Ask John: When Could Geneon’s Titles Get Re-Released in America?

Question:
What would be the likely procedure for an existing American anime distributor like ADV or Funmiation to pick up the titles formally owned by Geneon, particularly the ones not completed like Hellsing Ultimate or Black Lagoon? Would that company simply re-release the original version done by Geneon and continue the series from there, or restart the whole series over again, either with their own chosen cast for an English dub or with the original voice actors? What is the normal amount of time it would take a company to make all that necessary?

Answer:
While domestic anime licenses periodically lapse and get re-licensed for American release by new distributors, unfinished series being re-licensed happens much less frequently, and a situation similar to what has happened in Geneon’s case is virtually unprecedented in America. Examination of previous American releases illuminates this situation somewhat, but there’s still a lot about Geneon’s withdrawal from American anime distribution that can’t be comprehensively analyzed.

Media Blasters re-releases of titles including Iria and Golden Boy don’t appear to be re-translated. FUNimation’s re-releases of the Slayers television series did not include new translations or dubbing. AD Vision’s re-released of AnimEigo’s version of the Macross television series did include a new English dub and revisions to AnimEigo’s subtitle translation while the AD Vision re-release of Streamline’s Windaria did not restore missing footage or the original Japanese language audio. Bandai Visual’s domestic releases of titles previously released in America, including the Patlabor movies, Gunbuster, and Wings of Honneamise, have include new dialogue translations.

These examples illustrate new American licensors re-releasing older titles essentially unchanged, and re-releasing older titles with freshly created translations. But all of these examples reflect complete and total re-releases. I can only recall two instances of American distributors continuing licenses to shows previously released in America. (I’m referring to single series, not multiple series of a single title divided between different distributors.) Trimark released the first 13 episodes of Dragon Ball and the first Dragon Ball motion picture on American VHS. FUNimation continued the series from episode 14 and movie 2 onward. While Trimark’s release was edited and dubbed only, FUNimation’s release was uncut and bilingual. AD Vision released a bilingual translation of the first half of the Super GALS! Kotobuki Ran television series. Right Stuf International acquired and released a subtitled only translation of the second half of the series.

In FUNimation’s case, American distribution rights to the beginning of the Dragon Ball anime weren’t available, so FUNimation didn’t have the option of re-releasing the series from the beginning. Likewise, since AD Vision still distributes the first half of Super GALS, Right Stuf didn’t have an option to re-release the entire series from the beginning. Circumstances may be different with Geneon’s licenses. In the case of titles like Trigun, Chobits, and Tenchi Muyo, which Geneon had fully released in America, how these shows will be re-released in America, if they’re re-released, will depend upon the plans of the distributor that acquires them. Distributors invest in producing new translations when they believe that doing so will increase a title’s sales potential. When an original dub or translation is available and satisfactory, there’s little reason to replace it. I expect that if distribution rights for Geneon’s unfinished titles are brought to market, they’ll be offered as complete series. In other words, I don’t expect to see new domestic distributors pick up titles like When They Cry, Black Lagoon, Hellsing Ultimate, and Story of Saiunkoku in mid-series. I suspect that when or if these titles are re-released in America, their new distributors will re-release them from their beginnings. Whether Geneon’s existing partial translations get re-released along with the animation may depend upon whether the original English speaking voice actors are available to continue their roles from where they left off.

In any case, questions or predictions about the fate of Geneon USA’s titles may be irrelevant considering that Geneon USA itself hasn’t excluded the possibility of re-starting American anime distribution in the future. On October 5, 2007, Geneon USA President Eiji Orii issued a public letter stating that Geneon was, “internally discussing plans to explore all available options to continue distribution of Geneon titles, both old and new, at a later date.” The full body of the letter didn’t encourage expectations that Geneon USA would recover and re-start its DVD distribution, but it did introduce the remote possibility of Geneon eventually re-launching its titles itself.

Regardless of whose hands Geneon USA’s titles fall into, American fans should expect at least a year long wait for new releases. If Geneon USA restructures and restarts its anime distribution, the company will need to replenish its staff, establish new distribution partnerships and sales contacts, produce and manufacture new DVDs, and deliver its products to market, which will take some time. If distribution rights to former Geneon titles are re-placed with new distributors, licensing negotiations and contract agreements make take weeks or months to complete. Then new DVDs will need to be produced. Even if a new distributor recycles Geneon’s existing DVDs, any new distributor will want to replace Geneon studio logos with their own. Replicating commercial quantities of DVDs may take two to four weeks or more. Mass market DVD distribution requires at least three months of advance solicitation.

In effect, it’s impossible to predict what will happen to Geneon USA’s titles based on American precedent because there is no singular typical course for this situation. The American anime industry’s history is a collection of individual events rather than a standard practice with occasional variances. Furthermore, with the information presently available, it’s impossible to predict whether or not Geneon’s titles will be re-released in America. Neither is it possible to predict who will re-release Geneon’s catalog nor when, nor how. The high profile and market potential of many of Geneon’s titles makes them attractive candidates for American re-release, but nothing is certain. The only fact that is relatively certain is that if any of Geneon’s titles are relaunched or continued in America, the revival won’t be especially soon.