UPDATED: Funimation Acquires Manga Entertainment UK

Joshawott said:
I'm working on updating the article now, but thought I'd drop in now with some nuggets from a call I had with Jerome this morning:
  • Manga UK will still be allowed to pursue licenses from other companies.
  • They will likely be able to license more content, due to now being part of a global family instead of having to pitch solely for UK/IRE rights.
  • He sounded really enthusiastic about working with Funimation Now to boost their digital offering.
  • Will look at catalogue opportunities where available. Said My Hero Academia S1 was a priority.
  • Couldn't comment on Dragon Ball Super or One Piece at this time. Said a lot is still being worked out with licensors, materials etc.
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come onnnnnnnnnn maid dragon and Danganronpa 3 blu-ray
 
Joshawott said:
Couldn't comment on Dragon Ball Super or One Piece at this time. Said a lot is still being worked out with licensors, materials etc.
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I fully expect Toei EU to turn around and refuse to license any more to Manga now that they're part of Funimation
 
Well I hope for Nichijou and Sakura Quest, btw I think it is much more important that they bring over funimation titles where the US version is region locked rather than bringing over those that has already had a region b compatible release like dragon maid has.
 
Just Passing Through said:
Sony now have footprints in most English speaking territories, Manga here, Madman down under, and Funi and Aniplex in the US. Anyone want a game of Monopoly?
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Yeah let's play that game. Seriously though I was wondering the same. I'm not too thrilled about this development, because in one way or another consumers will get screwed over due to less competition or one party being way to powerful.
 
Is there even competition in UK anime they all use different companies mostly. MVM sentai, Manga funi were Toei and AL stuff on Netflix. AoA titles are the only one you can argue as all three have had AoA titles in the past year. Also all the companies respect each other and don’t try to one up each other I wouldn’t say it’s a competitive industry. As is you want X show you have to get it from X company.
 
With Funimation taking ownership it automatically means it's cheaper for them to put out releases. If Funi owns the Western or English rights to a title then it's no cost to Manga to licence it where as before they would have had to sub licence for which there would be a cost. Hopefully this means more titles come to the UK.

Would be nice to get an essentials range as well for older titles or those going OOP
 
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On one hand it's a real shame, Manga Entertainment's logo has been appearing on my purchased anime releases dating back to the first one I ever brought (Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie on VHS sometime in the late 90s), so to see them get brought out by an American company is disheartening.

On the other hand it might lead to more licenses and content coming into the country, and that's never a bad thing... A wait and see effort, I guess!
 
Then nearly ran it into the ground. The fact they are still manga not funi’s UK branch must mean it’s still gonna have some self control. But we will see.
 
I double checked the press release and it said this:
Most of our titles – many for the first time – will become available for streaming to fans throughout the UK and Ireland on FunimationNow over the coming months.
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The key word here is most. Manga's titles are a weird mix and I've been trying to figure out what titles they could add onto the service that hasn't been done already. I have already taken into account that the Funimation sub-licensed titles and KAZE UK titles won't be included in the mix below as they have expired (or in KAZE's case, mostly).

Toei Animation
  • Digimon Adventure Tri
  • Dragon Ball
  • Dragon Ball GT
  • Dragon Ball Super
  • Dragon Ball Super: Broly
  • Dragon Ball Z
  • Dragon Ball Z Movies 1-13
  • Dragon Ball Z Kai
  • Dragon Ball Z Kai: The Final Chapters
  • Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods
  • Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection F
  • One Piece
  • One Piece Film: Strong World
  • One Piece Film: Z
  • One Piece Movies 1-9
TBS Animation
  • Amagi Brilliant Park
  • Beyond the Boundary
  • Beyond the Boundary -I'll Be Here-
  • CLANNAD
  • CLANNAD After Story
  • Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works
  • Haven't You Heard? I'm Sakamoto
  • K-On!
  • K-On! The Movie
  • K-On!!
  • Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions!
  • Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions! Heart Throb
  • Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions! Rikka Version
  • Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions! Take on Me
  • My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU
  • My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU Too!
Funimation titles that Funi only has US/CA rights but Manga has UK/IE rights
  • Afro Samurai
  • Afro Samurai Resurrection
  • Appleseed XIII
  • Black Butler
  • Black Butler II
  • Blood-C
  • Blood-C: The Last Dark
  • Cowboy Bebop: The Movie
  • Deadman Wonderland
  • The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya
  • Eureka Seven the Movie
  • Fractale
  • Fullmetal Alchemist the Movie: Sacred Star of Milos
  • Heat Guy J
  • Hellsing
  • Hellsing Ultimate (primarily Volumes 1-4)*
  • King of Thorn
  • Last Exile
  • Last Exile -Fam, the Silver Wing-
  • The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (Season 2)
  • The Melancholy of Haruhi-chan Suzumiya & Nyoron
  • Oblivion Island: Haruka And The Magic Mirror
  • Origin: Spirits of the Past
  • Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt
  • Soul Eater
  • Spice & Wolf
  • Spice & Wolf II
  • Steins;Gate
Other
  • 5 Centimeters per Second
  • Big Fish & Begonia
  • Death Note
  • Ghost in the Shell
  • Ghost in the Shell 2.0
  • Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex + Laughing Man & Individual 11
  • Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex: Solid State Society
  • Highschool of the Dead
  • Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere
  • Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere II
  • In This Corner of the World
  • Loups Garous
  • Ninja Scroll
  • Redline
  • Steamboy
  • Tokyo Godfathers
  • The World God Only Knows
  • The World God Only Knows II
*I highlighted Hellsing Ultimate because it is available on Funimation Now, but OVAs 1-4 are dub only so maybe Manga can get the subbed versions on there.
 
crashmatt said:
With Funimation taking ownership it automatically means it's cheaper for them to put out releases. If Funi owns the Westin or English rights to a title then it's no cost to Manga to licence it where as before they would have had to sub licence for which there would be a cost. Hopefully this means more titles come to the UK.

Would be nice to get an essentials range as well for older titles or those going OOP
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Don't think its going to work like that. I bet that of Funimation (NA) holds the rights manga will still probably have to pay a fee to the NA division.
 
Badej said:
Don't think its going to work like that. I bet that of Funimation (NA) holds the rights manga will still probably have to pay a fee to the NA division.
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That make no sense whatsoever. What would one part of a company pay another part of a company for something they already have? There has to be some advantage of the takeover and licencing has to be one of them.
 
Paul said:
I'd rather the UK anime industry had more autonomy. As was pointed out above, Funimation & Manga UK are now just different names for Sony, and the decision-making will reflect that.
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This...
Buzzkillington said:
I'll keep my expectations in check but I do hope this means more shows making their way here, we've missed out on so many over the past year or two.
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But also this. It would be nice to think that maybe this means the UK could get Funi shows (and LE releases) we currently don't, but market consolidation in the hands of fewer companies is rarely in the consumer interest. Especially when the parent companies are so far removed from the market the subsidiaries are serving.
 
crashmatt said:
That make no sense whatsoever. What would one part of a company pay another part of a company for something they already have? There has to be some advantage of the takeover and licencing has to be one of them.
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It's happened with other companies before. Bandai Entertainment had to bid like everyone else on Bandai produced shows, hell Bandai Japan often told them they had to pony up X amount for the property which was usually much higher than what the licence was worth.
 
sniper_samurai said:
It's happened with other companies before. Bandai Entertainment had to bid like everyone else on Bandai produced shows, hell Bandai Japan often told them they had to pony up X amount for the property which was usually much higher than what the licence was worth.
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That's just poor business practice. It's only something Manga can confirm really but I don't see why Manga would have to pay Funimation for shows they have the rights to anyway. As I said there has to be an advantage to the takeover.
 
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