Home Media Magazine - June 15, 2008 - (Page 18) PRODUCT GUIDE ANIME/ASIAN CINEMA Edited by Kyra Kudick TWO OF THE GREATEST MARTIAL ARTS, ACTION FIGHTING MOVIES OF ALL TIME! Tokyopop Reorganizes By Chris Tribbey SUPPLIER Anime company Tokyopop, best known for its “GTO” and “Initial D” properties, has split its North American business into two different companies, one for manga and one for anime. Tokyopop Inc. will be the manga division, with Tokyopop Media LLC taking on anime. In the process, the company eliminated 39 positions. The company also announced it was pulling out as an exhibitor at this year’s Comic-Con International convention in San Diego. “This reorganization is the right business move, but we are doing it with a heavy heart,” said Tokyopop CEO Stuart Levy. “It involves saying goodbye to 39 of the most talented, creative and compassionate people I’ve ever known. While it goes without saying, it’s important to note that our restructure is not at all a negative reflection on them. “The time is now for us to focus our publishing busi- Two Champions Of Sword Masters: TWO CHAMPIONS OF SHAOLIN Item # : WD-69 UPC : 181582000487 SRP : $14.98 Run Time : 102 mins SHAOLIN ness to overcome current market challenges. Fewer releases will allow for less cannibalization at retail. At the same time, the opportunity is significant in the digital and comics-to-film space. As one of the largest comic book companies worldwide, we must adjust our overhead to properly execute this new business plan.” Publisher Mike Kiley takes over senior executive duties for Tokyopop Media. “Our goal is for Tokyopop Media to become one of the go-to production entities in Hollywood by building global entertainment franchises across media platforms,” Levy said. Tokyopop stopped self-distributing its DVD products in 2006, instead partnering with anime giant Funimation for distribution. Tokyopop is known as one of the top manga publishers in the United States, with its anime properties limited to a handful of action-adventure and children’s series. BRIEFS I ADV GOES ONLINE Anime distributor ADV Films has launched a promotion with anime fan site crunchyroll.com to make the anime series “Welcome to the N.H.K.” available online. Starting in late May, and running through June, two new episodes of the series are available for free every Thursday. The episodes are ad-supported. To promote the comedy series, ADV also partnered with several of its retail partners to offer “N.H.K.” DVDs at 50% off. Red Planet Media to launch a mobile anime-on-demand service for AT&T Wireless customers. Those customers with video-capable phones can access episodes of the series “MoonPhase” and “Galaxy Railways” for 99 cents each. Funimation plans on rolling out more of its series for the service, and also wants to expand to other wireless providers. “The launch of this great portfolio of Japanese anime as a mobile video-ondemand service for AT&T subscribers is the result of a great team effort,” said Red Planet Media president Dean Fresonke. “This same team is readying the launch of a vast new catalog of mobile video programming along with an advertising campaign that will be unprecedented in the industry.” I TOEI ON-DEMAND Toei Animation has launched its own on-demand anime site, www.toei-anim. com/ondemand, offering the first 15 episodes of two series, “Slam Dunk” and “Fist of the North Star,” for $1.99 each. Toei has also partnered with IGN.com to allow the first episode of “Slam Dunk” to be streamed for free. Toei released eight of its own DVDs in 2005 before having its properties distributed by other companies, including Illumitoon in 2007. – Chris Tribbey Pre Order : 3-Jun-08 Street Date : 15-Jul-08 STARRING Sword Masters: BROTHERS FIVE Item # : WD-73 UPC : 181582000760 SRP : $14.98 Run Time : 102 mins CHENG PEI-PEI [ AS JADE FOX IN CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON ] I FUNIMATION OFFERS ANIME ON PHONES Funimation Entertainment has partnered with mobile networking company COM I NG Selling Points • Brand new re-mastered special edition DVD’s. • From the legendary Shaw Brothers studio. • DVD’s loaded with extra’s including English subtitles and a new English dub track. • Asian Cinema category one of the fastest growing home video categories in the U.S. July 1 has the Travel Channel’s Ganges (DVD $19.98). Arriving Aug. 5 (prebook July 1) is Travel Channel’s Wild China (DVD $29.98). UP I BBC VIDEO is Love and Honor (DVD $24.98). Lan: Super Special Days! (DVD $16.99). I GENIUS PRODUCTS Streeting June 17 is The Restless (DVD $24.95). Available June 24 is the horror film The Wig (DVD $24.95). I SONY PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT Due June 17 is the Adult Swim series from Cartoon Network Blood + Vol. 2 (DVD $24.96). I FUNIMATION ENTERTAINMENT Out June 24 is the Samurai film Hana (DVD $24.98). Distributed through Ronin Aug. 12 (prebook July 8) is Kitaro (DVD $19.98). Due Sept. 2 (prebook July 29) is Genghis Khan: To the Ends of the Earth and Sea (DVD $24.98). Coming Nov. 11 (prebook Oct. 7) I LIONSGATE Out Sept. 2 (prebook Aug. 6) on Blu-ray Disc is the Jet Li actioner Black Mask ($29.99). I WARNER HOME VIDEO Out Aug. 12 (prebook July 8) is The Legend of the Shadowless Sword (DVD $19.97). Marketing Highlights • Extensive DVD review submission plan to internet fan sites • Key on-line advertising including KungFuCinema.com and others • Viral marketing campaign includes ecomm banner ads I PARAMOUNT HOME ENTERTAINMENT From Nickelodeon comes two titles: July 29 (prebook June 17) has Avatar: The Last Airbender — Book 3: Fire Vol. 4 (DVD $16.99), followed Aug. 12 (prebook July 1) by the animated kid’s series Ni Hao, Kai I WELL GO USA Available July 15 are Brother Five and Two Champions of Shaolin (DVDs $14.98 each). aec | BAKER & TAYLOR | INGRAM | NAVARRE | VPD | SUPER D Contact : Jason Pfardrescher • Director of Sales • 972-671-5200 • Jason@wellgousa.com 1-888-818-8428 WWW.WELLGOUSA.COM 18 Home Media Magazine June 15–21, 2008 DIGITALLY REMASTERED http://crunchyroll.com http://www.toei-anim.com/ondemand http://www.toei-anim.com/ondemand http://IGN.com http://KungFuCinema.com http://WWW.WELLGOUSA.COM http://WWW.WELLGOUSA.COM
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