Geneon USA shutting down

[bandit29]

Well this kinda sucks...I always liked their releases.

Geneon Entertainment Exits (10:46 AM EDT): Though the finality of things is still up in the air, Geneon Entertainment has sent out information to retailers regarding their 4th quarter plans. According to the information, Geneon will be shipping all releases they have in the queue for street dates through 11/05/2007. All orders placed after this coming Friday is non-returnable. As of 12/31/2007, they will be shutting down, apparently completely as AnimeNation is listing everything past 11/11/2007 as canceled. Plans for beyond 12/31/2007 are still up in the air but what little is being said indicates that they're intending to focus on their own properties in a similar way to Kadokawa Pictures USA is doing things.

http://animeondvd.com/

[Gunbuster]

That really sucks what will happen to Black Lagon, Fate, Hellsing, Ippo!

[sidearmsalpha]

Damn, don't they also put out Tenjho Tenge?! Did they finish putting out all the episodes for that?!

[eriku]

It's kind of sad that HK bootleggers seem to be more reliable than US distributors when it comes to anime. I was just about to pick up the Black Lagoon DVDs, too. I think I'll wait and see what happens now.

[eugimon]

anyone know the reason why they're shutting down?

[Keith]

Black Lagoon will easily get picked up by someone else (ADV/Funi), so I'm not worried abou that. But I just picked up the Daichi's (6.99 a disc at rightstuf), and the Tetsujin 28 box set (35.99 at rightstuf).

I'd also like to get Chobits, Girls Bravo, & Ergo Proxy right now, but I've already got enough on my plate as is. Everything I don't have from them right now look like likely re-licenses to other companies, so I'm not too concerned.

[the white drew carey]

It's kind of sad that HK bootleggers seem to be more reliable than US distributors when it comes to anime. I was just about to pick up the Black Lagoon DVDs, too. I think I'll wait and see what happens now.

OMG. You did not just say that, did you?

Did you ever think that the HK bootleggers might just be part of the reason they're shutting down?

Hmmm... Criminal syndicate selling the same thing for less because they don't have to pay any licensing fees or advertise the product.

[JsARCLIGHT]

That's my first thought when reading this... operating costs are too high for the small volume and number of releases they produce. Couple that with the licensing fees, rather limited sales futures that such a niche market can sustain and the ever growing rate of piracy and bootleggery I'm shocked legitimate stateside anime importers have stayed in business as long as they have.

[UN Spacy]

I HOPE this doesn't close the door on a possibility of a new Black Lagoon season.

[eriku]

OMG. You did not just say that, did you?

Did you ever think that the HK bootleggers might just be part of the reason they're shutting down?

Hmmm... Criminal syndicate selling the same thing for less because they don't have to pay any licensing fees or advertise the product.

Chill out, you act like I said "yay for HK bootleggers!". It's just an observation that it seems easier to get some anime via HK bootlegs than it is through legitimated US distributors, and that Ganeon USA shutting down doesn't help. And I said it was sad...which would generally indicate I wasn't endorsing it.

Edited September 26, 2007 by eriku

[the white drew carey]

Chill out, you act like I said "yay for HK bootleggers!". It's just an observation that it seems easier to get some anime via HK bootlegs than it is through legitimated US distributors, and that Ganeon USA shutting down doesn't help. And I said it was sad...which would generally indicate I wasn't endorsing it.

Well, your statement was kind of blase'.

[wolfx]

And here i thought GENEON USA is doing very well with all the licenses they were securing and sometimes anime they were sponsoring directly.

[Mercurial Morpheus]

I HOPE this doesn't close the door on a possibility of a new Black Lagoon season.

Why would it? Geneon USA has nothing to do with the animation production wing. Though seeing as the manga just passed the anime, I doubt we'll be seeing anymore anyway. Besides, I sort of like where it ended.

RIP Geneon/Pioneer. They always were among my favorites. They put out some decent dubs and didn't mess with things as much as others. Why can't Funi or ADV get setbacks like this. They need some humbling (though recently I've been more peeved at Funi than my long time nemesis ADV).

[mpchi]

Sad news indeed. Not following particular series, but had bought quite a few series from them. With other publisher overpricing their new releases, I was thinking "At least we have Geneon & ADV." Now one of the big guns are down...

Edited September 27, 2007 by mpchi

[danth]

It shoulda been Bandai Visual.

[Keith]

You leave bandai visual alone! If anybody, it should have been Viz or Manga.

[Sumdumgai]

ADV, Viz, or Mangle. Although I can't think of a single title I've bought from Geneon in a loooong time.

[Keith]

ADV, Viz, or Mangle. Although I can't think of a single title I've bought from Geneon in a loooong time.

No, ADV needs to stick around long enough to release Gurren Lagann!

Now HG, they need to go under more than any of the above!!

Edited September 27, 2007 by Keith

[Ishimaru]

Now HG, they need to go under more than any of the above!!

The day HG goes away is when the day Macross comes to the states.

[areaseven]

Yeah, it's sad to hear that Geneon's going under. After all, they did release whole bunch of favorites such as Trigun, Armitage III, Heat Guy J, R.O.D -The TV-, etc. What surprises me is that Central Park Media has outlasted Geneon, given the fact that CPM has released more crap titles than all of the domestic companies combined.

[Keith]

To be fair, CPM nearly went under last year, and still aren't really out of danger yet. I guess we should have sensed something when Geneon put out the super econimic Tenchi sets earlier this year, that something was up.

[Radd]

Has business really been that bad for Geneon, or is there something on the other side of the ocean that brought this about?

[bandit29]

It shoulda been Bandai Visual.

Ya with their prices and strategies, they'll be next.

Sucks to see Pioneer/Geneon go. I'm still amazed that Mangle or CPM will outlast them.

Lain, Last Exile, Hellsing, Requiem from the Darkness were among my favs.

I wonder who will pick up Hellsing Ultimate?

[Fly4victory]

The day HG goes away is when the day Macross comes to the states.

Third on that thought!

So what will become of Captain Harlock/Herlock since it has been sold by both Geneon and AnimEgo?

[Keith]

Third on that thought!

So what will become of Captain Harlock/Herlock since it has been sold by both Geneon and AnimEgo?

Each license is individual, so both will be free to be re-licensed, though to be honest, I'd want to see Galaxy Railways season 2 & OVA picked up first.

[chrono]

Gotta wonder how long the titles they have will stay in limbo though...

Damn company's hold them for years.

[Keith]

I'd imagine in this modern world of ours, there's something in each contract that would state that rights automatically revert to the Japanese owner once a licensor goes under. I'd be extremely surprised if that wasn't the case.

[JB0]

I'd imagine in this modern world of ours, there's something in each contract that would state that rights automatically revert to the Japanese owner once a licensor goes under. I'd be extremely surprised if that wasn't the case.

I MAY be giving him too much credit, but I think he's referring to how some companies snap licenses up, then sit on them without actually releasing anything.

I know ADV used to be infamous for it, dunno how much it's changed since then.

[Sumdumgai]

Well I'm glad I didn't try going for a job at Geneon, now that I think about it.

[Keith]

I MAY be giving him too much credit, but I think he's referring to how some companies snap licenses up, then sit on them without actually releasing anything.

I know ADV used to be infamous for it, dunno how much it's changed since then.

Nope, I meant what I literally said, there should be something in each licensing contract that stipulates "if" a licensing company (such as Geneon) goes under, any series they licensed would revert back to the original Japanese holder to "re-license" at their whim. As opposed to them having to wait until the renewal date of the contract is up.

[chrono]

Actually it was a little of both.

But mainly when company's close down it often takes 1-3 years before the final paperwork is completely done and it's totally official. Now will they attempt to sell their licenses to other company's or will they sit on them until the contract expires, yearsssss down the road, and they revert back.

Hell, the number of abandoned and held licenses of anime & manga has had to have reached 2000+ the last 10-15 years.

[JB0]

Nope, I meant what I literally said, there should be something in each licensing contract that stipulates "if" a licensing company (such as Geneon) goes under, any series they licensed would revert back to the original Japanese holder to "re-license" at their whim. As opposed to them having to wait until the renewal date of the contract is up.

I thought chrono's point was the relicensing.

Say ADV snatches Black Lagoon up.

And sits on it, to keep shelves clear for Yet Another Eva Reissue.

[areaseven]

More bad news, courtesy of Anime News Network:

Dentsu Posts Extraordinary Income and Extraordinary Losses, etc.

Sep 27 2007

Dentsu Inc. (President & COO: Tatsuyoshi Takashima; Head Office: Tokyo; Capital: 58,967.1 million yen) announced today that it will post extraordinary income and extraordinary losses, etc. in its financial results for the first half of the fiscal year ending March 31, 2008, as follows.

1. Loss due to business downsizing of Geneon Entertainment (USA) Inc.

Dentsu's subsidiary, Geneon Entertainment (USA) Inc., which undertakes animation related business in North America, has decided to downsize its scope of business and increase business efficiency. As a consequence, Dentsu will post extraordinary losses, etc. of 4.7 billion yen on a consolidated basis and 5.1 billion yen on a non-consolidated basis in its financial results for the first half of the fiscal year ending March 31, 2008.

2. Loss due to withdrawal from business of D&T partnership

Dentsu has decided to withdraw from the business of the D&T partnership between Dentsu and Tohokushinsha Film Corporation (a joint sales business for broadcasting rights in Japan to foreign movies and TV programs). As a consequence, Dentsu will post an extraordinary loss of 7.2 billion yen on both a consolidated and a non-consolidated basis in its financial results for the first half of the fiscal year ending March 31, 2008.

3. Additional contribution of securities to the employee retirement benefit trust

In order to enhance the adequacy of its reserves of assets for retirement benefit obligations, Dentsu has decided to make an additional contribution of certain shares held by Dentsu to the employee retirement benefit trust. As a consequence, a gain on contribution of securities to the employee retirement benefit trust of approximately 7.3 billion yen (amount of contribution of stock holding trust: approximately 8.3 billion yen) is scheduled to be posted as extraordinary income in the financial results for the first half of the fiscal year ending March 31, 2008.

(No. 65 - 2007) 1/2

4. Impact on Financial Results

Impact on Dentsu's financial results for the first half of the fiscal year ending March 31, 2008 is expected due to the posting of the above mentioned extraordinary income and extraordinary losses, etc, but the outlook for financial results is now being assessed. Dentsu will announce amendments to such outlook if necessary, when the assessment of the outlook for financial results is completed.

Contact: Yukihiro Oguchi

Senior Manager

Corporate Communications Division

Telephone: (813) 6216-8042

E-mail: yukihiro.oguchi@dentsu.co.jp