Media Blasters sent over a pretty big list of schedule changes yesterday, about a page and a half's worth. Sorry I didn't post on it yesterday, but it was a lot to go through. Dates have been changes for their releases across all four of their labels (Anime Works, Kitty, Tokyo Shock, and Exploitation Digital), however, these are the delays that effected us directly:Otogi Zoshi DVD Collection of Ages Complete DVD Boxed Set (Eps #1-26) - Mar 30 to Apr 20
Gao-Gai-Gar Complete Collection DVD Boxed Set #2 (Eps #26-49) (Lite Box) - Mar 9 to Apr 27
Tekkaman Blade Complete Collection DVD Boxed Set (Eps #1-49) - Apr 6 to May 4
Bludgeoning Angel Dokuro-Chan DVD (Special Edition) - Apr 20 to May 18 (now Dubbed)
Queen's Blade: Wandering Warrior, Vol #1, A Single Step DVD (Eps #1-4) - Mar 30 to May 18 (Ouch!)
Queen's Blade: Wandering Warrior, Vol #2, The Beaten Path DVD (Eps #5-8) - May 25 to TBA
Kanokon: The Girl Who Cried Wolf, Vol #1, Sexy Like a Fox DVD - Apr 27 to May 25
Ikki Tousen Dragon Destiny, Vol #3, Sousou's Ambition (Eps #9-12) - Apr 20 to Jun 29 (Double Ouch!)
Ikki Tousen Dragon Destiny Complete Collection DVD Boxed Set (Eps #1-12) - May 25 to TBA
Sayonara Zetsubou-Sensei , Vol #1 DVD (Eps #1-6) - May 25 to TBA
And one release was actually advanced a bit on the schedule:
Rurouni Kenshin TV Series Complete 3 Season Collection DVD Boxed Set (Eps #1-95) - May 25 to Apr 27
Of note is that in exchange for the delay, the special edition release of Bludgeoning Angel Dokuro-Chan will now get a dub, which is very cool. Also, a few titles like Queens Blade vol #2, the Dragon Destiny boxed set, and Sayonara Zetsubou-Sensei are now showing TBA - this does not mean that they have been canceled, only that they got pushed right out of the current scheduling window and the new dates will be forthcoming (probably late summer / early fall).
While we do not have them available for pre-order currently (but will be carrying them all), several Kitty titles were also rescheduled and I thought I might as well list them here too:
Wordsworth Outer Story DVD (Adult) - Feb 16 to Apr 13
World of Wordsworth Collection (Adult) - Feb 16 to Apr 13
Inma Seiden DVD (Adult) - Feb 16 to Jun 1
Learning the Hard Way DVD (Adult) - Apr 20 to TBA
Urotsukidoji: Legend of the Overfiend (Re-Release) (Adult) - May 18 to TBA
Fleshdance DVD (Adult) - Mar 23 to TBA
Oh my Sex Goddess (Adult) - Mar 30 to TBA
Also, the dates for the Manga publications Drawn to Him TP (Yaoi), Fujoshi Rumi 4 TP, Because of Love (Yaoi), and Wintertime Love (Yaoi) have also been put on TBA status. The Gay's Anatomy TP (Yaoi) has been bumped from Apr 28 to May 26.
A final word. These changes come on the heals of Media Blasters announcement that they have had to lay off 13 people (about 25% of their total staff). Lots of people are emailing in wondering if they should be worried about buying any MB title that is not yet completely released? The answer is no. I work with the folks at Media Blasters everyday, and just want to assure everyone that (this time) these changes and layoffs are not indicative of Media Blasters being in poor health as a company. Quite the contrary, they are still shipping us product right on time and keeping good inventories of their back catalog, and I have seen no evidence what so ever that they are in any sort financial distress. In fact, I would gauge MB as one of the stronger US Anime studios. The problem is that the economy, regardless of what the pundits are telling us, still sucks. Period. So everyone is having to make 'adjustments' in their businesses to accommodate the current environment, and for every US Anime company like Media Blasters who's adjustments get publicized, there are plenty of others going on that you haven't heard about. John Sirabella runs a good ship and there is no need to worry about MB's future at this point. As long as you guys keep buying their stuff, they will be around to deliver lots of Anime titles that the other studios won't publish.
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