The Licensing Hell Thread

[Light Lucario]

I think Toei is delaying the remake to reap the success of the original anime a while longer. I hope it does come to the USA again.

I don't see why they would delay the remake for that reason, especially when not every country has access to the original anime. There are probably other reasons why the remake was delayed for so long.

 

[SpecialColorfull]

Yeah. You are probably right.

 

[HG Revolution]

School Days and Nodame have streamed (the former on Crunchyroll, the latter on Crackle).

I wonder why Mononoke is something that can't be licensed as opposed to something merely unlikely?

Mind Game is one I'd really want to see licensed but hasn't been. I'd hope someone starts looking at Yuasa's back catalog after the Kick-Heart crowdfunding success.

 

[Cartoon X]

AnimEgo lost the rights to Urusei Yatsura (all of it) a while ago. They released all of the series themselves, so it's not in as bad a situation as others, but I'd certainly love it if it got re-licensed by New Video or somebody and put into a complete series release or something. Though maybe I'd prioritize a re-release of Beautiful Dreamer in particular. I'd love to get that on blu ray...

Viz also lost Monster last year. They've dubbed all of it, so maybe like the dubbed Zatch Bell someone can pick up the home distribution rights and release a complete set of that as well. Not sure if Viz still has Hikaru no Go or not, but if they don't then that's something I'd like to see rescued too.

 

[Pepperidge]

Manga Entertainment confirmed a while back that they had lost the rights to a few of their classic titles putting them into limbo, most notably Perfect Blue and The End of Evangelion.

Speaking of which, do we know what the status of the Evangelion TV series is? Is it one of the few titles that ADV Classic is still sitting on?

 

[Light Lucario]

Viz also lost Monster last year. They've dubbed all of it, so maybe like the dubbed Zatch Bell someone can pick up the home distribution rights and release a complete set of that as well. Not sure if Viz still has Hikaru no Go or not, but if they don't then that's something I'd like to see rescued too.

Considering that the series is still available subbed on Hulu, I'm guessing that it means that Viz still has the license. Although, either way, getting a re-release of that series would be awesome. I only saw a few episodes of the dub, but I loved watching the series subbed on Hulu. I believe that Viz did dub the whole series too, but only released some of the series on DVD and they're well out of print by now.

 

[trunkschan90]

The 2001 version of Cyborg 009 is said to supposedly have licensing issues, heck it's not even streaming on Crackle. I want a complete boxset of that series already T_T

 

[Lord Dalek]

Manga Entertainment confirmed a while back that they had lost the rights to a few of their classic titles putting them into limbo, most notably Perfect Blue and The End of Evangelion.

Speaking of which, do we know what the status of the Evangelion TV series is? Is it one of the few titles that ADV Classic is still sitting on?

Nope the rights went back to Gainax a while ago.

 

[Ishtar]

I recall hearing that the reason FUNi has yet to license the Eva TV series is because Gainax isn't offering it for sale until the Rebuild films are done with.

 

[DonkeyKongSong]

Even though 4Kids doesn't have their production studio and is 4Licensing and doesn't dabble in TV, they still technically hold the license to Dinosaur King. The entire series is streaming on Hulu.

As long as we're discussing possible salvagable VIZ licenses, we can add Hamtaro to that list. I hope New Video Group eventually releases that too.

 

[Dark Paladin X]

Dog Days (licensed, and promptly shelved)

I never recalled Dog Days being licensed in the United States for home release. I did recall it was streamed at Crunchyroll, that's about it. I think the reason Aniplex USA (this is an Aniplex title by the way) gave this one a pass is because despite being an action show, this anime uses too many weird anime cliches (dog and cat people, idol singers, moe, tsundere, and lolis) that would drive a typical average viewer away. Heck, even the supposed third season was supposed to be produced when they announced it two years ago, but it probably went into development hell. Although I wish this series did got a Bang Zoom dub though.

School Days (briefly appeared on Daisuki before getting pulled)

It has to deal more with the infamous ending of the anime (the "Nice Boat" thing). I did recall that JAST USA did released the visual novel and its sequels for the U.S. release. It could be a possibility that Maiden Japan (Section23) could get grabs for a sub-only release.

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure

Actually, Jojo is fairly popular in the United States (at least the games part). The manga sould about average though. That is according to someone I follow at Twitter.

Funimation or Sentai may get them eventually though it will be a long up-hill battle.

Meh, I'm leaning more towards Viz Media getting the grabs on Gundam.

Ro-Kyu-Bu

The original Japanese producers yanked the international home release rights outside of Asia, including Sentai Filmworks. They still have the streams though.

I'm not sure of their reasoning, but it's more of the fact of different cultural tastes from both Japanese and American anime fandom side of things (and it doesn't help to note that it was licensed around the time the Penn State child sex scandal was going on), and the fact that American anime fandom has a VERY negative view on lolicon anime and loli characters in general (in fact, I never recall a lolicon series ever released dubbed in the U.S.).

BTW, can you add these in the following categories as well:

SNOWBALL IN HELL-LEVEL

• Heroman (screwed over by Disney)

Not exactly but close (IE: Money Reasons, Xenophobic Distributors, Bad Reputations; unlike the previous catagory, these shows could be licensed though)

• C[SUP]3[/SUP] (Licensed by Funimation for streaming in 2011, no word on home video release)
• Code:Breaker (LIcensed by Funimation for streaming in 2012, no word for home video release)
• Black Rock Shooter (Licensed by Funimation for streaming via NicoNico in 2011, no word on home release)
• Symphogear (Licensed by Funimation for streaming via NicoNico in 2011, no word on home release)

 

[HG Revolution]

Actually, Jojo is fairly popular in the United States (at least the games part). The manga sould about average though. That is according to someone I follow at Twitter.

The old Sailor Moon series is way more than fairly popular but it's still unlicenseable. Jojo seems to have a weird rights situation which made it impossible to get a simulcast even; I think it and the new Yamato (which was other release plans) are the only shows of any notoriety in the past couple years not to have one.

 

[Lord Dalek]

Well this sucks... =(. (added to catagory 2)

 

[jlaking]

FUNimation has said that D.Gray Man episodes 52-103 are not licensed due to issues with Dentsu.

Lance, A Lot - ANNCast - Anime News Network
FUNi Games - ANNCast - Anime News Network

 

[Classic Speedy]

Angel's Egg (The OVA that INVENTED Licensing Hell)

Isn't the main reason this has been passed on is because it's weird and holds virtually no mainstream appeal? That is, there are no Macross-esque rights issues with it?

 

[Lord Dalek]

Isn't the main reason this has been passed on is because it's weird and holds virtually no mainstream appeal? That is, there are no Macross-esque rights issues with it?

Apparently there were when Anchor Bay tried releasing it ten years ago (IIRC it was going to be released along with that Roger Corman movie it got edited into).

 

[Daikun]

Expired but salvagable

Various 4Kids Licenses (Sonic X, Tokyo Mew Mew, Magical DoReMi, Shaman King, Dinosaur King, etc.; does not include One Piece)

I thought Saban had Sonic X (it's still airing on Vortexx). Didn't they pick that up when they and Konami were fighting over 4Kids?

EDIT: Yeah. Here's the old press release.

 

[DonkeyKongSong]

I thought Saban had Sonic X (it's still airing on Vortexx). Didn't they pick that up when they and Konami were fighting over 4Kids?

EDIT: Yeah. Here's the old press release.

Yes, Sonic X is now officially a property of Saban Brands. It has been transferred to Saban/Vortexx's Hulu account and most or all references to it are gone from 4Kids' YouTube.

FYI, irrelevant to this thread, but Cubix follows the same agreement.

 

[Lord Dalek]

Well that happened... O_O

 

[SpecialColorfull]

Oh God.