×
  • remind me tomorrow
  • remind me next week
  • never remind me
Subscribe to the ANN Newsletter • Wake up every Sunday to a curated list of ANN's most interesting posts of the week. read more

Forum - View topic
NEWS: Retailer: Media Blasters Cancels 1st BD Volume of Bakuman


Goto page Previous  1, 2, 3, 4, 5  Next

Note: this is the discussion thread for this article

Anime News Network Forum Index -> Site-related -> Talkback
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
Kakugo



Joined: 29 Nov 2007
Posts: 163
PostPosted: Sat Jun 16, 2012 3:52 pm Reply with quote
Otaku_X wrote:
This is a bad sign. Media Blasters is the only US anime company I still care about at all. Not just for anime, they also own Shriek Show, Tokyo Shock, and Kitty. Plus, they released a few things sub-only at a lower price, so I didn't have to pay extra for stuff I don't use.


Shriek Show hasn't released anything new in about a year. They've quietly delayed Emanuelle and the Last Cannibals and After Death into oblivion, so I wouldn't expect any new Euro-Horror titles out of MB. I'd feel worse about that if, y'know... all of their Shriek Show BDs hadn't been kind of terrible. Sad

Legend of the Overfiend might be the worst BD Media Blasters released (after their upscaled Ichi the Killer release, of course). The fact that they supposedly have the negatives for KITE is encouraging, but hell, who knows if they'll last long enough to even get that out the door?


thelastgogeta wrote:
I managed to catch Sinterniklaas at a convention last month and he suggested that the issue was in payment to the voice actors and that the Second Issue was recorded but resources were being held till payment was given.


Wouldn't be the first time MB's had to cancel something because they're too cheap to pay for work they've requested:

Stuart Galbraith IV created several bonus features for their Godzilla releases last year and had his payments delayed several times until he threatened legal action (having already given up the materials themselves, but not signed off on their use). The story's available on his blog here, for those who don't yet know it... they managed to piss off Toho long before they raised Galbraith's ire, though, so MB is just making friends left and right these days. Shocked

MB has survived all sorts of bad press, bad ideas and bad sellers up until now, so I've learned not to count them out until Sirabella himself says everything is off... but the company has been heading for a major crash for years now, and on a lot of levels, and yes, they've done most of it to themselves. (Sirabella saying that they were "Sabotaged" by a competitor at TAF sure can't help, but hey, if they lapsed on their incorporation filings that's not anyone else's problem.)

If this is the death knell we've all been waiting to hear, I'll shrug and be satisfied that at least, a decade later, my complicated and damning relationship with them as a customer are finally over.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Anime_Otaku35



Joined: 01 Sep 2010
Posts: 74
Location: USA
PostPosted: Sat Jun 16, 2012 3:56 pm Reply with quote
Well, this sucks. I already sold my DVD set for the upgrade.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Mr. sickVisionz



Joined: 28 Oct 2007
Posts: 2171
PostPosted: Sat Jun 16, 2012 5:46 pm Reply with quote
People still expecting anything from Media Blasters remind me of Jim Carrey in Dumb & Dumber when he was like, "you mean I still have a shot!!" when a woman told him there was a 1:1,000,000,000 chance of them dating.

That one in a billion means that you should call it a wrap, not that you should be sitting on pins and needles, anxiously awaiting the announcement.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
WTK



Joined: 28 Jun 2006
Posts: 4036
PostPosted: Sat Jun 16, 2012 6:40 pm Reply with quote
EmperorBrandon wrote:
GATSU wrote:
Moonie: I'm hoping they'll still make it with FY, as they sound really serious in getting it released.

Well, it does look like they have managed to ship Fushigi Yuugi (the first season boxset at least), if what's reported in this post is correct.

It's shipping out. It's in-stock @ Allegro and available for purchase via storefront on Half.com. The problem is that the turnaround time from Allegro to various retailers may vary (as some may get it sooner than others). And from the looks of it, this is one of the few June MB anime releases that will be available at select Best Buy stores.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
WTK



Joined: 28 Jun 2006
Posts: 4036
PostPosted: Sat Jun 16, 2012 6:45 pm Reply with quote
Kakugo wrote:
Wouldn't be the first time MB's had to cancel something because they're too cheap to pay for work they've requested:

Stuart Galbraith IV created several bonus features for their Godzilla releases last year and had his payments delayed several times until he threatened legal action (having already given up the materials themselves, but not signed off on their use). The story's available on his blog here, for those who don't yet know it... they managed to piss off Toho long before they raised Galbraith's ire, though, so MB is just making friends left and right these days.

These two BD release were de-listed @ TRSI on the same day as Bakuman S1P1 BD. I guess they could get approval from Toho after all.

- Destroy All Monsters Blu-ray (Hyb) LiveAction
- Godzilla vs. Megalon Blu-ray (Hyb) LiveAction
Quote:
via MB Facebook page (11/22/2011)
Quote:
UPDATE: GvM, Just so everyone knows the masters are sitting for DVD and Blu Ray but at this point the can not ship as we are waiting for Toho approvals. Given this we can not make street date. We will update all once Toho gives us approval or further changes.

Everything is held up on Toho approval.

via MB Facebook page (12/3/2011)
Quote:
Updates are not always fun but need to get done. We are still waiting on Toho approvals. As we get more info I will update you all.

Sorry guys but Toho still has not approved and they are upset about DAM also. In our effort to pack this with lots of extras that folks requested Toho is now making us hold on re-orders of DAM and MvG release. We are now trying to come to a settlement with Toho.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
GATSU



Joined: 03 Jan 2002
Posts: 15279
PostPosted: Sat Jun 16, 2012 10:16 pm Reply with quote
WTK:
Quote:
It's shipping out. It's in-stock @ Allegro and available for purchase via storefront on Half.com.


You sure? Wal-Mart has a 7/3 date, now.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message AIM Address
Tuor_of_Gondolin



Joined: 20 Apr 2009
Posts: 3524
Location: Bellevue, WA
PostPosted: Sun Jun 17, 2012 12:17 am Reply with quote
Well, I checked Right Stuf to make sure I didn't have any unfinished series by Media Blasters. As far as I could tell, I have everthing from them that I intend to get (unless something new comes down the line). However, if it means that Kitty is going down, too... uh, well, I guess maybe I should see if there's anything in Kitty's catelog that I still need to get. Razz
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail My Anime My Manga
DTJB



Joined: 20 Jan 2010
Posts: 671
Location: Dubuque, IA
PostPosted: Sun Jun 17, 2012 12:51 am Reply with quote
Dang, and here I thought they were doing pretty good with their resurrection.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website
WTK



Joined: 28 Jun 2006
Posts: 4036
PostPosted: Sun Jun 17, 2012 9:30 pm Reply with quote
GATSU wrote:
WTK:
Quote:
It's shipping out. It's in-stock @ Allegro and available for purchase via storefront on Half.com.


You sure? Wal-Mart has a 7/3 date, now.

The Fushigi Yugi S1 release can be found if you search for the name or UPC (631595120974) on Half.com. It's definitely listed.

A couple things to keep in mind...Allegro is MB's distributor. Allegro's storefront @ Half.com is pretty much the first to sell the various MB's anime releases (not Kitty Media). The second in some cases could be MB's booths at various conventions. The third used to be RightStuf.com, but that's no longer the case. The last couple MB anime releases, Amazon.com and RACS has gotten the products before TRSI. This current distribution is still as weird as last year (same thing can be said for replenishment).

As for the release date, I go with Allegro's (it's pretty the same one used by TRSI and RACS). Amazon.com and Walmart.com (more often than not) use dates that they will likely receive the physical products.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
walw6pK4Alo



Joined: 12 Mar 2008
Posts: 9322
PostPosted: Sun Jun 17, 2012 10:05 pm Reply with quote
Tuor_of_Gondolin wrote:
However, if it means that Kitty is going down, too... uh, well, I guess maybe I should see if there's anything in Kitty's catelog that I still need to get. Razz


I wonder if those titles will go for bargain bin prices now, or if by some miracle it means they're "rare collector's items". I doubt that, but I also don't think the prices will become more favorable. Guess that's the death of uncensored materials unless you're German, Japan's never going to change that ancient law.

I'm sad MB is closing. Like ADV, they licensed a ton of items the likes of Bandai or FUNi would never touch, including some really good items like Takahashi's Phoenix anime.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
dragonrider_cody



Joined: 14 Jun 2008
Posts: 2541
PostPosted: Sun Jun 17, 2012 10:25 pm Reply with quote
walw6pK4Alo wrote:
Tuor_of_Gondolin wrote:
However, if it means that Kitty is going down, too... uh, well, I guess maybe I should see if there's anything in Kitty's catelog that I still need to get. Razz


I wonder if those titles will go for bargain bin prices now, or if by some miracle it means they're "rare collector's items". I doubt that, but I also don't think the prices will become more favorable. Guess that's the death of uncensored materials unless you're German, Japan's never going to change that ancient law.

I'm sad MB is closing. Like ADV, they licensed a ton of items the likes of Bandai or FUNi would never touch, including some really good items like Takahashi's Phoenix anime.


Saying MB licensed a "ton" of anything, is a bit of an exaggeration. They've only been licensing a hand full of titles each year for many years now. They may have picked up a lot of smaller titles, but they were also one of the first to go to sub-only releases for them. They've never been a major player in R1, even when they had some bigger hits.

Also, I think people are writing the obituary a little too quickly. They are getting some stuff out, albeit slowly. It seems to me more like that they have cut back to the point, only five staff members, that they can only focus on one or two releases at a time. They are probably having a shortage in cash flow at the moment, but that doesn't mean they are going anywhere right now.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
walw6pK4Alo



Joined: 12 Mar 2008
Posts: 9322
PostPosted: Sun Jun 17, 2012 10:32 pm Reply with quote
dragonrider_cody wrote:
Saying MB licensed a "ton" of anything, is a bit of an exaggeration. They've only been licensing a hand full of titles each year for many years now. They may have picked up a lot of smaller titles, but they were also one of the first to go to sub-only releases for them. They've never been a major player in R1, even when they had some bigger hits.

Also, I think people are writing the obituary a little too quickly. They are getting some stuff out, albeit slowly. It seems to me more like that they have cut back to the point, only five staff members, that they can only focus on one or two releases at a time. They are probably having a shortage in cash flow at the moment, but that doesn't mean they are going anywhere right now.


They grabbed a lot of what I like, and that's something FUNi absolutely does not do. Dragonball materials are some of their oldest holdings, yes? I do place value on companies that keep the old anime flowing, so I enjoy when Rightstuf and Discotek do that. ADV did that and so did MB. With the closings and stoppages of other anime companies, of course people are going to think they're going down for good, it's not exactly wrong of them to jump to that conclusion when it's become an economic reality and seen daily across the nation. At least when we hear Best Buy is having issues, we know that they have hundreds of locations and more assets to shuffle around, something MB doesn't have the luxury of possessing.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
dragonrider_cody



Joined: 14 Jun 2008
Posts: 2541
PostPosted: Sun Jun 17, 2012 10:39 pm Reply with quote
walw6pK4Alo wrote:
dragonrider_cody wrote:
Saying MB licensed a "ton" of anything, is a bit of an exaggeration. They've only been licensing a hand full of titles each year for many years now. They may have picked up a lot of smaller titles, but they were also one of the first to go to sub-only releases for them. They've never been a major player in R1, even when they had some bigger hits.

Also, I think people are writing the obituary a little too quickly. They are getting some stuff out, albeit slowly. It seems to me more like that they have cut back to the point, only five staff members, that they can only focus on one or two releases at a time. They are probably having a shortage in cash flow at the moment, but that doesn't mean they are going anywhere right now.


They grabbed a lot of what I like, and that's something FUNi absolutely does not do. Dragonball materials are some of their oldest holdings, yes? I do place value on companies that keep the old anime flowing, so I enjoy when Rightstuf and Discotek do that. ADV did that and so did MB. With the closings and stoppages of other anime companies, of course people are going to think they're going down for good, it's not exactly wrong of them to jump to that conclusion when it's become an economic reality and seen daily across the nation. At least when we hear Best Buy is having issues, we know that they have hundreds of locations and more assets to shuffle around, something MB doesn't have the luxury of possessing.


There is a difference between being worried they will close down and saying "they are closing down." People have been saying this about Media Blasters for at least three years now, but yet they are still here. They are still releasing shows. They are definitely having problems, but companies have been in much worse places than MB and have made a comeback.

They may have grabbed a lot of titles that you like, but they have never approached the type of licensing levels that we've seen from ADV, Sentai, Funimation, and Geneon. Their total number of licenses the past several years has been much lower than the other companies out there. My statement had nothing to do with personal taste or the quality of the titles they licensed.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
V1046-R



Joined: 02 Dec 2011
Posts: 172
PostPosted: Mon Jun 18, 2012 2:23 pm Reply with quote
At this point this company feels like a fake. Putting out fake release dates to make people think they are still in the business, but then cancelling them as the date draws near. I've seen it over & over again with a few things I preordered, and I would no longer pre-order anything with their name associated with it. The boy cried wolf too many times.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
marie1901



Joined: 31 May 2009
Posts: 24
Location: U.S
PostPosted: Tue Jun 19, 2012 7:14 am Reply with quote
PurpleWarrior13 wrote:
PREDICTION: Sentai will license Bakuman (whether it be Season 2, or a rescued Season 1), and they'll release it with NYAV returning to reprise it's dubbing duties. It might be wishful thinking, but I can't imagine this show NOT being licensed. If Sentai could do it for K-ON!! and Queen's Blade, they could do it for Bakuman dammit!


Hopefully they will, I was so looking forward to watching the second half of Bakuman. Damn MB
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message My Anime My Manga
Display posts from previous:   
Reply to topic    Anime News Network Forum Index -> Site-related -> Talkback All times are GMT - 5 Hours
Goto page Previous  1, 2, 3, 4, 5  Next
Page 4 of 5

 


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group