Media Blasters licenses Blade of the Immortal

[LordGeo]

Media Blasters, in its usual solicitationary way, has "announced" that it has licensed Bee Train's anime adaptation of Blade of the Immortal. Here's the listing from the solicitation topic:

Blade of the Immortal, Vol.1 - 125 minutes - $29.99 - 9/29/09

Granted, the anime is notorious for being lackluster at best for being accurate to the manga but being animated by Bee Train, but this is based on a very popular manga, so I'm sure that this is the "big title of 2009" that Johhn Sirabella alluded to a couple of months back.

Going off of the MSRP, $30 for 5 episodes, this is most likely going to be dubbed and will be a 3-DVD release, using a 5-4-4 episode count due to it being 13-episodes.

[something]

Yikes, I couldn't get past episode 2. This does seem like the sort of thing that might sell decently on impulse/casual buys and manga fans, but MB would need to advertise it a little and get it in Best Buy and the like. It's probably not going to sell very well to people who already know much about it.

I could see this being an easy success in Funimation's hands, but I have to wonder if MB has the resources to push it like they'd need to. Especially since it'll end up costing 50% more than your typical $60/cour Funi boxset.

[russ869]

Yeah, I didn't get past episode 2 either. I completely agree that I would be a lot more likely to buy this title if I knew nothing about it and just saw it on the self. But, it could still bring some good sales from fans. I mean, it looks like BeeTrain's Tsubasa Chronicle is selling alright, and that's not really any better than this is.

[jsirabella]

Originally Posted by something

I could see this being an easy success in Funimation's hands, but I have to wonder if MB has the resources to push it like they'd need to. Especially since it'll end up costing 50% more than your typical $60/cour Funi boxset.

So you think it is a terrible show but it would do well with Funi just as long as it is not us...o...k...hmmm

But in anycase I think we will do just fine with it...yes just fine.

As far as the big title, yes BOI is big but honestly Huntik will be a bit better...yeah just a bit...lol

[something]

Originally Posted by jsirabella

So you think it is a terrible show but it would do well with Funi just as long as it is not us...o...k...hmmm

I'm sure you understand well, being in the industry so long as you have, that quality and sales are two different things. Whether or not I personally like the show has no correlation to how well it'll sell. So that's irrelevant. It's unarguable that the reaction to the show from fandom thus far has been tepid at best, though, and that is relevant, though not by any stretch the whole story.

You're also totally putting words into my mouth.

What I clearly said is that I'd bet this show is going to need to be sold to the mainstream (or what passes for it in anime) because it's rather unlikely to sell based purely on word of mouth and reviews. And yes, I think a big company with big marketing resources (and a better release model - $30 singles? Ick.) like Funi would have an easier time pushing this show than MB will.

Nowhere did I say "as long as it's not MB!", nor did I say it was guaranteed to fail if you released it. If you guys are willing and able to really push it to the blood'n'guts casual fan and fans of the manga, then sure it could do well. Assuming the drop-off rate after Vol. 1 isn't too terrible.

[jsirabella]

Originally Posted by something

And yes, I think a big company with big marketing resources (and a better release model - $30 singles? Ick.) like Funi would have an easier time pushing this show than MB will.

Understood...

-js

[WTK]

I will probably pass on this for the time being. More licenses is always good in my book whether I get them or not.

[curr]

Good for MB! I'm in wait and see on this title. I'm big fan of the manga so I might pick this up.

[Andre]

Originally Posted by jsirabella

Understood...

-js

If it's any consolation, I'm quite excited. This is a great pick up I'm kind of glad some series still get singles, since it works into my budget easier.

PS- I hope Huntik does well. What I've seen of it looks quite good.... we've gotten lots of European animation in Canada, and a lot of it gets overlooked. Between that and another Voltron release, it sounds like MB'll be having 3 big titles for Sept.

[Mazinkaizer]

I am really suprised that the news of the license is not being welcomed as i was expecting ! At least as far as the fans of the manga/anime are concerned.

Being a die hard fan of the manga, which i have been following for 10 years now i am glad that the anime is getting an R1 release and from the same company that brought many of my faovrite titles before especially: Berserk,and Rurouni Kenshin.

Perhaps i will be the only one to say that but thank you MB (especially John) for licensing the show, which i have been wanting to own along my manga collection. At least finally a license beside some of the typical R1 license recently from others.

Now i hope that with the R1 release, the show will do well to inspire Bee Train/MB to co-produce a 2nd season and so