Lots of good stuff from Funimation in November. I needs more monies…

Singles
Darker Than Black vol. 1- 11/25/08 – $29.98
Darker Than Black vol. 1 (LE w/ Box)- 11/25/08 – $39.98
Tsubasa vol. 9- 11/11/08 – $29.98
My Santa (recalled last year due to a rating labeling error)- 11/18/08 – $14.98

Movies
Dragon Ball Z Movies 5 and 6- 11/11/08 – $29.98
Vexille (Special Edition)- 11/4/08 – $29.98

Sets and Collections
Black Blood Brothers (Complete): 11/11/08 – $49.98
Case Closed: Season 3- 11/25/08 – $49.98
Dragon Ball GT: Season 1- 11/11/08 – $49.98
Dragon Ball Z: Season 7- 11/11/08 – $49.98
Ghost Hunt: Part 2 (of 2)- 11/18/08 – $49.98
Peach Girl (Complete)- 11/18/08 – $49.98
Sasami: Season 2- 11/25/08 – $39.98
Tsubasa: Season 1- 11/11/08 – $69.98
Yu Yu Hakusho: Season 3- 11/11/08 – $34.98

Blu-ray
Dragon Ball Z Movies 5 and 6- 11/11/08 – $34.98
Vexille- 11/4/08 – $34.98

Then Funimation has some stuff to distribute for Geneon

Singles
Karin vol. 6- 11/25/08 – $29.98
Shonen Onmyouji vol. 4- 11/25/08 – $29.98
Tales of Phantasia (Complete)- 11/25/08 – $19.98
When They Cry vol. 5- 11/11/08 – $29.98

Sets and Collections
Nanoha: Season 1- 11/11/08 – $59.98
Familiar of Zero: Season 1- 11/4/08 – $59.98

Then we have a nice collection of boxsets of stuff rescued (jacked) from Sojitz (ADV)

Sets and Collections
Ah! My Goddess: Season 2- 11/25/08 – $69.98
Coyote Ragtime Show (Complete)- 11/18/08 – $49.98
The Guyver (Complete)- 11/4/08 – $69.98
Pumpkin Scissors: Part 1 (of 2)- 11/25/08 – $59.98
Pumpkin Scissors: Part 2 (of 2)- 11/25/08 – $59.98

Far to much stuff.

Got some information on the English version of the game.  Everyone should be aware the information regarding this only seems to list it as coming out in Europe in December 2008, but since some listings have shown up at American stores, we will probably get it sooner rather than later. (Some of this news may have been known for the Japanese version, but it can be confirmed for the English version now).  Also have some screenshots and nice high resolution looks at the game character models Continue reading →

Just thought I’d comment on this since it has apparently spread around a bit based solely on one actor making a comment that then mysteriously vanished.

Bleach isn’t dead, it’s still being dubbed.  I have 100% confirmation that Wendee Lee was at Studiopolis last week directing more Bleach.

SO let all your Bleach crazed friends know, Bleach is gonna keep coming in the USA.

~This article has been edited due to a mistake, it previously said Wendee Lee was at Studiopolis directing Bleach today. I had misunderstood what I was told, she was there last week.~

There are times you can be really proud of being an anime fan, and then there are times when you just wanna sink into a hole and go “oh god no”.

This is one of those times.

A sponge shaped like the chest of Kagami from Lucky Star.

Really?  Is this a product that was in demand?  Did we really need this?

Kagami Oppai Sponge {Sankaku Complex}

Am I the only person curious how Funimation will do Nerima Daikon Brothers?

ADV’s three volume release had quite a few really good extras (I don’t think anything would beat the live action NDB).

ADV’s 3 disk thinpak had none.

What will Funimation’s version have?  I hope they keep all the extras in what will no doubt be a 2 disk thinpak box.

AMV Hell 3 was awesome.  The Azumanga Daioh parts of AMV Hell 3 were even more awesome.

Just letting everyone know that Geneon products are starting to reappear in stores.

I saw a few volumes of Black Lagoon earlier today.  Not interested in the show, so I didn’t get them, but they are most certainly out there for those of you who are willing to look around.

As everyone knows Toei started doing stuff OnDemand via Direct2Drive.

After getting a few of these, and being underwhelmed by the horrid video quality, I now need to ask this very serious question.

Is Toei USA committing fraud?

I show you this screenshot that is on the Pretty Cure sales page.  This is supposed to be a screenshot from the show, to be used as a gauge on the video quality, to help you decide if you want to buy it or not.

Relatively nice picture quality isn’t it?

So what is the problem?

Well… here is the same picture, taken by me, from the first episode of the series, as it is available to buy.

Ignore the credits, afterall, it would be fair for them to use a scene from the opening, but remove the credits to help people gauge the video quality.

Compare the actual picture quality.  The resolution is bigger, but let’s ignore that.  The screenshot they have as an example has bright vivid colors and is very clean.  The episode itself has rainbowing, artifacing issues, is pixelated, and may have very well been copied from a VHS tape.  Compare stuff like the girls’ hair, the sunlight, the pipe in the bottom left.

This is dishonest advertising at it’s worst.  This is an unacceptable way to do business, especially when you are trying to sell a show with an extremely niche audience anyways.  The video quality for Toei OnDemand’s other three shows: Digimon Adventure 02, Slam Dunk, and Fist of the North Star, is also very poor, but the screenshots from those shows are at least accurate in showing that.

I suggest fans of Pretty Cure and anime in general vote with their wallets and not purchase episodes of the series to show this isn’t acceptable.

So what do you think?  Is Toei USA committing fraud by being dishonest like this?

For the third time now we have a batch of DVDs that seem to work randomly.

I’ve seen plenty of people complain about V.2 of Gurren Lagann (mine works), the new Zegapain, and V.1 and 2 of Code Geass (mine don’t work), and it’s been a few weeks and Bandai despite recalling some, and claiming to ship replacements to stores has been silent to the customers, but no more, Bandai is gonna set things straight and make sure we know what is going on.

After an examination, Bandai Entertainment reported that there are discs circulating with an error during Vol. 2, though the exact extent of the error in the batch is still being assessed. If any consumer is experiencing a problem, please go to http://www.bandai-ent.com/ and in the upper left hand corner there is the standard customer service box which says “Contact our Customer Service.” Indicate the nature of the problem and a replacement disc will be issued. Customers without internet access can call 714-816-9500 and ask for “Bandai Entertainment customer service.”

….Great, thanks Bandai.  You gotta wonder how they have sent replacements out if they don’t know what the issue is (and not mentioning the issues with the other DVD).

After going over ADV’s changing boxart, I realized another company is doing something in regards to their packaging.
 
Funimation has been emulating DVD packaging styles.
 
Let’s take a look at what they’ve done. Continue reading →