Bandai Adds Last Minute K-On (S1) Boxed Set

In a surprise announcement tonight, Bandai added a K-On Season 1 Anime Legends set to their final February release schedule:

K-On! (Season 1) Complete Collection DVD Boxed Set (Eps #1-14)

Clearly they are looking around trying to figure out what to do with all the unsold singles the majors have recently returned to them, and February will be their last opportunity to release any series repackaged as sets. It's just too bad it's going to be DVD only. And what better than a last minute $40 legends pack to make all the folks that paid 3x as much for the singles last year feel better about themselves. ~Oy~

The End of an Era - Bandai Finally Calls it Quits

The folks at Bandai apparently have made their 2012 new years resolution never to publish anymore Anime. I think they waited to make this announcement until today thinking we'd all probably be too hung over to notice.

Hot off the wire:

Bandai Entertainment, the subsidiary of Namco Bandai Holdings (USA) that handles anime and manga in North America, will stop offering new DVD, Blu-ray Disc, and manga releases next month. It will continue to distribute in its existing catalog lineup, but it will no longer produce and distribute new releases as of this February.

Instead, Bandai Entertainment will focus on licensing rights to other companies, particularly in digital distribution, broadcast, and merchandising. The company will be restructured as a result, and most of its contractors and three of its five fulltime staff members will be laid off.

The following releases have been cancelled:

Anime DVD/Blu-ray Disc

Gosick
Nichijō
Turn A Gundam

Manga

Code Geass: Renya (Code Geass: Shikkoku no Renya)
Gurren Lagann volume 7
Kannagi volumes 4-6
Lucky Star Boo Boo Kagaboo (spinoff by Eretto)
Mobile Suit Gundam 00I
Tales of the Abyss: Jade's Secret Memories volumes 1 and 2

Releases in Bandai Entertainment's current catalog will still be available after February, and Bandai Entertainment plans to produce new stock on these existing releases, if needed, until their respective licenses expire.

Bandai Entertainment closed its own online store in December, but other retailers can still order and carry Bandai Entertainment's current releases as before.

Star Driver, Tales of the Abyss, The Girl Who Leapt Through Space and Mobile Suit Gundam (the new release of 0079 with Japanese audio) will all be completed thanks to the timing of the closures. I was just saying in the last newsletter that the best we could probably hope for in 2012 was for Bandai to continue to hang on long enough to get the second season of K-On out. Oh well, so much for that. Hopefully Sentai or Funi will end up with it eventually. Gundam Unicorn won't be completed either. This also means that Turn A Gundam, My Ordinary Life (Nichijo) and Gosick, will not be released.

All I can say is that it's no surprise, and it's been a long time coming. ~sigh~

UPDATE: Ken Iyadomi's sobering explaination here.

Bandai February 2012 Releases - Now Available for Pre-Order!

Bandai has sent us over their February 2012 release schedule, and we finally have it up on the store site for pre-order. Here's what's coming:

Akira DVD (Re-Release) - Feb 7
Mobile Suit Gundam Complete Collection 2 DVD Boxed Set (Anime Legends) - Feb 7
Gundam Unicorn , Part #2 DVD (Eps #3-4) - Feb 7
Tales of the Abyss , Part #3 DVD (Eps #13-18) - Feb 7
Tales of the Abyss , Part #4 DVD (Eps #19-24) - Feb 7
Gundam 00 Season 1 Complete Collection DVD Boxed Set (Eps #1-26) (Anime Legends) - Feb 7
Gundam 00 Season 2 Complete Collection DVD Boxed Set (Eps #1-25) (Anime Legends) - Feb 7
Code Geass Lelouch of the Rebellion R2 Complete Collection DVD Boxed Set (Eps #1-25) (Anime Legends) - Feb 7

So we are finally getting the R2 box that everyone has been waiting for - like forever - and also the 2nd half of Mobile Suit, plus boxed sets for 00. The next two installments of Unicorn will be coming on DVD only. Tales vol #3 and #4 are coming too, but Bandai seems to have bailed on the LE versions. And the Akira re-release? Really, has ANYONE not seen/bought that by now? Some Anime just never dies in print... :-)

Bandai Announces December 2011 Releases - Now Available for Pre-Order!

Bandai has sent us over their December 2011 release schedule, and we now have it up on the store site for pre-order. Here's what's coming:

Tales of the Abyss , Part #2 DVD (Eps #7-12) - Dec 6
Tales of the Abyss , Part #2 Limited Edition DVD (Eps #7-12) - Dec 6

In addition to this blow out holiday schedule, they bumped two upcoming titles by one week:

K-On! Vol #4 BD & DVD - Nov 22 to Nov 29
Star Driver Collection #1 BD & DVD (Eps #1-13) - Nov 22 to Nov 29

Just a note: The retailer pre-order date for Tales #2 is listed in the mailer as October 7th. They sent out the mailer to everyone on November 10th... [rolls eyes]

Bandai Announces November 2011 Releases - Now Available for Pre-Order!

Bandai has sent us over their November 2011 release schedule, and we now have it up on the store site for pre-order. Here's what's coming:

K-On! Vol #4 DVD - Nov 22
K-On! Vol #4 (BLURAY) - Nov 22
Star Driver Collection #1 DVD (Eps #1-13) - Nov 22
Star Driver Collection #1 BLURAY (Eps #1-13) - Nov 22
TEKKEN Blood Vengeance DVD - Nov 22

Couple Notes:
1) Star Driver will be sub only.
2) No Tekken Blood Vengeance BD - for now.
3) NO DATE CHANGES in this mailer! Yippie!!!

Star Driver: On the southern edge of Japan, the inhabitants of Southern Cross Island lead seemingly normal lives but far beneath the surface of this quiet island lies an ancient secret that lays dormant until Takuto Tsunashi washes ashore one night. Upon enrolling in Southern Cross Island High School, Takuto and his friends become embroiled in a conflict with a clandestine society to control giant machines, called Cybodies, sealed under the island and whose powers are bound by special shrine maidens. What secrets will Takuto dig up and how will he deal with the obstacles that lie ahead of him as this struggle will threaten to tear apart the entire island?!

TEKKEN: Blood Vengeance: The stage for a final showdown is prepared as Anna Williams and the G Corporation set a trap for her sister Nina who works for Jin Kazama, head of the Mishima Zaibatsu. Both Jin and his father, Kazuya Mishima of the G Corporation, seek to possess and control the M Cell that will unlock the destructive supernatural powers buried within the Mishima bloodline. Kazuya dispatches Ling Xiaoyu to a prestigious international school to spy on Shin Kamiya, a victim of secret genetic experiments and may hold the key to the M Cell. While investigating Shin, Xiaoyu befriends Alisa Bosconovitch who also shows an interest in Shin. Their new friendship is put to the test as they are caught in the middle of the Mishima family feud. The final battle explodes in a three way battle between father, son and even grandfather, Heihachi Mishma, the mastermind behind the M Cell conspiracy. Who will claim the M Cell and unlock the full power of the Devil Gene?!

Bandai Announces July 2011 Releases / Date Pushes

Bandai has given us their July 2011 release schedule, and we now have it available on the store site for pre-order. Here's what's coming:

Mobile Suit Gundam 00 The Movie (A Wakening of the Trailblazer) DVD - Jul 6
Mobile Suit Gundam 00 The Movie (A Wakening of the Trailblazer) BLURAY - Jul 6

In addition to these new releases, Bandai has bumped almost their entire June slate into July, including K-On and Tales of the Abyss. Here's the date changes:

Gundam Unicorn , Part #1 DVD (Eps #1-4) - Jun 7 to Jun 23
Tales of the Abyss , Part #1 DVD (Eps #1-6) - Jun 7 to Jul 5
Tales of the Abyss , Part #1 Limited Edition DVD (Eps #1-6) - Jun 7 to Jul 5
K-On! Vol #2 DVD - Jun 14 to Jul 5
K-On! Vol #2 (BLURAY) - Jun 14 to Jul 5

Considering almost the entire June schedule went to July 5th, I give only about 50/50 odds the new Gundam 00 movie will street at that time too. Am I being too generous with those odds? :-)

K-On Finished DVD & BD Art

Bandai has posted pictures of the actual finished K-On Vol #1 DVD and BD:

Could this mean they will actually ship K-On Vol #1 on time? No delays or date pushes? Keeping figures crossed... :-)

Bandai Announces January 2011 Releases

Bandai has given us their January 2011 release schedule, and we now have it available on the store site for pre-order. Here's what's coming:

Hayate the Combat Butler DVD #8 (Eps #45-50)
Kurokami The Animation Part #5 DVD (BLURAY) (Eps #17-20) (English Dubbed)
My-Otome 0 ~S.fir~ DVD

Nothing new here except for the My Otome prequel, which I'm glad to finally see but think is priced a little steep for an 84 minute OVA (I had figured a $14.98 MSRP, not $24.98). Anyway, we priced it really low for you at RACS $16.98. It's strange to see Kurokami BD's still coming out, but that's due to the nature of the BD release having fewer eps per disk than the regular edition. Bandai never really had given us a satisfactory answer as to why the Japanese management made them release it this way (other than reimport paranoia), but we're not asking anymore either, are we? :-)

My-Otome 0 ~S.fir~
Years before the events of My-Otome, there was a secret princess that will one day become the queen of Windbloom. Because members of the royal Windbloom bloodline can unlock the hidden powers of the old technology, Sifr Fran is pursued by Aswad and Schwarz and even the Meister Otomes of Garderobe are under orders to kill her if she falls into enemy hands. Meister Otome Lena Sayers and her Otome friends must disobey orders if they are to save Sifr, but first Lena must release her true HiME powers with the help of the Blue Sky Saphire gem.



Hey, "you should know I'm an ally of justice!" :-) HEH.

Bandai Delays Hayate Vol #7 DVD

Bandai sent us a quick note today that they have delayed the release date for the Hayate the Combat Butler Vol #7 DVD, but it's not too big a deal.

The date has been bumped back two weeks from Nov 2nd to Nov 16th.

We will adjust all pre-orders accordingly. As always, if you have a pending order waiting for Hayate #7 and want to make a change, just drop us an e-mail.

Bandai Announces December 2010 Releases

Bandai Entertainment has given us their December 2010 release schedule, and we now have it available on the store site for pre-order.

Ready? Here it is:

Gundam 00 Season 2, Vol #4 DVD (Eps #20-25)
Gundam 00 Season 2, Vol #4 DVD Special Edition (Eps #20-25)

Yep, that's it. Makes you wonder if Namco really wants a serious presence in the R1 Anime market anymore. Opps! There I go mouthing off again - I guess this post no longer qualifies as 'angst free'. Oh well.

While we're talking about Bandai, I wanted to give everyone an update on the 2nd Gurren Lagann movie. Bandai had given some direct retailers like us access to the GL movies over the summer. We got the first one, but they have since backpedaled on that arrangement and won't allow us to order them directly anymore. We can order them from the Bandai Store, but so far we haven't been able to get them to ship us any copies either directly or from the store site even though we've had orders in for them for weeks. Customer service at their direct store site is practically non-existent, so it been impossible for us to get an update on our orders there, and we've tried several times. I don't know when or if we'll have stock on these DVD's, and I thought I'd just let everyone know what's going on, and I apologize to everyone who has been waiting for them to ship.

Jenn, one of my folks over here, asked me in our product planning meeting today, why some of the studios "make doing business with them so hard, or even openly compete against us?" I only shrugged and said 'hell if I know - I guess they think they can do it better, but they never do."

Bandai Adds Gurren Lagann Boxed Set for July / Changes Dates

Bandai sent over a supplement this morning announcing a surprise Gurren Laggan Anime Legends set for July 6th:

Gurren Lagann TV Series Complete Collection DVD Boxed Set (Eps #1-27) (Anime Legends)

This is a last minute update (they are probably trying to street this for Expo) as the announcement came over after the 'expected' retailer pre-book date had passed, so if they can actually get these out on the street 4 weeks from now remains to be seen.

They also included the obligatory grocery list of date changes that we've come to know and love:

Moved from Jun 8 to Jul 6

Kurokami The Animation Part #2 DVD (Eps #7-12)
Kurokami The Animation Part #2 DVD (BLURAY) (Eps #5-8)

Moved from Jun 22 to Jul 6

Mobile Suit Gundam Zeta Movie #1: Heirs to the Stars DVD
Mobile Suit Gundam Zeta Movie #2: Lovers DVD
Mobile Suit Gundam Zeta Movie #3: Love is the Pulse of the Stars DVD
Mobile Suit Gundam Zeta Movie Complete Collection DVD Boxed Set (Movie #1-3)

Code Geass R2 #4 and Gundam 00 S2 #1 Bumped Back to April

Bandai sent us a notice this morning that they are bumping the dates (again) for two important upcoming releases. The release date for both Code Geass Lelouch of the Rebellion R2 DVD Bundle #4 (Eps #20-25) and Gundam 00 Season 2, Vol #1 DVD (Eps #1-7) have been moved back a month from March 2nd to April 6th:

Code Geass Lelouch of the Rebellion R2 DVD Bundle #4 (Eps #20-25) - Mar 2 to Apr 6
Code Geass Lelouch of the Rebellion R2 DVD Bundle #4 (Eps #20-25) (Limited Edition) - Mar 2 to Apr 6
Gundam 00 Season 2, Vol #1 DVD (Eps #1-7) - Mar 2 to Apr 6
Gundam 00 Season 2, Vol #1 DVD Special Edition (Eps #1-7) - Mar 2 to Apr 6

All pre-orders will remain open for these items, and we've updated the store site to reflect the new dates. If you have an order in that is currently holding for either of these titles that you were expecting to ship soon (and now won't) just e-mail us if you want to make any changes.

Bandai and Media Blasters April Releases - Now Available for Pre-Order!

We've just completed posting both Bandai's and Media Blasters April 2010 releases to the store site. The following April releases are now available for pre-order:

Bandai April

Kannagi: Crazy Shrine Maidens Complete Collection DVD Box (Eps #1-14)
Lucky Star, Complete Collection DVD Boxed Set (Eps #1-24) (Anime Legends)

Media Blasters April

Bludgeoning Angel
Dokuro-Chan DVD (Special Edition)
Doujin Work Complete Collection DVD Boxed Set (Eps #1-12)
Genshiken 2 - The Society for the Study of Modern Visual Culture Premium Collection DVD Box (Eps #1-12)
Go Lion (Beast King Go Lion) Complete Collection DVD Box Set (Eps #1-52)
Kanokon: The Girl Who Cried Wolf, Vol #1, Sexy Like a Fox DVD
Tekkaman Blade Complete Collection DVD Boxed Set (Eps #1-49)

The only new material being announced here is Kanokon: The Girl Who Cried Wolf. Kannagi was previously released last summer, though (God know why), it was restricted to only one outlet (we've been selling it through at cost for 8 months), so while I'm glad Bandai will finally be making this title available to all retailers, I doubt there are many fans left that want to see it but don't already have it. Note some significant price reductions for several series being bundled into boxed sets! :-)

We also have Section 23's April schedule in hand, and we'll have that up shortly as well!

Bandai February 2010 Releases Now Available for Pre-Order:

We have received the February 2010 release schedule from Bandai, and we now have those releases posted to the store site for pre-order along with a few date changes as well:

Eureka Seven ~ Good Night, Sleep Tight, Young Lovers ~ Movie DVD
Eureka Seven ~ Good Night, Sleep Tight, Young Lovers ~ Movie DVD (BLURAY)
Kurokami The Animation Part #1 DVD (Eps #1-6)
Kurokami The Animation Part #1 DVD (BLURAY) (Eps #1-4)

I want to note about the Kurokami release that it is now different from the original solicitation that was canceled last summer. Instead of 8 episodes, the new version will have 6 eps but will also be $10 cheaper in price. Also, Bandai has decided to publish the series in BluRay as well (and at a lower MSRP to the regular DVD), but the first BD volume will only include 4 episodes instead of 6. Also, the BD release will be Dubbed only and will not include the Japanese Langauge track. It's a rich tapestry.

We have canceled all previous pre-orders for Kurokami, so you'll need to place a new order to pre-order the new version.

In addition to the pre-releases, Bandai has also bumped the dates on the following releases (again, please don't blame me, I'm just the messenger):

Code Geass Lelouch of the Rebellion R2 DVD Bundle #3 - Dec 1 to Jan 19 2010
Code Geass Lelouch of the Rebellion R2 DVD Bundle #3 (Limited Edition) - Dec 1 to Jan 19 2010
Hayate the Combat Butler DVD Bundle #3 (2 Disks) (Eps #15-21) - Nov 17 to Dec 1 2009
Hayate the Combat Butler DVD Bundle #4 (2 Disks) (Eps #22-26) - Jan 5 to Feb 9 2010

Bandai January 2010 Releases Now Available for Pre-Order:

We have received the January 2010 release schedule from Bandai, and we now have those releases posted to the store site for pre-order:

Hayate the Combat Butler DVD Bundle #4 (2 Disks) (Eps #22-26)

In addition to the one pre-release, Bandai has also bumped the dates on the following releases (please don't blame me, I'm just the messenger):

Code Geass Lelouch of the Rebellion R2 DVD Bundle #2 (DVD #3-4) - Bumped 10/20 to 11/17
Code Geass Lelouch of the Rebellion R2 DVD Bundle #2 (Limited Edition) - 10/20 to 11/17
Gundam 00 , Vol #3 DVD (Eps #18-26) - Bumped from Nov 3 to Nov 17
Gundam 00 , Vol #3 DVD Special Edition (Eps #18-26) - Bumped from Nov 3 to Nov 17
Hayate the Combat Butler DVD Bundle #3 (2 Disks) (Eps #15-21) - Bumped from Nov 3 to Nov 17
My-Otome Complete Collection DVD Boxed Set (Eps #1-26) (Anime Legends) - Bumped from Oct 20 to Nov 17
Toward the Terra Complete Collection DVD Boxed Set (Anime Legends) - Bumped from Oct 6 to Nov 17

Bandai did not mention any changes for the release of Code Geass Lelouch of the Rebellion R2 DVD Bundle #3 which is still scheduled for Dec 1st (and it their only December release), but lets face it, considering how far #2 got pushed back the prospects for a pre-holiday release of the 3rd bundle is highly unlikely, so we've changed the date from Dec 1st to TBA as I'm fairly certain (meaning almost positive) this one will get bumped into next year.

I'm not going to make any comments regarding Bandai's business beyond that the release schedule speaks for itself. Bandai USA either has some brilliant master plan tucked away for their R1 Anime releases or they have decided they are not much interested in participating in the US market anymore in a meaningful way, but maybe that's just a sign of the times. One release a month is better than none.

Bandai December 09 Releases Now Available for Pre-Order:

We have received the December release schedule from Bandai, and we now have those releases posted to the store site for pre-order:

Code Geass Lelouch of the Rebellion R2 DVD Bundle #3
Code Geass Lelouch of the Rebellion R2 DVD Bundle #3 (Limited Edition)

No, we didn't leave anything out. That's the whole thing. They have also given us the following date changes:

Gundam 00 , Vol #2 DVD (Eps #10-17) - Sep 29 to Oct 6
Gundam 00 , Vol #2 DVD Special Edition (Eps #10-17) - Sep 29 to Oct 6
Code Geass Lelouch of the Rebellion R2 DVD Bundle #2 (DVD #3-4) - Oct 6 to Oct 20
Code Geass Lelouch of the Rebellion R2 DVD Bundle #2 (Limited Edition) - Oct 6 to Oct 20

Don't say it, I'm thinking it too.

Eureka Seven Movie Screening Nationwide on Sept 24th

NCM Fathom and Bandai Entertainment will be screening the English dubbed Eureka Seven - good night, sleep tight, young lovers movie in theatres nationwide for one night only on Thursday, September 24, 2009 at 7:30 p.m.

Click here for a list of participating theatres.



This isn't one of those playtime screenings folks, they are showing this in a crapload of locations. Go see it if you can!

Synopses: This is another version of the story of Renton and Eureka. For almost half a century, mankind has battled a mysterious organism from space called “EIZO.” In 2054, there is a young soldier on board the fighter aircraft commanded by Holland, GEKKO, of the renegade group GEKKOSTATE, who is battling EIZO. The young soldier’s name is Renton. He boards Nirvash and heads for the battlefield. He has only one dream: to rescue his childhood friend, Eureka, who was kidnapped eight years ago and return to his hometown. Fate, however, brings tribulations to test the young love between Renton and Eureka --mission and emotion, truth and lie, past and future, life and death, reality and dream and even Holland – the entire world stand in the way of the two as the final battle with EIZO approaches...

First Code Geass R2 Bundle is Seven Episodes - Not Nine

Just a quick post to confirm what everyone has been asking all day via e-mail. The first Code Geass R2 bundle is indeed 7 episodes and 175 Minutes, not 9 episodes and 225 minutes as it was originally solicited. They totally slipped this past us under the radar, so I apologize that we did not have the correct stats and episode counts listed on the site until last night.

In response to this discrepancy, Bandai says that the DVD info included in the original solicitation mailer sent out to retailers was incorrect. R2 is going to be released as four parts (probably 7 ,6 ,6, and 6 eps) , not three (9, 8, and 8 eps) as was originally planned. The first DVD bundle contains seven episodes, and the subsequent parts will have six episodes each. Bandai does, however, "apologize for the initial information regarding Part 1 being incorrect in the mailer”, and did make it clear that their solicitation mailers state 'all specifications are subject to change without notice'.

And so they did. They do love surprises over there. :-)

Update: I'd also like to note that the most recent mailer (that Bandai sent us last week) for their October releases indicates that the 2nd Code Geass R2DVD bundle will be 225 minutes (9 eps), however, this is incorrect, it will actually be 6 episodes and 150 minutes.

Kannagi Now Available to RACS Customers

We now have Kannagi available to RACS customers. We have purchased a large qnty at retail and will be passing them through to you at cost.

Our official company position on the matter is as follows:

"Regretfully Bandai Entertainment has decided not to make the first issue of Kannagi available for general release. They have instead chosen to make this an exclusive sales item at one US retailer and therefore deny Anime fans a choice of where they can purchase this title. We dispute this policy, and have brought in a number of copies of Kannagi at retail, and are passing them through to you at our cost in order that customers who wish to purchase their Anime from RACS are not denied the opportunity to view this excellent title until next year when Bandai will allow all retailers to carry the general release version at a higher price."

And so it goes...

UPDATE: Vol #1 is now in stock.

UPDATE: I have temporarily removed (but not deleted) my original post about Bandai's handling of the Kannagi release in favor of the official statement above. We are currently in a dialog with Bandai regarding this and other issues and have a few things to iron out before we decide how we're going to proceed. I hope they will show us a favorable outcome, but it's up to Bandai as to if that post will come back, and in what form it will take.