Pokemon The Series: XY Released On iTunes

Joshawott

Joshawott

Monsieur Monster
AUKN Staff
It wasn't long ago when The Pok&eacute;mon Company International made the&nbsp;<em>Pok&eacute;mon Origin</em>&nbsp;mini-series available on Apple's iTunes digital service, but in a surprise announcement today, it has now emerged that it was not a special case.

The first twenty three episodes of the <em>Pok&eacute;mon The Series: XY</em>, which is currently airing on CITV, were quietly added to the online store earlier today (matching the number of episodes that have aired in North America, as the United Kingdom is slightly in the lead). Episodes are available either in standard definition (at &pound;1.89 an episode) or high definition (&pound;2.49 each). The first twelve can also be purchased in bulk as "Collection 1", which costs &pound;18.99 for the standard definition version, or &pound;19.99 for high definition.

As with all internatioal Pok&eacute;mon releases, only the English dub is available.
 
I believe they cited some problems with putting subbed content up there before, though I have no idea whether that's still the case.

R
 
God knows why they won't allow a UK distrib to do a physical release of the Pokemon series - if Manga UK got hold of it they'd market the heck out of it, and it'd probably sell like hot cakes. It's the kind of title even supermarkets would pick up.
 
The Pokémon franchise as a whole is in one hell of a licensing mess. A year or two ago I did ask Jerome about it, but he stated that the rights simply aren't available. With the company focusing a lot on iTunes and Netflix now - even forgoing a Pokémon Origins home video release in North America (currently, Australia is the only country outside of Japan with one). The TV series and movies are still released in America on DVD via Viz Media, but in the UK...it's complicated:

Streaming:

Netflix:
Pokémon Indigo League (Season 1)
Pokémon Black & White (Season 14)
Pokémon The Movie: Black - Victini & Reshiram / White - Victini & Reshiram (Movies 14)
Pokémon The Movie: Kyurem & The Sword of Justice (Movie 15)

Nintendo Zone*:
Pokémon Diamond & Pearl: Battle Dimension (Season 11)

*Nintendo Zone is basically, if you're in a public place that's a supported Nintendo Zone hotspot, you can watch episodes on your Nintendo 3DS.

Download to Own:
iTunes:
Pokémon 3: Spell of the Unown (Movie 3)
Pokémon Origins (Special Series)
Pokémon The Series: XY (Season 17)

Home Video:

Studio Canal:
Pokémon 4Ever (Movie 4) -> Available on Blu-Ray
Pokémon Heroes (Movie 5) -> Available on Blu-Ray
Pokémon the Movie: Destiny Deoxys (Movie 7)

Paramount Home Entertainment:
Pokémon the Movie: Jirachi Wish Maker (Movie 6)

Universal Studios Home Entertainment:
Pokémon the Movie: The Rise of Darkrai (Movie 10)
Pokémon the Movie: Giratina and the Sky Warrior (Movie 11)
Pokémon the Movie: Arceus and the Jewel of Life (Movie 12)
Pokémon the Movie: Zoroark - Master of Illusion (Movie 13)
Pokémon The Movie: Black - Victini & Reshiram / White - Victini & Reshiram (Movies 14)
Pokémon The Movie: Kyurem & The Sword of Justice (Movie 15)

The original series was originally released on VHS by Warner, while they also had the theatrical, VHS and DVD rights to the third three movies, but they're all out of print, as is Contender Entertainment Group's DVD release of the Pokémon Chronicles special series.

So yeah, the rights are basically spread out absolutely everywhere. Notably, we are currently only missing movies 1-3 and 8-9 at the moment (movie 1 received a nice HD remaster in Japan last year, I'd like to see that). In regards to the TV series though...we're missing a lot, with none of it on home video and the ones that are available digitally, are scattered everywhere.

TPCi also have the entirety of the series constantly rotated on the Pokémon TV Android/iOS app. They only have a selection of each series for a week before they remove them and replace them with the next batch of episodes, which rotates.

Personally, I think a good idea would be for the service to be streamlined and for episodes/movies to be made available to purchase and download on the Nintendo eShop for 3DS and Wii U (SD on 3DS, HD on Wii U). I mean, Pokémon is one of Nintendo's top selling intellectual properties, so why the heck are they letting me watch Pokémon legally on my PS3, XBox 360 or on smartphone devices, which are constantly being blamed for reducing their sales?
Most people who like Pokémon will y'know, already own a 3DS and maybe even a Wii U, so would there really be anything to lose?
 
ConanThe3rd said:
Which is a shame because I really want a Blu ray of Pokemon the First Movie.
Click to expand...
I'd really want to see a way to legally obtain the original Japanese language track to be honest. MangaUK managed to get it for Yu-Gi-Oh! 3D: Bonds Beyond Time, so y'know. I just hope The Pokémon Company aren't too stuck in their ways with that one.

I imagine the main reason we might not be able to get the original Japanese language tracks is that the dubs often replace music as well, both as a means of cutting costs on music licenses but also so that they can make their own tracks to get royalties from the other overseas versions (As they're based on the English dub).
 
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