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NEWS: FUNimation renames Conan


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Emerje



Joined: 10 Aug 2002
Posts: 7328
Location: Maine
PostPosted: Sun Feb 08, 2004 9:04 pm Reply with quote
Proman wrote:
I just want to say that in my opinion Adult Swim doesen't really live up to that.


Well, yeah, seeing as how they're not allowed to show anything higher than TV-14 how could it? However, it's still much more than what you'd expect from the rest of their daily programing.

Emerje
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ANN_Bamboo
ANN Contributor


Joined: 05 Jan 2002
Posts: 3904
Location: CO
PostPosted: Sun Feb 08, 2004 9:14 pm Reply with quote
Proman wrote:
space clam wrote:
Heaven, hell, God, Satan are commonly (though not necessarily exclusively) Christian beliefs, and putting said references in a cartoon might turn our kids into intolerant, narrow-minded, conservative wing-nuts, and who wants that?

Please, give American kids some credit! Japanease kids didn't turn into "intolerant, narrow-minded, conservative wing-nuts", now did they?


I do believe he was being sarcastic. It's not that he thinks that American children will turn into conservative bible-thumping wing-nuts. I believe he was alluding to the chunk of conservative bible-thumping wing-nut parents in America think that, and would go on an utter rampage if their children were watching a show that had people named Mr. Satan.


Last edited by ANN_Bamboo on Sun Feb 08, 2004 10:13 pm; edited 2 times in total
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mrfood



Joined: 08 Feb 2004
Posts: 25
PostPosted: Sun Feb 08, 2004 9:31 pm Reply with quote
Ever heard of Conan the Barbarian. The reason it was changed is because Conan is a registered trade Conan properties . Conan Properties is simply protecting it's property like any other company.
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littlegreenwolf



Joined: 10 Aug 2002
Posts: 4796
Location: Seattle, WA
PostPosted: Sun Feb 08, 2004 9:37 pm Reply with quote
Mr.Food! wrote:
Ever heard of Conan the Barbarian. The reason it was changed is because Conan is a registered trade Conan properties . Conan Properties is simply protecting it's property like any other company.


I was wondering about that, but can they really copyright the name Conan? If so... how come they haven't sued Conan O'Brian yet?
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Proman



Joined: 19 Nov 2003
Posts: 947
Location: USA
PostPosted: Sun Feb 08, 2004 9:47 pm Reply with quote
Mr.Food! wrote:
Ever heard of Conan the Barbarian. The reason it was changed is because Conan is a registered trade Conan properties . Conan Properties is simply protecting it's property like any other company.

I don't think so. Just because they copyrighted the words "Conan the Barbarian" doesen't mean that other people cannot use the word "Conan". After all it's a name. Do you know have many movies with the word "John" are out there? Only an idiot would consfuse detective with a barbarian lol Smile.


Last edited by Proman on Sun Feb 08, 2004 11:17 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Nagisa
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Joined: 19 Aug 2003
Posts: 6128
Location: Atlanta-ish, Jawjuh
PostPosted: Sun Feb 08, 2004 9:59 pm Reply with quote
littlegreenwolf wrote:
Mr.Food! wrote:
Ever heard of Conan the Barbarian. The reason it was changed is because Conan is a registered trade Conan properties . Conan Properties is simply protecting it's property like any other company.


I was wondering about that, but can they really copyright the name Conan? If so... how come they haven't sued Conan O'Brian yet?


Isn't it true that if it's your real name, you can't get sued?
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Swordfish_II



Joined: 05 Nov 2003
Posts: 617
PostPosted: Sun Feb 08, 2004 10:05 pm Reply with quote
Bleh. I'll just subscribe the conspiracy theory the FUNi is doing cause they want it on Toonami so they can sell some sort of "Official 'Case Closed' Forensic Kit" or whatever.

Watch them hand over a copy that's been edited to TV-Y7.

Rolling Eyes
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Pepperidge



Joined: 13 Sep 2003
Posts: 1104
Location: British Columbia, Canada
PostPosted: Sun Feb 08, 2004 10:45 pm Reply with quote
Tempest wrote:
There's no way that a show like Shaman King could compete with a show like The Simpsons on Prime Time. The difference between the two is that one was designed for people under 18 but appeals to many people over 18, while the other was specifically designed to appeal to people over 18 as well as under.


I'm not suggesting that it could compete. I'm simply pointing out that the shows are meant to be aired in timeslots that attract all audiences rather than one geared specifically towards children or adults. Of course, today in North America it seems that just about everything is geared one way or the other with very little space in the middle, so shows have to be tooled to go one way or the other.

Also keep in mind that "prime time" in Japan generally starts around 6:30 rather than 8:00, so they have much more time to air shows which carry slightly different appeals.

But still, my point is that saying they're all "kids' shows" is a generalization.
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Tempest
I Run this place.
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 09, 2004 12:53 am Reply with quote
littlegreenwolf wrote:
I was wondering about that, but can they really copyright the name Conan? If so... how come they haven't sued Conan O'Brian yet?


As others said, because it is his real name and trademark law does not extend to a person's name.

Also, being a somewhat common proper name, protecting the Conan trademark is nigh impossible. FUNimation could most likely get away with it if this was was the reason they changed the name. However, although they could probably defeat the owners of the trademark in court, it's still a wise choice to avoid going to court at all.

-t
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Emerje



Joined: 10 Aug 2002
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Location: Maine
PostPosted: Mon Feb 09, 2004 10:38 pm Reply with quote
Proman wrote:

I don't think so. Just because they copyrighted the words "Conan the Barbarian" doesen't mean that other people cannot use the word "Conan". After all it's a name. Do you know have many movies with the word "John" are out there?


Actually names are trademarked all the time, but it depends on how they're used and if they're created or common. For example the toy industry lives on trademarked names. Every so often Mattel actually has to reregister for the name Barbie to keep other companies from using it. Hasbro does the same thing for their Transformers brand. A good example of failure to do so: Back in the 80's Hasbro had the TM for the name Shockwave, but in the 90's failed to reregistered for that name and it was quickly snagged by the much smaller toy company Lanard and to this day refuse to give up the name. And equally interesting thing is that people can use trademarked names as their own without any restrictions. Along the same idea as Conan being born with the same name as the barbarian, there's a guy that actually did something similar by choice. There's actually a guy out there who legally changed his name to Optimus Prime out of love for the character and there's no trademarks in the world that could keep him from doing so.

Now, to get back on track, for Conan to be used it would depend on the wording of the trandemark. For example the Transformer name trademarks specificly say something along the lines of "for use on a robot toy capable of changing shape." With Conan it may be along the lines of a master license where nothing can exist that uses the name Conan, or it could say something more specificly worded that prevents the name from being used in movies, television, and other video media. Either way I'm sure there's something in place to prevent the names use in the title.

But really, does it matter? I mean, it's just a title, is it worth taking the chance of going to court over, something that would be expensive in costs and even more so in fees if they lost. I doubt it.

Emerje
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molloaggie



Joined: 30 Jun 2003
Posts: 578
Location: Texas
PostPosted: Tue Feb 10, 2004 1:35 am Reply with quote
I doubt the name change had anything to do with a legal dispute. (especially since Spike Lee lost to Spike TV (viacom?) and the fact that the series is already well established under the name Detective Conan. )

Funimation changes most of the their names for one reason, and one reason only: marketing value.

They changed Tokyo Mew Mew to Hollywood for wider appeal. They probably thought this little title change would be received better by people that don't already know the series. I think the idea of a detective is not popular in America right now. As truly spoiled anime fans we already know what the series is about. For a new person, Case Closed is a good title. It is my opinion that Case Closed has wider and better appeal than Detective Conan.
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okendri



Joined: 15 Mar 2003
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 10, 2004 1:08 pm Reply with quote
molloaggie wrote:
I doubt the name change had anything to do with a legal dispute. (especially since Spike Lee lost to Spike TV (viacom?) and the fact that the series is already well established under the name Detective Conan. )

Funimation changes most of the their names for one reason, and one reason only: marketing value.

They changed Tokyo Mew Mew to Hollywood for wider appeal. They probably thought this little title change would be received better by people that don't already know the series. I think the idea of a detective is not popular in America right now. As truly spoiled anime fans we already know what the series is about. For a new person, Case Closed is a good title. It is my opinion that Case Closed has wider and better appeal than Detective Conan.


4kids was responsible for the Tokyo Mew Mew change.
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Emerje



Joined: 10 Aug 2002
Posts: 7328
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 10, 2004 1:52 pm Reply with quote
molloaggie wrote:
I doubt the name change had anything to do with a legal dispute. (especially since Spike Lee lost to Spike TV (viacom?) and the fact that the series is already well established under the name Detective Conan. )


That's different though. That was basicly a person trying to trademark his own name which was imposible. In this case there's a chance that someone has trademarked the name Conan for commercial use and to use it in the title of Detective Conan would be in violation of that trademark. Better to avoid the whole thing all together than to fight it and stand a chance of losing. Either way it's costly.

Also it doesn't matter if the title was already established as Detective Conan, that was in Japan, this is America, it's a whole new set of laws that they have to go by. It's not a real person's name, it's a characters name which has to abide by certain rules for use. If it was a common name like Detective Joe then there wouldn't be an issue, but where the name Conan was likely created by the creators of Conan the Barbarian there's going to be some legal technicalities to go through.

Emerje
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Nagisa
Moderator


Joined: 19 Aug 2003
Posts: 6128
Location: Atlanta-ish, Jawjuh
PostPosted: Tue Feb 10, 2004 5:03 pm Reply with quote
molloaggie wrote:
Funimation changes most of the their names for one reason, and one reason only: marketing value.


Most?

So...what were Fruits Basket, Blue Gender, Lupin III, Tenchi Muyo! GXP, Kiddy Grade, Yuu Yuu Hakusho, & Dragon Ball called in Japan? It seems to have slipped my mind that the moment... Neutral
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Legato 2057



Joined: 18 May 2003
Posts: 437
Location: Soon to be Japan
PostPosted: Tue Feb 10, 2004 5:14 pm Reply with quote
Fruits Basket: Vegetable Container
Blue Gender: Turquoise breed
Lupin the 3rd: Hudson Hawk
Tenchi Muyo! GXP: Sci-fi anime otaku's wet dream
Kiddy Grade: Kindergaten
Yuu Yuu Hakusho: Casper killer
Dragon Ball: Planetary destruction
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