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Manga Entertainment Releases News

A 107-minute podcast can be downloaded from the Manga UK blog. It features Jerome Mazandarani, Head of Marketing Acquisitions at Manga Entertainment, together with Jonathan Clements, co-author of the Anime Encyclopedia. The host is Jeremy Graves of the website Anime Chronicle.

The podcast included the announcement of a screening (with guests) of Fullmetal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos on Friday June 8 at London's BFI Southbank Centre - see the separate story.

Other points made during the podcast include:

- The whole first season of Fairy Tail should be released by the beginning of Autumn. Mazandarani said he was "really pleased" with the first U.K. set's sales in the first week of release. He also said he currently rated it as a "B" franchise in terms of sales, alongside titles such as Soul Eater and D.Gray-man. ("A" franchises included Death Note, Naruto Shippūden, Bleach, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.) However, he still hopes that Fairy Tail will become "the next Bleach or Shippuden."

- From July to the end of the year, there would be two and sometimes three releases each week from Manga, including the titles it handles for Kaze and Viz Media Europe.

- There will be announcements of six new acquisitions at MCM Birmingham on March 31. Mazandarani said that one of the announcements would have a "knock-on effect" and that, "When we announce it, a lot of stuff will fall into place for British fans... They'll understand why we've been acting weird for the last six months."

- Andrew Partridge of Kaze should announce the label's new licenses for 2012 and into 2013 at London MCM Expo (May 25-27).

- At least 22 Blu-ray releases are planned for this year, including Kaze titles.

- Discussing the "end" of Bleach, Mazandarani said Manga would probably still be releasing the series on DVD until the beginning of 2015.

- Mazandarani stressed that Angel Beats! would still be released on U.K. Blu-ray. Asked about the title's delay to June 25, he said, "We announced the release before the contract was signed and then we got caught up in a bit of detail about who was supplying the materials to Manga."

- Asked about the prospect of Manga acquiring One Piece, Mazandarani specified that he does not have the series yet, but that "We're totally trying to get it." He said, "I have to line my ducks up in a row with other deals, and then I think that would make it a lot easier for us to bring One Piece to the U.K." He also said he would want to release it in an uncut version with the new English dub.

- Regarding Case Closed (Detective Conan), Mazandarani said it could 'potentially make a good licence," but he felt it was "too niche... We have seriously looked at it, but I'm a little bit concerned that in the long-term, it may not be commercial enough."

- The "chances are very good" that Manga will pick up the second season of Sengoku Basara.

- Manga will not be licensing the second series of Blue Dragon, which did not obtain an English dub.