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Discotek seems to be really retro. Which Sentai does dabble in a bit fwiw.

But there’s gold in them thar more recent retro times, and it sure looks like SonyAniFuniRoll has no interest in mining it, nor do any of the other small-timer outfits.

I happened to read that ANN blurb about licensing and how if a show would only license at the cost of a few hundred bucks an episode or so then the Japanese can’t really be bothered to deal with the paperwork. Maybe Sentai could just buy series like that outright :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

Licensing these series for mega-millions is preposterous, particularly when it sure seems like animation quality has taken a hit in recent times. So I’d certainly only like Sentai to invest that kind of stupidly exorbitant fee into the absolutely guaranteed ROIs, and then maybe sit on the lesser shows and scoop them up down the line for peanuts (relatively speaking) if SonyAniFuniRoll hasn’t assimilated it into their collective?

Edit: To spitball a bit here, since Sentai just rolled out its Steelbook of RahXephon, there’s a show that was a spicier, but more succinct, retelling of the RahXephon story called Qualidea Code. Crunchy had it way back in 2016, but it didn’t exactly make waves (or get much promotion) and they pretty much punted on it. If Sentai could’ve picked that up for the corporate equivalent of loose change in the couch cushions and somehow had it ride the RahXephon re-release’s coattails a bit then maybe they could’ve shored up the catalog and made a quick buck?

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If I remeber correctly, that’s an A-1 Picture show. So if anyone was going to release that one, it be either Ani or Funi.

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Looks like they’ve punted on it, which is surprising as Funi seems like it releases just about everything it can. Maybe Sentai could return it for the TD?

With the massive cash & clout differences between Sentai and SonyAniFuniRoll/Netflix/Amazon, the only titles that Sentai is currently getting are the ones that the big money companies pass on. SonyAniFuniRoll just letting QC sit twiddling its thumbs on their island of misfit anime isn’t making anyone any money, is it? :grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

In addition to QC, it sure seems like there’s a whole host of shows from the recent retro era that have gone unlicensed for home release in the US. Also, could it be time to follow Netflix’s example, who was in turn following Cartoon Network’s example, and commission their own anime series? It seems like being on the anime production committee has become a lot better now than it was in the ADV days.

They’d still probably want a yachtful of money for it, even if it was a dud. Because it’s A-1 Pictures, a ‘prestige’ production.

If they can’t seem to afford to license anime, where would they find the money to invest in any new anime endeavor?

Sounds like the sellers on eBay/Amazon who will price a product sky-high and refuse to lower their price over the literal years because “I know wut ah got!” Sometimes Japanese anime business practices make me :roll_eyes:

According to ANN, FWIW, we are at a weird place where the implication is that licensing anime costs megabux but paying a studio to make an anime series for you costs peanuts, explaining how Netflix can afford to churn out “Netflix Original” anime series…and making the quip in their trailer for their Househusband series about having “Netflix money” a tad ironic.

The article also mentions that top-tier shows license for upwards of a whopping $250k per episode, normal shows go for 70k to 150k per ep, and scuzz shows clock in at a bit under $10k per ep. Which pretty much means that even the most painfully meh-diocre modern light novel isekai adaptation would cost over $100,000.

While ANN’s bigwig disagrees, that sure sounds to me like we’re headed for another Sojitz with prices like that, and while I dunno if these sky-high prices (that make the infamous Kurau seem like a decent deal) are just a drop in the bucket for Sentai, it seems like there could be much better places to park that money than on whatever modern shows fall off of SonyAniFuniRoll’s table.

Such as retro gold:

But when it comes to older titles (say pre-2007) and for markets where the big guys aren’t active, it is possible to get older, non-exclusive licenses directly from Japan, and for relatively cheap with little or no MG required… if you’re a well-established company with a history of paying on time.

Or “rolling your own” nu show:

Keep in mind, many “Netflix Originals,” and similar titles on other platforms aren’t licensed at all; the US studio merely contracts an anime studio to produce the anime for them.

Y’know, if I recall correctly, Matt Greenfield mentioned way back something about a sort of sequel planned to Bubblegum Crisis Tokyo 2040. Time search the corporate couch cushions for change, throw up a crowdfunding, and make it happen? I’d back that, it would have to be better than Cannon Busters :laughing:

Yeah the ending to the series felt kind of flat to me and probably could have used a sequel to flesh it out a bit more, especially considering where everyone ended up. I won’t forgive it for the total emasculation of Sylia as a character though.

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You know if S23 ever did a Crowdfunding project they’d probably create a new label just for Crowdfunded projects . It’s the way they roll .

I’m still waiting for the return of the Happy Carrot . :rofl: :man_shrugging:

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:confused: ? Looks like things are really going to change over the next 19 years :rofl:

From what I recall, I didn’t mind the Sylia character arc as she was burning the candle at both ends, and teetering on the brink emotionally, for years. Eventually she was going to run out of sta-min-ah and we happened to see it.

Definitely would I like to see the sequel though, I wonder what the plans were for it. And since Funimation only ever gave it a token release, maybe Sentai could loop back to that and get the bluray out?

I wish the rumor mill had been right about that coming out of hibernation to license + dub Interspecies Reviewers. . I remember ole Greenfield and Grant being completely open about having dubbed bona fide off-color content, and hosting a con watch party for it.

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TUESDAY NEW RELEASES - GAKKO☆☆☆ SCHOOL-LIVE! ANOTHER STORY (Live Action) & THE MAGNIFICENT KOTOBUKI: THE MOVIE

2021-08-10T05:00:00Z

GAKKO☆☆☆ School-Live! Another Story OVA Dramas

What does your school mean to you? For a handful of students at Megurigaoka Private High School, the answer is going to be salvation as they start their worst day of classes ever. It begins quietly, with only the fact that some students aren’t showing up for classes to hint at what’s about to begin. Then the killing starts as the school’s student body start to turn into reanimated student bodies, taking an early lunch break to devour their former classmates! By the time our group of female survivors realizes that they’re in the middle of a zombie epidemic, their only chance of staying alive lies in barricading themselves into the building. What they don’t realize yet is that this is only Day One, and they may be living there for the rest of their lives in Gakko***SCHOOL-LIVE! Another Story
Rating: TV-14 (D,V)

The Magnificent KOTOBUKI: The Movie

On a barren world almost devoid of life, the only efficient way of distributing essential supplies and cargo between the isolated pockets of civilization is by using giant zeppelin-like airships. Unfortunately, these massive craft are also easy targets for the wolves of the air - sky pirates, who hijack aerial commerce and slaughter the crews. That’s where birds of prey like Kylie, Reona, Chika, Emma, Kate, Zara and their Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa fighters come in. In a deadly business where a single mistake can mean instant death, the lady falcons of the Kotobuki Squadron will outfly and outshoot anything else in the stratosphere! Get ready to venture where only Angels dare to tread as the epic TV series becomes a spectacular motion picture in THE MAGNIFICENT KOTOBUKI - THE MOVIE!
Rating: TV-14 (V)

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All 6 episodes of the Sentai Podcast are available at HIDIVE

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TUESDAY NEW RELEASES - MARIA HOLIC

2021-08-17T05:00:00Z

Maria Holic (Seasons 1 & 2) Complete Series

Kanako likes girls and guys literally give her the hives, so she thought that attending an all-girls school would be the perfect place to meet the perfect girl. Then her hot new roommate turns out to be a guy in drag. Yikes. And when the most popular girl in school catches Kanako’s eye, our poor heroine has to compete with all of the school’s OTHER similarly obsessed girls… which seems to be most of them! To further complicate things are her roommate’s rude maid, their cat-eared dorm leader, her roommate’s identical twin sister, and WAY too many other attractive girls, and the question is whether Kanako will die from frustration first, or her almost constant nosebleeds! Still, she may be the girl voted least likely to succeed, but Kanako’s not ready to give up on love just yet in the ultimate collection of MARA HOLIC!
Rating: TV-14 (D)

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Sentai Podcast, Ep 7, is live at HIDIVE

Sentai @ Home 2

2021-08-20T05:00:00Z

Updates as we go

  • Vinland Saga dub PV
  • Shows streaming on HIDIVE
  • “Mother of the Goddess’ Dormitory” PV with message from JP VA (Atena)
  • “Mother of the Goddess’ Dormitory” message from JP VA (Koushi)
  • “Getter Robo Arc” PV
  • “Getter Robo Arc” message from JP VA (Hayato)
  • “Getter Robo Arc” message from JP Director
  • “Nana” PV
  • “Nana” message from JP Director
  • More shows streaming on HIDIVE
  • “Chinedu”
  • What’s new from Sentai
  • “Princess Principal Crown Handler” message from JP director
  • “Princess Principal Crown Handler” message from JP VA (Princess)
  • “Princess Principal Crown Handler” message from JP VA (Ange)
  • “Fate/kalied liner Prisma Illya - Licht Nameless Girl” PV (coming soon to theaters)
  • “Fate/kalied liner Prisma Illya Nameless Girl” message from JP VA (Illya)
  • “Redo of Healer” message from JP Novelist
  • “Redo of Healer” message from JP Director
  • “Redo of Healer” message from JP VA (Keyaru/Keyarga)
  • “Redo of Healer” message from JP VA (Flare/Freya)
  • “Redo of Healer” message from JP VA (Setsuna)
  • Even more shows streaming on HIDIVE
  • “Chinedu”
  • What’s new from Sentai, part 2
  • Dub PVs (To Love Ru Darkness, Dororo, Chihayafuru, Vinland Saga)
  • Vinland Saga recording scenes
  • “Hero=Mask” message from JP Music Composer
  • “Hero=Mask” message from JP Sound Director
  • “Lone Wolf & Cub” Trailer
  • “Lone Wolf & Cub” Interview with Max Allan Collins (Author, Road to Perdition) & Ed Travis (Film Critic, Cinapse)
  • Pirated Anime PSA
  • “Non Non Biyori” message from JP VA (Renge)
  • “Non Non Biyori” message from JP VA (Hotaru)
  • “Non Non Biyori” message from JP VA (Komari)
  • “Non Non Biyori” message from JP VA (Natsume)
  • “Non Non Biyori” message from JP Director
  • “Ahiru no Sora” overview
  • “Chinedu”
  • What’s new from Sentai, part 3
  • Sentai Podcast hosts
  • Coming soon to HIDIVE (Waccha Primagi, Yuki Yuna is a Hero Great Mankai Chapter S3, Shikizakura, Lupin the 3rd, Part 6)
  • Dubs are Coming (Food Wars! The Fifth Plate, Girls und Panzer Final Movie Part 3, Haikyu! S4, Irodoku: The World in Colors, Princess Principal Crown Handler, Drifting Dragons
  • “Made in Abyss” S2 coming in 2022
  • “Made in Abyss” Series Composer
  • “Made in Aybss” JP Director
  • HIDIVE ad (with Made in Abyss)
  • Win goodies & gift cards for the Sentai Store - Scavenger Hunt - athome.sentai.com (ends Aug 26 @ 11:59pm CT)
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Any word on Sentai picking up Talentless Nana? That’s what I keep thinking of every time I see their other show mentioned :laughing:

Kakegurui, Redo of Healer, Vinland Saga…I hope Sentai does well with these, but they were all shows that started off interesting but then radically changed their direction and I got left behind. I mean, I certainly didn’t expect Redo of Healer to turn into Dances with Wolves…did anyone?

So Sentai is in-house dubbing Vinland Saga?

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With all the scenes in this video of the recording booth, I’m gonna say yes

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Every time Nana is mentioned, it reminds me of her:

:heart:

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Sentai at Home 2 is live at HIDIVE

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TUESDAY NEW RELEASES - MY TEEN ROMANTIC COMEDY SNAFU CLIMAX (S3)

2021-08-24T05:00:00Z

My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU Climax (Season 3) Complete Collection

High school is coming to an end and a huge portion of Hachiman, Yukino and Yui’s world is about to change, whether they like it or not. With that realization comes another epiphany: even though they’ve spent so much time helping others, the three Service Club members still have issues of their own that need working out. But even as Yukino decides to move back in with her parents and attempt to put that part of her life in order, she accepts the major task of helping plan the graduation prom. Trying to accomplish such a major goal will be one of the hardest jobs the Service Club has ever taken on, but as long as they have each other to rely upon, they’re determined to see it through in the third and final season of MY TEEN ROMANTIC COMEDY SNAFU!
Rating: TV-14

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