Ask John: What’s the Status of the Remaining Geneon Catalog?

Question:
I’ve noticed that Funimation has recently acquired distribution rights to shows such as Samurai Champloo and Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo, both of which were formerly owned by Geneon/Pioneer. But I’ve noticed that other shows such as Hellsing (the original series) and Trigun, also owned by the former Geneon/Pioneer, haven’t shown up under any of the English DVD licensors. Can we expect to see these and other shows being released in box sets by Funimation or ADV or something? Or will they just continue to hang out in limbo? And while we’re on the subject, I’m also curious as to what lead to Geneon/Pioneer’s downfall. What happened there?

Answer:
Since the demise of American anime distribution label Geneon Entertainment in late 2007 FUNimation has acquired a large number of former Geneon titles. AD Vision and its affiliate Sentai Filmworks have also picked up several former Geneon titles, including Daphne in the Brilliant Blue, Dokkoida, Kannazuki no Miko, Mahoromatic, and Tsukihime. Yet a significant amount of Geneon’s catalog has not been re-acquired for domestic release. Especially high profile Geneon titles now lacking an American distributor include Hellsing, Trigun, much of Tenchi Muyo, Fushigi Yuugi, the R.O.D. television series, Lupin III TV, Hajime no Ippo, Stellvia, Fafner, Card Captor Sakura, the X TV series, Paranoia Agent, and Serial Experiments Lain. Exactly which titles domestic distributors are vying for has always been regarded as confidential information, and now that there are fewer American licensors, there’s even less informed speculation circulating. So the only people that really know the future of particular Geneon titles in America are the licensors pursuing these titles – if there are any such licensors.

FUNimation seems to have become home to a number of former Geneon titles because, as FUNimation parent company CEO Cary Deacon said earlier this month, FUNimation is, “the place to go for licensing anime out of Japan.” FUNimation has probably been looking into the viability of acquiring prior Geneon releases. It’s also quite likely that Japanese distributors who now find certain titles without an American distributor have proffered these titles to FUNimation. ADV/Sentai seems to be concentrating heavily on acquiring titles that already have existing English translations and dubbing, thereby reducing their own localization costs. Many of the Geneon titles that remain unlicensed in America, particularly titles like Hellsing, Trigun, Hajime no Ippo, and Card Captor Sakura seem like shows that could be moderately profitable in refreshed American circulation. However, we should keep in mind that many of these titles are now older shows. Japanese distributors have a pronounced proclivity toward marketing their current hits. Dealing with foreign licensing of older programs may be troublesome because production materials may not be readily available, and convoluted rights and royalties are more difficult to work out when the involved parties are no longer in active communication. That doesn’t mean that older anime don’t get licensed or re-licensed; it’s simply often easier and preferable for Japanese licensors to work with the current titles they’re involved with anyway rather than dig up old titles and materials from storage.

I don’t think we’ve seen the end of the Geneon license rescues. The recent Japanese Blu-ray release of Card Captor Sakura demonstrates that many of these former Geneon USA titles are still viable commercial properties. Furthermore, the need to stay active in the American anime distribution market despite economic recession and declining DVD sales may lead domestic distributors to more aggressively pursue older titles with American market potential that may be less expensive to license and localize. The reason for the lengthy time it’s taking for many former Geneon titles to resurface in America may have to do with the condition of the American market. FUNimation seemingly obviously initially acquired the Geneon titles that were most readily available. Since then, FUNimation and ADV seem to have been periodically picking up additional Geneon titles when opportunity arose. Since there are fewer American licensors willing and able to “license rescue” Geneon titles, these orphaned Geneon titles seem to be returning to America slowly, as conditions allow.

Just as relatively few people know the exact movements of domestic anime licensing, rather few people know exactly what caused Geneon USA’s demise. I’m not one of those exclusive people, but I think I can make an accurate guess. I’m sure that the collapse of Geneon USA can’t be attributed to only one cause, but I suspect that costly expenses coupled with low returns was a primary contributing factor. Toward the end of its American lifespan Geneon Entertainment was distributing titles including Ayakashi, Law of Ueki, Earth Defense Family, Elemental Gelade, Hanaukyo Maid Team: La Verite, Human Crossing, Tetsujin 28, Kamichu, and Zipang. While many of Geneon’s later titles are excellent anime, they’re not titles with the breakout mainstream audience appeal of shows like Trigun, Hellsing, and Tenchi Muyo. Toward the end of its life, Geneon USA was – whether by choice or necessity is irrelevant – investing heavily in the production and distribution of niche titles when domestic anime DVD sales were already in decline. Furthermore, in an effort to maintain with the demands of the marketplace, Geneon was spending heavily on producing expensive special edition packaging. Hellsing Ultimate steelbooks, multiple collector boxes for R.O.D., high end collector boxes for Tenjho Tenge, Stellvia, and Story of Saiunkoku. Collector’s edition releases for shows like Kamichu, Rumiko Takahashi Anthology, and Tetsujin 28 that had almost no appreciable American consumer support. Manufacturing expensive premiums like bonus pencil boards distributed with R.O.D., Tenjho Tenge, Strawberry Marshmallow, Elemental Gelade, and Hanaukyo Maid Team. Manufacturing expensive promotional items like metal Gadguard keychains, L/R candy cigarettes, X playing card decks, and Dokkoida car antena toppers furthermore doubtlessly contributed to Geneon’s operating expenses at a time when revenue from their DVD sales was presumably in decline. Fans and collectors may have appreciated the outstanding care devoted to Geneon USA releases, but that effort to create and distribute the fanciest and most value-added domestic DVDs was just an untenable burden when it was applied to countless shows that would have struggled to break even with even modest localization costs.

The lesson taught by Geneon hasn’t been overlooked by the remaining American distributors. The days of domestic titles getting three tiered releases and collector’s editions that include an abundance of expensive premiums are almost entirely extinct. Bandai has recently released high end Gurren Lagann collector releases, including one packaged with an illuminated replica core drill necklace. But instead of debut DVD volumes getting expensive collector releases we’re seeing affordable, modestly packaged multi-disc sets and even ADV, Nozomi Entertainment, and Media Blasters eliminating dubs to cut costs. I think it’s fair to fondly remember Geneon Entertainment as the last gasp of America’s anime distribution heyday. Geneon failed, I think, because it didn’t adapt to the rapidly changing American market conditions.