(L+CR) Black Bullet

[Thany]

I wouldn't call 3K 'bad'. Just plain average.

[Kakurin]

Originally Posted by Dark Paladin X

In Japan, each BD/DVD volume has 1-2 episodes which costs $40-60.

Your price is too low there. Most BD volumes regularly cost around 7.000 to 8.000 JPY. That's 70-80 USD. Black Bullet's selling for 7.000. Even with some discount 60 is more the lower end of spectrum than the higher. And the episodes are 2-3, depending on whether it's a one cour, or two cour series.

[Dark Paladin X]

Originally Posted by SigUp

Your price is too low there. Most BD volumes regularly cost around 7.000 to 8.000 JPY. That's 70-80 USD. Black Bullet's selling for 7.000. Even with some discount 60 is more the lower end of spectrum than the higher. And the episodes are 2-3, depending on whether it's a one cour, or two cour series.

Apologize, I got it a little messed up there. I was calculating the discount price.

In United States, anime fans are luckier since is usually $50-$60 for 13 episode DVD set, and $60-$70 for BD 13 episode set (Funimation, Sentai Filmworks, and Viz Media in a lesser extent does 13 episode sets a lot, but pricing may vary). If an anime is released. If an anime is dubbed, however, the costs for each set is usually $5-$10 more. Here's an example of Sentai Filmwork's October 2014 solicitation release schedule. And here's the comparison price of a 13 episode release that is sub-only and a one that is dubbed. [Source]

Spoiler for sub-only/dub DVD release price comparison:

Title: MEGANEBU!
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 300 min. (12 episodes)
Street Date: 10/14/2014
Format: DVD, BD
Language: Japanese with English Subtitles (sub-only release)
SRP: $49.98, $59.98


Title: SUNDAY WITHOUT GOD
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 325 min. (13 episodes)
Street Date: 10/21/2014
Format: DVD, BD
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles (with both English and Japanese dubs)
SRP: $59.98, $69.98

So yeah, American fans are luckier than the Japanese fans. And yes, Sentai Filmworks deals are way better than what the Japanese have to offer. Now, the biggest issue with Sentai's releases is despite their timely releases (Sunday Without God have the home video release date 15 months after the initial airing in Japan and Meganebu exactly a year after the initial airing in Japan) one of the biggest issues with Sentai Filmwork's releases is because they tend to rush everything, quality control is their weakest point. They are however, currently experimenting with premium collector's edition releases starting with Ch2Koi, but I need more details on how they'll do that.

And as for the North American home video release, the last Black Bullet BD/DVD volume is set to be out at January of next year. If I were to use this estimate I've mentioned, I would expect the release date to be sometime between April-June next year. If, however, Sentai Filmworks decides to give a dub to this series, the release date will be June-September of next year. We are usually given 4-5 months ahead of time of their release schedule and the details.

Anyways, I keep in tabs in more news about the North American home video release of this series. But despite the "sleeper hit" of Black Bullet, it does seem to be selling decently well, but not enough to warrant a second season.

[Mubyoshi]

I have to admit, Enju is probably one of the cutest lolis i have ever seen. Then again, I don't watch a lot of anime that has lolis in them.

[GDB]

Originally Posted by Dark Paladin X

3k isn't THAT bad, but it isn't terribly good either. However, you need an average of 4-5k units per volume to break even for a second season.

That's part of why I said it was bad. Not only is it not high enough, more likely than not, to generate a second season, but this is the first volume. Some ridiculously rare occurrence aside, it has nowhere to go but down.

EDIT: I wonder if this will have any impact on getting an English dub. Because I never see an anime that sold less than 4k units per volume in Japan get an English dub for the North American release. Whelp, that will greatly lower the chances of getting a dub

If I'm not mistaken: Phantom. But really, there's no telling what the hell will get dubbed and what won't. Golden Time was hyped to hell by Sentai and loved by many, yet it ended up getting a sub only release for some reason.

[Thany]

Originally Posted by Xero8420

Any... extras added, other than improved graphics?

From what I've seen there's no extras added. I don't remember any censorship in the anime to begin with.

[Xero8420]

Originally Posted by Thany

From what I've seen there's no extras added. I don't remember any censorship in the anime to begin with.

I was talking about if there's any extra scenes and time extensions added in an episode.

[Chaos2Frozen]

Well, since I was asked my opinion I thought I would post it here as well.

Yeah it's pretty good- One of the better chuunibyou-ish series I've watched in recent times despite the lack of polish. Although I say that mostly because of two things- One is that aside from a few shounen style action, the combat is grounded relatively in the realm of physical.... Something that Hidan no Aria threw out of the window quite fast. It's this point that I especially like the fight with Tina. Really now, a bunch of 'normal' dudes fighting bio organic weapons? It's pretty much Resident Evil. I'm not usually a fan of "We need this super specific thingy to kill the enemy" type of device but I suppose Vanarium is not that rare and so I let it slide. However for most parts I'm watching it from the PoV of someone who oneshot the series, it's only when I caught up to episode 11/12 and I understood what the complaint was about things taking too long to happen. While I don't think it's THAT bad, I can see where they're coming from.

The second point that stood out about this series from others is the high number of SUFFERING that the characters go through. And I mean, just an overwhelmingly mean-spirited tone was felt from the treatment of the Cursed Children. I called these genre chuunibyou-ish because when you get down to it they are a sort of power fantasy story, which is so different because here you see our hero so helpless to save all these cute, innocent little girls. But I find that the author might have gone overboard with it and make humanity look like complete assholes and you truly don't feel like rooting to save them.

It would have been better if the author could somehow find a way to balance out both sides-- Show why Humans have a relatable reasons for fearing the cursed children, or show the children taking advantage of their powers. (Admittedly if this was touched on in later volumes then nevermind.)

(Also, personally I felt like Rentarou could have been written as a young adult in mid twenties and it would 'feel' better, instead of forcing all this on to a high school student)

[Dark Paladin X]

Originally Posted by GDB

If I'm not mistaken: Phantom. But really, there's no telling what the hell will get dubbed and what won't. Golden Time was hyped to hell by Sentai and loved by many, yet it ended up getting a sub only release for some reason.

That's the same with Love Lab, they were really hyping that title on Facebook and Twitter, yet that title is getting a sub-only release. Likewise, Hakkenden, Amnesia, and Little Busters were titles that Sentai Filmworks really hyped yet those got dubs.

If you ask me, there are too many factors on what anime title gets dubbed or not. But if you ask me, two of the biggest factors that would get dubbed or not are 1) the streaming views in Crunchyroll, Hulu, and the Anime Network combined (the objective data) and 2) the very nature of the show itself (the subjective decision).

Normally, works that are really heavy on the otaku pandering (i.e. works that take heavy use of Japanese cultural and language references and/or heavy use of Engrish like Kiniro Mosaic/Kinmoza!) and most slice-of-life works are usually released sub-only since they aren't really that lucrative. Conversely, action-heavy works (particularly "manly" type anime like Dragonball Z and Guren Lagann) and dark/dystopian/post-apocalyptic works are way more lucrative and those titles are more likely to get dubbed. Also, romantic dramas are usually very profitable for Sentai Filmworks (particularly the Key Visual arts titles), so those would most likely will get dubbed.

Anyways, I mentioned that Sentai Filmworks that they are one of the best companies when it comes to dubbing lolis in their anime. This is because back in the days when Sentai Filmworks was known as ADV Films, they licensed a large number of niche titles, many of which are comedies and slice of life works. More specifically, many of the titles they've licensed had at least one loli in the show (Azumanga Daioh, Elfen Lied, and many of the Key Visual Arts titles). Because of the number of anime titles that has a least one loli, they actually have two voice actresses that highly specialize or typecast into these characters: Monica Rial and Hilary Haag. In fact, it's actually given that any voice actress who works with Sentai Filmworks will end up voicing a loli one day in their resume (even Tiffany Grant, a voice actress who isn't normally typecast as lolis, end up voicing Kudryavka Noumi in the Little Busters dub since that character is Russian and Tiffany Grant highly specializes in accents when it comes to dubs). Apparently, there are actually more female voice actresses who work with Sentai Filmworks than there are male voice actors.

Now if you ask me, Black Bullet does have a decent chance of getting a dub since 1) it's a dystopian/post-apocalyptic grimdark action show, and 2) there are a lot of lolis in the series and as I mentioned before, Sentai Filmworks is really good when comes to casting and dubbing lolis. The only way that would prevent this series getting a dub is if the streaming numbers are really low or there are other titles that have better show in getting dubbed. Now, do I think there are other shows that better chance of getting an English dub than this series? Yes, I do. In fact, I think Blade & Soul, Akane ga Kill!, No Game No Life, and even Haikyuu! have a better chance of getting an English dub than Black Bullet in Sentai's catalog.

Originally Posted by Chaos2Frozen

The second point that stood out about this series from others is the high number of SUFFERING that the characters go through. And I mean, just an overwhelmingly mean-spirited tone was felt from the treatment of the Cursed Children. I called these genre chuunibyou-ish because when you get down to it they are a sort of power fantasy story, which is so different because here you see our hero so helpless to save all these cute, innocent little girls. But I find that the author might have gone overboard with it and make humanity look like complete assholes and you truly don't feel like rooting to save them.

Oh boy, hate to break it to ya buddy, but noting that the light novel author is known to be a huge fan of Gen Urobuchi's and ntiroplus works; anyone who are mostly inspired by Gen Urobuchi's and nitroplus works are known to not only write sad and depressing stories, but also being brutal sadists by killing off a good number of characters. And if they don't kill the characters off, they find ways to make the characters suffer instead. In fact, most of the light novel's and the anime adaption's tearjerkers involves killing off a large number of characters (a number of them are lolis) or making the main characters suffer one way or another. Also, the light novel author is known to be trollish dick as well (just like anyone who had worked with nitroplus in the past as well as Gen Urobuchi).

In fact, Black Bullet has so much similarities with Gen Urobuchi's works that I might as well post this bingo up to prove my point:

Spoiler for Black Bullet bingo:

I'll explain later on why some parts of the bingo board are crossed out.

[Galacticichi]

I could see madness and betrayal in the future of BB (Kisara) if it needed any more fuel for comparison.

[Tenzen12]

I could see madness and betrayal in the future of BB (Rentarou) if it needed any more fuel for comparison.

Anyway who is in "Edrich abomination" picture? I have my suspicious, but I would like to be sure before making idiot out of myself...

[Galacticichi]

It is Saya.

[Tenzen12]

If it is that case, my guess were wrong. I am glad I didn't said it loud

[netvope]

I've just finished watching Black Bullet. Great anime

Which chapters of the manga is this anime based on? (I apologize if this has been asked before. I searched but couldn't find the information without risking to see spoilers.)

I hope there will be a second season. Things I'd love to see resolved:
1. the Gastreas (go save the world, Rentaro!)
2. Enju's corrosion rate (will she disappear in the end... )
3. the masked man

[Dark Paladin X]

Okay, now it's time for my explanation:

Spoiler for the bingo board:

Spoiler for the detailed explanation:

Dark Twist: Well, the anime has a lot of dark twists, but more infamously, Kisara killing her brother and taking joy out of it just her revenge against her family.
Gunservice: A lot of guns being used. I will also like to point out that the light novel author is a bit of a gun otaku himself.
Literary References: There is an antagonist in the assassination arc named Ayn Rand. And the series itself is very politically left-wing.
Severed Head: The present that Kagetane gave to Rentaro was a severed of a Civil Security president. Also, lots of Gastrea heads are cut off.
Lolis: Of course, the cursed children are a race of lolis.
Eldritch Abominations: The Gastrea nonetheless.
Suits: Most Civil Security Officers usually wear suits, but Rentaro's uniform is most noticeable.
Corruption: The entire Tendo family is known to be corrupt. In fact, they are responsible for a monolith collapse that lead to a Gastrea invasion.
Suffering: Free space, this is to be expected.
Utilitarianism: This is basically Rentaro's ethics. He wants everyone in his to be happy. At the same time however, he absolutely refuses to see someone suffering.
Early Death: Well, there are numerous minor characters getting killed left and right. But Kayo Senju is most noticeable.
Innocent Main Character: Enju, Enju, Enju. In fact, she even serves as "the perfect little sister" type character for the audience.
Dystopian: Not only the setting is post-apocalyptic, but also dystopian as well with society and government discrimination against cursed children.
Martial Arts: Oh yeah, lots of them.
Explosives: Ayup.
Faustian Bargain: Well, Rentaro is pragmatic enough to work with Kagetane to fend off against the invading Gastrea.
Anti-villains: Kikunojou Tendo (the light novel was more in depth on his character than the anime). You can also argue that Kagetane is one as well.

Boxes that would have been crossed out if the anime were given a more proper adaptation:

• Betrayal
• Rape
• Backstory Episode

Originally Posted by netvope

I've just finished watching Black Bullet. Great anime

Which chapters of the manga is this anime based on? (I apologize if this has been asked before. I searched but couldn't find the information without risking to see spoilers.)

The anime is based on an ongoing light novel series and it covered up to volume 4 (episodes 1-4 was it's own story arch, 5-7 a separate story arch, and episodes 8-13 was a two volume story arch).

[ninryu]

Just finished marathoning episodes 9-13. Wow, that was something. I have to confess the few last episodes were the best in the whole anime. I haven't had so many emotions scrambled into so few minutes since Shingeki no Kyojin. I am definitely glad I watched it.

[Mad Pierrot]

The novels have a Backstory Episode?

[Dark Paladin X]

Originally Posted by amaterasu4

The novels have a Backstory Episode?

Not exactly, but the light novel does go more in-depth in the characters' backstories though.

[netvope]

Originally Posted by Dark Paladin X

The anime is based on an ongoing light novel series and it covered up to volume 4 (episodes 1-4 was it's own story arch, 5-7 a separate story arch, and episodes 8-13 was a two volume story arch).

Thank you for your perfect answer!

[Mad Pierrot]