Saying farewell to yet another...

[dreamcypher]

Well, I have to say that I'm sad that yet another anime company is gone.  Central Park Media declared bankruptcy this week.  Now granted they haven't released *anything* in years, but they've been around since *before* Funimation.  And while some of their catalog was not that great, they did have a few titles that I either already own or would like to aquire (check their list here).

I've put a cut here becaus this gets a little lengthy...


I've read several articles on the subject, and the reason for their downfall seems to be a combination of bad business decisions-which were in their control-and some business decisions that were outside of their control (business deals that ended badly).  I was hoping that they would be able to recover from these a few years ago, but it seems the economy dealt the final blow.

So, if you check out their list, what are some things that you've seen or would like to?

I have:

Birdy the Mighty
Black Jack (totally worth watching in my opinion!)
Darkside Blues (didn't care for this one)
Descendants of Darkness (yaoi fodder anyone? :)
Grave of the Fireflies (pass the tissue)
Guardian of Darkness (for some reason not on this list but has US Manga on the case-liked this one too)
Harlock Saga (Endless Odyssey is better, but Matsumoto reminds me a lot of Tezuka)
Heroic Legend of Arslan
Legend of Himiko
Night Walker (this is essentially 'Forever Knight' in anime version...for those of you who are OLD ENOUGH to remember that show!)
Now & Then, Here & There (believe it or not, haven't watched it yet)
Record of Lodoss War (if you haven't seen this, you need to-makes me think that if Tolkien had done an anime it would have been something like this)
Shamanic Princess (you know, I've seen this one, and I have the impression that it was okay, but really can't remember)

There are a few titles that I'd like to get, but I already know that some of them are expensive and hard to find.  Just check out Amazon to see how much a set of Legend of the Dragon Kings goes for...  I'm sorry that things didn't work out for CPM, and it's certainly hard to see one of the true anime pioneers go.

Just a note:  I'm not going to claim to have the greatest taste in anime, but I do encourage people to take a look at some of the older stuff, because some of it is worth looking at.  Now granted, some of it is junk as well, but still.  I figure if I sit down, watch it and am entertained, then it's served it's purpose.  

So what on this list do you have/have seen/would like to see?

-cypher

Currently Watching:  Cardcaptor Sakura (classic:) , Desert Punk
Last Purchased:  Shigurui (complete), Beserk (complete), Kenichi (season 1 part 1), and Flag (vol 4)  

*reads last two lines again*  How's that for variety?  *shakes head at self*                                                 

edit:  found a better link here that includes a ton of titles missing from the one above. 




 

Comments

[kalloway]

Utena, of course, and Here is Greenwood are two of my favourites of theirs. Greenwood has been watched many, many times.

I'll also miss their manga division and Tomoko Taniguchi shoujo.

[jester]

First... Kalloway, welcome to Anime Vision :)

You know... its kinda cheating the fact that me and Cypher talk about all this stuff over the phone as we speak lol... But we also had a very similar conversation when Geneon faultered because there were so many titles we were actually in the middle of.. When i head that way next week... yeah... blah blah blah, anime anime, blah blah blah... lol.

Sadly I too remember Forever Knight. But i found it to be a good program. As for CPM, and (to me) more specifically US MangaCorps... i have so many titles, and remember so many more (that were VHS) that were great! Its a shame to see these companies fall apart. Sadly i think the list of those struggling and in turn collapsing is growing. Hopefully, the titles will keep on coming!

Again! Welcome!!!

[kalloway]

Thank you! This looks like an interesting community (and honestly, interesting new folks and comms are the only thing that'll keep me checking DW -- otherwise it's just a rehash of my LJ f-list). ^_^

I have to admit that my approval of CPM had waned in recent years due to the behaviour of their Be Beautiful yaoi manga branch. Not sure how much you know about that, but pretty much they were publishing without paying the creators properly.

I wonder if FUNI will pick up any of CPM's titles - I'd have for things like Utena to be permanently out of print (I had enough trouble tracking it down to begin with).

[jester]

You are welcome. Both Cypher and myself have toyed with the "create our own Anime Comm" for a few years now and to be honest... this seemed like a very opportune time. Its great meeting new people with the same interest and with our personalities... interesting is definately an appropriate term. I hope to stick around a while :D

As for the issue w/ their manga branch, to be quite honest, im not really up on the mangas but even so, not properly paying their creaters is no way to conduct business (in my eyes). If Funi manages to pick up the titles, i hope it doesnt overload them into the same rut because of them now having the Geneon titles, as well as their own... it might hinder new titles from coming out.

Granted this is just MY thinking and i have slacked a little bit in the last few months :(

[kalloway]

Here's the note that Libre posted concerning CPM/Be Beautiful. I'm pretty even as far as reading manga/watching anime/playing video games, though I admit I've gotten behind on recent things all around. All I know is that I'm happy FUNI grabbed Kyou Kara Maou from Geneon (though I'm still a volume short somehow).

[dreamcypher]

Well, we hope to make it into an interesting community and would love for you to stick around:)

Regarding Be Beautiful: it was my understanding that CPM had a contract in place with the Japanese company that originally held the rights to the manga, but then that company got bought out and the new company sued CPM saying that they didn't have right to distribute--which doesn't make much sense to me because I would have thought that they would honor the original contract...but maybe I'm mistaken? I'm not sure exactly what went on, but I know a lot of people were left with unfinished series after being made a ton of promises that said 'it's coming, we just need a little more time'.

It kind of seems like Funi is the US anime market life preserver...though they've gotten some flack about the frequency and timeliness of their releases because they've picked up so much lately due to all the Geneon/ADV titles they acquired. But I'm with you, it would be nice to see some of those older titles available again.

[kalloway]

Actually, with Biblos going under, other companies like DMP did re-negotiate all the rights to their series - kept Hero Heel 2 from coming out for, um, about a year and a half, if not longer. Quite a few series were either heavily delayed or dropped entirely for a US release because of it.

http://www.b-boy.jp/info17.html - Libre's post on the subject.

I like FUNI's release-season-in-two-sets thing they're doing. Honestly, I've never been able to afford the $30 for three episodes that a lot of companies were doing. But I'm also the sort that's happy with subs-only and no-frills packaging. I like owning stuff on DVD even though I watch a lot online. Heck, watching something first is almost a pre-requisite if I'm going to be spending that kind of money...

[dreamcypher]

Ah, I didn't realize that CPM needed to re-negotiate the contract. I actually don't read a lot of manga, though I am starting to, a little bit anyway. :)

I really like how Funi is releasing things now as well. It's much more economical for both them and the consumer. I don't mind things only being subtitled (it's about time someone else did this other than Anime Works) and I don't really need the fancy packaging either-though I'll admit that I don't think the new packaging is going to hold up as well over time as the old does.

(I will say that whoever came up with the idea for the Trinity Blood box deserves a promotion. I used to laugh at what was once called a 'collector's box'...then that was released and I found it truly was one...but I digress...)

I was more referring to Funi's timeliness in their releases. They were so focused on getting their newly acquired stuff out that they were very late in releasing some of their own titles, and when they released them, the complete set would be released quite closely after the final volume.

I know it was that way with Peach Girl--vol 6 came out in Nov and 4 months later the complete set was available at discount. It kind of irritated some people because they spent all that time and money collecting when they could have waited just a little longer and gotten it all at the same time and cheaper. I know that wasn't the only series that happened to, but it's the only one that I can think of at the moment.

My only complaint with Funi is that I was in the middle of a couple of ADV series, and when Funi acquired them they released the series in two parts, and didn't continue the single dvd releases. It just throws my set off. It would have been nice for them to either finish the individual releases or offer a trade in option (ie. I could send in my set-or maybe just the box-and get the other half of the packaging that would match).

[kalloway]

Have you seen the Code Geass LE sets? They're amazing - about $50 for two DVDs, a volume of manga, a soundtrack, drama CD and info booklets. Absolutely fabulous. Bandai is doing a good job with their releases (I think Lucky Star and Gurren Lagann got similar treatment, though I just have the base GL set)... I look forward to S1 of Gundam 00 from them.

I've pretty much gotten to the point of just waiting for thinpaks/collections for series, KKM aside. Because I'd always get behind and then realize the thinpak was cheaper than getting the remaining single volumes... Though I can see where it would be annoying for anyone keeping current.

[dreamcypher]

I have the first Code Geass LE set, after that I'm just buying the ind. dvd's to fill it-I'm currently short the last two vols. I did the same with Lucky Star as well, bought the first LE set and then the ind. dvds-though I still have four vols I need to finish that series. :)

If a series is long I'll wait for a box set to come out, if it's a 6-7 dvd set, it depends on the box and on how long I'm willing to wait to see the series. I like to have the entire series before I watch it, that way I'm not sitting on the edge of my seat going "I can't wait for vol x to come out in two months!" I did that with Fate/Stay Night. I bought the box and vol 1 about the same time Jester did and then collected the indvid. dvd's after that, but didn't watch past vol 1. Jester on the other hand watched everything as he bought it. I sat back and laughed as he complained that an every-other-month release schedule was a form of torture. :D

I'm actually going to come out and admit that I've never seen anything Gundam and just in fact bought my first Gundam series (Anime Legends Collection version). I remember reading reviews about Gundam 00 though. I think the character designer was the same guy that did the characters for Tactics, which I liked. The series looks good, do you know if it requires prior knowledge of the earlier Gundam series?

[kalloway]

I still need the last Geass LE. I've been enjoying the audio dramas because I think it's so neat that they took the time to translate those into English, too. ^_^ A real treat.

Which Gundam series did you get? (I think a few of them are under the Anime Legends line.)

Gundam 00 is separate from any of the other series, and while there are little throwbacks and such for long-time fans, it's perfectly enjoyable on its own with no previous knowledge. At least the first season is. The second is a little rocky. ^^;

sorry to take so long!

[dreamcypher]

I picked up the first coll. of G-Gundam (it was on sale at the time).

I still haven't gotten Greenwood yet, but based on your rec, I did manage to pick up the *entire* Utena collection (including the movie!).

RL has been crazy lately, but I am going to start posting to the comm again, and wanted to start by replying to the posts that were left unanswered. But I am sorry that it took me so long to reply!

[dreamcypher]

OMG! That last post was looong--sorry about that!

I just noticed upthread that you're a Kyo Kara Maoh fan--it's nice to see someone else who loves the series! I'm two dvd's short of completing my set, though I haven't downloaded any of season 3 yet.

I keep wanting to find a clip of the sheep from KKM and make an icon out of it, since DW is all about the sheep. :)

[kalloway]

For KKM, I still need Season 2, Vol 8, I think. I was up on Season 3 til summer break last August and then never caught up again. Part of it was that I really liked the Season 2 ending, I think. Have you seen any of the OVA series? (I think it was 5 parts.)

I'm a Conrad fan. ^_^

[dreamcypher]

I still need season 2 vols 8-9, and no I haven't seen any of the OVAs. I definitely need to, I have them downloaded though!! Now I just have to watch them.

Where do they take place in the storyline?

edited to add: I love Conrad too!

[kalloway]

The OVAs take place after the second season, but they're alternate to the actual Season 3. So I'd say to watch them before Season 3 but remember that Season 3 actually replaces them. ^^; I think the OVA is 5 episodes - 2 are actually moving the story and the other three are stand-alone and fluff.

\o/

[dreamcypher]

I haven't seen either of those. I've heard a ton about Utena, but not too much about Greenwood.

Hmm...I may have to check it out if it's good enough to be watched again and again.

Out of curiousity, what do you like so much about Greenwood? Or really, what makes it different from others shows like it?

[kalloway]

Greenwood is just good fun, I suppose. It's a little reliant on having read the manga, but not entirely (though it really does stop and tell the viewer to reference the manga at least once!) - it's a comedy about an off-kilter boys' dormitory and the adventures of four residents. I'm not really sure what makes it different than anything else... To me, it's just a very amusing slice-of-life with enough wackiness to make it seem real. (In the same way I have fond stories about college roommates who listened to polka music or praised Jesus at 3am...)

I think the series is only 6 episodes, though they're OVAs and longer than the normal 25 minutes each.

[dreamcypher]

Hmmm, I'm always up for a good recommendation. I'll check this out.

Thanks:)

[ai]

It makes me sad to see the company that brought Record of Lodoss War to my childhood is finally going out. I happily own the DVD's (with family who owns another copy), but if they had released a new special edition or something, I gladly would have purchased. Guess some companies don't beat things into the ground like Gainax ;)

[dreamcypher]

I know, I love that one!

They did do a re-release with updated features in 2002, you can still get it from Amazon. I upgraded my version a couple of years ago and gifted my old one to Jester:)

BTW, welcome to our community:)