FUNimation Entertainment goes Blu-ray exclusive!!!

[Palanthian]

Was just reading an article at IGN where FUNimation says they've decided to back Blu-Ray.

http://dvd.ign.com/articles/804/804901p1.html

First anime company I've seen say they're 100% going blu-ray. They haven't said when the first release will be, but they did say they think it'll be later this year.

[u_nick]

GREAT news!!!

FMA!

And maybe this will have something to do with the Love Hina license rescue! (I know Love Hina isnt really a perfect hidef show, but I certainly wouldnt mind a release).

Oh man oh man, the thought of hidef FMA has me drooling so much, I cant even think of other stuff they recently licensed.

[reiella]

Hmm, good news. Hope to actually see titles though.

Hoping for Philips to push out some Tenchi on bd myself. Now, I doubt the anime market will experience the same widescale adoption as it did with DVDs.

I can understand Geneon's wait and see approach.

Bandai's approach, well, I have no idea why. Especially as the format war is slanted alot more in bd's favor in japan than in the US, and just adding to authoring costs needlessly, but *shrug* there ya go.

[ Add / Edit ]
Yep, I said the wrong company, Philips.
Gah Pioneer. Pioneer.

[Frode]

Ohh thank you. Spreading the word now .

[u_nick]

Funimation titles I would rebuy:

Because they are longtime favorites:
- Love Hina
- Fruits Basket

Because I think they would look amazing:
- Samurai 7
- Moon Phase
- Full Metal Alchemist (never did get all the DVDs on this one)



Funimation titles I would buy new:

Titles they licensed but havent had any releases of yet:
- Darker than Black
- BECK
- Negima?!
- School Rumble
- Shuffle!

Titles I would buy new that I've held off on buying SD versions:
- Basilisk



I think I may have to forward this mail over to Funimation, to get some ideas in theri head.

[slee915]

Originally Posted by u_nick

Funimation titles I would rebuy:

Because they are longtime favorites:
- Love Hina

I thought Bandai entertainment owns the rights to Love Hina ?

Since Funimation license animes from Japan, would it be possible for a title to come out in US before its Blu-ray version is even available in Japan ?

[DaveFi]

Oh damn! I just bought all of Samurai 7 on DVD too.

[BluFox]

http://uk.dvd.ign.com/articles/804/804901p1.html


The folks at FUNimation Entertainment are far more forthcoming than some of their competitors when it comes to their plans for high-def. For starters, they have acknowledged to IGN that they have in fact chosen to go with the Blu-ray format when they do start releasing titles.

"At this point, we are in the Blu-ray camp. We started researching this about a year-and-a-half ago, actually," explains Ward Thomas, Senior VP of Sales and Operations at FUNimation. "We feel that the fanbase and our customers are very much trailblazers on the technology side, so it's something we wanted to get involved in right away. We really felt that the introduction of the PlayStation 3 last year was kind of a foray for our customers and fans to at least get into the next-gen platforms."

Blockbuster Video's recent announcement that it's siding with the Blu-ray format certainly won't hurt FUNimation's plans either."We do a nice business with Blockbuster," says Thomas. "I'll be honest with you. From a retail perspective, Blockbuster is probably pretty much the only place we do a retail business with right now. From an online perspective, obviously we're in business with Netflix and we have a wonderful business with them as well. Most of our rental business is with Blockbuster. Their announcement was just kind of gravy for us since that was the direction we were headed anyway."

Thomas says that the decision did not come lightly to choose Blu-ray over HD DVD. But after much research and exploring of both formats, FUNimation found that the interactive aspects of Blu-ray were much more appealing.

"Some of the demonstrations that we've seen, and just in talking to the different people [developing the format], the long-term interactive scope of Blu-ray just seems to be so much more endearing to at least the fans of the FUNimation content. I just think long-term what we're going to be able to do on a Blu-ray disc from the interactive programming perspective is really intriguing and it opens up a lot of new windows for us. So it was really the direction we wanted to head."

[u_nick]

Originally Posted by slee915

I thought Bandai entertainment owns the rights to Love Hina ?

Bandai let the license drop, and Funimation announced that they "License Rescued" it just a week or two ago at the AnimeExpo convention.

I was wondering why they would re-license and older series, but couldnt get an answer from Funimation. Now I'm hoping this is part of the reason...

[calgarymarc]

WOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!
'Nuff said!
WOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

[WickyWoo]

[quote]Bandai's approach, well, I have no idea why. Especially as the format war is slanted alot more in bd's favor in japan than in the US, and just adding to authoring costs needlessly, but *shrug* there ya go.
[/quote[

Bandai in Japan signed on with HD, and only added BR later. They still have a contract to fufill.

Their HD DVD titles are only available mail order in Japan, they saw the way the wind is blowing (96% blu there) and pretty much are trying to cut their losses.

Because they are longtime favorites:
- Love Hina
- Fruits Basket

Because I think they would look amazing:
- Samurai 7
- Moon Phase
- Full Metal Alchemist (never did get all the DVDs on this one)

Too bad none of those are acutally HD produced. Widescreen yes, HD no, and no, they're not going to do a "series on a disc".

I was wondering why they would re-license and older series, but couldnt get an answer from Funimation. Now I'm hoping this is part of the reason...

Because they probably got it at a bargain price from the licensor who would rather see it go for less than it not be out at all.

Bandai Ent seems to be winding down operations in the US, and getting replaced by Bandai Visual targeting the anime enthusiast that actually buys their DVDs.

[reiella]

Originally Posted by WickyWoo

Bandai in Japan signed on with HD, and only added BR later. They still have a contract to fufill.

Their HD DVD titles are only available mail order in Japan, they saw the way the wind is blowing (96% blu there) and pretty much are trying to cut their losses.

Exactly, just confused as to why they went the route of hd-dvd stateside, given how the wind blows back in Jp... Oh well.

[zombieking]

So what movies are they responsible for? All I know is if its not Universal it eventually will be BLU

[Vegeta9991]

Funimation has a huge Library I just hope that the cost isn't insane. But I'll pay it like anyother true anime fan would lol. Bring on the ANIME!!!

[Vegeta9991]

ANIME FOR LIFE! Fan since I was 7 years old. 14 Years and counting. Can't wait to see it in Full HD!

[kknight]

great news, can't wait to get my hands on the first anime on Blu-ray!!

[NuSoardGraphite]

Originally Posted by zombieking

So what movies are they responsible for? All I know is if its not Universal it eventually will be BLU

Assloads of anime. Their biggest franchise being the english distribution rights for the Dragon Ball Z saga...

[GasCat]

I have never heard of them but now I have. Announcing you are pro-Blu is a great way to get your name out there.

Thanks FUNimation!

[Dave]

Lets kick some hd dud butt

[WickyWoo]

Exactly, just confused as to why they went the route of hd-dvd stateside, given how the wind blows back in Jp... Oh well.

They'll probably outsell Japan on HD DVD here 50-1. Like I said, Japan is 96% Blu and they aren't even offering those discs at retail there. Gotta make that money back somehow

Bandai Visual is very much operating on the "one disc for the world" concept. They want to ship the same disc, at a similar price in as many countries as possible(yes it's expensive, Japan's In terms of buying power 5800yen is the same as $29.95, blame Ronald Reagan for encouraging them to revalue the yen halving the exchange rates from 220+ to under 100 back in the 80s, that's averaged around 120 since)