Manga UK interested in Madoka Magica?

[Joshawott]

A couple of months ago, I noticed that the official MangaUK twitter was following the "MadokaMagicaUSA" Twitter account, but dismissed it as nothing. However, today I found a very interesting tweet from themselves and Kaze UK that can be found here.

To those who cannot click the link, MangaUK say:

madokamagi a fans! Is the US DVD/BD release from Aniplex region locked?

To which KazeUK replied:

@MangaUK Given it isn't out until Valentines day in the USA 2012 - you would be better calling @aniplexusa and asking them.

EDIT: MangaUK did just tweet:

@KazeUK that's a lo g time to wait. Hopefully one of our lovely followers will get it me for Valentines Day

So it is likely that it could just be a personal interest...but still interesting. A cover-up perhaps? Or maybe not?

 

[Rui]

I love Kaze's response, haha. Honestly ;D

A little odd that they seem to be sniffing around but don't know anything about the release. It explicitly says "Region: no region" on the blu-ray spec on the USA Madoka Magica website, by the way.

One wonders how keen Aniplex would be on an even more priced-down version for the UK though, especially region free. Manga have made it very clear they aren't keen on putting out expensive releases.

(Ah, I see they are already preparing for that with another tweet asking for feedback on pricing, which people are already saying is too high.)

R

 

[Joshawott]

I love Kaze's response, haha. Honestly ;D

A little odd that they seem to be sniffing around but don't know anything about the release. It explicitly says "Region: no region" on the blu-ray spec on the USA Madoka Magica website, by the way.

One wonders how keen Aniplex would be on an even more priced-down version for the UK though, especially region free. Manga have made it very clear they aren't keen on putting out expensive releases.

R

Yeah. I tweeted with a simple link to the official Madoka Magica US website xD.

I imagine that's what would kill any chance of MangaUK licensing it; I doubt Aniplex would want a region-free blu-ray to be so cheap. I imagine that if MangaUK do get Madoka Magica, they'll have to region block it, which would mean authoring their own discs (unless Madman get it and have similar restrictions) which would mean quite a delay.

Thing is, Aniplex USA are just a subdivision of Aniplex aren't they? I wonder what their thoughts would be on licensing it to another company. Heck, Japan and the US are both Region A, so what is the point of making the release region free unless they are directly trying to appeal to importers as well?

 

[Rui]

Well, there's no point in region locking it, from a region A perspective. Since it's priced relatively high, the only place they're going to theoretically lose money to grey importing is to Japan, which is region A as well. In this case though it has sold well there already and been out for a while; it's probably not losing them much sleep.

The only people militantly region locking everything seem to be the companies in rubbish regions like ours.

MangaUK releasing a priced-down but region-hobbled version here would be interesting. Aniplex have licensed their stuff to other distributors even with their US branch existing before, so I'm sure Manga could go direct without any problems. Beez got DRRR!! here even though it was destined to go through Aniplex USA in America.

I can't imagine such a Madoka release would fly off the shelves here in the current climate.

R

 

[Joshawott]

This whole thing had to happen just days after I pre-ordered the £55 volume 1 LE from Right Stuf didn't it? xD

Luckily there's no confirmation yet, but it's still a tad annoying xD.

 

[fabio de lunatico]

This whole thing had to happen just days after I pre-ordered the £55 volume 1 LE from Right Stuf didn't it? xD

Luckily there's no confirmation yet, but it's still a tad annoying xD.

I wouldn't worry about it; the chances of Manga licensing Madoka, putting it out on Blu-ray, and giving it an extravagant Limited Edition release are less than zero.

It's unlikely, but perhaps Manga are looking into selling it through their store? That would make things a bit easier for UK and European customers.

 

[Rui]

Thinking on it, doesn't their remark about hoping for a follower to get it for them apparently condone importing? And aren't we, as UK anime fans, not allowed to do this (in Manga's ideal world)? Their official corporate line is that importing fuels illegal black market activity, after all...

I really need to stop expecting their Twitter ramblings to mean anything. A store release for UK fans who can't/won't import directly would be an interesting experiment, but it's more likely we'll all be flamed for putting 2 and 2 together and making 5, again.

This kind of teasing should really be on a personal Twitter account and not the main MangaUK one, so as not to cause mass confusion.

R

 

[Shiroi Hane]

A little odd that they seem to be sniffing around but don't know anything about the release. It explicitly says "Region: no region" on the blu-ray spec on the USA Madoka Magica website, by the way.

They often don't know the regions on the US discs of titles they are actually releasing until someone mentions it so I'm not at all surprised.

One wonders how keen Aniplex would be on an even more priced-down version for the UK though, especially region free. Manga have made it very clear they aren't keen on putting out expensive releases.

Unlike the US they can usefully region lock discs for the UK, but they never seem to take that into account in practice.

 

[Joshawott]

Thinking on it, doesn't their remark about hoping for a follower to get it for them apparently condone importing? And aren't we, as UK anime fans, not allowed to do this (in Manga's ideal world)? Their official corporate line is that importing fuels illegal black market activity, after all...

I really need to stop expecting their Twitter ramblings to mean anything. A store release for UK fans who can't/won't import directly would be an interesting experiment, but it's more likely we'll all be flamed for putting 2 and 2 together and making 5, again.

This kind of teasing should really be on a personal Twitter account and not the main MangaUK one, so as not to cause mass confusion.

R

Sometimes I wonder if Jerome forgets that the MangaUK twitter is not their personal twitter.

 

[Mohawk52]

Thinking on it, doesn't their remark about hoping for a follower to get it for them apparently condone importing? And aren't we, as UK anime fans, not allowed to do this (in Manga's ideal world)? Their official corporate line is that importing fuels illegal black market activity, after all...

R

Wouldn't be the first time. :wink:

 

[Just Passing Through]

Thinking on it, doesn't their remark about hoping for a follower to get it for them apparently condone importing? And aren't we, as UK anime fans, not allowed to do this (in Manga's ideal world)? Their official corporate line is that importing fuels illegal black market activity, after all...

I really need to stop expecting their Twitter ramblings to mean anything. A store release for UK fans who can't/won't import directly would be an interesting experiment, but it's more likely we'll all be flamed for putting 2 and 2 together and making 5, again.

This kind of teasing should really be on a personal Twitter account and not the main MangaUK one, so as not to cause mass confusion.

R

Sometimes I wonder if Jerome forgets that the MangaUK twitter is not their personal twitter.

Surely this post is just the Twitter equivalent of a kick me sign...

It's quiet on here today. Does anyone want to troll me?

 

[ConanThe3rd]

Jerome whatshisface - Manga's Head of PR, not got a damn clue about Netiquette

 

[Joshawott]

Thinking on it, doesn't their remark about hoping for a follower to get it for them apparently condone importing? And aren't we, as UK anime fans, not allowed to do this (in Manga's ideal world)? Their official corporate line is that importing fuels illegal black market activity, after all...

I really need to stop expecting their Twitter ramblings to mean anything. A store release for UK fans who can't/won't import directly would be an interesting experiment, but it's more likely we'll all be flamed for putting 2 and 2 together and making 5, again.

This kind of teasing should really be on a personal Twitter account and not the main MangaUK one, so as not to cause mass confusion.

R

Sometimes I wonder if Jerome forgets that the MangaUK twitter is not their personal twitter.

Surely this post is just the Twitter equivalent of a kick me sign...

It's quiet on here today. Does anyone want to troll me?

I saw that, but couldn't think of anything.

 

[Otaku-san]

Surely this post is just the Twitter equivalent of a kick me sign...

It's quiet on here today. Does anyone want to troll me?

I saw that, but couldn't think of anything.[/quote]

how about the next lot of downsizing DVD's, so I can avoid them

 

[Joshawott]

Does this count as the trolling they wanted?

 

[Ryo Chan]

at last, a series i wouldn't mind if manga screwed up lol