So, here are all the detailed notes I typed up for Bandai Entertainment…

ACEN08: Bandai Entertainment

So, I knew in advance that Bandai wouldn’t have any big news, or so marketing director Rob Napton told me, but I’m sure there’ll be some details and tidbits that’ll get dropped, and I’ve got a couple of questions myself, so here we go.

Starting out with Geass talk, then Lucky Star, and some glitching on the trailer…there we go. While we’re talking about Lucky Star, allow me to note that the t-shirt sizes skew HUGE. Just so you know.

Woohoo, someone finally woke up the guy behind me who was snoring…

Now for Ghost Slayers Ayakashi. I have to admit, while it looked nice, I wasn’t paricularly enthralled by the first episode. I never watched anything further; anyone here think I should reconsider? It does have a really nice-looking box…

Toward the Terra, which has been featured in the source code several times on Bandai’s website, is now being trailer’d– a new trailer, we’re told. So pretty. Why didn’t I watch this when it came out? My-Otome Zwei…yeah, I know why I didn’t watch that one.

Next up: The Girl Who Leapt Through Time. Woot! There are going to be 7-10 theaters other than those announced thus far (NYC, LA, and Seattle), so keep up hope that it’ll show somewhere near you! I’m definitely looking forward to the limited edition of that one.

Blah blah, Gundam SEED Destiny TV movies, etc. I like the little Bandai Entertainment splash that happens at the start of some of these trailers, by the way. Makes me think of a movie theater splash before the movie starts. Y’know, the blonde duded in this GSD preview reminds me of Viral, at least in the one shot we get of him. Hm. Agent Aika R16, the prequel to the old favorite, of course. Clever use of censor bars in the preview. “She wants YOU! To buy the DVD.”

I think we’re almost through the ol’ sum-up. Rocket Girls is next, with the opening (in place of a trailer). I always get this one mixed up with Sky Girls, which has some similar design aspects…i.e. lolis in plug suits piloting stuff. But! Rocket Girls is the one Bandai Entertainment has, the comedy adventure series of a girl who goes looking for her dad and winds up as an astronaut– a common occurance in Japan, as Napton points out.

Gundam 00, woot! Again, we get the OP (or part of it) instead of a trailer, but they did only just announce this one at NYCC. You know, after the first ep I never really watched the OP. (The first ED, “Wana” by the Back Horn, is so superior.) It’s kinda fun to see it after having watched the whole show…before I’d seen the first episode the images of the characters had so little meaning. No release information at this time, of course, but it sounds like end of this year or early ‘09. There is a strong chance it’ll be broadcast on TV, presumably on Adult Swim (I’ll clarify).

Aaaaand finally, Gurren Lagann! Hot wallpaper of Yoko (fan-made, I wonder?). Volume 1 bare-bones in July, which we already know because it’s already up for pre-order, woot woot. I’ll be asking about the odd bare bones limited edition thing during the Q&A. Dub version will also be out end of this year or early ‘09.

Someone asked how they managed to secure the rights to Gurren Lagann, but all Napton’s been told is that Aniplex and ADV “mutually” decided not to pursue the title together. I asked about the limited-edition bare bones with the Gurren Lagann OP, and it sounds like it might get pre-released a bit early at Anime Expo. No word on what’s going to be on the later editions, so don’t know if the CD will be included with it…but I’d guess so, judging by their Haruhi and Lucky Star releases.

A question about the Eureka SeveN movie, and now a box set– each will happen, but no word about the movie; box set probably next year.

On Zeta Gundam movies, which were announced at AX a couple of years ago…it was put on hold, and no new information is available.

Is Gundam 00 gonna go on blu-ray? Which reminds Napton: Ghost in the Shell: Innocence is going to come out on blu-ray, with the new dub. They’re looking at all of their titles for blu-ray now that the format war’s been decided, but no other specific titles yet.

Someone asked if they’ve licensed the Lucky Star manga, and no word has been given to Napton, so we’ll see. TBD! Which reminds me of my manga question, which I’ll try to get in.

I didn’t hear the last question, but it seems to have to do with box sets, which they say they try to stagger from the regular release (about a year). Someone asked how they’re actually going to be making use of blu-ray (more extras? just hi-def? etc), but of course, nothing’s been decided yet. Japanator’s GodLen is asking about the Gurren Lagann dub, which will have an all-new cast. A few of the actors from ADV’s version are in touch with Bandai and are being given an opportunity to be considered for the new dub. Aaaand on the DVD vs TV versions of episode 6– no answer yet.

Someone wants to know how they decide what to release in the anime legends line, and they have some Ghost in the Shell plans for that, so sweet deal there. (No details yet, of course.)

A Mario is asking about the second season of Geass and wants to know Bandai’s process and how they choose to continue releasing a series. Everyone’s trying to ask really awesome questions, btw, per the promise of a “huge prize” at the end. The answer is that they like to stay with series…that do well, anyway. Question on Geass merch, i.e. figures– which they sell a pair, imported from Japan (AFTER I’d sent a friend to buy the Lelouch for me, boo!)– it’s an experiment, so go buy the stuff! They have a lot of things besides figures too, like notebooks.

I asked about the manga versions of anime, and whether they plan to do more of that in the future than they’ve done in the past. They tend to do manga only of stuff they have anime for, which of course isn’t always possible, but they try when they can.

Are they planning on rescuing any Geneon titles…no information, really, but it’s been asked before. And since Geneon may be on a comeback, I can’t imagine that much is likely to get announced here. Now someone’s asking about the high price of DVDs in Japan, i.e. why? Napton says he doesn’t really know, but it’s just a different market and theirs is willing to support that.

Someone asked why Gundam SEED Destiny never got on Adult Swim, which Napton doesn’t have an answer for, since it’s a case-by-case basis between Bandai Entertainment and Adult Swim (or any other broadcaster).

The guy who had been asleep behind me (and snoring!) is now asking about the sub-only Gurren Lagann release and if it’s successful might they consider doing more obscure series in a sub-only bare-bones release, which Napton says they’re not averse to doing, but that it’s more of a timing issue than anything. (Zetsubou-sensei!)

Someone asked why they’re the only company that releases Kadokawa stuff, but Right Stuf has The Third, so it’s not actually quite the case…though clearly BE has a good relationship with Kadokawa. Last question: Haruhi and Lucky Star, though I missed the actual question…Napton says they’re both just great shows and they were definitely very connected, so they went for it. They also like to have a diverse lineup, especially in the last few years. He notes that everyone was really surprised when they licensed Haruhi– and I remember that, too! Everyone was guessing it was either FUNi or ADV.

And the last part of the panel is apparently an audience-voted selection of the best question asked, and the winner gets…dunno yet, but it’s not a brick of gold! The winner is…the blu-ray question! And they get the Haruhi v1 special edition. Good thing I was ineligible; I already have that. Whee.

Tags: acen08, Bandai-Entertainment

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