The Licensing of Haruhi Suzumiya

[aegismode]

Originally Posted by Asrialys

Mmmmm...maybe not. And tell me, which of these "less popular anime" are you speaking of?

Eh, Super Milk-chan? By popular I mean fansub popular. I don't remember a bunch of crazed Scryed fan dying for the DVD release either. FLCL was an otaku anime and it became pretty successful with the "mainstream" anime viewers. Haruhi has at least the same type of appeal. But of course it may fail and AS forums will be filled with ignoramuses flaming each other about Haruhi... Perhaps that's what I wouldn't like to see. The idea of the unwashed "mainstream" bitching about Our Lord Haurhi makes me want to go Jihad on the non-believers. ^^)

[aegismode]

Originally Posted by Vallen Chaos Valiant

Why isn't it funny? It's not like you are forced to give them money or anything.

This is exactly how Haruhi would have done things; things she does may look hilarious to viewers across the forth wall, but to her it is serious business. If you needed to donate in order to access the site, then I will complain. But donations are donations; no one is forcing you to given them money, but what makes you think anyone would reject free money?

I get the joke but making the button functional is not cool. When you donate you simply supplement the frigging marketing budget. If the paypal account was registered to Tanigawa or the site is REALLY run by fans then I can dig it. If the money goes to one of the biggest anime/toy company in the world, hell no. They'll get their cut when I buy the DVDS.

[Vallen Chaos Valiant]

Originally Posted by aegismode

I get the joke but making the button functional is not cool. When you donate you simply supplement the frigging marketing budget. If the paypal account was registered to Tanigawa or the site is REALLY run by fans then I can dig it. If the money goes to one of the biggest anime/toy company in the world, hell no. They'll get their cut when I buy the DVDS.

The biggest toy company in the world? You are getting your similar-named companies mixed up.
Regardless, no one said you need to give them anything. Bill Gates could set up a donation button on the Microsoft website, and there would still be nothing wrong with it. People can give money to whoever they want.

[Asrialys]

Yeah, a donation is like a voluntary tranfer of funds. You don't have to do it.

[Kaioshin Sama]

Yeah man Haruhi is going to be phenomonally successful in North America. I'll go to work and the guys will all be like "Hey, Graham you know anime and stuff right, I saw this show called Suzumiya Haruhi No Yuutsu and it was awesome". Then I'll be like "Really, how the hell did you see that show." Then as I'm leaving for the day there will be posters for the show everywhere and as I run down the street a Haruhi parade balloon will come by in Chibi form and as I'm crouching down in utter panic and disbelief it turns out it was all just a really strange dream. It could happen to you!

[quigonkenny]

Originally Posted by Asrialys

LOL But what order are the showing the episodes? Weren't the R2 DVDs in chronological order? If they use the TV broadcast order, then that 00 episode is most definitely going to shock the unexpected. Are unaware Americans ready for such a thing? lol

Considering the tastes of Adult Swim's anime-ignorant crowd, Episode 00 would actually be the best way to start the show off. Considering their most successful in-house show, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, is about as random as it gets (outside of the uneven Perfect Hair Forever or the unwatchable 12 Oz Mouse), I think a lot of Adult Swim's anime-ignorant fans would get a kick out of the SOS Dan's most critically acclaimed work.

Of course, the anime haters in their audience (and there are a number of them, all incessantly vocal on the forums) wouldn't like it even if they had a Jessica Alba striptease at each commercial break, but you can't please everybody. (and some don't deserve pleasing, but that's neither here nor there...)

Still don't see the show getting on Adult Swim, though, or succeeding there if it does, no matter how good the dub or the original material is. It's too unique a combination of humorous and cerebral for their audience, if you ask me. Now on the other hand, the second best anime of 2006, Black Lagoon...that show was absolutely made for Adult Swim. They cast the dub right, and it'll be the next Bebop.

[Scifience]

Originally Posted by Vallen Chaos Valiant

The biggest toy company in the world? You are getting your similar-named companies mixed up.
Regardless, no one said you need to give them anything. Bill Gates could set up a donation button on the Microsoft website, and there would still be nothing wrong with it. People can give money to whoever they want.

While Bandai is not the biggest toy company in the world, it is certainly one of the biggest, which is all aegismode said. In fact, according to Wikipedia:

Originally Posted by Wikipedia

Bandai Co., Ltd. (株式会社バンダイ, Kabushiki-gaisha Bandai?) is a Japanese toy making company, as well as the producer of a large number of anime and tokusatsu programs. It is the world's third largest producer of toys.

I put the relevent part in bold.

[aegismode]

Originally Posted by Vallen Chaos Valiant

The biggest toy company in the world? You are getting your similar-named companies mixed up.

Hmm, I don't think so. Bandai Entertaiment said on their own website:

Bandai Entertainment Inc. is a subsidiary of Namco Bandai Holdings (USA) Inc. and the premier distributor of Japanese animation on DVD and programming for television broadcast in North America.

And If you goto Namco Bandai Holdings Inc's site, you'll find that they're owned by Namco Bandai Holdings Tokyo Inc. And according this only English page I can find, the company is of course the parent holding company for the Japanese game maker Namco and the biggest Toy company in Japan, Bandai.

I mean you really think Bandai Entertainment is unrelated to Bandai Japan? The life-size Gundam statues lining their HQ should offer us a clue. Gundam IS Bandai. Plus the logo is exactly the same.

EDIT: my google skills require update. Goto this page which listed Namco Bandai Holding Tokyo Inc. group of companies in English, you see that on the bottom left box called "Visual & Music Content SBU", you'll find Bandai Entertainment Inc. listed. They're one big happy Keiretsu I tell ya.

[aegismode]

Originally Posted by quigonkenny

Considering the tastes of Adult Swim's anime-ignorant crowd, Episode 00 would actually be the best way to start the show off.

Yup. I totally agree. Kyon order is the only way watching the anime serially. People can jump to Haruhi order later, but if they watch in Kyon order first it's just that much better. I thought the Kyon order ending is PERFECT. If they do show on TV they know if would initially attract fans like us anyway, and many of us, I suspect, would complaint if they did not show in Kyon order.

[Dagger]

Originally Posted by aegismode

I mean you really think Bandai Entertainment is unrelated to Bandai Japan? The life-size Gundam statues lining their HQ should offer us a clue. Gundam IS Bandai. Plus the logo is exactly the same.

On that subject, it's worth noting that Bandai Ent and Bandai Visual (new company in R1, direct offshoot of Bandai Japan) operate as totally separate companies.

I think the donation thing is hysterical, personally.

[aegismode]

Originally Posted by Magus IX

On that subject, it's worth noting that Bandai Ent and Bandai Visual (new company in R1, direct offshoot of Bandai Japan) operate as totally separate companies.

Wait a second, Bandai Visual? You mean a NEW American subsidary called Bandai Visual? Or the good ol' movie/anime arm of Bandai Japan, Bandai Visual, which has been around since 1983? Bandai Visual is listed under the same box as Bandai Entertainment Inc, so it looks like they are just Japan and US subsidaries of the same side of Bandai business - music and animation/film distribution. So Bandai Visual is working directly in R1 side by side with Bandai Entertainment? Why is SOS-Dan listed on Bandai Entertainment's home page then? Bandai Visual Japan has no mention of Haruhi. Hmm....

Holy Haruhi Bandai owns both Sunrise AND Lantis as well. Lantis already create and distribute the Haruhi Radio Shows and all the Music CDs... so there has already been existing relationship. The R2 DVD is distrubuted by Klockworx, not a Bandai company... but Bandai Visual is really not that big on non-Sunrise anime before.. I mean Eureka 7 probably the only one recently that's not a major movie. Also interesting that Klockworx is also the R2 distributor for FMP! Second Raid. Oh well, who knows how these companies really deal with each other anyway. I'm just surprised how much anime $$ Bandai is already getting in Japan.. I mean Lantis IS the anime music company.

[Dagger]

There is a new American subsidiary called Bandai Visual. Bandai Ent is something rather separate as far as I know. The US branch of Bandai Visual has published fancy re-releases of the first two Patlabor movies and are about to release Gunbuster & Diebuster. They have nothing to do with the US release of Haruhi. Despite that, they have far closer ties to the JP Bandai (being that they're just an offshoot of that company) than Bandai Ent.

[aegismode]

Originally Posted by Magus IX

There is a new American subsidiary called Bandai Visual. Bandai Ent is something rather separate as far as I know. The US branch of Bandai Visual has published fancy re-releases of the first two Patlabor movies and are about to release Gunbuster & Diebuster. They have nothing to do with the US release of Haruhi. Despite that, they have far closer ties to the JP Bandai (being that they're just an offshoot of that company) than Bandai Ent.

That's very interesting news. Why would they have two separate companies doing the same thing in the US? That's just nuts... maybe there's some insider reason why. I have found their website too.. so I guess they are not listed because they are really just Bandai Visual American office. From their mission statement it seemed that they are dedicated so the release of Anime DVD to the American market. Okay.. then why don't they have the Haruhi license then? Maybe they're only publishing anime titles in which Bandai Visual also distribute in Japan? It just seemed so weirld to see these two companies both carrying the Bandai name and yet seemed to be doing the same thing. I see that Bandai Entertainment also do some live action films too... but heck Bandai Visual Japan distribute tons of Japanese films in Japan. I don't get it... must be a political thing. Thanks for the info.

[Dagger]

The US branch of Kadokawa (JP company) are the ones with the Haruhi 'license.' They're just using Bandai Entertainment for assistance & distribution purposes for Haruhi, in the same way that they used FUNimation to release FMP: TSR. Bandai Ent is not a subsidiary of Bandai JP--they may have some professional ties, but they have to pay Bandai JP money to get a license (Haruhi is a totally different matter; presumably Kadokawa is paying them for their help, but Kadokawa US rather than Bandai holds the right to release the show and stuff). Bandai Visual US doesn't have to pay anyone money to release an anime in the US.

Kadokawa released Haruhi in Japan, IIRC, so I assume that's why their US branch is able to release Haruhi (in conjunction with Bandai Ent). Actually Bandai Visual JP didn't have anything to do with the JP Haruhi, as far as I know. Kadokawa didn't have to choose Bandai Ent to assist them with Haruhi--they could've picked Funi again, for instance. It just so happened that they ended up with Bandai Ent. Bandai Visual US is analagous to Kadokawa US--a direct offshoot of a JP company. Bandai Ent is its own operation w/ a confusing name.

At least that's the way I understand it.

[CrowKenobi]

Originally Posted by aegismode

Just FYI, I'm not sure why Kyon in the blog keep recommending "Collision with Chronos". Maybe the Japanese version Tanigawa read was "better", but it's probably one of the racist book I've ever read. I mean it was full of racist language, especially against the Chinese, if you know what I mean. I think it was intended to expose the "evils of racism" with a backdrop of some weird time-related scifi piece, but reading it closely you can tell just how racist and bias the author is himself. Kyon could have mentioned that the "present" human who 's fighting against the future "aliens" are descendents of the Nazis... oh my goodness I'm so embarrased of owning this sub-standard, racist psudo sci-fi book. Let me put it lightly - it's like L. Ron Hubbard version of "Mein-Kampft" with even worse ending (than Hubbard's books!), only that the intense racism is aimed at Asians. If you're Asian and you're able read this book cover-to-cover and not get angrier than ape-shit, I can only say that you are an extremely mature human being.

Attention Bandai and KadoUSA Marketing Team Members (I know you're reading this): HAVE YOU GUYS READ THE DAMN BOOK? Tanigawa may have loved it but gosh he didn't read the English version with its at least a 1,000 occurance of the racist word "Chink." Please remove this book from being associated with Haruhi, especially to English native speakers. I love Haruhi... please don't tarnish this great anime with this dumb book.

I can't even put this book on my bookshelf... damn I gotta figure out how to return this crap to Amazon...

Just in case I didn't make myself clear - don't buy this book unless you're a closet neo-nazi. If you're real otaku and only buying this crap out of love for Haruhi - don't. I can't believe I'm making comments about white supermists on a forum devoted to Haruhi... gosh, the definition of sacralige to a Haruhiist.

Reading this book has ruined my day. I'm going to go take a shower now and hopefully I can forget this book ever existed.

Originally Posted by aegismode

Eh, you visite the myspace site often? It's listed right on under Books as one of Kyon's interests. I even guessed it was "Collision with Chronos" since it was won a Japanese sci-fi award. But he confirmed it with this entry. He talked about this book for 3 blog posts straight and that's why I bought it from Amazon. What a mistake. Please do not read the book.

Well, with his February 5, 2007 blog entry called "Another Morning Post," Kyon explains himself...

Originally Posted by Kyon on MySpace

I noticed that someone commented on the "Collision with Chronos" book, and the racist terms used in it. I hope the reader understands the perspective that the book was written from, and that it used such terms to highlight the arrogance and stupidity of the Titans. If you got to the end of the book, this should be very clear. I certainly hope that people understand what they read and do no dismiss literature simply because of the language that it uses. I think Yuki would agree with me on this. I have a lot of faith that people that read good books and watch good television are enlightened enough to understand when an author uses such terms to make a statement, not to put down a group. Otherwise we fall prey to the worst kind of self censorship, and considering how much it seems my life is tied to literature, I think this would be a sad thing.

I don't know if that helps, but oh well.

[Noppapana]

i am kinda curios if the ASOS Brigade is aware of the hare hare yukai dance

[Samatarou]

Originally Posted by Magus IX

Bandai Ent is not a subsidiary of Bandai JP--they may have some professional ties, but they have to pay Bandai JP money to get a license

That doesn't mean they're not a subsidiary. In fact being a subsidiary may mean they pay even higher licence fees than an independent company would.

Let me explain how the Japanese electronics industry works in Europe. The same model probably applies to other industries and international commerce generally.
The European distributors are wholly owned by the Japanese manufacturer. They decide what price the market will bear for the product, and the parent company then charges them a wholesale price as near as possible to that price. The distributor never makes a profit, indeed it may not even cover its costs. This way all the profits are made in by the parent in Japan, and the distributor pays no taxes to the foreign country it is based in. If the distributor were to make a profit, this would be taxed in the foreign country, and then what was left would be repatriated to the parent company in Japan where if forms part of their own profits and gets taxed again. So to avoid being taxed in the foreign country they get their profits back by onerous charges for the product which bleed the subsidiary's coffers dry. As a result unofficial (grey) imports of products are often cheaper than official ones since the official distributor is actually being charged higher prices than independent ones who may shop around for the keenest price e.g. via third parties in other countries.

Unless the US has some kind of regulations to prevent this sort of thing, I would be surprised if any of the anime subsidiaries such as Bandai or Kadokawa US are getting their anime licences for free from their parent companies, on the contrary they will be paying top dollar for them.

[aegismode]

Originally Posted by CrowKenobi

Well, with his February 5, 2007 blog entry called "Another Morning Post," Kyon explains himself...
I don't know if that helps, but oh well.

Eh, no it doesn't help. IT shows Tanigawa's ignorance. I have replied and I hope he listens to my advise - ask some one in the West to read it and tell him how they feels. This is ridiculous. I hope all of you go buy and read this fine racist literature. I tried to post some passage but reading this books again is giving me a headache. Maybe I should post on how the white Titans proudly performed genocide on all blacks, or how the Asians and American Indians are simply the "deviants" of TRUE MAN (whites) and not fully human. Every single western degrgatory stereotype or insult you can put on Asians is in the book. And to boot in the book THEY ARE ALL TRUE. I guess I was ignorant, but the Brits have way more bad things to say about the East than even the Americans.

I'm just about starting to lose faith. Maybe Haruhi-ism isn't for me. Gosh I cursed the day I bought this book - how I wished to remain blissfully ignorant.

To the Happy KadoUSA/Bandai Marketing Team: DID YOU READ IT YET? Was that YOUR response in myspace or Tanigawa's? If you have NOT read it, please someone READ IT AND TELL TANIGAWA WHAT YOU THINK OF IT. I guess nothing will change his mind about his love for the book, but my gosh people, put some perspective on it and do it more marketing sake. You do not want this book to offend anymore fans. Japanese manga-ka still draw black people in Sambo-like ways with huge lips, but they don't do it because it was racist - it's because they do not know how racist Sambo faces are to blacks. Please help educate Tanigawa-san and our sensibilities.

I'm beginning to think I'm the only person aside from Tanigawa who's read the damned book.

[FatPianoBoy]

Originally Posted by aegismode

Eh, no it doesn't help. IT shows Tanigawa's ignorance.

I'm failing to see the difference in the way this book uses 'Chink' and the way books like Uncle Tom's Cabin use 'the n-werd.'
But maybe I'm just showing my ignorance.

If I may inject a bit of logic into this fiasco, think about this: if this book's message is truley 'all people but white people r teh suck,' then why would an asian fellow enjoy it?
The problem here is that you are just not going to accept anyone's views but your own (ironic?) on this book. You're not even willing to agree to disagree - if people do not see this book as condoning the extermination of all things non-white, then they're simply wrong, and you must rant and rave until they see the light.

I don't usually get involved in things like this, but I'm getting sick of it popping up in here and people trying to start flamewars over it. You wanna complain about how the Japanese draw black people? Take a look at how they charicature white people, as well. Before you say it isn't the same, remember that, to them, it is.

[waffo]

Either something's wrong with my eyes or the myspace post about the book is gone. And it is also gone from the list of his favorite books.