Kimagure Orange Road license expiring

[Crawlspace]

I haven't seen this (http://forums.animeondvd.com/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=1361887&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1) mentioned anywhere here yet, but if it has please feel free to disregard.

It seems the Orange Road license will be expiring sometime next month (July). Animego tried "everything they could" to renew it, but was unable to for reasons they can't specify. So if anyone wants to give the series a look, it's now or never. They didn't say specifically if it's just the tv series or if it also included the OVA and movie, but for now I'm assuming it's the entire franchise. And since it can all be had for cheap, I need to get the few pieces I'm missing. This makes me wonder what ADV's status is with the movie they've got, since I still don't have a DVD copy of that one yet. Kept meaning to replace the VHS, just never got around to it.

[Daishikaze]

Thats terrible news, I only have a few volumes and I don't think I can grab the rest of it before it goes OOP

[FURUBA4EVER]

Well...I suppose I shall need to pick up the series then. I'm still sad to hear that the license it going to expire...but...I suppose I'll be fine as long as I get to watch the series.

[Sepeh]

Huh, I just few months ago purchased the complete collection. It was worth it. And Animego's sale is very good chance to buy missing volumes or the entire series. I recommend it for all romance fans.

[Area88]

Once Animeigo sell out of Kimagure Orange Road during their sale then there won't be any other chances to aquire the series.

All those that want to pick up the series should consider doing it ASAP.

[Panko Z]

^ hit the sale as soon as the news popped up days ago. i bought the 2nd movie many years ago and enjoyed it, and have been waiting ever since for the chance to own the series. wish i could get the box too hold it all in, too (as well as show off :P ). i also want to get UY but man that's just too much! i really like the Beautiful Dreamer movie. hopefully that's not getting shot down anytime soon, especially since they just finished.

[Psychopuppet]

I got the TV series , 2 OVA's and 2 Movie's a couple weeks ago before Animego's sale from RS on sale. I've watched the first 12 episodes so far and really enjoyed what I saw.
And I can see why people fall in love with the series like others have said if you want KOR don't miss this chance to own it .
Oh and if anyone wants the KOR liner Notes you can download them from Animego's website in PDF format.

Like Panko Z I want to get UY but' in my case at least my recent purchases have left me with out the extra cash to do so.
I hope by the time I have it UY will still be in print.

[Hisoka]

I highly recommend it as well. Everyone even slightly interested should pick it up before it's too late. Definitily a classic. This is a great reminder that I should really get going with UY. I have up to volume 17 and even still there is a LONG way to go.

[KasumiTen]

This is a great reminder that I should really get going with UY.

I'm really torn on UY. I've got volume 1 (which I purchased a couple of years ago). It really didn't seem like something I was interested in when I watched it. But I got the first movie and watched it this past week and really enjoyed it. Like Ranma, all those characters intrigue me and I want to know more about them. I doubt we will ever see these selling for the price that AE has them at right now. I am very tempted to just take the plunge and pick it all up. Decisions, decisions.

[Hisoka]

KasumiTen, I know what you mean. Since you watched the first volume you're aware that each episode is made up of two different stories. These half eps imo aren't the greatest. More often then not it just felt incomplete. Like the ep was finally going somewhere and then it ends. Once the series turned to full story eps (Around 17ish?) I started to really get in the groove. I'm thinking about picking up a bunch of volumes as well.

[Levon]

Damn, I was hoping for a remastered re-release too;)

[Crawlspace]

Damn, I was hoping for a remastered re-release too;)
Ya never know. That could be why the Japanese are pulling in the license - to get the old copies off the market before they remaster it rerelease it in R2. Of course, no company in their right mind would license this series at current market prices, but, hey, who knows? There's always HD and Blu-Ray. :P

[greg]

Thank you so much for the heads up. This is one of my favorite series of all time, first reading about it in Protoculture Addicts and when Animeigo first released the OVAs on VHS in the early 90's.

I just ordered the full TV series plus the OVA box set for a total of $89.70. Free shipping!

They don't make anime like this anymore. It's a beautiful and artistic, and comedic without the spastic nonsense that plagues modern anime. Classic 80's anime.

[Krueger]

Yeah, it's sad to see a good show like KOR go like this. It's only a matter of a few years before the limited edition boxsets start going for $400 on ebay.

[greg]

I got my KOR DVDs yesterday, and I even got the elusive box! The OVA box sets aren't rare, but the TV boxes are. Half of the DVDs weren't shrinkwrapped and I'll have to replace some of the cases because the middle part that holds the discs in place were broken, but I can't complain. They've been working hard to fulfill the demand.

Animeigo doesn't get all the licenses that ADVision does, but they always pour their heart into their titles. They're a small company, and they respect their titles very much. It's a shame that they've lost the KOR and Macross licenses.

[Suiko Eiji]

^What's more a shame is that they can't afford to license any more anime. I agree with every bit of praise you gave AnimEigo - they do pour their heart and soul into every release. It's a shame there are so many more classics that need to be licensed and AnimEigo's practically out of the game.

[Kaoru-sama]

This just drives home the fact that nothing on DVD will indefinitly be 'in print'. Many first-generation DVDs are already out-of-print (OOP) ousted due to remasters or reissues, and in some cases, just plain-out low sales.

For anime, usually once it goes OOP, it's OOP for good, and I got a feeling that some of the oldest anime titles on DVD, including many of CPM's/U.S. Manga Corps. titles, will be next. They already gave The Slayers up to FUNimation, they've repriced (and repriced again) many of their discs to $10, and boxes to under $30-40 wherever I turn.

If there's a certain title that's been out since the advent of DVD, or even as far back as VHS, this is 'the' time to snag a copy. You never know when announcements like this will come up, and when they do, you may be kicking yourself for missing out.

Save your cash folks. You just never know.

[greg]

It's a shame there are so many more classics that need to be licensed and AnimEigo's practically out of the game.
You're saying that the company is going belly-up? Boy, I must be out of it. I remember when Animeigo had all the great titles, and ADVision only had T&A titles like Plastic Little and would mistranslate their subs to add more swearing. So all this time, ADV has been getting most of the titles, while altering the video to try to erase most evidence that anime comes from Japan. If Animeigo and USMC were to disappear from the domestic anime market, it would be a very sad thing indeed.

[Suiko Eiji]

You're saying that the company is going belly-up? Boy, I must be out of it.

AnimEigo's not quite going belly-up, but since the Licensing Boom of 2003, already-expensive licenses shot up exponentially. AnimEigo, since they mostly license more vintage, "hard-core otaku" stuff and do not have the ultra-hyper quick release schedule, doesn't look like they have the cash flow needed from releases to invest into more anime. They're still very active and are currently licensing and releasing a lot of Samurai/Period and WWII movies from Japan.

I remember when Animeigo had all the great titles, and ADVision only had T&A titles like Plastic Little and would mistranslate their subs to add more swearing. So all this time, ADV has been getting most of the titles, while altering the video to try to erase most evidence that anime comes from Japan.

ADV has gotten much better as far as the accuracy of their subtitles. I remember vaguely thier mistranslations, all of which were on their most early releases. The quality of thier library has also increased due to some actual title diversity. They've also stopped over-writing much of the Japanese text to erase the foreign elements. I think as the market has been going through a rapid expansion during thier decade of being in business, they've done a good job pleasing thier share of the market.

AnimEigo has it's share of bad titles - granted, conservitve esitmeate off of the top of my head is like one or two - but despite that, they have a loyal fanbase. If I were to criticize AnimEigo for anything, it's almost that they don't reach out to other portions of the market enough. I have a feeling that if more people were exposed to their titles, then they may not be having as many of the problems. But the root of the exposure problem is that they aren't licensing "Shiny Emo Melodrama" that much of the market is interested in.

If Animeigo and USMC were to disappear from the domestic anime market, it would be a very sad thing indeed.

I don't think that AnimEigo is going anywhere anytime soon, as far as leaving the marketplace is concerned. They're holding onto as many licenses as they can (they've sold one or two to other companies and one or two more haven't been able to be renewed) and they have a loyal following. But unless sales for shows like Urusei Yatsura take off like a rocket (after 4 years and finally complete) or there is a true market crash causing licensing fees to reapidly drop, I can't imagine seeing AnimEigo license any new anime outside of maybe a one-shot OAV.

There was a scare involving US Manga Corps/CPM back in May, but despite much fan speculation for their possible demise, they made it out okay and are currently going through re-structuring. I don't think they'll be leaving the market anytime soon, either.

[Soluzar]

This news is depressing enough to draw me out of my self-imposed exile, for sure. I have the series, but I didn't manage to get the box. I had to settle for individual volume. I only recently got the OVA and the movie. Even though I already have my own copies, this is just terrible news. A new generation will never know KOR, unless someone picks it up again...

Who am I kidding? Nobody will pick this show up. It's adorable, but it's not a cash-cow. This is the worst anime-related news I heard in a long time.

[EternityOfPain]

This news is depressing enough to draw me out of my self-imposed exile, for sure. I have the series, but I didn't manage to get the box. I had to settle for individual volume. I only recently got the OVA and the movie. Even though I already have my own copies, this is just terrible news. A new generation will never know KOR, unless someone picks it up again...

Who am I kidding? Nobody will pick this show up. It's adorable, but it's not a cash-cow. This is the worst anime-related news I heard in a long time.

Your right, KoR has been out for a long time thus as you put it "it's not a cash-cow" However, regarding your statement regarding newer generation never getting to know KoR that I can't imagine. Only reason I can say this is because hell just a month ago I bought all of City Hunter, for those who know the title know its been OOP for a long time. I am sure newer anime fans if they really want to obtain this title they will. Sadly what this proves is that money wise old titles just simply dont make enough of it. Lets face it, there are many anime fans who respect the classics and newer fans that do as well. But sadly there are just too many individuals who simply seek the new stuff. More individuals seek better animation and art then plot, I believe thats where depression really sets in for me.

[zrdb]

Thank god I already have KOR tv (hkdvds) but I went to Animigo's website and ordered the KOR ova and movie dvds-I also picked up the Bubblegum Crisis and Bubblegum Crash dvds-it seems a shame that classic series like this are disappearing-so the old saying "Get em' while their hot" is the truth!!

[Epstein]

ordered mine last night (ova and movie) wow i onlyl came to post here cause of this issue. such a shame KOR is super underrated. I was in love with this show when i was 13, now 24, its sad to see it go out of print

[Gibb]

ah Kimagure Orange Road. To this day it is still my absolute favorite TV series. I ordered the full TV Box set quite a while ago (seems like years now) and it's great. I'd definately recommend it to anybody who likes romantic comedy anime.

[Daishikaze]

I missed out unfortunately, It wouldn't sting so much if I hadn't started on the series already. Now I know what I'll be missing and it sucks that I'll probably never get another chance to get it for a reasonable price.

[Suiko Eiji]

I missed the TV series, too; though, consequences be damned, I grabbed the OAVs, movie, and Crusher Joe OAV and Movie package. Looks like all of those are going OOP today...

[Daishikaze]

Wow, Crusher Joe is gone too? glad I got that one a couple of Years ago. THat is certainly never going to get picked up again

[Suiko Eiji]

^From the sound of it, yeah, it looks like the Crusher Joe OAV and movie are going OOP, too. They were offering it together with the Kimagure OAVs and 1st movie as a part of the end of their Summer Savings promotion...

Also, consequences be damned again, I found remaining box sets of the TV series for sale. I'm placing my order this afternoon.