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INTEREST: Funimation President Talks Netflix's Evangelion Acquisition: 'We'd Do Better at Brand-Mana


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Romuska
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Joined: 02 Mar 2004
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 12, 2018 8:59 pm Reply with quote
bluesheep02 wrote:
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.


Absolutely! I say give Eva to whoever can get it in the most homes worldwide!
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bluesheep02



Joined: 27 Mar 2006
Posts: 78
Location: Tokyo, Japan
PostPosted: Wed Dec 12, 2018 9:08 pm Reply with quote
Romuska wrote:
bluesheep02 wrote:
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.


Absolutely! I say give Eva to whoever can get it in the most homes worldwide!


I would also like to add that all NETFLIX licensed content with their own international language dubs are made available WORLDWIDE. Aka all language tracks and subtitles are made available, even in japan for any Netflix original content. This no doubt posed problems with reusing the original dub track for all kinds of licensing issues. I doubt the japanese rights holders wanted that dub to be given a Japanese local or worldwide release.
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Kicksville



Joined: 20 Nov 2010
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 12, 2018 9:29 pm Reply with quote
Although I agree it's probably likely the international licensing helped, I don't doubt if another licensor wanted it for North America only and really was willing to pay a bajillion gazillion double dollars in 2010 or 2015 or whatever, maybe it would've happened before.
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bluesheep02



Joined: 27 Mar 2006
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 12, 2018 9:44 pm Reply with quote
Kicksville wrote:
Although I agree it's probably likely the international licensing helped, I don't doubt if another licensor wanted it for North America only and really was willing to pay a bajillion gazillion double dollars in 2010 or 2015 or whatever, maybe it would've happened before.


Again I think you might be slightly missing the point. For a property as big as Evangelion which still makes billions of yen in revenue for the Japanese market, the rights holders are always going to focus on their Japanese bottom line first. Netflix has large offices in Japan locally and this would give them more control over the international and worldwide distribution of their product. The licensing fees may have been high because they were reluctant to let another company have full control without stronger local supervision. The Netflix deal is advantageous for all local parties involved as Netflix is a global operation with offices here in Tokyo directly working with the head office in the states. There’s many more layers to media contract agreements that I don’t think you people realize and that Funimation wouldn’t have been capable of delievering. I assist Netflix on anime production positions in the Tokyo market for their local in-house operations on occasion. They have fully integrated into the local production market on levels people don’t realize as far as both financing and higher paying positions for the talent. Regarding Eva, there’s more too it than “Funi can give better brand management in the US”. Yea, to the anime fandom sure. But they are aiming towards a MUCH larger demographic.
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Idgal



Joined: 18 Jun 2015
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 12, 2018 9:56 pm Reply with quote
Funimation: it-it's not like we wanted Eva anyway, Baka!

Netflix: ...ok

Very Happy
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LightningCount



Joined: 04 Mar 2018
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 12, 2018 9:58 pm Reply with quote
I wonder if Netflix paying these kinds of sums of money is going to cause unrealistic expectations, whereby anime can't be affordably licensed down the line. I seem to recall over-bidding (and not getting returns) being a big problem for anime in the mid-2000s.

Secondarily, I ask, no matter who has EVA, is it something that can be "evergreen" with new audiences, or is it more a product of its time? Styles and tastes have changed, and we've seen once proud juggernauts like Akira, Ghost in the Shell, and even Cowboy Bebop sort of shrugged at as time marches on. They largely keep their old fans, gain pockets of new ones, but don't have the same kind of influx of viewership as a new property like My Hero Academia. In other words, it's not generally like the older brand multiplies at the same rate as when they launched in their time, in a vacuum.
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Kicksville



Joined: 20 Nov 2010
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 12, 2018 10:22 pm Reply with quote
bluesheep02 wrote:
The Netflix deal is advantageous for all local parties involved as Netflix is a global operation with offices here in Tokyo directly working with the head office in the states. There’s many more layers to media contract agreements that I don’t think you people realize and that Funimation wouldn’t have been capable of delievering. I assist Netflix on anime production positions in the Tokyo market for their local in-house operations on occasion. They have fully integrated into the local production market on levels people don’t realize as far as both financing and higher paying positions for the talent. Regarding Eva, there’s more too it than “Funi can give better brand management in the US”. Yea, to the anime fandom sure. But they are aiming towards a MUCH larger demographic.

I appreciate the information, although please be generous to those of us who are just fans spit ballin' here for giggles and don't have an insider perspective - there's no need to talk down to anyone.

I agree that it sounds like Netflix has things to offer that other companies don't or couldn't have before, but I suppose the reason why I would assume boo koo bucks might've been able to overcome that kind of thing in the past is, well, why did they give Funimation the Evangelion Rebuild movies if all that other stuff is so important? I assume they don't think that iteration of the property is less deserving. It sounds like they ran into issues with 3.0, but that was later.
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KitKat1721



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PostPosted: Wed Dec 12, 2018 10:23 pm Reply with quote
I get the point being made, and how an anime-only company would have probably been more dedicated to the title, compared to a giant like Netflix that has every type of movie and tv series under the sun. A bunch of Netflix-only anime probably would have been much more popular if someone like Funimation or Crunchyroll had them, instead of being forgotten or swept under the rug. We definitely would have a blu-ray and probably would have gotten End of Eva in theaters had Funimation gotten it (and Khara allowed it).

However, I think this would have rang more true if the show in question was anything other than Eva, which is iconic enough through just name recognition alone that it will be fine. Better than fine actually - more people have access to Netflix than Funimation even in just the US, let alone worldwide.

The biggest takeaway for me though: I have no idea why Funimation's CEO decided to be so open with how disappointed he was not getting the show, especially when he originally had some good points. It just looks really petty and seems like a poor decision. I didn't even see this article originally until anime industry people and Crunchyroll employees were tweeting (or liking idk) about how dumb and silly it was. Just painted himself in a bad light.
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Cecilthedarkknight_234



Joined: 02 Apr 2011
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 12, 2018 10:47 pm Reply with quote
I wouldn't trust funimation do a proper job with any anime series past 2005 and that's being generous. We have seen the numerous "hd re-releases" of Dragon Ball Z that still hasn't properly release since single VHS/DVD days. Hell their mess up doing an "hd remaster" of FLCL & Chobits was also a disaster as well.

So funimtion can remain salty that some-one outbid them for EVA, maybe they will realize they can't get everything and try harder with the products they already have.
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Animegunclub



Joined: 26 Jun 2017
Posts: 127
Location: AyeTeeEl, Jawhjah
PostPosted: Wed Dec 12, 2018 11:20 pm Reply with quote
LightningCount wrote:
I wonder if Netflix paying these kinds of sums of money is going to cause unrealistic expectations, whereby anime can't be affordably licensed down the line. I seem to recall over-bidding (and not getting returns) being a big problem for anime in the mid-2000s.


I think (rather, "hope" is a better word) that the industry learned its lesson there. While THIS is a good acquisition for Netflix, I think the current plan for funneling as much anime as possible thru streaming sites (then publishing whats marketable/popular) is working for everyone.

If anyone should be worried about repeating their past mistakes it'd be the manga industry, (cause they're treading dangerously into that territory) but that's an entirely different discussion.


Last edited by Animegunclub on Wed Dec 12, 2018 11:25 pm; edited 1 time in total
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AnimeLordLuis



Joined: 27 Jan 2015
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 12, 2018 11:25 pm Reply with quote
Well he’s got a point about Netflix and the way they do business especially in regards to the fact that Netflix only seems to care about streaming hell I don’t think that we’re ever going to see a blu-ray release of Little Witch Academia. But yes Gen is coming off a bit salty on this whole issue.
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supersqueak



Joined: 14 Aug 2009
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PostPosted: Wed Dec 12, 2018 11:41 pm Reply with quote
I don't really trust Netflix with anime.
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Redbeard 101
Oscar the Grouch
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 13, 2018 12:37 am Reply with quote
I would hazard a theory that he's this salty over it because Netflix screwed up their plan at Funimation. I would guess the price for Eva was easily in the "are you out of your damn mind" range, which is why they didn't get it before. Plus with the constant delays and everything being pushed back I bet Funi figured if they played hard ball and waited it out a bit more they could get it for cheaper. Thus making more of a profit.

Then the new kid on the block with their trust fund came along and said "give me that shiny thing!" and bought it right up from under them.

Just a guess.
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partially



Joined: 14 Oct 2007
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Location: Oz
PostPosted: Thu Dec 13, 2018 12:55 am Reply with quote
I think what FUNimation need to explain first is how they have not done this long ago. If they can handle and sell the show SOOOO well, why have they not been given these rights several years ago? If they cannot do that, they just sound salty. Netflix is a far better streaming platform with than Funimation Now. And these are streaming rights, nothing else.

I think it comes down to a lot more than simply Netflix outbidding them.

Netflix appears to have worked out extremely well for companies like Polygon Pictures, and I think their success more than anything is what got the deal for Netflix.
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Kadmos1



Joined: 08 May 2014
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 13, 2018 2:00 am Reply with quote
While Mr. Fukunaga does have some points, perhaps he should first address some of Funi's shortcomings. For example, I have to use a browser called FlashPoint SlimJet to use their video player on my PC. I think Funi sometimes licenses so many shows that fixing issues like their video player are not given the priority(ies) they deserve.
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