I'll happily enlighten folks on the process here!
Re release format - If we do a title theatrically in multiple chains we tend to do all three types of homevideo at once is the rule (Standards + LE). The logic is basically as the theatrical audience converts to a somewhat wider buying audience for homevideo somewhat depending on the run (A Silent Voice is way bigger as an audience now than say The Night is Short for example - although I love both). The point being it becomes something not just anime fans are looking for usually, or more anime fans than most.
If it hasn't had main theatrical we tend to follow the LE BD/DVD, DVD standard on Day 1 then 6 months later a standard BD version. This sounds rough but statistically based on our sales to date the core Anime Ltd audience without theatrical awareness is way more likely to go for a Collector's even if a standard is available so that's why it happens. We totally don't want to deprive people who want the standard too and based on usual sales patterns it make sense to introduce a standard around the six month point from original release.
So in short - if it does well or there is a wider market out there all three makes sense, if it isn't then the standard LE + STD DVD then +6 months BD works commercially. Totally aware this model can leave a few people stuck among the gears if you're not keen on the title - which is why we aim for our early bird to be as convincing a price as possible
! That's why in this kind of scenario our EB deal often matches that of the standard edition BD's SRP so at most you're paying £4-5 than you would if you bought the Blu-Ray standard on launch from Amazon if you buy it immediately via the EB deal (keep eyes peeled in next two weeks for that).
Cinema release for Geass Film 1 - Code Geass has a completely new theatrical sequel afterwards that I am super stoked for too so it made sense to switch it into the theatrical slot we had to jog people's memory and test how engaged people still were with the universe (the answer was interestingly quite a bit by the by). Not a confirmation we have it, but a really big want for us.
Film 2 & 3 didn't make sense as Madman wasn't doing them too so advancing subtitling cost & switching subtitling studio seemed a bit rough. Given the fast rate of piracy after Japanese homevideo too it seemed likely the majority who would help a release like this would also not come out which is why the focus on the first for theatrical for now.
So given we had other films this year to focus on for us including Maquia and Mirai as well as the summer holiday period where we'd be up against a lot of blockbusters - we opted to stay clear of theatrical on them for now
.Regarding R3 - Why on earth would you be doubting you get R3...?
Why did we pull Eureka Seven Hi-Evolution Film 1 from cinemas: It became very clear from Scotland Loves Anime the real strength of the film is the introduction showing the Summer of Love - an experience that is 30 mins long and the rest of the film by it's very nature is driven by play forwards and backwards that lend to a greater control of the experience than a linear cinema play through (aka it is good to have a remote to hand).
Would you really want us to release a film theatrically to satisfy the few, but leave the majority of hardcore fans that would go dissatisfied when they could have enjoyed the experience on Blu-Ray or DVD with more control over how they view the film ? All that would happen is we make a loss theatrically and also detract from people who would get an even better experience buying the home video version of the film down the line? In that scenario why not an LE? At current cinema prices, an Early Bird does not cost much more nowadays and you get a lot more as a fan of Eureka Seven out of it.
Re SLA getting them: It's perfectly natural to look for festival screenings whether we do main theatrical or not and performance there does help us work out what the approach should be at times. I take it as a strange complement when you comment on SLA / Scotland like that too as there was a day not so long ago where the public perception was that for London and anime.
At SLA, we've worked hard over the last nine years to be a go-to venue for watching anime in the UK. It's an amazing city and I'd strongly recommend a trip if just to see the city as well as catch a few of the hottest anime films (this year's line-up is one I am very happy with I have to say).
Re Scotland being great for anime: It's true that over the last nine years we've worked really hard to develop SLA - but we also work hard beyond that. Every year we spread that love around across the UK for festival runs at other UK events to ensure as many people get the best content possible post or pre SLA too in every part of Ireland and the UK.
In Ireland, you can catch some cool films and sometimes guests across the country at The Japanese Film Festival (Dublin being my preferred haunt). Hop over down to England and we work closely with Leeds Film Festival right after SLA. Meanwhile, if you're in Wales we work closely to help Kotatsu Film Festival programme their line-up around SLA time too so there's often a chance to see the niche films there! Northern Ireland is probably the one we underserve right now but try to ensure The Japan Foundation Touring Programme annually covers there with at least one anime film.
I can't physically cater to every town or district in a festival context - but I can say I provide the each country the chance to enjoy anime that may not go mainstream.
I can see why my joke could be seen as a sign I do not like my release but by the by I'm actually really pleased with it. I'm just very aware of fan opinion when leaving SLA screenings over the narrative structure of the film (which I totally understand and is what helped inform a focus on non-linear possibilities for the film like that can only really be enjoyed on homevideo).
So why did I make one? Because I love Eureka Seven and it'd be a crime with the assets I had to not make one. It's a beautiful edition that we're able to sell on Early Bird for about the same SRP as a standard Blu-Ray but you get so much more out of it
.Hope this clarifies
,Andrew
