Aniplex, yet another R1 Licensor?

[Chiyosuke]

While browsing through Aniplex's Japanese site I found mention of a company called Aniplex of America Inc. Of course this tidbit piqued my interest so I decided to look into it a little bit. Thus far I found aniplex.net and Aniplexusa.com. Though the Aniplex USA link only leads to SPE(USA)'s site, I'd expect for aniplex.net to be the official site. I guess this leaves us with yet another licensor to put up with [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img].

Here's hoping for Bleach [img]/images/graemlins/catgirl0.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/catgirl0.gif[/img]

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Chiyosuke said:
Here's hoping for Bleach [img]/images/graemlins/catgirl0.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/catgirl0.gif[/img]

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Ugh, not direct from a Japanese company please, unless they know a hell of a lot more about the market than that *other* Japanese company does. Although if Bleach is gonna get licensed, right now or right after I see the next episode would probably be best, since it's sorta in between arcs now.

[Chiyosuke]

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disarm said:
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Chiyosuke said:
Here's hoping for Bleach [img]/images/graemlins/catgirl0.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/catgirl0.gif[/img]

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Ugh, not direct from a Japanese company please, unless they know a hell of a lot more about the market than that *other* Japanese company does.

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That remark was basically my "anyone but Viz" mentality speaking, but it's doubtful that they'd get it anyway as it's not actually their show, they just distribute it. That privilege would go to either TV Tokyo Medianet, dentsu (which is why I pray for a Geneon announcement) or Pierrot Co. [img]/images/graemlins/happy.gif[/img]

Anyway, if they're here to release stuff, I say give them a chance. Hell, our very own R1 industry (no matter how crippled it currently is) was co-created by subsidaries of Japanese companies. Who knows, they could be here to market for Aniplex's new studio, A-1 Pictures.

Anyway, I only posted this because I figured other people would be interested. Good or bad...

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Chiyosuke said:
That remark was basically my "anyone but Viz" mentality speaking, but it's doubtful that they'd get it anyway as it's not actually their show, they just distribute it. That privilege would go to either TV Tokyo Medianet, dentsu (which is why I pray for a Geneon announcement) or Pierrot Co. [img]/images/graemlins/happy.gif[/img]

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I guess my ideal for Bleach is Funimation, if only because I might actually buy Bleach in individual discs... unless it keeps going on forever. If Viz were going to do a Naruto style release for Bleach, then I'd go with them, although it depends how slow Naruto will be coming out... Anyone else I doubt has too much of a chance.

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Anyway, if they're here to release stuff, I say give them a chance.

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Oh certainly, everyone deserves a chance, but in this industry of the per-series monopoly, if they just happen to screw up, then we're all screwed. That's why it's so sad when a company messes up a release, because it's pretty much all or nothing all the time for us fans. If Company X flubs Anime Y, we have no alternatives. Sigh~

Well, anyway, I hope for the best for Bleach in general, and as for this company, if they do the right thing then, hey, good for them. Competence is always welcome. If not, then bleeeeeh~

[slerch666]

It could just be their US licensing dept as well. I mean, we've already gotten several Aniplex shows via Geneon (ROD the TV) and FMA (FUNi).

We won't know until (or if) they actually announce something whether they are more than just a US branch of the Japanese company.

[Chiyosuke]

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slerch666 said:
It could just be their US licensing dept as well. I mean, we've already gotten several Aniplex shows via Geneon (ROD the TV) and FMA (FUNi).

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The same can be said for Bandai Visual (and hell, we have BEI to top that [img]/images/graemlins/stunned0.gif[/img]) and that ain't stopping them... nor did it stop Toei in their endeavour.

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We won't know until (or if) they actually announce something whether they are more than just a US branch of the Japanese company.

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Well speculation is pretty healthy, no. [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] Here's what their history says about it:

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March 2005 - Established Aniplex of America Inc. (California, USA) to expand our business in North America.

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[Starwind Amada]

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slerch666 said:
It could just be their US licensing dept as well. I mean, we've already gotten several Aniplex shows via Geneon (ROD the TV) and FMA (FUNi).

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Don't forget the Rurouni Kenshin TV series (Media Blasters).

[flchick]

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slerch666 said:
It could just be their US licensing dept as well. I mean, we've already gotten several Aniplex shows via Geneon (ROD the TV) and FMA (FUNi).

We won't know until (or if) they actually announce something whether they are more than just a US branch of the Japanese company.

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I had always thought Aniplex was mainly involved in music production
I really can't see them releasing anything but music in the US

[Chiyosuke]

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flchick said:
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slerch666 said:
It could just be their US licensing dept as well. I mean, we've already gotten several Aniplex shows via Geneon (ROD the TV) and FMA (FUNi).

We won't know until (or if) they actually announce something whether they are more than just a US branch of the Japanese company.

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I had always thought Aniplex was mainly involved in music production
I really can't see them releasing anything but music in the US

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No, since it's establishment as SPE Visual Works, then SME Visual Works, their main forte has always been anime. And really, we don't need another (Japanese) music disributor from Sony as we already have Tofu Records for that.

[ObiKenobi]

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flchick said:
I had always thought Aniplex was mainly involved in music production

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At one point, yes, but they are increasingly being involved in the production/distribution of anime series and subsequent DVD releases.

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flchick said:
I really can't see them releasing anything but music in the US

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Based on what evidence? They've been involved in the production and distribution of a number of series on DVD in Japan. Most recently the remastered R2 box of City Hunter.