Anime Boston 2005
Anime Boston - Media Blasters
by Mikhail Koulikov,
Media Blasters
As usual, the Media Blasters panel featured company president Matt Sirabella. No new anime licenses were announced, but Matt talked at length about some of MB's current and forthcoming anime and live-action titles. A "unique" box will be produced for the Oh My Goddess! series, for which Media Blasters also has merchandising rights. The possibility of using the voice actors from either the AnimEigo dub of the original OVA series or the Pioneer/Geneon dub of the Oh My Goddess! movie to reprise their respective roles is being explored, but at this point, it is not certain whether this can be accomplished. In general, Oh My Goddess! is expected to be the studio's biggest anime release of 2005.
Other titles that will are being released currently or are scheduled for relese through the rest of 2005 include Shura no Toki, Genshiken, Grenadier, and the re-release of Giant Robo. An episode of Kujibiki Unbalance will be included with each of the three volumes of Genshiken. Media Blasters does hold the rights to the Kenshin character specials, but is currently trying to decide on the best way of packaging and releasing those. Sales of the DVD release of the Master of Mosquiton OAV (curently scheduled for June 14) will determine whether Media Blasters will consider licensing the Mosquiton '99 TV series. The company is also very much aware of fan interest in more episodes of Berserk, but at this point, there are no definite production plans of any kind.
An unnamed manga Media Blasters had commissioned from a Japanese artist has now been licensed by a Japanese company for distribution in Japan. Media Blasters is also considering specifically commissining or sponsoring anime to be released in America prior to the Japanese release.
Recent live-action properties acquired by MB's Tokyo Shock label include Atragon Gyukusen, the Zatoichi TV series, Missed Call and Missed Call 2, The Way to Fight, and more TOHO films. The GTO movie is currently being dubbed, and an August release is expected.
Media Blasters has considered licensing the Battle Royale movie, but, because of very negative feedback when the movie was first shown to potential licensors shortly after the Columbine massacre, and legal advice against releasing it in the U.S., the Japanese company holding the license to BR has taken it off the market.
While Media Blasters has generally been known as a licensor and distributor, the ultimate goal of the company is to become involved in production to a much greater extent.
As usual, the Media Blasters panel featured company president Matt Sirabella. No new anime licenses were announced, but Matt talked at length about some of MB's current and forthcoming anime and live-action titles. A "unique" box will be produced for the Oh My Goddess! series, for which Media Blasters also has merchandising rights. The possibility of using the voice actors from either the AnimEigo dub of the original OVA series or the Pioneer/Geneon dub of the Oh My Goddess! movie to reprise their respective roles is being explored, but at this point, it is not certain whether this can be accomplished. In general, Oh My Goddess! is expected to be the studio's biggest anime release of 2005.
Other titles that will are being released currently or are scheduled for relese through the rest of 2005 include Shura no Toki, Genshiken, Grenadier, and the re-release of Giant Robo. An episode of Kujibiki Unbalance will be included with each of the three volumes of Genshiken. Media Blasters does hold the rights to the Kenshin character specials, but is currently trying to decide on the best way of packaging and releasing those. Sales of the DVD release of the Master of Mosquiton OAV (curently scheduled for June 14) will determine whether Media Blasters will consider licensing the Mosquiton '99 TV series. The company is also very much aware of fan interest in more episodes of Berserk, but at this point, there are no definite production plans of any kind.
An unnamed manga Media Blasters had commissioned from a Japanese artist has now been licensed by a Japanese company for distribution in Japan. Media Blasters is also considering specifically commissining or sponsoring anime to be released in America prior to the Japanese release.
Recent live-action properties acquired by MB's Tokyo Shock label include Atragon Gyukusen, the Zatoichi TV series, Missed Call and Missed Call 2, The Way to Fight, and more TOHO films. The GTO movie is currently being dubbed, and an August release is expected.
Media Blasters has considered licensing the Battle Royale movie, but, because of very negative feedback when the movie was first shown to potential licensors shortly after the Columbine massacre, and legal advice against releasing it in the U.S., the Japanese company holding the license to BR has taken it off the market.
While Media Blasters has generally been known as a licensor and distributor, the ultimate goal of the company is to become involved in production to a much greater extent.
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