Ask John: Do Second Series Get Released Without First Series?

Question:
The current season [of Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha] StrikerS is very marketable. Is there any chance a company would pick up the later series and not the earlier ones? Has there been an example of such a thing happening before?

Answer:
In the case of most American releases, franchises missing chapters are usually missing their sequels, spin-offs, or supplemental episodes. The Elfen Lied television series is available domestically, but the home video exclusive episode that followed the Japanese TV broadcast has not been released in America. The Aura Battler Dunbine and Zenki television series have been released in America, but the OAV series that followed each have not been released here. The Macross television series has been released in America, but its sequel, Macross 7, and its prequel, Macross Zero, have not. The first two You’re Under Arrest television series are available in America but the third is not. The first two Har&eacuteGuu series are available in America, but the third series is not. The first Nurse Witch Komugi-chan OVA series is available on American DVD, but the second series is not. The Japanese “bonus” episode of the Maze television series, and the Maze motion picture have never been released in America. The Fancy La La television series reached America, but its OAV did not. In a comparable situation, the Steel Angel Kurumi Zero OVA series and Steel Angel Kurumi 2 Shiki television series debuted in Japan at the same time. Steel Angel Kurumi 2 Shiki has been released in America, but Steel Angel Kurumi Zero has not seen American release. In most cases, domestic distributors take the logical route of starting a release at its beginning, and shows which are not fully released remain incomplete due to lacking interest.

However, there are several examples of domestic releases that don’t start with the original series, or selectively skip over installments of the original Japanese release. Geneon currently distributes the second Lupin TV series in America, but the first and third TV series have never been released domestically. Central Park Media released the fifth Lamune & 40 series in America, but the prior 4 series have never been released here. AD Vision released the Borgman OAVs in America, one of which includes references to the end of the TV series, but the TV series itself has never been released in America. Every Dirty Pair anime except the original television series has been released in America. The 2000 Gensomaden Saiyuki television series and its sequels are available in America, but the original 2 episode Saiyuki OAV series from 1999 has never been released domestically. Bandai Entertainment has selectively released installments of its Gundam franchise in America, including even releasing the first, second, and fourth chapters in the storyline involving Amuro Rei and Char Aznable, but not the third part of the story (Mobile Suit ZZ Gundam). Media Blasters has released the first and second Weiss Kreuz television series in America, but not the OVA series that comes in-between them. Similarly, AD Vision has released the Nadesico television series and motion picture, but not the Gekiganger OVA that fills in the story between them.

In the case of the Mahou Shoujo Lyrical Nanoha franchise, I don’t believe that the second and third anime series can stand independently. The second and third series are direct sequels to the first that don’t entirely make sense without the establishing context of their prior series. So I doubt that any domestic licensor would eager attempt to license and release Lyrical Nanoha Ace or Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS in America without the a prior American release of the earlier series. Furthermore, considering the high profile and major Japanese success of the franchise, I doubt that an American licensor would want to risk the possibility of having the franchise divided between multiple distributors, if at all possible.

Article revised May 14, 2007