Funimation no longer has the streaming licenses for DBZ movies & specials

[jpranevich]

Hey guys,

I'm doing a rewatch of DBZ in order with slotting the movies into the right spots based on broadcast dates (I just finished the same with DB). I noticed that the DBZ movies are no longer available on Funimation.com, though they were there a few months back when I started this rewatch. I emailed Funimation and received this response:

At the request of the licencor, the Dragon Ball Z movies and specials are unavailable at this time. We apologize for the inconvenience.

An inconvenience, but I have the DVD somewhere in my basement.

Any theories on this? Something happening in preparation for the new film? Or just the strange ebb and flow of rights issues? Unfortunately, that means there is no online/digital way to get the subbed version of the film today. (It is for sale on iTunes, but English-only.)

[ZeroNeonix]

Yeah. Licenses like that usually have a limited lifespan, but I do suspect that it isn't a coincidence that this would happen so close to the new movie's release. A similar thing happened with Netflix when Fant4stic was soon to release. They removed the previous Fantastic Four movies from the streaming service. In that case, though, it was so that the new movie wouldn't be associated with the old ones. I'm not sure what Toei Animation would gain from limiting access to their previous movies.

[sintzu]

This is exactly why I hope physical media never goes away cause these companies will have full control over what we can and can't have. Over night something like this can happen so without physical media you'll never be able to see them again if the company behind them doesn't want you to.

[Hellspawn28]

Funimation could end up putting their DB titles on Netflix some day.

[ShadowBardock89]

Wow. I did not think this would happen. Its a good thing I bought the DVDs.

[TheBlackPaladin]

Like ZeroNeonix said, streaming licenses never (or rather, extremely rarely) have the words "in perpetuity" in them. They're all negotiated for set time frames. Even FUNimation's licenses for the show and movies in general (TV airings and home video releases) have time frames, and FUNimation has had to re-negotiate and pay for renewing the licenses every few years. It could be that they have entered the "re-negotiation" period, and they have taken the movies and specials down from their streaming service until a new deal is worked out and a new contract is signed.

[Robo4900]

Like ZeroNeonix said, streaming licenses never (or rather, extremely rarely) have the words "in perpetuity" in them. They're all negotiated for set time frames. Even FUNimation's licenses for the show and movies in general (TV airings and home video releases) have time frames, and FUNimation has had to re-negotiate and pay for renewing the licenses every few years. It could be that they have entered the "re-negotiation" period, and they have taken the movies and specials down from their streaming service until a new deal is worked out and a new contract is signed.

The exception is services like Amazon Video, when you purchase a copy of a given movie, TV show, etc.; in those cases, you still hang onto them permanently, they're just not available for others to buy or rent.

[Choujin Daizenshuu]

This is exactly why I hope physical media never goes away cause these companies will have full control over what we can and can't have. Over night something like this can happen so without physical media you'll never be able to see them again if the company behind them doesn't want you to.

You're preaching to the choir, sintzu. If physical media goes away to reflect the viewing attitudes of the next generation, it goes away. Besides, discontinued movies or specials in this day and age don't just vanish into the ether just because the parent company pulls the plug. Dollars to donuts, someone would just rip it and upload it online through illegal channels. Others could just burn the contents onto a blank disc.

[TheGreatness25]

[spoiler]

Like ZeroNeonix said, streaming licenses never (or rather, extremely rarely) have the words "in perpetuity" in them. They're all negotiated for set time frames. Even FUNimation's licenses for the show and movies in general (TV airings and home video releases) have time frames, and FUNimation has had to re-negotiate and pay for renewing the licenses every few years. It could be that they have entered the "re-negotiation" period, and they have taken the movies and specials down from their streaming service until a new deal is worked out and a new contract is signed.

[/spoiler]
The exception is services like Amazon Video, when you purchase a copy of a given movie, TV show, etc.; in those cases, you still hang onto them permanently, they're just not available for others to buy or rent.

Wouldn't the purchaser be at Amazon's mercy? Meaning if Amazon decides to close it down, no more access to the content?

[Dragon Ball Ireland]

Like ZeroNeonix said, streaming licenses never (or rather, extremely rarely) have the words "in perpetuity" in them. They're all negotiated for set time frames. Even FUNimation's licenses for the show and movies in general (TV airings and home video releases) have time frames, and FUNimation has had to re-negotiate and pay for renewing the licenses every few years. It could be that they have entered the "re-negotiation" period, and they have taken the movies and specials down from their streaming service until a new deal is worked out and a new contract is signed.

The exception is services like Amazon Video, when you purchase a copy of a given movie, TV show, etc.; in those cases, you still hang onto them permanently, they're just not available for others to buy or rent.

I'll personally only buy a form of media (like a series, movie, album, etc) if I'm getting a physical copy. I just can't bring myself to get any satisfaction from having a file on my computer or hard drive unless I have a case or box with a disc to visualize the piece of entertainment I'm experiencing and having it on my shelf for myself and others to admire when they are at my home. I'll support physical media as much as I possibly can, which will hopefully be until the day I die.

[Robo4900]

Wouldn't the purchaser be at Amazon's mercy? Meaning if Amazon decides to close it down, no more access to the content?

... Okay...
In a world where Amazon closes down, sure, that might be an issue...
Unless there was some crisis that bankrupted the company though, they wouldn't close it down unwillingly. And their video storefront is so successful, they'd be utterly bonkers to close it down. And even if they did close it, there's no way they'd risk the PR disaster of not giving their customers some way of watching this stuff they've bought.
Plus, I'm pretty sure it'd be a breach of their contract to suddenly yank it out of your grasp.

I'll personally only buy a form of media (like a series, movie, album, etc) if I'm getting a physical copy. I just can't bring myself to get any satisfaction from having a file on my computer or hard drive unless I have a case or box with a disc to visualize the piece of entertainment I'm experiencing and having it on my shelf for myself and others to admire when they are at my home. I'll support physical media as much as I possibly can, which will hopefully be until the day I die.

Fair enough, dude.
Honestly, I prefer physical media too. A lot of that is down to the fact Blu-Ray is higher quality(No bitrate limitations of streaming), and a lot of it is down to the bonus features that streaming versions never have...
But, yeah, having the physical boxes and such is really nice.

[VegettoEX]

Plus, I'm pretty sure it'd be a breach of their contract to suddenly yank it out of your grasp.

You do not own anything you pay the digital rights for and they can be taken away from you with no recourse or compensation at any time.

[Robo4900]

You do not own anything you pay the digital rights for and they can be taken away from you with no recourse or compensation at any time.

Ah. I see. Thanks for the correction there.

Still, I stand by that it'd be a total PR disaster that they'd never in a million years want to deal with.