MVM to discontinue FUNimation anime releases in the UK

Paul

Ghost of Animes
Administrator
Although it's marked as a "rumour", UK Anime Net have revealed that MVM are set to discontinue distributing FUNimation anime DVDs in the UK by the end of the year ("deleted on January 1st"). No reason for this surprising decision has been stated, but it has been confirmed by MVM. They reassure fans that they will continue to work with Geneon and Studio Gonzo for UK DVD releases.

This will effect many of MVMs current and older DVD releases; including Blue Gender, Fruits Basket, Fullmetal Alchemist and Yu Yu Hakusho. If interested, buyers of the aforementioned anime are urged to snap up these titles as soon as possible (or risk missing out on them altogether).

We are now left to speculate who (if anyone) will be taking the reigns from MVM; perhaps FUNimation themselves will be taking charge? Obviously it would be a major blow if FUNimation pulled out of the UK altogether, and given the DVD releases of the Fullmetal Alchemist series still aren't complete, UK buyers will be desperate for an immediate solution.

UPDATE: Our forum user Espy has been in contact with FUNimation and reported the following statement: "FUNimation is not pulling out of the UK. I [Public Relations Manager, FUNimation Entertainment] can't provide more information than that. Expect an announcement within the next couple of weeks." We are now waiting on news from FUNimation.
 
Given FUNimation's current riches, I doubt they are pulling out of the UK, rather I wouldn't be surprised to see them launch their own UK label. Either way I hope this is resolved ASAP, its sad for the long suffering FMA collectors - god knows how long you'll have to wait for this show to finish its schedule in the UK.
 
nooooooo. *starts to cry* Whats gonna happen to my babies, FMA, gone. Damn you, MVM, I hate you.

Ah, well. ADV and Manga will be my favorite Anime publishers. Burn MVM.

Funimation, Get your **** to UK and provide us some Anime. I'm already dying to get my hands on the conqeror of shalabama.
 
keyblade_master uk said:
nooooooo. *starts to cry* Whats gonna happen to my babies, FMA, gone. Damn you, MVM, I hate you.

Ah, well. ADV and Manga will be my favorite Anime publishers. Burn MVM.

Funimation, Get your **** to UK and provide us some Anime. I'm already dying to get my hands on the conqeror of shalabama.

while ur at it bring out the funimation channel here lol
 
I would love to know the reasoning behind this. They were even planning to release the 3rd FMA collectors tin over here. I have a feeling it has something to do with them not being able to afford the licencing costs with taking so many other, less profitable, licences on.
 
Ryo Chan said:
keyblade_master uk said:
nooooooo. *starts to cry* Whats gonna happen to my babies, FMA, gone. Damn you, MVM, I hate you.

Ah, well. ADV and Manga will be my favorite Anime publishers. Burn MVM.

Funimation, Get your **** to UK and provide us some Anime. I'm already dying to get my hands on the conqeror of shalabama.

while ur at it bring out the funimation channel here lol

Yeah, they got some really good anime showing on there. Meh, I am really crying that FMA is gonna have problems reaching the UK. FMA is one of the most sucessful Anime in UK, now the anime might get jeaprodised
 
I'm a person who's pesky about having complete collections. If there is no-one to continue the UK releases, I think I'll sell off my UK collection and buy the US DVDs.

If I can find them.

Dammit, someone better continue the series. And from where it stopped, I don't want to have to wait another year and a half for the collection to catch up again.
 
I think I say it for everyone when I say... What. The. ****.

This is seriously stupid, so what, now my DVDs are useless? 5 DVDs of YYH and 8 of FMA. ;/
 
So what series are not going to be finished then?

I'm emailing funimation btw, to see if they have anything to say on the matter.
 
Espy said:
So what series are not going to be finished then?

I'm emailing funimation btw, to see if they have anything to say on the matter.

YYH and FMA, the very TWO that I'm collecting. ;/

EDIT: MVM are now in the same league with Sony = assholes.

EDIT the 2nd: Has it been confirmed why they're doing this move?
 
Good news! I recieved a lightning fast reply from FUNi.

Thank you for the email. FUNimation is not pulling out of the UK. I
can't provide more information than that. Expect an announcement within
the next couple of weeks.

Thanks again!


Jeff
Public Relations Manager
FUNimation Entertainment
 
Rukario said:
Espy said:
So what series are not going to be finished then?

I'm emailing funimation btw, to see if they have anything to say on the matter.

YYH and FMA, the very TWO that I'm collecting. ;/

EDIT: MVM are now in the same league with Sony = assholes.

EDIT the 2nd: Has it been confirmed why they're doing this move?
I really believe this is completely out of MVM's hands. If MVM could have continued distributing FUNimation titles they most certainly would have since they are still some of the stronger titles available out there. The simple fact is that MVM never licenced from FUNimation (as I understand it at least) but rather distributed for them in the UK. That was always precarious since the rug could (and has been) pulled out from under them at (almost) a moment's notice.

As speculated over on the UKA forums it is probably more to do with the buyout of FUNimation by Navarre that was the impetus for this move. I was never sure what the future would hold for the UK market ever since I read that news. It all looked fine up until fairly recently when MVM started separating out all of the FUNimation titles from their own stock and Spiral getting cancelled just as it was about to begin its run. I'm sure it will become clearer, hopefully sooner rather than later, since there are still a lot of titles from FUNimation that I am wanting to see, not to mention the conclusion to FMA...
 
Gawyn said:
I'm sure it will become clearer, hopefully sooner rather than later, since there are still a lot of titles from FUNimation that I am wanting to see, not to mention the conclusion to FMA...

Within the next few weeks, according to the email I recieved.
 
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