Anime Anime Expo [new licenses, etc.]

[Dagger]

I've been looking forward to this weekend for a while. :) Although I'm not attending Anime Expo, I'm really eager to find out what titles various companies have licensed, and I figured I would create one thread for discussing all of the announcements made at the convention.

Earlier today, Media Blasters pre-empted their Monday panel by basically declaring that they now own the rights to [b]Midori no Hibi[/b] and [b]Otogizoushi[/b]. I've lose all interest in the former series, but Otogizoushi looks very intriguing. The first episode is scheduled to air on July 6 of this year, so hopefully MB will be able to bring the series over to North America as quickly as humanly possible.

EDIT: Whoops, I forgot to say what the shows I mentioned are about. ^_^;; Midori no Hibi is a rather spastic, fanservice-y romantic comedy that deals with the relationship between a tough high schooler and... his right hand, which has been miraculously replaced by a miniature green-haired girl called Midori.

I can't exactly provide a full description of Otozigoushi, since it hasn't even started running yet. However, I do know that it's supposed to be a samurai drama vaguely similar to Mulan.

EDIT #2: Hmm... a Bang Zoom! official accidentally let slip that [b]Scrapped Princess[/b] and [b]PLANETES[/b] are currently being dubbed, but managed to avoid dropping the name of the company or companies who licensed them.

~Dagger~

[AzureWolf]

[font=Book Antiqua][size=2][color=blue]This [b]news[/b] hasn't been posted yet? O_o *posts* [QUOTE=Hideki-Motosuwa]Well another year another Anime Expo..........and that means pure hell for anime fansub groups and fansub fans all around the US. Its bad enough that Newtype USA tends to be the the source for all companies to find new shows to license but this is taking the cake.

Anyway, all of you US fans who worship dubbed anime in its entirely and don't care for the edits and butcher they do to our favorite shows (The only exception in this is Geneon.........WE LOVE YOUR WORK), here is a list of whats has been licensed as confirmed by their respective groups from Anime Expo 2004:

[b]::UPDATED July 4th, 2004::[/b]

[b]::GENEON::[/b]
Shingetsutan TsukiHime
Cybuster
Submarine 707R
Popotan
Daichis
Samurai Champloo
Stellvia of the Universe
Hanaukyo Maid Tai -La Verite-
Saiyuki Reload
Saiyuki Gunlock
Tenjou Tenge
Shin Getter Robo
Rumiko Theater
Mermaid Forest TV series
Daphne in the Brillant Blue
Requiem of Darkness

[b]::BANDAI ENTERTAINMENT::[/b]
Scrapped Princess
Dandoh
Jubei-Chan 2 *unconfirmed*
Onegai Twins
Mars Daybreaker
Karakuri Kiden Hiwou Senki
Kenran Butou Sai

[b]::VIZ ENTERTAINMENT::[/b]
Project ARMS (2nd Chapter)
New Maison Ikkoku
Recca no Honno (The Flame of Recca)
Inu-Yasha Movies

[b]::FUNIMATION::[/b]
Bakuretsu Tenshi (aka: Burst Angel)
Gunslinger Girl
Tenchi Muyo RYO-OHKI: OAV 3

[b]::ANIMENATION ENTERTAINMENT::[/b]
Jungle wa Itsumo Hale nochi Guu
Jungle wa Itsumo Hale nochi Guu DELUXE

[b]::RIGHT STUF INTERNATION::[/b]
Live Action Boogypop Phantom & Extras
To Heart
Boys Be

[b]::MEDIA BLASTER::[/b]
Midori no Hibi
Otogizoushi

[b]::ADV FILMS::[/b]
Nanaka 6/17
Tactics
Elfin Lied
Gravion Zwei
Detective loki Ragnorak
erementar gerard
Marine Boy
Maburaho
Hello Kitty Animation Theater
Gantz
Moeyo Ken
Legend of Moby Dick
Yumeria
Saiyuki Movie
Gilgamesh
Elfin Lied
KURAU
Area 88 TV


It pains me to see that ADV Films has, as usual, lived up to their name as being the "MICROSOFT OF ANIME" and monopolizing everything thats being made and licensing them before they even finish running. I have nothing bad to say about Geneon cause I support them fully with everything thing they do......the best dubbing company I know (Yeah, every other company and especially ADV is crap up to now).

Anyway, this list is going to be updated as the last day of AX is here and we have yet to get other announcements of these turning events (There goes my Bakuretsu Tenshi download). Stay tuned for more late breaking news as more is descovered.

(I bet the fanatics and bitches at AnimeonDVD.com are just loving this ****!! Bunch of pompous bastards - just everyone except my only friend who uses that site).[/QUOTE][font=Book Antiqua][size=2] Hideki's information is correct: I checked it with other websites that didn't have it listed as neatly. Haha, c'mon, ADV has its moments, but then again, if a company tries so many times, it's bound to get a few right. Percent-wise, I would say ADV is the worst. I would say it's track record is still better than some others, though.[/size][/font]

[/color][/size][/font][font=Book Antiqua][size=2][color=#0000ff]Anyway, I don't think there's anything to add or remove from Hideki's post: it's pretty much accurate. I'm relieved that each group got what they did. I'm especially happy that Tsukihime was acquired by Geneon. As for Scrapped Princess, I feel that Bandai is suited for it: it just seems like their kind of anime, as strange as that sounds. ADV did not get any animes I was interested in, but Funimation has licensed Gunslinger Girl. Now has never been a better time for Funimation to shape up.[/color][/size][/font]

[Dagger]

Your post covers everything except a couple of shows Media Blasters just announced this afternoon--Asagiri no Miko, Shura no Toki, Weiss Kreuz Gluhen and Eiken.

FUNimation has delivered some really high-quality releases lately, although overall they still aren't exactly in the same league as Bandai or Geneon. Nevertheless, I have high hopes for Gunslinger Girl. ^_^ It's nice to know that I can probably look forward to seeing Kenran Butou Sai, Scrapped Princess and Kurau on DVD sometime in 2005, and I'm also incredibly excited about Tsukihime.

~Dagger~

[Hittokiri Zero]

"Oh yey"... You know i'm not really into purchasing anime I guess i'm just a fansub whore, if a series is licensed I usually continue downloading it anyway *Oh no the horror smack me now* :rolleyes:. Yet for whatever reason i'm actually excited about a few of these licensed series and I have already made plans to purchase atleast two of them. The two series being Samurai Champloo and Area 88 TV... I'm kind of surprised that Kenran Butou Sai was licensed though o_O; it must be pulling the ratings in Japan, but honestly in my mind the series has hit a low point and is definatly getting on my nerves. Nothing really dramatic, cliche, or not, has occured in the series since the first few episodes and i've really begun to lose interest in the anime so deep down I guess in a way the licensing of Kenran Butou Sai comes at an ideal time for me, as now I don't have a reason to download the series and will manage to survive through my current harddrive crisis :p

With all that said though if Kenran Butou Sai does begin to pick up some steam at the end of it's initial run and receives some decent reviews I could possibly look into the DVDs when they're released state side.

On a side note under Hideki-Motosuwa's post and under Bandi Entertainment the series "Mars Daybreaker" is listed and two series down "Kenran Butou Sai" is listed... I believe that was a typo or misprint on the press's fault as isn't the full name of "Kenran Butou Sai", "Kenran Butou Sai the Mars Daybreaker" o_O???

I just thought i'd point that out...

[Dagger]

I've heard that episode 14 is actually really awesome... I guess I won't be seeing it for a while, though. :p

ADV's main motivation for licensing so many titles is their upcoming linear network, which (in my opinion) doesn't have a very good chance of breaking even, but will require a whole ton of shows to create an acceptably diverse and non-repetitive schedule. What I dislike about ADV is that they often grab a huge number of anime at once and then let many of those series--sometimes even fan favorites like DNAngel--sit on the back burner while they concentrate on keeping up with their enormous catalogue. On the plus side, this practice gives older, low-budget and/or unpopular titles a better chance of being licensed.

~Dagger~