Starz Sells Manga Entertainment

Very interesting. Are we going to see them merge Animatsu in, or just merge Manga UK into Animatsu?
Wasn't Animatsu basically done to help with the problems being tied to a massive company like Starz (IE: Like the Universal Japan problems)?

Be fascinating to see how things develop. Hopefully on the up with the quality of releases.
 
I wonder if there were any other interested buyers (or if there will be?) - If they're set to continue as a genuinely boutique/indie label like Anime Ltd, it'll be interesting to see if the cashflow is sustainable.

Potentially lots of positives to come out of this too though.
 
Just Passing Through said:
Got a feeling that Animatsu may be the shortest lived Anime Label since Crimson Star Media, now that the corporate shackles have been removed from Manga...
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But is there actually anybody left running Manga any more?
 
The worry I continually have with things like this is: does it mean a lot of Manga's titles will suddenly go out of print if certain licenses aren't renewed?
 
It all depends which company signed the contract, Starz or MangaUK? If it's the first they won't be renewed unless the licencors allow the title(s) to be transfered. But without an official statment on Manga side, we won't know for sure.
 
They could always use Manga as a holding company for licenses and renewals and release on the Animatsu side. Who knows at the moment.
 
While I know they don't have a good reputation amongst collectors (and I personally can't stand them), the Manga brand is still extremely strong - much more so than Animatsu or the other startups. They'd be crazy to let it go when casual buyers still associate the whole of anime with 'Manga' in this country.

R
 
Can't say I'm exactly sad to hear about this considering Manga's limited output recently, as well as the nosedive in quality of their releases.
I'd like to think that they'll fall into the hands of someone who's more likely to turn the company around as well as do more with their back catalogue (e.g. BD for GiTS SAC)
I assume this sale covers both MangaUS and MangaUK?
 
Someone asked if this would affect any of their upcoming licences, or something along those lines, on their Facebook page earlier and it seems to of disappeared....
 
Rui said:
While I know they don't have a good reputation amongst collectors (and I personally can't stand them), the Manga brand is still extremely strong - much more so than Animatsu or the other startups. They'd be crazy to let it go when casual buyers still associate the whole of anime with 'Manga' in this country.

R
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It was only a couple of years ago I (with effort) managed to train myself out of calling anime 'manga' in real life.
 
Rui said:
While I know they don't have a good reputation amongst collectors (and I personally can't stand them), the Manga brand is still extremely strong - much more so than Animatsu or the other startups. They'd be crazy to let it go when casual buyers still associate the whole of anime with 'Manga' in this country.

R
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Do they? Like if I was to acost a young indiividal who bought a copy of Naruto out of Waterstones and asked them what the animated version of the book they hold in their hands was called would they say "manga"?

I kinda doubt it.
 
ConanThe3rd said:
Do they? Like if I was to acost a young indiividal who bought a copy of Naruto out of Waterstones and asked them what the animated version of the book they hold in their hands was called would they say "manga"?

I kinda doubt it.
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I think Rui means 'Manga' as in the Brand and not the medium, but I may be wrong :) I think there is some merit to it, kind of like Sellotape or Coke or Hoover, brands that have become generic terms of sorts and household names. A lot of people whom purchase Spirited Away will call it a cartoon instead of an Anime but still may know the name Ghibli etc.
 
For once I agree with Conan. It has always been a conundrum to name a company that sold nothing but anime "Manga" when the term always meant a totally different medium of printed graphic novels. It always annoyed the hell out of me when video and rental shops labeled their anime shelves "MANGA". Please can it be erased from all memory?
 
At least they have no more excuses for converting DVDs to PAL now that they are free of their corporate overlords. It might take a while to get that message across though...

EDIT: Obviously BluRay would be better, of course.
 
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