Comic-Con International: San D - Bandai Report

By Andrew Tei     July 24, 2004

Bandai's panel was led by Jerry Chu, marketing mangaer, and Robert
Napton, who Jerry didn't introduce. Jerry started off with a trailer
reel



featuring Dear Boys, OVerman King Gainer, Digi Charat Nyo, PLease
Twins, Dan Doh, Scrapped Princess.



The big news at Bandai is the new launch of a manga division, but the
ink isn't dry on any contracts yet so  Robert Napton, who's
heading up the



new division, couldn't announce any titles. The primary license
location will be from Japan, but also producing their own creations.
Acquisitions



will be based on quality, not quantity. For the format, 5x7.5 size,
which is the size retail and consumers have settled on. There will be
color



pages and color dust jackets. March 2005 is the tentative release for
the first title. For the sound effects, they will not be retouched, and
the



plan is a glossary in the back. No subtitles on the page, since Roger
believes subtitling would be retouching the art. THe pricepoint hasn't
been



finally decided yet, but it would be a $9.99 - $10.99 range. When they
get an anime property though, they will try very hard to get the



corresponding manga. They will doing Film comics also, and consider
Artbooks a possbility.



Galaxy Angel Zeta will be coming out in September.  Jerry then
promised Zeta Gundam would released before the end of the year. The
release will



be extremely limited. All retailers will get any quantities though that
they prebook.



F91 will be shown at Otakon. Between August and September, F91 will be
shown in 6-7 markets across the country.



One of Bandai's new products is DICE, which will be introduced to North
America in early 2005. A broadcaster is still being selected. Toys and



video games are also in the pipe. This is Bandai's Entertainment first
time they are putting the money to create a show. Xebec will be doing
the



animation.



For the toy division, lots of SEED and Superior Defender toys will be
coming out. Astroboy and Teen Titans are also in their toyline. Video



We then had open Q&A. I'll probably just put down some selected
answers. There are no plans for Gundam boxsets for any of the other
series. When



asked about sports manga, Jerry made a comment that there might be name
changes in Dear Boys, and a possible reversible cover for the DVD due
to



a title change to make it more masculine. Scrapped Princess is
currently in production, and should be out in 2005. There are currently
no plans for any 1/60 Gundam, meaning both Perfect Grade and the Big
Grade model, like the Strike Gundam with all 3 packs.