FUNimation Licenses Tokyopop's Catalogue for Re-Release

[Space Cadet]

http://news.toonzone.net/article.php?ID=10721


Yay, now we'll get a better release for these titles.

[Karl Olson]

I wonder if this'll will also result in stronger synergy between the two companies when and if certain speculated licences come together.

[EscaflownePilot]

I hope this means they re-release Initial D, this time with accurate subtitles. I also hope it leads to the licensing and release of the rest of Initial D (again, with accurate subtitles).

[Karl Olson]

I hope this means they re-release Initial D, this time with accurate subtitles. I also hope it leads to the licensing and release of the rest of Initial D (again, with accurate subtitles).

I have a hunch that if the new Fast and the Furious does well (which is basically looking an Initial D-wannabe,) Initial D will be very high on Funimation's list, and they'll push to get the later series too if the sales are there. Heck, might even get TPOP to get a good editor/translator pair working on a unedited, uncut version of the manga (though I'd say that part is much more of a long shot.)

[Umino]

Better hurry and buy Marmalade Boy, before FUNI releases singles as 4 episodes each. -_-

[Andrew T. Hingson]

SALVATION FOR INITIAL D!!!!!!!

In theory anyway.

Please FUNimation, I beg you, I plead you. Redub this show. If nothing else don't dub Stage 3 and 4 with the TokyoPop crew.

And Karl unless that's a Shoujo you have in mind I guess there's only one thing it could possibly be.

Hey Rave Master might actually get a decent release out of this as well.

[IanC]

Better hurry and buy Marmalade Boy, before FUNI releases singles as 4 episodes each. -_-
Oh give the FUNi-bashing a rest.

this is just a distribution deal.... Nothing that big.

[Karl Olson]

Better hurry and buy Marmalade Boy, before FUNI releases singles as 4 episodes each. -_-

With better subtitling, better video quality and eventual boxsets that'll be nicer than what T-Pop put out. :D

[intensionally confusing]

Meanwhile Sketch, yes, it's exactly what you're thinking I'm thinking, though I could see Funimation wanting certain other series that same creative staff worked on and that Tokyopop has the manga for in addition to the one we're talking about.

[/intensionally confusing]

[Nin-Nin69]

If Initial D is saved, then can we get this bad boy on AS finally?

[Animeforever'04]

i say we wait for lance to say something! re shouldn't get too excited then to be let down/

[ChibiGoku]

There goes my hope for RAVE...

[Nobuyuki sama]

[intensionally confusing]

Meanwhile Sketch, yes, it's exactly what you're thinking I'm thinking, though I could see Funimation wanting certain other series that same creative staff worked on and that Tokyopop has the manga for in addition to the one we're talking about.

[/intensionally confusing] *checks the encyclopedia*

Ah. :)
Normally, I would expect Geneon to snag that, but things are crazy lately...

Although IanC has a point... TP did need a new distributor (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/article.php?id=8825)...

[Andrew T. Hingson]

Technically speaking they supposedly already have it (surprsing yes) but haven't been able to say anything for over a year.

Initial D probably doesn't need to air on Adult Swim at this point. I think CN might be a bit more lax on airing a street racing anime on Toonami now that they were before. But either way the original series is old and getting older by the day. So I don't think CN will be interested in picking them up. Though I wonder if this means FUNimation can put those on this channel.

[AstroNerdBoy]

On the ANN board, they are all convinced that FUNimation won't change anything (dubs, subs) except maybe the packaging. I hope that's wrong. I hope that at minimum, FUNimation goes in and re-subtitles all of the TP titles to FUNimation's standards.

Anyway, I wish Lance would pop in and answer the question of what exactly what FUNimation will do with these titles.

[Umino]

Oh give the FUNi-bashing a rest.

Bite Me. I still can't believe you still pull this crap. I'm don't hate Funimation, but their releases are always long and streched out.

*points to Kodacha, Dragon Ball Z, YuYu, etc...*

[Tash]

Please FUNimation, I beg you, I plead you. Redub this show. If nothing else don't dub Stage 3 and 4 with the TokyoPop crew.
There was NOTHING wrong with the Initial D dub, other than the soundtrack. If they just fix the soundtrack with the current voices, I'd be set.

[Conekiller]

Bite Me. I still can't believe you still pull this crap. I'm don't hate Funimation, but their releases are always long and streched out.

*points to Kodacha, Dragon Ball Z, YuYu, etc...*
sure 100+ episode series are going to be released int hweir first run in whole chunks? Does that make alot of buisness sence to you? Funimation isn't the only series doing this, in fact, pretty much every series is treated like that unless they figure it's not gonna turn a profit unless it's release all at one time just to get it over with. None of the series you listed (save maybe marmalade boy) can be considered "unprofitable"

[Andrew T. Hingson]

There was NOTHING wrong with the Initial D dub, other than the soundtrack. If they just fix the soundtrack with the current voices, I'd be set.

Name changes, and other localization (glad they didn't hide the fact that it's in Japan of course) drove me bonkers. It'd felt like the equivalent of a 4kids dub if they were going for teenagers instead of kids.

[FireStarterLE]

FUNimation, will i finally be able to "Rave About It" when it gets a dvd release with the dub and the Japanese release?

[Weatherman]

Cool, they got GTO to.

Hmmm, I wonder if this is going to be the first step towards Funi's parents corporation buying out Tokyopop.

[Karl Olson]

Bite Me. I still can't believe you still pull this crap. I'm don't hate Funimation, but their releases are always long and streched out.

*points to Kodacha, Dragon Ball Z, YuYu, etc...*


Oh give the FUNi-bashing a rest.

this is just a distribution deal.... Nothing that big.

Both of you knock it off or you're each getting a warning.

Meanwhile, Funimation's releases aren't any worse than anyone else lately. Almost nobody cracks 5 episodes a disc these days unless it's a 13 episode release with a limited profit potential in the first place, and in those situations, Funimation and most everyone else dealing in 13s has gone to 3 disc releases lately. Everyone's been mediocre about episode count for the most part though.

[William C. Maune]

A lot of what Funi can do will depend on their contract with TokyoPop. If this is simply a distribution contract and nothing more then the releases likely won't be changed in any way (except maybe the covers).

If there is more to the new relationship than that, then we could see more. I can't really see Funimation doing substantial overhauls to some of the TP series (I'm not sure it would be profitable), but hopefuly things like Rave Master, etc. could at least get a subtitle track.

[Karl Olson]

A lot of what Funi can do will depend on their contract with TokyoPop. If this is simply a distribution contract and nothing more then the releases likely won't be changed in any way (except maybe the covers).

Exactly. If it's distro, it'll be the same as it ever was. I mean, maybe they could push for certain things later if they can, but initially it'd be the same stuff, maybe with new packaging, and that makes this deal pretty much non-news.


If there is more to the new relationship than that, then we could see more. I can't really see Funimation doing substantial overhauls to some of the TP series (I'm not sure it would be profitable), but hopefuly things like Rave Master, etc. could at least get a subtitle track.

Yeah, stuff like Rave and Initial D is probably where any major work effort would be focused if they do get rights to do real work on the properties before re-releasing them, and that's partly because significant gains in quality could be made on those shows (Marmalade Boy was handled ok, but Initial and Rave are problems,) but in the process it'd likely greatly increase the marketability of those titles as well, IE: Initial D with new boxart will sell no one, while Initial D with redone subtitles or maybe even an uncut dub would probably do the property wonders. Ditto for Rave. Plus, with that level of rework, Funimation could push screeners for the series too, allowing them to seriously market the series and make them work.

[EscaflownePilot]

And Karl unless that's a Shoujo you have in mind I guess there's only one thing it could possibly be.
Meanwhile Sketch, yes, it's exactly what you're thinking I'm thinking, though I could see Funimation wanting certain other series that same creative staff worked on and that Tokyopop has the manga for in addition to the one we're talking about. You guys mind letting the rest of us in on what show(s) you're talking about?

[Karl Olson]

You guys mind letting the rest of us in on what show(s) you're talking about?

One was made "to hit in America," while the other is "gonna make somebody love [it]." Both are based off manga Tokyopop has the rights for and have either begun releasing or have released in their entirety at that.

/if you still don't get it, PM me.

[EscaflownePilot]

Ah, now I'm following ya. ;)

[OverMaster]

On the ANN board, they are all convinced that FUNimation won't change anything (dubs, subs) except maybe the packaging. I hope that's wrong. I hope that at minimum, FUNimation goes in and re-subtitles all of the TP titles to FUNimation's standards.

Anyway, I wish Lance would pop in and answer the question of what exactly what FUNimation will do with these titles.

Well, *not* doing changes is cheaper than *doing* them, so...