Bandai Visual News (Bandai Entertainment)

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This is the Bandai News thread.

Effective April 2, 2015

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As some of you noticed more and more sub only releases have been coming out from a lot of the R1 companies in recent years, and lately Bandai as well…

Full story: http://www.mania.com/kannagi-licensed-available-for-sale-streaming_article_116468.html

It makes sense tbh. Why over-produce on a title that has limited reach anyway. Dubs are great but they should only be on titles that have a large reach or that will be on TV. The sub only releases from ADV/Sentai,Bandai, and other companies should kill the sub/dub debates dead. But on that same note, there has been a big outcry from dub fans. Before it was “the dubs are bad and terrible”. Now it seems they can’t live without them.

Edit: If I read that press return correctly, they are gonna be selling moderate amounts. That will mean limited amounts and a “buy it now” atomsphere. I’m all for it if it means a wider selection of anime brought over.

“I’m psychopuppet and I support this.”

Seriously I think this model may be the best way as long as companies get the DVD version with stuff like this.

With older shows like say Aura Battler Dunbine and Galaxy Express 999 the limiting to RSI/other online exclusive is a good way to do it not that I expect the concrete that seems to encase a lot of the Anime Studio brains both Japanese and American to break anytime soon.

Maybe the dub complainers will finally get it, and why it was so important in the first place for people to buy. A lot of us who follow the news closely get it, but a lot of the fans and casual buyers still don’t really know what’s going on and why this is all happening.

As much as I love dubs, the market simply can not continue to support it with how much it is shrinking - TV deals or bigger name titles with a larger fanbase really is necessary now for companies to survive in dubbing stuff.

This is certainly a new model of distribution lol. Today with the state of the industry, anime companies needed to change. I think a majority of anime fans mainly buy online anymore due to the fact retail stores have a limited selection of titles. Also steaming a title and soliciting DVDs this quickly should definitely help combat illegal methods.

While I am a dub fan, I must adopt to the current state with more and more titles being released sub only. Maybe one day we can go back to the days where companies can dub more titles but right now I don’t see that happening. Linear TV is also becoming less important in the equation.

While I do think there should be a balance to dubbed and subbed shows, if sub-only helps the market right now I am all for it. I do predict Funimation will have to switch to a model where certain titles are released without a dub.

This new method won’t really change my buying patterns since 99% of my anime shopping is done exclusively online and streaming is my main source for all titles except for shows distributed by ADV (but that may change in the near future.)

RANT/
A issue I keep seeing is no dub = no sale from dub viewers and while yeah they have the right to be upset. The biggest issue is still their loudest voice is the ones that are perfectly fine watching it fansubbed but when it comes to put their money where their mouth is they always have a excuse like calling them a “glorified fansub” . Before that you had the “lesser primates” saying why should I have to pay more for a dub I don’t want when they were not paying extra. So called fans with lots of excuses but can’t even back their trash talk up. /RANT

One thing I notice about Funimations releases is the dubs are kind of feeling rushed more and more. Most people praising them will never notice because they are just happy its dubbed and its a shame as they got some good talent they are not using to the full potential.

Funimation also has a lot of money coming in from other things not just anime so I have a feeling they are using that to.

Bandai’s parent company is a big one and they don’t see enough of a profit in these titles to give them the money for a dub so I hope people know while they are upset about no dub its not because the companies hate them its because they can not justify the cost of a dub for these niche series that seem to keep coming out in Japan more and more.

[quote=psychopuppet]
RANT/
A issue I keep seeing is no dub = no sale from dub viewers and while yeah they have the right to be upset. The biggest issue is still their loudest voice is the ones that are perfectly fine watching it fansubbed but when it comes to put their money where their mouth is they always have a excuse like calling them a “glorified fansub” . Before that you had the “lesser primates” saying why should I have to pay more for a dub I don’t want when they were not paying extra. So called fans with lots of excuses but can’t even back their trash talk up. /RANT

Funimation also has a lot of money coming in from other things not just anime so I have a feeling they are using that to.[/quote]

The thing is PP they are looking for any excuse not to buy. All the back and forth is just nonsense. One minute there is dub hate and now there is an attitude to where they won’t pay for sub only. But this is also the same crowd that probably imports from Japan for a DVD with no subs on it. This crowd makes me sick and I believe we can never make them buyers. Best thing to do is bring over new stuff and try and reach a paying crowd.

Funi is wasting a lot of money IMO by dubbing everything they get. Only time will tell how much damage they are doing to themselves because Goku can’t save them everytime.

Well, I love dubbed anime. I have bought a few subbed ADV series, but I think I’ll stick with the dubbed series. There are plenty of series from ADV that I’ve never seen, so I’ll be fine for a while. I have a feeling you’ll be seeing some kind of reduction in dub costs for all companies in the near future. Whether it be lower paid VAs or cheaper productions, there will still be money to be made from dubbed anime.
Slick

[quote=slickwolfie]
Well, I love dubbed anime. I have bought a few subbed ADV series, but I think I’ll stick with the dubbed series. There are plenty of series from ADV that I’ve never seen, so I’ll be fine for a while. I have a feeling you’ll be seeing some kind of reduction in dub costs for all companies in the near future. Whether it be lower paid VAs or cheaper productions, there will still be money to be made from dubbed anime.
Slick[/quote]

If the VAs get paid any less…it will be slavery.

[quote=blakdragon7]

[quote=slickwolfie]
Well, I love dubbed anime. I have bought a few subbed ADV series, but I think I’ll stick with the dubbed series. There are plenty of series from ADV that I’ve never seen, so I’ll be fine for a while. I have a feeling you’ll be seeing some kind of reduction in dub costs for all companies in the near future. Whether it be lower paid VAs or cheaper productions, there will still be money to be made from dubbed anime.
Slick[/quote]

If the VAs get paid any less…it will be slavery.[/quote]

I’m not quite sure what they make doing voice work, but I hope they make some decent money doing conventions.
Slick

I do have to agree with all this. I’ve seen first hand how badly the anime companies have been impacted by sendbacks from retailers. The two that have suffered the most from this are Bandai and Funimation. I have literally sent back dozens and dozens of Funi and BEI discs at a time, and it’s quite frankly heart breaking. I think that’s why these two are the most likely to show up at places like Big Lots.

Going sub only, and with much smaller print runs, like both Bandai and ADV have been doing, may be the best route for now. It does create some issues when titles sell well, like Clannad has, as retailers have difficulty obtaining replenishment. But some delayed sales may be better than having to deal with sendbacks. (This model always seems to work for Apple.)

Also, I’m tired of the excuses for not buying product. I’m not saying they’re not valid reasons, but it seems like every other post on EVERY website is a reason why someone will not buy something. Whether it be packaging, or video quality, or lack of a dub. It just seems that many, many fans out there will not buy something unless it is absolutely perfect in their eyes. Unfortunately, so few releases are. And in such a niche market, just a few fans not buying something can really impact the profits on a release.

I’m also tired of the whole,“If I buy a sub only release and support the company doing it, they’re just going to do sub only releases.” I think most people are missing the point. If ADV, Bandai, and Right Stuf have difficulty making a profit on a sub only title, they are going to be less likely to dub other releases. If anyone remembers, originally ADV only did sub-only release, to stay more faithful to the creator’s original vision. As time went by, and they saw how well other dubbed releases were selling, and how well their subbed releases were doing, they decided to go ahead and start dubbing shows. If it wasn’t for people buying, both sub and dub product, there wouldn’t have been many dubs in the first place. Ultimately, if people want ADV and Bandai to produce more dubs, they need to support the sub-only releases they do. That’s just about the only way the market will stabilize.

[quote=slickwolfie]

[quote=blakdragon7]

[quote=slickwolfie]
Well, I love dubbed anime. I have bought a few subbed ADV series, but I think I’ll stick with the dubbed series. There are plenty of series from ADV that I’ve never seen, so I’ll be fine for a while. I have a feeling you’ll be seeing some kind of reduction in dub costs for all companies in the near future. Whether it be lower paid VAs or cheaper productions, there will still be money to be made from dubbed anime.
Slick[/quote]

If the VAs get paid any less…it will be slavery.[/quote]

I’m not quite sure what they make doing voice work, but I hope they make some decent money doing conventions.
Slick[/quote]

Most of them do it for the love of anime…not the money.

[quote=psychopuppet]
One thing I notice about Funimations releases is the dubs are kind of feeling rushed more and more. Most people praising them will never notice because they are just happy its dubbed and its a shame as they got some good talent they are not using to the full potential.[/quote]

I have noticed that too with some of Funimation’s dubs, if you are going to dub something do it right not rushed.

Except for Clannad and Princess Resurrection there really hasn’t been may sub-only titles that have caught my eye. For me a sub-only title has to really catch my interest. It needed to have that “it” factor for me. (Dear lord I am starting to sound like Simon Cowell off of American Idol and The X Factor.)

Kannagi, is the first sub-only title since Clannad that has caught my eye, I am currently re-balancing my finances to see if I can get the two volumes. The Lucky Star OVA will be a future sub-only release only because I am going to get the singles or collection once I get the money for it.

Now listed at TRSI:
$26.24 EACH
Kannagi: Crazy Shrine Maidens DVD 1 (S)
Kannagi: Crazy Shrine Maidens DVD 2 (S)
Kannagi: Crazy Shrine Maidens DVD 2 (S) + T-Shirt Offer (Small)
Kannagi: Crazy Shrine Maidens DVD 2 (S) + T-Shirt Offer (Medium)
Kannagi: Crazy Shrine Maidens DVD 2 (S) + T-Shirt Offer (Large)
Kannagi: Crazy Shrine Maidens DVD 2 (S) + T-Shirt Offer (XL)
Kannagi: Crazy Shrine Maidens DVD 2 (S) + T-Shirt Offer (XXL)

I think what is going to happen is more then normal the amount of animes are going to be licensed but only the ones that will sell big will get a dub. It kinda makes sence to me. If all animes goes sub I am going to stop buying. Clannad & Clannad: After story are the only animes I really want a dub for.

[quote=chrisc]
I think what is going to happen is more then normal the amount of animes are going to be licensed but only the ones that will sell big will get a dub. It kinda makes sence to me. If all animes goes sub I am going to stop buying. Clannad & Clannad: After story are the only animes I really want a dub for.[/quote]

It looks like anime is going sub only which wouldn’t hurt me at all. I love reading.

Correction most Anime with loudmouth no sense in any part of their body fans are going sub only.:stuck_out_tongue:

It always seems like the most niche shows which do not most of the time have a snowballs chance in hell of selling to justify a dub has the loudest 5 people bitching when it does not get a dub.

Like and their bitching is just like insane reasoning that even a mental patient would find insane.

Kannagi was licensed, awesome. Kannagi does not have a dub, I guess Kanagi is a small enough show that that makes sense.

Still Hayate should have gotten a dub and a slot on Ani-Monday.

I am okay with some sub only releases, I know they are smarter most of the time but you don’t take back a big deal like 4 audio tracks.

One last thing, I love how Bandai is doing Kannagi.

[quote=mitamaking]
I am okay with some sub only releases, I know they are smarter most of the time but you don’t take back a big deal like 4 audio tracks.[/quote]

Why do I get the feeling we’ve been around this topic a dozen times before already.

Sure you take it back… When a crap-storm happens, you change gears. It’s like if a rockslide is happening in front of you, do you turn/stop or just push forward into the oncoming slide (ie. getting one and one’s car crushed). Good business is about adapting, and a lot of companies did it too late… dubbing a lot of niche series, while ones we here in this forum loved… were not savy business moves. The anime companies gambled on the fans and were hoping the combination of fansubbers who liked shows would buy what they claimed they liked or those who begged for the licensing to happen or that dubs would make niche shows into mainstream offerings, but that didn’t happen - and we saw what happened as a result of that in the last couple of years.

And then a whole lot of crap happened to the industry since they said that…

The industry was hit by its hardest blow since the Musicland disaster a few years ago that almost brought the entire R1 down… again it almost did in the last few months with the industry being as frail as it has been in the last few years, then to get the economic problems, the credit markets being frozen, the Best Buy situation, retailers sending back so much, anime fans continuing to support illegal methods that don’t monetize either R1 or the Japanese companies… on and on.

Plus it’s also entirely possible one of the networks backed out of a TV deal Bandai thought they had. Why shouldn’t they? Ratings are suffering, and most otakus prefer to watch stuff illegally. They’re looking for cross appeal and Hayate at least to the executives at the broadcasting companies didn’t have it or maybe Starz/Manga asked too much, who knows. The fact that the broadcast networks are not signing marquee titles anymore is indicative of that… instead everyone’s just trying to go cheap.

There’s a whole lot of reasons why Bandai went from confident to scrambling and losing a major part of its workforce (including veteran production staff that have been with the company for like a decade). This is very dire stuff.

So Bandai changed gears. That’s good business. Would you rather they kept their promise only to shutter their doors soon or for tons of their licenses to go Out of Print pending a collapse?

Your exact comments are one I keep seeing with dub fans in the last 7 months and it’s really, really living in a different world from reality. I’m not saying companies are not responsible… certainly over-promising and under-delivering is something that diminishes fan perception and good-will. That can not be argued, but on the other hand, I also see a lot of fan demands that do not jive with reality, and how dire the situation has turned. The fans are not owed something… these companies are not depriving fans of air and water to survive, as fans constantly make it out to be.

I’d argue the opposite actually… fans deprived the companies of what was needed to sustain themselves (ie. funding the cycle). So now companies are reacting to it and adapting to lower sales figures across the board.

With the state of the market, ultimately, something is better than nothing.

I never really cared for dubs in the first place. I mean it is probally best to not dub moe or nichie shows, beacause they wont sell like hotcakes like the Naruto or Bleach DVD’s. Shows that need to be dubbed is long running shonen shows like Katekyo Hitman Reborn.