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NEWS: Media Blasters Adds Queen's Blade, Ikkitousen Great Guardians

TsukasaElkKite wrote:

Oh my...considering how...mature Queen's blade is, I'm surprised it got licensed at all.

It's because of the content, I expected it to be licensed sooner or later, and this is right up at Media Blasters' alley!

I wondered about that myself, because of the dub. But I assume they have access to actual sales numbers for the first season of IT, which itself got multiple releases. That would indicate that the title was profitable. Also, interest remains high in the U.S. for the franchise. Newer, better DVD-sub versions are still coming out for Guardians, and several generations of DD came out. I imagine that anyone who liked and bought the first season will buy the remaining ones as well.

Not that I'm trying to make this personally but I don't think any of us are in a position to decide whether or not their decision is bad on the basis of good business practice.

Not really sure what you mean by "fans of other better shows" unless of course your using your opinion as a standard and think company should dub anime you want them to.

Also while sexual content is the main attraction and recurring theme in both of these anime series, labeling as such is baseless. Take it from someone who's actually watched...

Do something constructive other then bitching mindlessly about how every company doesn't just do everything the way you think they should and that they should all burn because they don't. That just shows your own stupidity and ignorance.

In fact, I could sort of see how these shows might be very reliable sellers with the hardcore otaku crowd just like they are in Japan (but obviously to a lesser extent because that group is much smaller here). It's the dub that really seems questionable. I've seen the numbers posted by Justin and other reputable sources. A dub has to massively increase sales to be viable. I really have to question whether the people who wouldn't have bought this because it lacked a dub in the case of a really niche, otaku oriented show like this justify it.

Except that QB and IT aren't "niche, otaku-oriented" shows. Because of all the nudity and sexy character renditions, they have far greater draw potential beyond diehard otaku crowds than fare like, say, any adaptation of a Key/Visual Art's production. That's a critical thing to appreciate here or this decision would, admittedly, make no sense.

And I don't see why dubs for this are so questionable. After all, most hentai titles officially released in North America still get dubbed, probably because viewers don't want to have their sex and nudity distracted from by having to read subtitles. (Personally, hentai is the one genre I specifically prefer subbed because the dubs are usually so bad, but that's beside the point.)

...In either case though, isn't that potential practically zero? In the market that would be turned off by the lack of a dub?

If more anime fans spoke with their wallets and bought less of shows like QB, maybe the industry would try a new tactic and start releasing more quality material. I do somewhat blame the industry, but I also lay a lot of the blame of the failing of the industry on the fans.

If more anime fans spoke with their wallets and bought less of shows like QB, maybe the industry would try a new tactic and start releasing more quality material. I do somewhat blame the industry, but I also lay a lot of the blame of the failing of the industry on the fans.

ikillchicken wrote:

...In either case though, isn't that potential practically zero? In the market that would be turned off by the lack of a dub?

I just think you are overestimating the tastes of the market, me being a member of it . Yes, I do own and like lots of what you would consider quality shows, but I also own IT.

You consider it nothing more than a dumb ecchi T&A show, but I personally enjoyed the comedy and the action overall along with the ecchi, especially the first two seasons. Panties and nudity alone aren't sufficiently entertaining to me, but they don't hurt either. IT will come up far more often for re-watch than a lot of other more mediocre but "clean" titles when I just want to be non-analytically entertained (e.g., Stellvia, Moonphase, Utawarewhatever). That's just my tastes. And again, based on gauging the market from continued online interest, I have a lot of comrades out there.

The first season sold enough to warrant investing in the second and third (vs. Shana, Higurashi and other better Geneon rescues, apparently). The first season was dubbed, dubs sell more copies, and since the subsequent seasons were as good or nearly as the first, it's likely they will also sell well. Assuming the market has driven down license fees (Funi passed on these), and they save money on production, and that nearly everyone who bought the first season will buy the others, then sounds like a winner to me.

QB? Rinse and repeat.

Those seasons can't be released yet due to the Geneon Japan merger,IIRC.

And I don't see why dubs for this are so questionable. After all, most hentai titles officially released in North America still get dubbed, probably because viewers don't want to have their sex and nudity distracted from by having to read subtitles.