FUNi Otakon Announcements
During this past weekend’s Otakon convention, FUNimation announced its acquisition of distribution rights to Madhouse’s 2008 Casshern Sins TV anime series and Production I.G’s 2009 TV anime Higashi no Eden ~Eden of the East~.
FUNimation also announced plans for an American release of the definitive Japanese Dragon Ball Z “Dragon Box” DVD sets. And FUNimation announced its acquisition of the acclaimed 2008 Korean live-action comedy/drama film Daytime Drinking.
FUNimation hasn’t revealed whether or not the American release of the Higashi no Eden anime will retain the series’ original opening theme, “Falling Down,” performed by British rock band Oasis. When FUNimation acquired American distribution rights to the Speed Grapher TV anime, the license did not include the series’ original Japanese release opening theme song, Duran Duran’s “Girls on Film.”
The Dragon Box DVD collections look to be the definitive domestic release of the series for Dragon Ball Z otaku. Each $79.98 DVD collection will include 42 episodes in original 4:3 aspect ratio with Japanese audio and a selectable English dub. Reportedly the first volume will include a hardcover supplemental book. So, doesn’t this sort of confirm that FUNi’s cropped widescreen remaster really was a bad idea all along?
Source: Anime News Network
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“So, doesn’t this sort of confirm that FUNi’s cropped widescreen remaster really was a bad idea all along?”
Well, it’s not a bad idea for lining their pockets while artificially inflating their stock for the next quarter. ^_-
Anyway, as for Casshern, I’m just glad I nabbed one of the last copies of the Streamline OVA, since I don’t even know if ADV plans to re-release it, or can re-release it.
Though, for all we know, those crappy “enhanced” editions were the result of more reverse importation bullshit.
hope Funimation gives Casshern a blu ray release.
A couple of years ago, FUNimation proclaimed that they would work hard so that they wouldn’t be known as “the Dragonball company” — and to a large extent, they’ve done rather well. But I keep wondering why they maintain an interest in all of these re-releases and boxed sets of the franchise. I’m sure it’s lucrative on some level, but I sort of have the feeling that as long as they keep trying to “get it right” with this one series from years and years ago, they can’t move forward.
When FUNimation initially released the first season of DBZ on home video, they set up the audio and subtitle tracks in an somewhat unfortunate way that didn’t let you listen to the original Japanese bgm and effects with the English voice-overs… I mention this because I noticed that in the official press note, the “Dragon Box” looks to correct this.
Aaron: I’m guessing the re-release of the original DB has more to do with cashing in on that godawful live-action movie than anything else. Z is a cash-grab, though. I don’t think they’ll be as lucky making money off the show as they have in the past, though, considering the suckonomy. And that’s another thing. They keep licensing stuff which only a fraction of consumers will actually buy. I’m still wondering why anyone thinks Casshern will make money, when every other remake has bombed here.
There are folks like me that are interested in the domestic Dragon Box releases because I never finished collecting the original singles and boycotted the “remastered” release. But it’s true that they may be a tough sell when each Dragon Box release costs more that double the cost of a “remastered” season set.
Casshern Sins is no Naruto or Bleach. It’s never going to reach mainstream blockbuster status, but it does have a lot of respect in the fan community, and it’s a grim, sci-fi action show, which automatically makes it appealing to a lot of American consumers that don’t like, or are burnt out on “moe” anime. It’s a good acquisition in a time when any acquisition is risky during a time when consumers aren’t buying much anime, and many of the collectors that want to buy simply can’t afford luxury spending.