:14 AM EST): After talking about Geneon's domain registration of Nanoha last night, a few curious readers tried out some other titles and discovered that Higurashi, Saiunkoku and Maria-sama are now all registered to Geneon Entertainment. These of course do not signify an actual license and should not be considered until formally announced. Placeholders have proven false in the past, such as when FUNimation had Prince of Tennis, so exercise caution in excitement.
I know they're saying to take it with a lump of salt, but given the clues in the "Guess Geneon's License" contest, Higurashi IS one of their new licenses. (Hell, I guessed it from the clues and I've never even seen the show.)

Just thought I'd post this. Maybe it's nothing more than a cruel and vicious thing on Geneon's part to make us all think they've got some great series when they don't, but aside from Mediablasters, Geneon's about the only group I could see going after some of these odd titles.

Anway, think positively and maybe it'll turn out to be true.
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undeadben



Joined: 06 May 2006
Posts: 1212
Location: West Texas
PostPosted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 1:42 pm Reply with quote
Richard J. wrote:
Maybe not. AoD's got this little nugget on the homepage:
Quote:
Domain Registrations Continue (11:14 AM EST): After talking about Geneon's domain registration of Nanoha last night, a few curious readers tried out some other titles and discovered that Higurashi, Saiunkoku and Maria-sama are now all registered to Geneon Entertainment. These of course do not signify an actual license and should not be considered until formally announced. Placeholders have proven false in the past, such as when FUNimation had Prince of Tennis, so exercise caution in excitement.
I know they're saying to take it with a lump of salt, but given the clues in the "Guess Geneon's License" contest, Higurashi IS one of their new licenses. (Hell, I guessed it from the clues and I've never even seen the show.)

Just thought I'd post this. Maybe it's nothing more than a cruel and vicious thing on Geneon's part to make us all think they've got some great series when they don't, but aside from Mediablasters, Geneon's about the only group I could see going after some of these odd titles.

Anway, think positively and maybe it'll turn out to be true.


Yeah, I saw that yesterday but I don't want to get my hopes up too much. But it does look like Higurashi is on the way and that gives me another of my top 25 series that I can look forward to buying and which is why I didn't mention this title on my list of wants. I hope Geneon treats it right and they at least give us an artbox, unlike what they're doing with Shakugan no Shana. And that could be a pretty freaky box too. And Nanoha has a much better chance which is why I mentioned that things look good to go there. But with Maria-sama I'm just gonna lie and wait, because even for Geneon who has licensed some series that are a bit out there this might be too much of a gamble so I really don't want to get my hopes up at all, but if it does get licensed I'll be among the first to jump for joy.
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Cloe
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Joined: 18 Feb 2004
Posts: 2728
Location: Los Angeles, CA
PostPosted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 3:16 pm Reply with quote
Steventheeunuch wrote:
Another thing that other ANN members want, from what I can remember, is an R1 release of the Studio 4c movie Mind Game. I can't be bothered explaining why it isn't out, though I think it's mostly because it's not very markettable, but either way, it's practically criminal that it's not out in the US yet.

I can't understand why Mind Game never made it over here. Yes, it was only shown in like 3 theaters in Japan and nobody knows it exists even over there, but if films like My Beautiful Girl Marie can make it to U.S. shores, certainly an internationally acclaimed masterpiece like Mind Game should have been here a long time ago. Sad I hope hope hope hope that Sony's release of Tekkon Kinkreet will open the doors to the release of more Studio 4°C works, especially Mind Game. At least the R2 has subtitles. But I'd still like an easier way to turn people onto it than "Hey, buy this $45 import DVD! I swear you won't regret it! Really!"
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digitalkikka



Joined: 13 Jan 2007
Posts: 462
Location: Chicago, Illinois
PostPosted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 3:30 pm Reply with quote
There are quite a few series I'd like to see come over here but most of them are in the 'when hell freezes over' category. I'm probably the only one, but I'd love to own Turn A Gundam, Gundam X (I think I'm the only one Anime smile + sweatdrop ), and even some MS IGLOO. And if Bandai ever wanted to release a ZZ box set, I'd be first in line. In fact, I just want any Gundam that doesn't have 'SEED' in it's title.

As for shows that actually might be licensed I'm hoping for Monster, Kanon 2006, and NANA. Eventually, I'd also like to see Code Geass, D. Gray-man, and Kekkaishi get picked up.

Steventheeunuch wrote:
It can take itself seriously without being overbearing to the point of ridiculous (Gundam, anyone?)


Mad
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LydiaDianne



Joined: 28 Jan 2006
Posts: 5634
Location: Southern California
PostPosted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 3:40 pm Reply with quote
From things that I've read, I'm looking forward to Code Geass myself. I'm not a big mecha fan but I think that part isn't that important to the story but the characters and how they react to their various situations is. Needless to say, I'm looking forward to this.

I'm also keep hoping for a re-release of the entire Sailor Moon series including Sailor Stars. I would also like to see included Ami-chan's First Love and the other specials.

Embarassed Embarassed And because I ENJOY series like Fushigi Yugi, I'd like to see Angelique, Harukanaru Toki No Naka de, Meine Liebe and Saiunkoku Monogatari.[b]

Angelique: anime#4468

Harukanaru: anime#4484

Meine Liebe: anime#4349

Saiunkoku: anime#6200


Last edited by LydiaDianne on Sun Mar 04, 2007 3:45 pm; edited 2 times in total
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Key
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Joined: 03 Nov 2003
Posts: 18570
Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley)
PostPosted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 3:43 pm Reply with quote
Of titles whose licensing doesn't already seem highly probable, the one I'd most like to see come to America is the short 2005 series Bokusatsu Tenshi Dokuro-chan, aka Club-To-Death Angel Dokuro-chan. Saw the first half of it at a convention back in '05, and it was possibly the most insanely funny anime I've ever seen. It's one I could see being right up ADV's alley, it shouldn't be an expensive license, and title alone should assure it enough attention to cover its costs. Heck, Hilary Haag would be a good fit as the voice of Dokuro based on her past work.

Unfortunately, the one barrier I can see is that it could easily be interpreted as being more than a bit sacrilegious.
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Niceguy9418



Joined: 25 Jun 2006
Posts: 82
PostPosted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 3:49 pm Reply with quote
I'd like to see Mahoraba~Heartful Days. I'm more a fan fo comedy that action anyway, and for a "harem-comedy" this one had some pretty original charecters. (Although I'm mainly refering to the main charecter, with her multiple-personality syndrome. Plus I like how they use the idfferent artistic styles - the four-panel comic strips, and the "children's story" being written by Shiratori, which parralells what is happening in the anime and is drawn in crayon.

Plus - I never would have tried (eating) Umeboshi, Taiyaki or Youkan if it hadn't been for seeing that series. (Food is commonly used plot device.) (BTW - Umeboshi is nasty (my wife liked it, I hated it) but Youkan and Taiyaki both totally rock. If you ever get the chance TRY THEM!)
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Adept_Rogue_Saiki



Joined: 09 Dec 2006
Posts: 33
PostPosted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 7:12 pm Reply with quote
LydiaDianne wrote:
From things that I've read, I'm looking forward to Code Geass myself. I'm not a big mecha fan but I think that part isn't that important to the story but the characters and how they react to their various situations is. Needless to say, I'm looking forward to this.

I'm also keep hoping for a re-release of the entire Sailor Moon series including Sailor Stars. I would also like to see included Ami-chan's First Love and the other specials.

Embarassed Embarassed And because I ENJOY series like Fushigi Yugi, I'd like to see Angelique, Harukanaru Toki No Naka de, Meine Liebe and Saiunkoku Monogatari.[b]

Angelique: anime#4468

Harukanaru: anime#4484

Meine Liebe: anime#4349

Saiunkoku: anime#6200


I think you will like Code Geass. I am not a big fan of Mecha animes but the story and the way it flows are very good imo. I would like to see it licensed. I could see Bandai picking it up. Another anime I would like to see licensed is D.Gray-man. I could see Funi, Geneon, or Viz going after this one. I just hope Viz does not get it. The last anime I would wanna see licensed is Sumomomo Momomo. I could see this one being picked up by ADV.
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CloverKuroba



Joined: 02 Nov 2006
Posts: 506
PostPosted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 8:02 pm Reply with quote
I'd really like to see Honey and Clover come to the states, along with the manga. It may not do as well as it did in Japan, but I hope it will achieve sucess. It's a great series.

I'm begging for Ouran High School Host Club to come out here. It really deserves a stateside release.

I think Yakitate Japan would be a good fit on Toonami. Yakitate is hilarious.

Kanon (original or 2006) and Shinigami no Ballad are bittersweet series that could do potentially well overseas, same with the comedies Zero no Tsukaima and Akazukin no Cha Cha.

I also want to see the Kaleido Star OVAs, Asatte no Houkou, and the Kino's Journey movies.
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Steventheeunuch





PostPosted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 9:05 pm Reply with quote
Key wrote:

Unfortunately, the one barrier I can see is that it could easily be interpreted as being more than a bit sacrilegious.


I think it's already been established that a title of that paticular type (given it's audience and what not) isn't going to care, nor is the show going to raise any paticular controversy. other shows have done worse and so far, nothing.
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