AnimeVision

After all the recent wailing and gnashing of teeth over the effect of fansubs on anime companies, it seems GONZO / GDH have got the message, and have announced plans to stream two of their new-season shows - The Tower of Druaga: the Aegis of Uruk- and Blassreiter - online. Charges will vary depending on the site you use and the quality of the streamed file. The real kicker: they'll be available day-and-date with the Japanese TV broadcast, and will be subtitled in English. Why? Let's let GONZO answer that themselves:

Previously fans outside of Japan did not have access to Japanese animation titles until each property was licensed and localized for TV or videogram release in each respective territory. Partially as a result of this gap in availability, a substantial amount of fansubbed pirated footage has traditionally proliferated the Internet via file sharing communities immediately following the first broadcast on terrestrial TV in Japan. GDH's decision to provide its content globally in parallel with Japanese broadcast is an effort to offer equal accessibility and new viewing opportunities to fans around the world, while at the same time showcasing a legal online alternative to illegal file-sharing and downloading. The web VoD services in this venture will also explore new business models that both maximize revenues from content exploitation and savings on distribution costs.

Horrible pricing and a poor distribution channel probably haven't helped their cause, but Bandai Visual USA have put recently-announced titles Shigofumi, true tears and sola an hiatus while they rework their business plan. The full press release for the move is below the cut. According to company president Tatsunori Konno's blog, the move is part of the "revolution" that the Japanese companies seem to be finally realising is necessary (see the recent GDH news for proof) - in Bandai Visuals' case, it also signals a shift away from DVD and onto Blu-ray, which is where the money currently is.

Bandai Visual's record at "getting" the US market speaks for itself - they don't - but if this change of focus works for them, it can only be a good thing.

FUNimation have confirmed they've licensed the Haru and Natsu OVAs for Negima!. Both OVAs are single-episode stories, with Haru focussing on Negi and Asuna, while Natsu features Nodoka and Yue. Treats for the fans, for sure...

Here's a strange one. After press releases earlier in the week from both FUNimation and Bandai Visual talking of the need for Japanese licensors to do their part in combating free-streaming sites like Crunchyroll, GDH (parent company of GONZO) have been the first to stick their head above the parapet - but not in the way most people expected. More below the cut.

I'd called yesterday for the US releasing companies to take a stand against the likes of anime streaming site Crunchyroll, in the wake of their recent injection of VC funding. Both FUNimation and Bandai Entertainment have issued responses, and the word isn't entirely good. Read on below the cut.

More news from LDMS about ADV's UK releases - and a familiar name is attached to the press release. In short, along with the upcoming releases we covered yesterday, all ADV UK's catalogure releases are now back in circulation. In addition, a number of titles are on special offer through HMV stores and hmv.co.uk - so if you want to show your support, go and buy some product. Full press release is below the cut.

Don't normally do release schedules these days, but Lace have released their first wave of dates for ADV releases - as sure a sign as any that things are back on track. The new slate covers from March through to May:

31st March
Guyver: The Bioboosted Armor #5

14th April
Le Chevalier D'Eon #6
Pumpkin Scissors #1
Red Garden #3

28th April
Ah! My Goddess: Flights of Fancy #1
Kurau: Phantom Memory #4
Paniponi Dash #5

12th May
009-1 #3
Utawarerumono #5
Wallflower #1

Having to wait a bit longer for some titles than I would have liked, but at least they're back.

Voltron was probably the first anime I ever saw - not that I realised what "anime" was at the time - but while there have been occasional half-hearted attempts to release it in the UK (usually 4 episodes on a £3 DVD in the Tesco bargain bin), it's never had a proper release. Until now. Manga UK have picked the series up, with the first set due for release in June. Bring it on... :)

Kadokawa Pictures have embraced the online age, and are now streaming the complete opening episodes of Full Metal Panic! and Mushi-Uta online via YouTube. You can find the episodes here: FMP!, Mushi-Uta. Please note their in Japanese only - no English language version is available. Yet. But compared to how other companies seem to be approaching streaming, with some of the Japanese distributors really sticking the arm in for paid downloads, this has to be a sign that someone's thinking clearly...

AnimeWho? It's a valid question... The answer is, they're a new US distributor, run by the same people who are behind adult label JapanAnime, and they're now dipping their toes into more mainstream fare. Their first title will be Joe vs Joe, a spinoff from boxing series Ashita no Joe. The first volume will be out in R1-land on 29th April, and will be a full bilingual release.