Pioneer At A-kon

The big news out of Pioneer was that they will be handling the home release of Card Captors, and that there will be two versions. There will be a dubbed, edited VHS and DVD release, and a subtitled unedited VHS and DVD release. This means that there will not be dual language DVD releases of the series do to content differences. It is not clear, but the dubbed version may be called Card Captors and the subtitled version Card Captor Sakura.

Pioneer has the rights to the Fushigi Yugi OAVs, and plan to release them this October and November, with a DVD box set following at some point. They are trying to get the humorous omake segments, but it is unclear whether they will make it into the US release.

In terms of new titles, Masaki Kajishima’s Dual will be released starting this September on four volumes VHS and DVD. Dual is a combination of the Tenchi Muyo/El Hazard unassuming male surrounded by females and humorous Neon Genesis Evangelion parody. The series Black Heaven (a US re-titling of the 13 episode Pioneer/AIC TV series Kacho Ohji) will likewise be released on four volumes, VHS and DVD, starting this October. An Armitage Polymatrix sequel movie is likely to appear in 2001. For upcoming DVD box sets, 3×3 Eyes should be out for the holiday season, and the Pretty Sammy OAV box, possibly including the the Mihoshi Special, is in the planning stage. The DVD release of the Ranma TV series has been delayed indefinitely.

In regard to the persistent rumor of a third Tenchi OAV series, according to Pioneer, Tenchi Muyo has past its peak of popularity in Japan, “and the demand isn’t there for more…for there to be more, the demand would probably have to come from the US market – which could happen if the TV airing really catches on.”

Pioneer has signed BOA, the English group that did “Duvet,” the opening theme from Lain, to a record deal. A record should be out for the holiday season.

In terms of release policy Pioneer stated that they will keep subtitled VHS releases as long as they remain profitable, but those days may be numbered.