KLK - Queries and a schedule update

[Rosencrantz]

I'm not overly surprised that they won't let you do a more budget consolidated release in 2015, that'd negate the whole point of making you do an expensive split up release.

Good to see a date for part 2 that's quite a bit quicker than expected, given the US part 4 is out in Feb I expected an April at earliest date.

 

[anime_andrew]

I'm not overly surprised that they won't let you do a more budget consolidated release in 2015, that'd negate the whole point of making you do an expensive split up release.

Good to see a date for part 2 that's quite a bit quicker than expected, given the US part 4 is out in Feb I expected an April at earliest date.

Yes and no - we pitched a December 2015 for Eps 1-12 which would be a firm 6+ months after the last part of the Collector's edition but my impression is it's less a date-issue but an episodes per release issue for English speaking world.

We'd expected April too but the approval system for KLK is relatively straight forwards so I'm confident we can slot it in if it comes back as quickly as Part 1 did . Printing is the longest component so if that starts in January, we're good.

AP

 

[GolGotha]

I'm very happy with the 'tentative physical contents' and would love an rigid box to store the collector's edition in. I don't think the Amaray case would work very well.

I recall fans getting very vocal when Manga UK released SAO in parts, mainly because they misunderstood the SRP and thought that it was the Amazon price, so when it comes to announcing this I would dumb it down a bit more than usual...

 

[Cel]

Is this rigid box thing for the collectors edition sets, or the regular sets that you guys are planning?

 

[black1blade]

I'm very happy with the 'tentative physical contents' and would love an rigid box to store the collector's edition in. I don't think the Amaray case would work very well.

I recall fans getting very vocal when Manga UK released SAO in parts, mainly because they misunderstood the SRP and thought that it was the Amazon price, so when it comes to announcing this I would dumb it down a bit more than usual...

To be fair, SAO isn't worth spending £100 on even with amazon discounts.

 

[DragonBlaze67]

Is this rigid box thing for the collectors edition sets, or the regular sets that you guys are planning?

Pretty sure it'll be for the regular sets.

As the collectors editions already come with a rigid box with each one.

 

[GolGotha]

To be fair, SAO isn't worth spending £100 on even with amazon discounts.

Whilst in my opinion, that is true, I was more annoyed over the fact that they couldn't understand that the price displayed on Amazon was the SRP and that it would drop over the next few days to the 'real price'. And with the the huge uproar over the collector's edition prices, thought it might be ideal to try and dumb it down in case it happens again ^^'

Thinking about it though, last time I checked Base was selling the SAO DVD parts for like £10 each....

 

[black1blade]

Blu ray still adds up to £75. I wouldn't mind spending that on a series I actually like in collectors packaging (cowboy bebop + movie anime limited-sama, also really want baccano blu ray on 4 discs for the video quality that I feel is lacking in some of the UK stuff I have seen (fate/zero, 10episodes on 1 disc?!) but SAO, yeah forget about that.

 

[Mangaranga]

Blu ray still adds up to £75. I wouldn't mind spending that on a series I actually like in collectors packaging (cowboy bebop + movie anime limited-sama, also really want baccano blu ray on 4 discs for the video quality that I feel is lacking in some of the UK stuff I have seen (fate/zero, 10episodes on 1 disc?!) but SAO, yeah forget about that.

I think you missed something, making the same mistake most people on social media do.

- £24.99 SRP for BD, £19.99 SRP for DVD
- Likely Amazon price for all 3 sets would be £49.99 - £54.99 for BD, £39.99 - £49.99 for DVD.

The SRP is the suggested retail price, which you very rarely pay. Amazon heavily discounts - especially on pre-orders.

Baccano also only needs to be on three discs to match the Aniplex set which won't happen since Western companies never seem to get their hands on the same Blu-ray masters used in Japan.
AV quality lacks on almost EVERY release in the US/AU/UK. I'm pretty sure at this stage companies just receive dodgy materials to work with. Andrew seems to be more sensible when it comes to utilising disc space and getting good Video quality, but If you want the best AV quality it's either Japanese BDs or AniplexUSA's sets.
I actually managed to get better video quality than the UK Fate/Zero sets by ripping the Aniplex BD and running it through Handbrake @CRF18 for a similar Bitrate and overall size. That's with no effort whatsoever.

 

[black1blade]

I was saying for SAO (kinda off topic). I don't care about the best video quality as much as I would rather not pay £400 for a series.

 

[Agent-347]

Andrew, could I please suggest using the font size/colour features the forum has? Of course I can. ^_^;

Good news, bad news folks for KLK!

Good news first - we've got the dates pushed up!

You hoped we would stop reading after the good news? ;P



Kill La Kill - Part 2

(I've checked the discs, they are labeled correctly too - shock, horror!)

Unacceptable. This cannot be an amazing release now. ;P

Contains: Eps 10-19
Extras on disc: Web previews, clean opening, clean closings.
Tentative physical contents: 216 page artbook (containing the books from Volumes 2 & 3) and collector's packaging.

SRP: £59.99 for BD | £49.99 for DVD (same as Part 1)
Release date: Tentatively March 2nd, pending approvals which are underway now.

Sounds cool. Now if the exchange rate to Euro would improve this would be great.



Kill La Kill - Part 3

Contains: Eps 20-25
Extras on disc: Web previews, clean opening, clean closings.
Tentative physical contents: Artbook, 3 Goku Star pins and collector's packaging.

SRP: £49.99 for BD | £39.99 for DVD
Release date: Tentatively May 25th, pre-sales at MCM Expo.

Not entirely sure what I should expect from Goku Star pins, given I haven't watched the show yet, but okay.
Overall it sounds pretty much the same like the former two parts but with a lower SRP which would really be awesome if this comes true.


The Bad News

Now for the bad news: It's very clear that the committee will not allow even 12-13 episodes in a set in 2015 with no obvious release date one would be OK in.

We have two choices at this stage - one is to just wait it out until mystery date we can (I'd guess late 2016 is optimistic).

Waiting out is only really possible if you have a guaranteed date for the customers at the point the Collector's Edition goes OOP.
Or you'd sort of be forced to do an additional print run of the collector's edition really. If part 1 goes OOP in September 2015, it's unrealistic to let it be OOP for 12 months.
That'd also be awful towards new animefans that'd join in the next 12 months. And it'd at that point be more viable to wait out a complete collection honestly.

The alternative that I am pitching is:

- 3 sets, BD & DVD separate
- £24.99 SRP for BD, £19.99 SRP for DVD
- Likely Amazon price for all 3 sets would be £49.99 - £54.99 for BD, £39.99 - £49.99 for DVD.
- Released over: June, August, October

Open to thoughts and will do a blog post later on the topic, but figured I'd float the idea here while I wait for a reply from the licensor about if the above is even acceptable. I'm personally pro getting the product out to folks as accessibly as we can sooner but I know 3 sets isn't ideal.

I assume you read what I said above.
Following that I find your suggested alternative the best option really.

Things I am mulling too:

- Doing a rigid box with Part 3 to store Parts 1, 2 & 3.
- Doing a bigger Amaray box with part 3 for people to put Parts 1 & 2 in (Amaray being like your regular DVD or BD box for a show.

With the former you are referring to a rigid box to hold the three Collector's Editions, or are you not? That really confuses me now.

If you are planning a rigid box to hold all three regular edition BDs together it'd honestly make the regular edition more desirable than the collector's edition if that doesn't get the same treatment.
I am all for both the regular edition and collector's edition getting a rigid box to hold all parts together though!

The latter does sound cool though, although some people are right it may be a waste of covers, albeit I have a suggestion therefor as well: slipcovers on the whole print-run!
Then the usual cover inside the Amaray could be a double-sided mini-poster, really.


The Comment Section

Not sure if this has been asked already but what exactly is the issue with the documentary disc?

We're just not allowed it - simple as.

I'm not entirely sure folks are missing anything as I've not seen pitchforks or real rage and we compensate with art assets instead .

AP

Hey, Jeremy Graves, are you around? Could you please go to the office with a pitchfork tomorrow and print a paper saying "real rage"? ;P

How limited will the limited versions be? If you're anticipating the first volume being close to sold out by June, releasing the basic version then makes sense.

:twisted: R

There'll be some in circulation for sure, unsure of how many though. It may well be we have to do it once a month from October onwards too may I add - but I'm putting the optimum dates out there for now .

AP

I hope you can quickly confirm whether the collector's edition part 3 will have an artbox to hold all three parts together so I can make a firm decision on acquiring Kill La Kill really.
Nothing would annoy me more than you confirming part 3 will have that artbox when part 1 just went (or is about to go) OOP.

I still need to pick up the volume 1 Collector's Edition, but I'll definitely be buying the collector's edition versions.

In regards to the estimated release format/dates of the standard editions, I imagine that the stock levels of the collectors editions will also be of importance when it comes to launching them? I imagine you wouldn't want to release them while there's still a healthy number of collector's editions remaining, as obviously the more sold overall the better. Although I plan on buying the collector's editions (finances allowing - unemployment isn't fun), I think a chipboard box to store all the volumes would be a great idea.

Allow me to go in defence here, but honestly while from an economic and clearing stock point of view it is better to wait for the regular edition there's also new supporters of anime on a regular basis.
What I mean by that is that I remember how disappointed I was to find out as a new animefan that some collector's editions were completely sold out and I wish more were still around.
If anything, I rather see 300 final units sell at a really slow pace the next 4 years and giving new animefans the chance to own the collector's edition than it all being sold out next September.

I'm all for trying to get the releases out ASAP, but I thing you'll be shooting yourself in the foot by releasing standard editions for less than half the price so soon - especially if you're considering including a proper rigid artbox (Which makes Manga's release of SAO even more laughable). I wouldn't recommend a large Amaray case as I think that they are almost universally despised.

There's no way Manga's SAO ever will not be infinitely laughable really.

I don't really get what people hate about even the commonly sized Blu-ray cases. If anything I wish the American releases I own had such thick spines to see more of the awesome cover designs.
Yeah, "space", okay. But for most people on here who can afford to import so easily I think that the last thing you should complain about is having to spend a bit of money on an extra plank or so.

 

[Rui]

Hey, some of us have plenty of shelves, just not enough physical space in our tiny homes to add more ;p

The CE issue is a tricky one. I think NISA balance it really well to be honest; it's hard to find their rarer special editions once they sell out, which encourages people to buy earlier, which means better cashflow for the company and a healthier relationship with the hardcore audience who understand that their collections have value. I think the only one which was genuinely hard to get hold of was Wagnaria/Working!! as it seemed to sell out very suddenly and left a lot of people panic-buying.

But yeah, it's really frustrating when you miss a special edition (or even a regular edition) and it vanishes completely overnight, or you find out you wanted it years after it came out when it's no longer available. At least with BD rereleases some of the classics end up coming back into circulation again later in new, equally desirable forms.

R

 

[NoSurprises]

KLK Part 3

Contains: Eps 20-25
Extras on disc: Web previews, clean opening, clean closings.
Tentative physical contents: Artbook, 3 Goku Star pins and collector's packaging.

SRP: £49.99 for BD | £39.99 for DVD
Release date: Tentatively May 25th, pre-sales at MCM Expo.

I realize everything is tentative at the moment, and I'm just one person, so my opinion doesn't count for much. But may I ask how you're going to go about including the pins? Just I really dislike box sets that have space for physical extras, then when you remove them, you're left with a gap (artbooks are exempt from this, as you're liable to put them back in the box after use). Take Funi's Psycho-pass collectors release as an example, sure you've got a cardboard filler to put back in after you've taken the stuff out, but I dunno, I just dislike the idea of being left with something useless in the box.

For standard editions, 3 sets at the SRP you're suggesting sounds more than reasonable to me (though I probably spend more money on this kinda stuff than the average consumer...). Also another vote for the box, rather than a larger amaray (if you end up going either of these routes).

P.S. I love what you've done with the Kill la Kill collectors edition thus far and look forward to picking the other two up! More like this please!

 

[elaniel]

KLK Part 3

Contains: Eps 20-25
Extras on disc: Web previews, clean opening, clean closings.
Tentative physical contents: Artbook, 3 Goku Star pins and collector's packaging.

SRP: £49.99 for BD | £39.99 for DVD
Release date: Tentatively May 25th, pre-sales at MCM Expo.

I realize everything is tentative at the moment, and I'm just one person, so my opinion doesn't count for much. But may I ask how you're going to go about including the pins? Just I really dislike box sets that have space for physical extras, then when you remove them, you're left with a gap (artbooks are exempt from this, as you're liable to put them back in the box after use). Take Funi's Psycho-pass collectors release as an example, sure you've got a cardboard filler to put back in after you've taken the stuff out, but I dunno, I just dislike the idea of being left with something useless in the box.

Also another vote for a box, rather than a larger amaray for the standard release (if you end up going either of these routes).

P.S. I love what you've done with the Kill la Kill collectors edition thus far and look forward to picking the other two up! More like this please!

Agreed. While I am not a fan of certain extras (plushies, panties, etc.) as long as they are included but not messing up consistency between the first two parts as it has physical extras to have packed in, I'm happy. The first part seems really sturdy with the Blu-Ray case and artbook. I'm sure you guys have it down right though.

 

[Norbie]

Not sure if this has been asked already but what exactly is the issue with the documentary disc?

We're just not allowed it - simple as.

I'm not entirely sure folks are missing anything as I've not seen pitchforks or real rage and we compensate with art assets instead .

AP

I think I would have pulled all of my hair out if I had to deal with these companies. I don't have any pitchforks or rage towards your release just dispointment because personally I prefer on-disc extras over physical ones. You have a great release and there are some advantages over the U.S. edition (price, art booklet) but over much contemplating I went with the U.S. version. Sorry.

Also, I know this following suggestion will cost time, money, personnel. But have you considered doing your own doco about your experiance of bringing Kill la Kill to the UK market?

Anyway, wish you the best with your future KlK releases.

 

[Rosencrantz]

Also, I know this following suggestion will cost time, money, personnel. But have you considered doing your own doco about your experiance of bringing Kill la Kill to the UK market?

I doubt it'd be anywhere near as interesting as the actual documentary disc and the effort to make it wouldn't translate into extra sales. (no offence meant, just all the creative decision making that we'd want to learn about happens primarily at the series creation stage, not the US/UK release stage)

It'd probably be good material for any future book chapters on licencing ups and downs.

 

[Norbie]

Also, I know this following suggestion will cost time, money, personnel. But have you considered doing your own doco about your experiance of bringing Kill la Kill to the UK market?

I doubt it'd be anywhere near as interesting as the actual documentary disc and the effort to make it wouldn't translate into extra sales. (no offence meant, just all the creative decision making that we'd want to learn about happens primarily at the series creation stage, not the US/UK release stage)

It'd probably be good material for any future book chapters on licencing ups and downs.

I understand, it's just a pity that you have to play these games with the licensors.

 

[Jeremy Graves]

Is this rigid box thing for the collectors edition sets, or the regular sets that you guys are planning?

Pretty sure it'll be for the regular sets.

As the collectors editions already come with a rigid box with each one.

As far as I'm aware it would be that the Part 3 Collector's Ed. would come with the same box as seen with Part 1 & 2, but on top of that an artbox to house all 3 of the CE parts in. (That said, still very much in the planning phase at this point, and obviously subject to approvals.)

 

[Rosencrantz]

Is this rigid box thing for the collectors edition sets, or the regular sets that you guys are planning?

Pretty sure it'll be for the regular sets.

As the collectors editions already come with a rigid box with each one.

As far as I'm aware it would be that the Part 3 Collector's Ed. would come with the same box as seen with Part 1 & 2, but on top of that an artbox to house all 3 of the CE parts in. (That said, still very much in the planning phase at this point, and obviously subject to approvals.)

I have to say a box to put our boxes in seems a little weird, so I can see why people are thinking you meant the regular editions would get an art box. Part 3 definitely needs something extra as while the price has dropped a little the episode count has dropped a little more.

 

[jonno394]

I have to say a box to put our boxes in seems a little weird, so I can see why people are thinking you meant the regular editions would get an art box. Part 3 definitely needs something extra as while the price has dropped a little the episode count has dropped a little more.

Weird? I think it sounds great! A nice box to bunch them all in to with one spine showing.