 Bandai Entertainment,
the U.S. home video arm of Bandai, has spent 2000 getting its series on
U.S. television with big success for Gundam Wing and Blue Submarine No.
6, and less success for Vision of Escaflowne. Yet, Escaflowne remains on
television in North America despite the Fox cancellation, through the YTZ
network in Canada. At an Aka-Kon panel, Bandai marketer Jerry Chu noted
that Escaflowne is doing much better on YTZ than it did on Fox (FCC standards
and practices were a major reason for the Fox edits in Escaflowne, he said),
and the Gundam Wing Endless Waltz series also is getting good ratings on
YTZ. U.S. fans might look at that statement and wonder how Endless Waltz
got on Canadian television before a U.S. release: Chu couldn't say. |
 Some 2001
plans of note from Bandai: the Dark Soldier D live-action movie; Crest
of the Stars in March; Angel Links, an animated spinoff of Outlaw Star;
a release of Endless Waltz on both VHS and DVD; and the original 43 episodes
of the first 1979 Gundam TV series, digitally remastered. That will leave
lots of Gundam series from the last 21 years not on home video in North
America, and Chu said there's no way to tell when the unreleased Gundam
series will follow. There's no work yet on when the Vision of Escaflowne
movie may be released on North American home video, he said. Also look
for the Saber Marionette J series on DVD. |
 For the anime
industry, 2000 has been the year of the DVD, with VHS sales falling back
in comparison to the sales of the 12-centimeter discs. Chu noted that,
at Suncoast Motion Picture Co. stores, the Cowboy Bebop DVD outsold all
other mainstream disks this summer. That's one of the reasons why subtitled
VHS tapes will become rare, Chu said. "It's pretty much gone," he said.
"If you want subs you'll find them on the DVD's only. You'll find VHS,
but it'll be only for mainstream titles." Bandai already expects to release
some titles on DVD only in 2001. |
