Geneon... D.O.A...
Well, I read in the trade papers that Geneon US has decided to cease operations as of September 28, 2007. What does this mean for me? I just developed an interest in Black Lagoon and it looks like any releases beyond this coming Friday (the 28th) are in doubt. The trade papers suggest that there might still be new titles forthcoming into November, but, I have my doubts. I've looked up Geneon's releases (past and upcoming) and found a handful of entries that I might look into before they disappear into the void.
Among the soon to be departed: Haibane Renmei, Ergo Proxy, Chobits...
I've finished the first story arc in Black Lagoon, but, sadly, it doesn't appear likely that the second story arc will be completed before Geneon goes belly up. I'm not sure, at this point, if I'll want to have an incomplete set of the second story arc of Black Lagoon. I'm glad that I took the time earlier this year, to go through the pile of unwatched anime and inventory those titles that I might develop an interest in sometime in the future.
This reminds me of the final days of Streamline. The announcement came seemingly out of the blue, then, there was a mad scramble by anime fans all over, trying desperately to snatch up the last remaining crumbs. Very quickly, an interim distributor (Orion) showed up to liquidate Streamline's back catalog. A few of the most high profile titles in Streamline's catalog were re-released in fairly short order by other distributors. Over the years, titles would be re-released a few at a time, by various distributors. Eventually, most of Streamline's catalog was re-released by alternate distributors, but, more than a decade after Streamline went belly up, there are still a few Streamline titles that never found their way back from the abyss. One title that comes to mind is Robot Carnival. It's been more than 15 years since Robot Carnival's original U.S. release and there's been no word yet, on when or even IF it will ever come back to the U.S.
I imagine though, in today's ever shrinking American anime industry, -- with fewer distributors releasing fewer titles -- that Geneon's tale will be somewhat different. I expect a good chunk of Geneon's back catalog will not see the light of day, here in the U.S., once the titles go out of print. It's a fact of anime fandom in the U.S., older anime titles don't sell as well as newer anime titles. I expect that 10 or 20 years from now, many anime fans will have moved on to other titles. So, those of you who find yourselves scrambling for the last few crumbs, don't wait.
Among the soon to be departed: Haibane Renmei, Ergo Proxy, Chobits...
The Haibane, who look like angels with halos and small wings, share a walled town with humans. Both groups are forbidden to leave. Rakka awakens from a portentious dream when she emerges from a huge cocoon as Haibane. She was apparently human once, but can only remember fragments of that existence. She quickly settles into Old Home, a former dormitory where the Haibane live when they're not working. With the help of some fellow Haibane, Rakka learns about the enclosed world in a succession of brief vignettes. Unfortunately, life at Old Home is about as exciting as a visit to Ozzie and Harriet. These mini-episodes are cute, wistful, and dull, with passive, uninteresting characters. Rekka's curiosity about what lies beyond the walls will undoubtedly lead her to violate the Haibane's most sacred law in a later episode.
The domed city of Romd is an impenetrable would-be utopia where humans and robots coexist and everything is under complete government control - or so it appears.
While working on a mysterious murder case, Re-l Mayer, a female detective from the Civilian Intelligence Office, receives a foreboding message that something is going to "awaken." That night, she's attacked by a deformed super-being. What was this unidentified monster that attacked her, and who was the figure that came in between them?
As Re-l attempts to unlock this spiraling mystery, a metaphysical battle cry leads her to the unknown outside world...
I could probably live without finishing off Chobits and Haibane Renmei, but, a world where I don't have a complete set of Ergo Proxy isn't going to be a fun and happy place. I only have one more volume to go on Ergo Proxy, so, the world might just turn out to be a fun and happy place after all.A Boy's first computer.
A country boy from Hokkaido, Hideki arrives in the big city (Tokyo) to go to college. Instantly, he is shocked and amazed by the variety and prevalence of Persocoms: personal computers designed to look and act like animals or even people! Too poor to afford one of his own, Hideki is overjoyed to discover a discarded Persocom in a trash heap.
However, this gift of fate turns into a mystery as his Persocom, Chi, appears to be able to operate without her OS. How real is real?
I've finished the first story arc in Black Lagoon, but, sadly, it doesn't appear likely that the second story arc will be completed before Geneon goes belly up. I'm not sure, at this point, if I'll want to have an incomplete set of the second story arc of Black Lagoon. I'm glad that I took the time earlier this year, to go through the pile of unwatched anime and inventory those titles that I might develop an interest in sometime in the future.
This reminds me of the final days of Streamline. The announcement came seemingly out of the blue, then, there was a mad scramble by anime fans all over, trying desperately to snatch up the last remaining crumbs. Very quickly, an interim distributor (Orion) showed up to liquidate Streamline's back catalog. A few of the most high profile titles in Streamline's catalog were re-released in fairly short order by other distributors. Over the years, titles would be re-released a few at a time, by various distributors. Eventually, most of Streamline's catalog was re-released by alternate distributors, but, more than a decade after Streamline went belly up, there are still a few Streamline titles that never found their way back from the abyss. One title that comes to mind is Robot Carnival. It's been more than 15 years since Robot Carnival's original U.S. release and there's been no word yet, on when or even IF it will ever come back to the U.S.I imagine though, in today's ever shrinking American anime industry, -- with fewer distributors releasing fewer titles -- that Geneon's tale will be somewhat different. I expect a good chunk of Geneon's back catalog will not see the light of day, here in the U.S., once the titles go out of print. It's a fact of anime fandom in the U.S., older anime titles don't sell as well as newer anime titles. I expect that 10 or 20 years from now, many anime fans will have moved on to other titles. So, those of you who find yourselves scrambling for the last few crumbs, don't wait.
August 18, 2008
