Ask John: Where Are the Streamline Titles?

Question:
What is going to happen to all the anime (Akira, Fist of the North Star and Crying Freeman) that was distributed by Orion/Streamline? Is there any word out on when they will be picked up by another company and re-released?

Answer:
I wish I could help you with this, but the status of the Streamline titles is up in the air. Many of the old Streamline titles have been picked up by other distributors. Windaria was re-released by Best Video for a while, but it is now out of print again. Pioneer currently owns the licenses to Akira and 3X3 Eyes. Urban Vision has re-released Vampire Hunter D, Wicked City and the Golgo 13 movie. AD Vision has recently acquired the re-release rights to Robotech.

I imagine that if they will be re-released at all, Anime Village would likely be the company to license the Silent Mobius movies seeing as they have the TV series; AD Vision would likely pick up the Dirty Pair movies to expand their Dirty Pair collection; Manga would most likely be the company to expect to license the Fist of the North Star movie, considering that Manga has the TV series; and I imagine that Studio A.P.P.P. will re-release Hong Lang (Crimson Wolf) and Robot Carnival themselves when their American distribution branch Super Techno Arts establishes itself.

Unfortunately, many of the Streamline titles, including those just mentioned, Windaria, Barefoot Gen, Babel II, Crying Freeman, Twilight of the Cockroaches and more, seem to be in limbo right now. All that I can suggest is that if you really want to see one or more of these titles re-released, contact your favorite domestic anime company, and let them know. The best way to get these titles back on the market is to let companies know that there’s actually a market for them.