Funimation cherry pick releases from Geneon USA, ADV Films

[Noratav]

So, ADV is actually dead, then? :/

No, not yet. According to Matt Greenfield, one of their founders, they're still alive and negotiating for licenses. Some of those may be existing licenses though, as there are a number of Sojitz titles missing from the list of titles acquired by Funimation most notably 5cm per Second and Kurau: Phantom Memory.

 

[Is out of here]

So, ADV is actually dead, then? :/

No, not yet. According to Matt Greenfield, one of their founders, they're still alive and negotiating for licenses. Some of those may be existing licenses though, as there are a number of Sojitz titles missing from the list of titles acquired by Funimation most notably 5cm per Second and Kurau: Phantom Memory.

waste of time if you ask me whos going to touch an ADV product after everything that has happend with newtype/piq magazine and blaming fansubs only to then put NHK on crunchyroll which made john ledford look like an idiot..............my confidence aint with them at all.

 

[Espy]

Monopoly, here we come!

 

[Cago1020]

What I'm interested in knowing for these series if whether Funi plans to go the route it has been recently (most recently shown with their upcoming Ouran release) and bring these titles out in half series box sets, or will release the singles.

Surely, for this number of titles, bringing them out in box sets would utilise current manpower much better than by releasing them as singles.

I guess time will tell. I'm just happy that titles like Air will still be available to buy on dvd. It'd be a shame if those pick-ups had been lost for good.

 

[Fudce]

All of this follows-on from last night's announcement that Funimation will be taking on rights to "manufacture, sell, and distribute" many of the most popular anime series from anime license holder and former publisher Geneon USA in North America. This deal includes the likes of Ergo Proxy, Hellsing Ultimate, Black Lagoon and Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha. Also, it should be noted that this probably won't affect the UK industry as much, as Funimation's control of these series extends only to North America.

Funimation are only distributing and marketting titles for Geneon, Geneon remain the primary licencer, as well as having full control over production.

This has been misleadingly reported almost everywhere now.

 

[Dracos]

It will be nice to see some of these Geneon shows started again or finished off.

I had been wondering why no release dates for new ADV stuff had been around.

So does this mean ADV won't be finishing off the series that have been passed off to Funi?

Or will we get the last discs of these shows from ADV and then any future products from these titles be from Funi?

 

[Paul]

All of this follows-on from last night's announcement that Funimation will be taking on rights to "manufacture, sell, and distribute" many of the most popular anime series from anime license holder and former publisher Geneon USA in North America. This deal includes the likes of Ergo Proxy, Hellsing Ultimate, Black Lagoon and Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha. Also, it should be noted that this probably won't affect the UK industry as much, as Funimation's control of these series extends only to North America.

Funimation are only distributing and marketting titles for Geneon, Geneon remain the primary licencer, as well as having full control over production.

This has been misleadingly reported almost everywhere now.

That's exactly what my report says, so I don't really know what you're getting at?

 

[Fudce]

That's exactly what my report says, so I don't really know what you're getting at?

Your report is much better than a lot I've read, but it still points to Funimation having overall control over the series.

 

[melonpan]

Your report is much better than a lot I've read, but it still points to Funimation having overall control over the series.

Where does it point to that? It specifically says Funimation only have the rights to "manufacture, sell and distribute [and market]" the titles, and Geneon still holds the license.

It certainly doesn't point to Funimation having overall control, but if not read correctly I could see why some people might make a quick judgement about that being the case.

 

[chaos]

semantics =)

 

[Mohawk52]

When one says "Geneon is the license holder" what one should realise that is Dentsu/Geneon Japan, as Geneon USA is no more. With that said, who in the UK would be willing to licence those titles when FUNI already have a UK distributor. I doubt it will be Lace so that leaves MVM and Revelation. I know where I'd put my money.

 

[Gawyn]

When one says "Geneon is the license holder" what one should realise that is Dentsu/Geneon Japan, as Geneon USA is no more. With that said, who in the UK would be willing to licence those titles when FUNI already have a UK distributor. I doubt it will be Lace so that leaves MVM and Revelation. I know where I'd put my money.

It is not true to say that Geneon US is no more. They exist as a licence holder in the US representing Dentsu/Geneon Japan properties in much the same way that Kadokawa exists to represent its Japanese holdings in the wider world. They made this very clear when they ceased US distribution. The only part of Geneon US to shut down was the distribution/marketing department. To this end FUNimation do not own the rights to Geneon titles outside of the distribution and marketing of the DVDs on Geneon's behalf. Add to that the press release specifically states US distribution rights and mentions nothing of other territories.

Your talk of Lace adds to the confusion since they are the distributor for ADV UK titles and have nothing to do with Geneon outside of the couple of titles ADV sublicenced off them for UK release. The press release about the deal between Sojitz and FUNimation could have implications with titles currently being released by ADV UK since some of these fall into those mentioned in the release and Lace may lose the distribution rights to these titles.

 

[Mohawk52]

It is not true to say that Geneon US is no more. They exist as a licence holder in the US representing Dentsu/Geneon Japan properties in much the same way that Kadokawa exists to represent its Japanese holdings in the wider world. They made this very clear when they ceased US distribution. The only part of Geneon US to shut down was the distribution/marketing department. To this end FUNimation do not own the rights to Geneon titles outside of the distribution and marketing of the DVDs on Geneon's behalf. Add to that the press release specifically states US distribution rights and mentions nothing of other territories.

You may be right, but the way I understand the deal is once Geneon USA finishes with these contractual obligations and mostly all if not everyone of their out standing US licenses are completed and on the shelves the USA office closes completely, and it will be just the Japan HQ holding the licensing strings from then on. But only time will tell if they change their mind about that.

Your talk of Lace adds to the confusion since they are the distributor for ADV UK titles and have nothing to do with Geneon outside of the couple of titles ADV sublicenced off them for UK release. The press release about the deal between Sojitz and FUNimation could have implications with titles currently being released by ADV UK since some of these fall into those mentioned in the release and Lace may lose the distribution rights to these titles.

Which is why I doubt that any of these Geneon titles will go to Lace, like I said. :wink:

 

[Rena Ryuugu]

Funimation has some release dates for some of Geneon's titles

August 19: Black Lagoon season 1, Black Lagoon: The Second Barrage volume 1, Elemental Gelade volume 1

September 2: Karin volumes 1-4, Kyo kara Maoh! season 2's volume 1-7

September 9: Shakugan no Shana series box

September 16: Black Lagoon: The Second Barrage volume 2, Fate/stay night
series box, Hellsing Ultimate volumes 1-4, Rozen Maiden series box

September 23: Kamichu! series box, Paradise Kiss series box

September 30: When They Cry - Higurashi volumes 1-4

Link: http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/20 ... -scheduled

 

[Wildcard]

God knows what this means for ADV over here. I'd have to guess that this deal probably screws them over big time, but I guess it's just a case of 'wait and see'.

Since almost all R2 anime dvds are derivatives of the R1's I'm guessing that they won't be able to finish the listed series then? If that's the case then this is really bad news.

 

[melonpan]

Funimation has some release dates for some of Geneon's titles

To note: It's confirmed that the Rozen Maiden collection only contains the first season, the last three volumes will be released individually to allow collectors to fill their boxes... (assumed)

And, it seems that all these releases are are the left over stock from retailers, Funimation aren't printing their own (apart from the collections I would assume).

 

[Dracos]

Well that was pretty sharpish getting those dates announced. I will have to keep my eye out as where I normally buy from does not have any of those in their up coming releases section.