Media Blasters Acquires Bakuman

[WTK]

via ANN

Media Blasters Adds Bakuman Anime

posted on 2011-06-28 12:41 EDT

The North American anime distributor Media Blasters has announced on Tuesday that it acquired the Bakuman. television anime series. Media Blasters' AnimeWorks label will start releasing the anime on DVD this November with the first seven episodes and an English dub.

LINK

Bakuman Anime Coming to DVD Courtesy of Media Blasters and Anime Works

Jun 28th 2011

BAKUMAN ANIME COMING TO DVD COURTESY OF MEDIA BLASTERS AND ANIME WORKS

Media Blasters is pleased to announce the acquisition of the hit ANIME series BAKUMAN, the latest from the creators of the mega-hit DEATH NOTE! Joining the ranks of nerd culture shows like GENSHIKEN, Bakuman. will see its first release this year under the AnimeWorks label. BAKUMAN part one will launch in November on DVD, containing an English language dub and episodes 1-7.

The Bakuman. manga (Viz Media) has already launched in the United States, landing at number 6 on the New York Times Graphic Books Manga list and remaining on the list for eight straight weeks. In Japan, BAKUMAN consistently places on the top ten of all comic sales, and has even become an international hit, seeing strong releases in France, Spain, Germany, Canada, Australia, Korea and Taiwan.

The anime series BAKUMAN was created by writer TSUGUMI OHBA and artist TAKESHI OBATA, the team responsible for the hit comic, TV and movie franchise DEATH NOTE. BAKUMAN is a far cry from that supernatural thriller, instead it's the semi-autobiographical tale of an artist and writer team trying to make it in the brutal Japanese anime and manga industry! The genius of Ohba and Obata shines in this compelling race through the world of publishing, from the very bottom to the very top. Not content with showing glimpses into the industry, they go for all-out panoramic views packed with insider details. Anyone who's interested in anime and manga or has dreams of working in comics and animation needs to see BAKUMAN!

Brilliant but psychologically off-balance characters? A crazy premise that somehow manages to work? Homoerotic overtones? Hey, this is exactly like Death Note! But in all seriousness, it looks like Ohba and Obata are on their way to another hit.... A slice-of-life chronicle about the dreams of youth. --Carlo Santos, Anime News Network
Ohba and Obata provide a remarkable behind-the-scenes of the manga industry... an extremely polished, consistent, and gorgeously illustrated series! --Christopher Butcher, comics212.net

About Media Blasters, INC. Founded in 1997, New York City based Media Blasters was created to give sub-culture media the treatment and distribution usually only afforded to pop-culture offerings. Some of Media Blasters' most well known labels include AnimeWorks, specializing in Japanese animation, Tokyo Shock, specializing in Asian film, and Shriek Show, specializing in horror. Engaging in licensing, production, localizing and distribution, MB has handled groundbreaking titles like the perennial blockbuster BERSERK, Adult Swim's MORIBITO: GUARDIAN OF THE SPIRIT, action hit VERSUS, cult classic ICHI THE KILLER and the legendary original VOLTRON DEFENDER OF THE UNIVERSE TV series. Media Blasters has even opened the door to new productions, creating sub-culture favorites like DEATHTRANCE and MACHINE GIRL.

[Hiyugi]

What!?!?!?...

I was kinda hoping FUNimation would get this one.

Well I know the Dub won't be great, but at least it's being released I suppose.

And hopefully on time for November (Which is a big maybe...I say Spring 2012).

[FUNiOP]

Well I'm glad to see it licensed since it unfortunately never got a simulcast, but seven episodes per release is a little off-putting. I may wait to see if it gets an eventual full-series set. At least it will have a dub, though. Hopefully they get a good studio to do that.

[Glorian]

Always good to see more licenses in R1, but this one doesn't interest me.

[Tratious]

I await patiently for a Blu-Ray release, I don't want DVD's anymore unless its of an OOP title.

[Dubby]

thats shocking, I expected Viz to acquire this series. I hope for a blu-ray release though.

[SilverFire]

I wonder if this is the big title Media Blasters was hinting at. Regardless, I'll buy it when it's solicited.

[ibby]

Interesting to see that Media Blasters have liscensed Bakuman. I expected Viz or Funimation to lisence to. Expecting a sticker of from the creators of Death Note on this title. This title doesn't interest me.

[WTK]

Originally Posted by SilverFire

I wonder if this is the big title Media Blasters was hinting at.

That's the biggest question for me (next to whether the series will eventually get BD treatment). Squid Girl was said not to be the "big" license (of which the statement got removed by MB on their Facebook page). I would think that Bakuman would possibly the "big" license. I guess until MB says something more on this.

[hikaru004]

Originally Posted by WTK

That's the biggest question for me (next to whether the series will eventually get BD treatment). Squid Girl was said not to be the "big" license (of which the statement got removed by MB on their Facebook page). I would think that Bakuman would possibly the "big" license. I guess until MB says something more on this.

I don't think this is a "big title" either.

Originally Posted by from another forum

Bakuman. *1,032+***456=*1,488 (5+) (J.C.Staff)
2011/01/26 *1,404 Vol. 1 Limited Edition (Two epsiodes up to current volume)
2011/02/23 ***659 Vol. 2 Limited Edition
2011/01/26 ***648 Vol. 1 Limited Edition
2011/02/23 **,*** Vol. 2 Limited Edition
2011/04/06 ***381 Vol. 3 Limited Edition
2011/04/27 **,*** Vol. 4 Limited Edition
2011/04/27 ***339 Vol. 4 Limited Edition
2011/05/25 **,*** Vol. 5 Limited Edition

It's a title that both VIZ and FUNimation passed over.