Bandai Entertainment will stop shipping anime to retailers in November

Vash1306

Vash1306

CAGiversary!
To all anime fans who haven't bought all that they want from Bandai, get on it now before its to late!

Credit to WTK
Bandai Will Stop Shipping Anime to Retailers In November
Ken Iyodomi, who is the president of Bandai Entertainment, sent us over a letter this morning to give us a heads up on what we've known has been coming and just never had a date for.

He writes:
"I am writing to inform you that Bandai Entertainment Inc in discontinuing its home video publishing and distribution business effective March 1, 2013.

As we methodically wind down the business, the last day that Bandai will be accepting any purchase orders is November 15, 2012, with our last shipments occurring on November 30th, 2012.

On Behalf of Bandai Entertainment Inc, I want to express our gratitude for the opportunity we've had to do business with your company, and I think you in advance for your understanding and assistance during this period."
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Well, we all knew this was coming up. While Bandai's remaining catalog of Anime release will 'officially' go out of print in November, I just want to remind everyone that quite a few of their SKU's have already stocked out and others will probably sell out prior to the Nov cutoff, so if you need to pull the trigger on any of their stuff, don't wait too much longer.

This also means that current backorders for existing products are less likely to be filled, but we will do whatever we can to bring in as much Bandai stock as we can afford to between now and November.
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via RACS
Several people have written in a little confused about Bandai's announcement last week that they will stop shipping to retailers in November. Most people want to know "what's going to happen to all their titles"? We'll here's the deal - effective Nov of this year everything in Bandai's DVD and BD catalog will officially go out of print (as will their entire selection of manga in October). Bandai has said they intend to shop some of these licenses out, but that process is likely to be slow and their back-catalog is just way to big to be absorbed into the market by the rest of the industry as it stands, so while it's likely that a few of the premium licenses will eventually end up getting re-released by someone else (hey Sentai, please pick up K-On season 1, OK?), I imagine most of their catalog will simply go dark. Now that doesn't mean that all their releases will just vaporize in November - retailers like us are currently scrapping together as much money as we can find to do big final buy-ins on Bandai's remaining stock, and at least for us, we're hoping to stock some of their titles pretty deep assuming we can get them. Over the next 6-12 months I would expect prices to rise for OOP Bandai titles that end up getting bought up quickly and become a little harder to find. This will, of course, result in the same bitching and moaning characterizing any price increases as greed and averice from the usual suspects who couldn't be bothered to pull the trigger on these titles for the many years they were available at the regular prices. Oh joy, I can't wait to read those people comments! :) But I also expect prices to decrease for a time on the titles that retailers choose poorly on and end up bringing in too much stock.

And before you ask, I have no idea what will become of Gundam - that series is an awfully big bite for another studio to try to take on. I fear the chances now that we'll ever see ZZ, Victory, or Turn a Gundam released in R1 are now pretty slim. ~sigh~

Anyway, we're going to go through the site during for the next couple of weeks and mark all Bandai releases as 'discontinued - limited to stock on hand' and also we'll be publishing a list shortly of all in stock Bandai titles so that you can see if there is anything you need before the lights go out in November.
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[quote name='mclovin_it']Anyone know where I can get Eureka 7 Complete Collection 2 for a reasonable price? I can only find them for $90+[/QUOTE]
Whenever FUNimation is allowed to license it.
 
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_s...=insigna+blue+ray&sprefix=insigna+blu,aps,268


any of those blu ray players will do. you will need to search for a firmware though to downgrade it so it can use the 9113 code i think it is. its best buys house brand.

my only complaint is the damn thing does not save spots on a disc no matter the disc. dvd or blu ray. turn it off and it has to start from the beginning. its a minor complaint but eh its region free right? also a common complaint is the internet on it is wonky so just update it via USB and dont use its netflix features or anything or BS Live.
 
[quote name='thelonepig']Code Geass is getting a Bluray release in the UK. I haven't done enough research to know if it's an upscale or the original HD material. It's being released by Manga, so it will most likely be region locked.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Code-Geass-Lelouch-Rebellion-Complete/dp/B00A9YBW4A/ref=pd_sim_vg_h__2

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Code-Geass-Lelouch-Rebellion-Complete/dp/B00A9YBVSC/ref=pd_sim_vg_h__1[/QUOTE]
Kazé UK is the licensor and Manga UK is the distributor. Be aware that Kazé UK will be putting 25 episodes on 2 Blu-ray discs (they were done that way for the French and German sets as well from the respective European Kazé branch). And these releases are pretty much guaranteed to be locked to Region B.
 
Well, I'll finally receive the final batch of Bandai stuff I need later this week. Ordered Saber Marionette J to X collection and Hayate the Combat Butler Vol. 3 & 6. Still need Hayate Vol. 8 & Kannagi Vol. 1, but I know I'll never find either disc for under $20, so just giving up on those two.

It's just weird to see the oddest titles you order a couple months ago rise up in price due to going OOP. Like paying $5 for Saber Marionette J Again back in October and now the cheapest, used disc-only copy is going for $24 online. Strangely, besides Gundam 00, 08th MS Team & 0083 collections, I haven't really seen a high price jump for Gundam shows.
 
[quote name='Collectordragon']I got Escaflowne: Complete Collection from a third party seller on Amazon. Should the oversized case be clear?[/QUOTE]

I did a google search and saw a few pics that had clear cases. So maybe one batch had them? But the ones I've seen use the standard oversized black cases.

The 3rd party seller wasn't ExpressMedia/Sourcemedia/Direct Liquidations(aka Noram), was it? Because I've had a ton of DVDs from them that have had the cases swapped out.
 
The seller was Standing Ovation. I can still dispute it if I need to. It's a sealed supposedly brand new copy. I don't want to open it to check the contents if I don't have to.
 
Bebop's last few batches were in clear cases, so it might be the same thing. As long as the discs work, and there is 8 of them, there shouldn't be a problem.
 
I think its normal. I thought the same when I got Gundam 00 because season one was clear and season two was black, but all the discs turned out to be official.
 
[quote name='whippleman']I think its normal. I thought the same when I got Gundam 00 because season one was clear and season two was black, but all the discs turned out to be official.[/QUOTE]

It's weird, I've only ever seen one copy of 00 Season 2 in the wild with a black case while the rest were clear. Needless to say I got a clear one to match my S1 copy.
 
[quote name='Collectordragon']I got Escaflowne: Complete Collection from a third party seller on Amazon. Should the oversized case be clear?[/QUOTE]

Mine came that way.
 
My Escaflowne is a clear case, but I got it from DeepDiscount a year or more ago.

While we are on the subject of odd questions about Bandai, my Volume 1 + Volume 2 of .hack//Sign says "Platinum Series" on the front-top of the artwork DVD case. While my Vol3-6 all say "Platinum Edition". Normal or what does that mean?

My other sets in volumes, by comparison, Witch Hunter Robin Vol1-6 all say "Platinum Edition" while Big O and Saber J to X have no platinum label mention.
 
Platinum Edition (1 disc sets) is just a name to spice up a single to make it seem special, like when comedies get stupid names for their sets. Before doing the Anime Legends box sets, Bandai began rereleasing some of their discs in 2-disc sets. Kinda like what FUNimation did with Kiddy Grade and Tenchi Muyo GXP.
 
Was missing Gundam Zeta Collection 2 which I just ordered from the Right Stuf. I also got Outlaw Star and Wolf's Rain from gohastings.com a little while back. Had to reorder Ghost Slayers Ayashi because they sent me the wrong dvd.
 
Plus, the Marionette series was only mildly successful, and unlike other Bandai series (Bebop, Gundam, Lucky Star, Haruhi, etc.) there is no guarentee that it will be relicensed.
 
Anyone know any good places to look for Gundam 00 season 2 part 4? I managed to pick up the pretty much the whole series from amazon warehouse deals for $35, but I'm missing that last part.
 
[quote name='erehwon']Anyone know any good places to look for Gundam 00 season 2 part 4? I managed to pick up the pretty much the whole series from amazon warehouse deals for $35, but I'm missing that last part.[/QUOTE]Your best bet is to scour used DVD shops like FYE or MovieStop
 
 
I managed to find part 4. My nearest BB had a copy for $14. It was more than I wanted to pay, but the only other store near by with it was suncoast. They wanted $34. I paid around that for the rest of the series from amazon's warehouse deals.
 
I've never been that much of a gundam fan but I got almost everything I wanted from Bandai except Outlaw Star... I got a good feeling that funimation will pick it up though and cowboy bebop too. Im hoping both get the bluray treatment they deserve. I have cowboy bebop but can't justify purchasing outlaw star at the prices im seeing.
 
[quote name='greenwolfe7']I've never been that much of a gundam fan but I got almost everything I wanted from Bandai except Outlaw Star... I got a good feeling that funimation will pick it up though and cowboy bebop too. Im hoping both get the bluray treatment they deserve. I have cowboy bebop but can't justify purchasing outlaw star at the prices im seeing.[/QUOTE]

what prices are you seeing for outlaw star? I got mine from rightstuf for $29.99
 
Well this sucks! I finally got around to watching Gundam 00 Season 2 again, I originally saw it "online", and I got to the VERY last disc, the VERY last episode, and the Very last 5 minutes won't play. :( When I looked at the disc it had round bubbly looking things you couldn't feel them though. I feel like the entire set is a piece of poopy now if I can't watch the last 5 minutes.
 
[quote name='whippleman']Well this sucks! I finally got around to watching Gundam 00 Season 2 again, I originally saw it "online", and I got to the VERY last disc, the VERY last episode, and the Very last 5 minutes won't play. :( When I looked at the disc it had round bubbly looking things you couldn't feel them though. I feel like the entire set is a piece of poopy now if I can't watch the last 5 minutes.[/QUOTE]

There was a post earlier in this thread with an Email you could contact to get a disc replacement.
 
[quote name='ProtoEXE88']There was a post earlier in this thread with an Email you could contact to get a disc replacement.[/QUOTE]

Even though Bandai's been done for a while now?
 
Does anyone know of any locations to find the second half of Eureka Seven? I didn't pull the trigger when I had the chance and now it seems like this series will be very expensive to watch.
 
[quote name='jedimario']Does anyone know of any locations to find the second half of Eureka Seven? I didn't pull the trigger when I had the chance and now it seems like this series will be very expensive to watch.[/QUOTE]

I was looking a couple weeks ago after I found season 1 used for $20 and couldn't find anything under $60 or $70. Your best bet is a used copy on ebay.

I scored Planetes yesterday at a local used store for $25. I also saw Haunted Junction (around $15) and Brain Powered ($35 I think). Are either of them worth picking up at those prices?
 
Anyone looking for the last two dvds of IGPX besides me? I can't seem to find vol. 6 and 7 anywhere at a reasonable price. Also Ronin Warriors the complete collection. I managed to find it used and I bought it but I would like a pristine copy. My disc are all fine not a scratch on them but the case lacks a bit to be desired... :/
 
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Ronin Warriors went out of print years ago. Only thing you can do is just to buy a replacement case for it.
 
[quote name='greenwolfe7']Anyone looking for the last two dvds of IGPX besides me? I can't seem to find vol. 6 and 7 anywhere at a reasonable price. Also Ronin Warriors the complete collection. I managed to find it used and I bought it but I would like a pristine copy. My disc are all fine not a scratch on them but the case lacks a bit to be desired... :/[/QUOTE]

If you find a better one I'd love to buy yours.
 
[quote name='ProtoEXE88']If you find a better one I'd love to buy yours.[/QUOTE]

Sure thing i've actually got a lot of local anime shops here that i've scored at lately. Im really hoping one new one turns up and I might have a lead at a local japanese import business.
 
Good news is Japanese Gurren Lagann Complete Blu Ray Box will include English sub. Bad news is that it cost over $700.
 
Also likely means FUNimation (or Sentai, which would be pretty funny if you think about it) will likely not be able to release a Blu-ray set whenever they acquire the license.
 
[quote name='Vash1306']I'm pretty sure Aniplex of America will be the ones to get the rights for Gurren Lagann.[/QUOTE]

Depends on how much FUNi is willing to pay. Not everything Aniplex Japan does is released by AniUSA, especially since they don't have the distribution channels FUNi does. They will likely keep the Blu-ray rights to prevent reverse importation though.
 
Still digging for IGPX vol.6. I MAY have managed to get a copy online ordered from 2 different sources both are known to send "Sorry this product isn't in stock anymore" emails a decent bit so im not hopeful. But i've managed some luck with them in the past. Both are local import/anime/japan culture shops. If anyone sees a copy of this in the wild if you could pm me and maybe work out a deal I would greatly appreciate it ;).
 
Would you mind posting the sources? I'm scouring for a few titles I missed out on for cheap or no worse than msrp, so I'd like to give them a browse.

As for yours, I haven't seen it at any places I frequent, sorry.
 
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