Ask John: Is America Due for a Tatsunoko Revival?

Question:
With Capcom releasing Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars on the Wii internationally later this year, could we possibly see a new interest in Tatsunoko properties over here? Could it give a show like Casshern SINS a better chance at getting licensed? Could a company like ADV or Media Blasters possibly license rescue the Casshern, Polymar, and Gatchaman OVAs from that 90s that we received from ADV and Urban Vision, respectively, to help introduce people to these characters without having to go to the original 70s shows? In fact, the Polymar OVA was never even released on DVD over here, though it was dubbed. Finally, should anime companies even take advantage of this new focus Tatsunoko is getting from the game and license titles from the company now or after the game is released, i.e. have the titles out pre-emptively for those who might get interested after playing the game or wait until overall reactions are made?

Answer:
I suspect that there are two reasons why the Tatsunoko vs. Capcom Wii game is being released in America, and neither of them have to do with Tatsunoko. The Wii doesn’t have a 2D style fighting game, and most of the Capcom characters appearing in the game are well known and popular in America. With the exception of Mach Go Go Go and Gatchaman – both of which have a nostalgic American cult following primarily due to their edited American versions – no Tatsunoko anime has ever achieved major, lasting American success. (Macross and Evangelion don’t count as neither was conceptually created by nor primarily animated by Tatsunoko.) However, that’s not to say that certain Tatsunoko titles aren’t a viabile possibility for American acquisition or re-release.

Casshern Sins, with its stylish art design and intriguing atmosphere, should be a strong candidate for American acquisition. However, it must be pointed out that technically Casshern Sins is not a Tatsunoko production because it was animated by Madhouse. AD Vision distributed the 1993 Casshern OVA series on American VHS and DVD. Urban Vision released the 1994 Gatchaman OVA series and 1996 Hurricane Polymar revival domestically. AD Vision has already begun recirculating a number of its earlier acquisitions, including Ushio & Tora, Ellcia, and Princess Minerva. So a re-release of Robot Hunter Casshan may be within the realm of possibility. Likewise, with domestic distributors increasingly investing in re-licensing titles that already have commercial English translations, Urban Vision’s Gatchaman and Polymar may become desirable properties. Urban Vision’s Petshop of Horrors has already been re-released by AD Vision, so further re-releases of former Urban Vision titles can’t be ruled out as a possibility.

But unlike re-releases of former Geneon titles that have demonstrated domestic commercial viablity, Tatsunoko anime may be most appealing to domestic distributors if they’re cheap. Despite featuring character designs by Yasuomi Umetsu, who’s now well recognized in America for his Kite and Mezzo anime, the Casshan, Gatchaman, and Polymar OVAs have never been especially popular in America, and I don’t foresee the Tatsunoko vs. Capcom game inspiring a tidal wave of interest in Tatsunoko’s franchises. I haven’t exhaustively watched Tatsunoko’s canon, but I have sampled episodes of vintage Tatsunoko shows including Mach Go Go Go, Minashigo Hacchi, Inakappe Taisho, Gatchaman, Hurricane Polymar, Yatterman, Toushi Gordian, Mutekingu, Gold Lightan, Itadakiman, Yoroshiku Mechadoc, and Doteraman. Tatsunoko’s early productions are very much a product of their time. The distinctly Japanese humor of the Time Bokan series, psychedelic colors, roller skates, short shorts, bellbottoms, platform shoes, and disco make early Tatsunoko shows unappealing to contemporary American viewers used to anime that represents the future rather than the past. More recent Tatsunoko works including Zillion, Generator Gawl, Tekkaman Blade, the 1994 Time Bokan OVA series, SoulTaker, Nurse Witch Komugi-chan, and Karas have had opportunities in America and haven’t become tremendously successful.

I don’t see any reason to expect the Tatsunoko vs. Capcom game to generate a swell of interest in Tatsunoko’s signature franchises. For that reason, I don’t expect to see American licensors aggressive seek distribution rights to Tatsunoko anime, although former American releases including the Gatchaman, Casshan, and Polymar OVAs, Video Girl Ai, Generator Gawl, SoulTaker, and even Cat Ninden Teyande may be desirable as inexpensive and easily marketable acquisitions. Tatsunoko has secured a reputable position in Japan by creating iconic and popular shows for Japanese viewers. However, even Tatsunoko’s productions that would seem most appealing to Americans, like Video Girl Ai, SoulTaker, and Karas haven’t made much of a splash in America. Tatsunoko’s forté is in producing shows like Hakushon Daimaoh, the Time Bokan series, Temple-chan, and Shurato that appeal to Japanese viewers. Ironically, Tatsunoko’s franchises seem to interest foreign viewers most when they’re not actually produced by Tatsunoko. For examples, see Capcom’s Wii game, Kazuaki Kiriya’s live action Casshern movie, Takeshi Miike’s live action Yatterman movie, Madhouse’s Casshern Sins anime, renditions of Gatchaman by Alex Ross and Imagi Studios, and American updates of Speed Racer by Nickelodeon Studios and the Wachowski brothers.