Chiba FMA ova

[absinthe]

Are any companies planning to release the FMA Ovas, including Chibi FMA in the US?

Apologies if this has been discussed - the search function is not clickable for me.

[mifuneral2]

I haven't heard anything about this but I'd be interested to find out, too :)

[Pachi]

Several months ago I had heard rumors that FUNi was planning to make the OVAs as extras, or at least as secret extras, on the movie LE. Obviously, that is not true at this point. My guess is they're still trying to get them, or they already tried and were turned down for some reason.

[MKVarana]

I'd also like to get some kind of confirmation on this. I'd be very surprised if it didn't get released, but in that rare event, I'd like to know if I need to import it or not.

[AbeChinchilla]

Several months ago I had heard rumors that FUNi was planning to make the OVAs as extras, or at least as secret extras, on the movie LE. Obviously, that is not true at this point. My guess is they're still trying to get them, or they already tried and were turned down for some reason.

This may be the case, and once they have it cleared up, they can release all the OVAs on a single release, rather than multiple ones (and with Fullmetal Fantasy, I hope).

[Takato]

How can they release the FMA OVAs in a single release? Aren't they only about five minutes long each? That'd be way too short for a DVD release and I'm not sure how many people would be interested in paying for three five minute episodes. The only way I could see a separate release work is if Funi licenses the FMA Reflections OVA too, but is there enough interest among FMA fans to be willing to pay $30 for a 50 minute recap and a couple of shorts?

[mifuneral2]

Why not? It worked for GITS with its Official Log dvd.

[Takato]

Yes, but FMA is a mainstream title that's more popular with preteens than a title like GITS was. The older diehard FMA fans might be willing to pay for it, but how many of the mainstream preteen fans would be willing to pay for a shorter DVD? If even Hellsing Ultimate fans are complaining about the lack of episodes on the DVDs, why would FMA fans be more accepting, especially with its younger fanbase?

[CrazyAsano]

Why not? It worked for GITS with its Official Log dvd.
Well, considering that we never got Official Logs 2-4, one could argue that it didn't work.

[mifuneral2]

Why not? It worked for GITS with its Official Log dvd.
Well, considering that we never got Official Logs 2-4, one could argue that it didn't work.

Were those ever officially cancelled or have they just been delayed?

[AbeChinchilla]

How can they release the FMA OVAs in a single release? Aren't they only about five minutes long each? That'd be way too short for a DVD release and I'm not sure how many people would be interested in paying for three five minute episodes. The only way I could see a separate release work is if Funi licenses the FMA Reflections OVA too, but is there enough interest among FMA fans to be willing to pay $30 for a 50 minute recap and a couple of shorts?


Hmm, I haven't watched it yet, but I'm sure the Premium Collection R2 with the Chibi Party OVA was about 30-45 minutes. How long was the other FMA "OVA" DVD?

[Takato]

The FMA Reflections OVA was around an hr long. Geneon included the Chobits recap episodes with the Chibits short, so maybe it could work for FMA, especially if they also include the Fullmetal Fantasy video.

[kakugo]

The older diehard FMA fans might be willing to pay for it, but how many of the mainstream preteen fans would be willing to pay for a shorter DVD?

I dunno', maybe the same number of hardcore fans who bought all 3 tins $50 and the LE of the Fullmetal Alchemist movie at $45? :)

While I agree that FMA is no Ghost in the Shell, the show is marketed towards older teenagers in the US, and I've always felt the shows' central themes and graphic violence lent it to an older audience than many of it's shounen contemporaries. It's no Gantz or Paranoia Agent, but it's not exactly Naruto or Dragonball Z either. Let us not forget it got a major marketing push by being on Adult Swim, the very same block of programming that happens to play Ghost in the Shell.

I'm sure the show has plenty of younger fans, but I don't think it's unreasonable to assume that a number of older fans willing to spend "more on less" to see all of the OVA's, as might be plenty of younger fans should the DVD be priced a little lower and/or include some never before seen special features.

[CrazyAsano]

Why not? It worked for GITS with its Official Log dvd.
Well, considering that we never got Official Logs 2-4, one could argue that it didn't work.

Were those ever officially cancelled or have they just been delayed?
I don't know, but I really doubt they're going to start putting them out again now that SAC has been released in its entirety. Impulse buying potential has plummeted since nobody's really going to be buying volumes of the show at the same time. They really needed to be released at the same time as the episodes they covered, if you ask me.