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For years, Marlon Schulman (left) and Ken Iyadomi worked for Orion
when that company distributed anime. Now, the two work for Bandai Entertainment
Inc., and they had a big announcement on the opening day of Anime Expo.
Gundam, the giant robot series that is a legend among anime fans but has
never been released in the U.S., will be coming to America - and Bandai,
the series' owner, is handling the job itself without farming out the work
to another company. |
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Bandai plans to release the first Gundam tapes in September. "Gundam
has long been withheld from the market because they wanted it done the
right way," said Schulman about Bandai's decision. Why now? "I think they
felt it was the right time with the right product in the right place,"
said Schulman. |
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The 20-year Gundam saga will be released in the U.S. nearly in its
original running order, from the first TV series to the new G Savior film.
However, the first three Gundam movies will be part of the initial release.
Schulman said Gundam will be released on subtitled VHS videocassettes first,
with other formats to follow. And, since the Sunrise production company
in Japan is part of the Bandai family, other Sunrise films could be released
in the U.S. as part of the new arrangement. |
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The hook for the Gundam series is that it will be available at first
only through Bandai's web site. AnimeVillage.com, which opens in September
at the same time the Gundam tapes become available - only by mail order.
The web site will offer bulk discounts to anime clubs around the country.
Along with Gundam, the site will sell the first American releases of Vision
of Escaflowne, Clamp School and Saber Marionette J. The demand for these
series among anime fans - especially online fans - helped persuade Bandai
to release them in the U.S., said Schulman. |
