Forum - View topicINTEREST: Funimation President Talks Netflix's Evangelion Acquisition: 'We'd Do Better at Brand-Mana
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Punch Drunk Marc
Posts: 1742 |
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Many people explained that they tried but Anno/Khara either wanted too much, or weren't going to hand out the license until the Rebuilds finished. |
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Kicksville
 Posts: 1175 |
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Price. It has long been implied that a lot was being asked for to license to TV series, which is very likely the only reason nobody got it all these years. Fukunaga's comments here, regarding Netflix paying regardless of return on investment, seem to indicate that as well. And as the comment that beat me to it above indicated, the Rebuild movies were still brand new at the time too.
Going and bagging one of the biggest titles everyone wanted for whatever possibly ludicrous price was being asked is a pretty big deal. I do agree it remains to be seen just how much of an ongoing force they're going to be for anime in general, though - there are the ones they funded, but they're not all Devilman Crybaby, so I suppose we'll see how long they keep that up.. About their other existing titles, I'm not sure if any of us know whether anime does better on Netflix since they don't share numbers - regardless of how annoying it is for fans like us to not get simulcasts. Last edited by Kicksville on Wed Dec 12, 2018 7:22 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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bluesheep02
Posts: 78 Location: Tokyo, Japan |
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As someone whose clients are both Netflix Japan and Hulu Japan, I can say with some authority that you guys are all forgetting a MAJOR point about Japanese distribution
Evangelion is one of the biggest titles WORLDWIDE, including here in Japan. All of the Netflix licensed titles are available nationwide in Japan, and I’m sure a part of that was considered in the licensing agreements. Eva used to be on Amazon prime video for about two years before the blu-Ray re-release. Funimation does not have the same international market capabilities, and Hulu Japan has an entirely separate owning company in Japan than in the states. It was bought out by a Japanese broadcaster about two years ago (both Netflix and Hulu Japan are my clients). Hulu Japan uses the name Hulu for branding purposes only, but is run as an entirely separate organization with different content from the states. Unlike Netflix, Hulu Japan requires a separate account even if you have Hulu US as they are an entirely different entity. Yes, Eva might get better branding in the STATES, but this isn’t a US property. Netflix Japan is huge alone and that ability to distribute the property locally was definitely a major factor. Not everything revolves around the North American market. Last edited by bluesheep02 on Wed Dec 12, 2018 7:51 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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Stiles
 Posts: 105 |
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I'll never forgive Netflix for stealing the second season of Saiki K.
Seeing them get their greedy incompetent hands on yet another gem is disheartening, but not surprising. That said, it's a little strange that they're snatching up property after property with that massive debt. Hopefully they'll fall apart sooner rather than later. |
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Animegunclub
 Posts: 127 Location: AyeTeeEl, Jawhjah |
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Also, where in the world did this sentiment that Funimation cannot afford Evangelion come from?
They just got bought by daddybigbux Sony, and presumably sold some high profile content over to Hulu. I'm pretty sure that if they tried hard enough they could have bought the license for Evangelion. I think it was just too high of a high risk acquisition for them (two decades old, already published with multiple releases and copies floating around in the used market, expensive, and would require some effort/money in remastering). And that's fine. They need to focus on other pursuits like bolstering back their simulcast licenses. |
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Kicksville
Posts: 1175 |
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Well...from them.
It sure sounds like they wanted it and couldn't afford it. The Sony acquisition was indeed not too long ago, and I don't doubt maybe they would've been able to get it with more time, but Netflix beat them to it. Or something like that. |
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GeorgeC
Posts: 795 |
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Can you all just grow up a bit and stop acting like kids over corporate decisions? There is this thing called LICENSING and they have to do it region by region which requires <GASP> paying more money! Funimation is still primarily an American company so they are concerned with the US territories first just like Madman does their thing in Australia and they have other companies that handle Europe. That's exactly how the anime companies in Japan WANT the situation to be. They don't want one company getting worldwide rights for distribution on anything which is they negotiate with multiple companies. If they can help it, they WaNT the home video releases overseas to happen far after the Japanese domestic video releases because they don't want the Japanese fans importing cheaper licensed versions of those shows, either! Netflix outbid Funimation and overpaid for Eva, PERIOD... That happened in the past, too, which is why the rights were split between ADV (TV series) and the compilation films (Manga Video). Funi's right -- Netflix is gonna fudge up the franchise but good. Netflix doesn't care about merchandising and home video sales. They're solely streaming. It's taking an additional year or two longer already for Netflix-licensed anime shows to pop up on home video if they even DO get disc releases. I think the owners of Eva already waited TOO LONG to let it relaunch in the West. We should have had those discs a few years back, soon after the 20th anniversary in Japan, NOT on the 25th anniversary as it looks like the case will be before they DO reissue the series on Blu ray. And this nonsense of redubbing the series shouldn't be happening, either. If anybody's heady, it's Netflix, and they're about to encounter far more competition on many levels than just anime. |
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Animegunclub
Posts: 127 Location: AyeTeeEl, Jawhjah |
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I'd agree with that, maybe. Only thing is I don't think Netflix overbid with no consideration of ROI just to nab the streaming license from US streamers. I imagine Netflix Japan has a lot to do with the equation, and putting it on their site will probably be a substantial return investment from the Japanese market alone... not to mention other markets. I personally don't think the level of saltyness from Funimation right now would be this palpable if Netflix US hadn't actually generated proper brand interest in a series they thought they'd be able to get for much cheaper. Because really, (if you ask me personally) Netflix actually is brand managing Eva better than Funi has brand managed anything recent over here. I read a previous comment on here somewhere that Crunchyroll has been doing most of the legwork in making your Hero Academias and Attack on Titans popular over here more so than Funimation has now-a-days. I'd actually agree with that. Last edited by Animegunclub on Wed Dec 12, 2018 8:03 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Yuki_Kun45
Exempt from Grammar Rules
 Posts: 725 Location: U.S.A. |
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Subs can't be turned off on Blurays is usually a demand from the Japanese publishers to disuade reverse importation. Aniplex does this with their Blurays too last I checked. Pony Canyon might, I'm really not sure. |
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Punch Drunk Marc
Posts: 1742 |
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Sounds like you're hating tbh. How haven't they been brand managing properly when they've been pimping Dragon Ball for 20 Years? You also can't get them to shut up about MHA or One Piece. |
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Hagaren Viper
 Posts: 766 |
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I've heard about this but haven't actually seen what the deal was with their redub, what happened that they needed to redub it? |
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penguintruth
 Posts: 8461 Location: Penguinopolis |
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Because it's spending too much money or because it doesn't need it because the old dub was good? I can understand the former reason, but the latter... well, lol tastes, I guess. I'm happy for a new dub, so long as it keeps away the worst of the VAs in the original one (Spencer and Grant). You know, it actually doesn't matter whatsoever if Fukunaga is making a good point. Other companies have outbid Funimation for anime and probably paid too much for those, too. He's commenting on this license because he's obviously, transparently butthurt over losing. It reeks of unprofessionalism that he would make this public. Last edited by penguintruth on Wed Dec 12, 2018 8:32 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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Animegunclub
Posts: 127 Location: AyeTeeEl, Jawhjah |
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Last several conventions I've been to (Otakon, AnimeNYC, AWA, and ACEN), Crunchyroll has marketed MHA and a litany of other series way heavier than Funimation did. Free swag, consumer interaction, and polling. They're probably deadnut even on product visibility. This is not me hating, this is me stating an opinion on who's been out here more, managing the product rather than just putting it on a table with a pricetag on it. There's also the pure fact that Netflix has a way larger marketing reach than Funimation has. I never said that Funimation isn't doing it properly, I'm just saying Netflix is suddenly doing it better, and reaching way more than just convention goers and people who scour ANN for anime news. Last edited by Animegunclub on Wed Dec 12, 2018 8:54 pm; edited 2 times in total |
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Ermat_46
Posts: 726 Location: Philippines |
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He's talking about branding in Latin America. FUNi's been promoting their properties in America, not so much outside it. Tbf, CR has presence in other countries (sponsoring some foreign dubs), moreso than FUNi. |
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Animegunclub
Posts: 127 Location: AyeTeeEl, Jawhjah |
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Sorry... I'm actually not (but only because I honestly I can't speak much on what is or isn't marketed well in Latin America, I just don't know). I don't think I can really blame Funimation for being unavailable in countries they aren't in currently, but I can also certainly say it's a good point that Crunchyroll and Netflix have way stronger product management than a company that only exists in select English markets. |
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