Funimation comments on Battle of Gods' status

[Kuwabara]

I find it strange that a film made, "with a view toward screenings overseas" would take as long as two years to reach other territories. I have a feeling there's something going on behind the scenes that we don't know about, give it a few months.

People need to have more patience. 2015 is not that long of away and we have other stuff to keep us busy. As I mention before, each of the recent Evangelion films took two years for it come out in the US and it was worth it.

Dragon Ball Z is way more popular than Evangelion, so I think we'll see it next year at the latest. And despite what you constantly claim, there are tons of people in the US that would go see a competent theatrical Dragon Ball Z film. The problem is that the window for the most potential international attendance and income is diminishing very quickly. If the film seriously comes out everywhere else two years from now, no one's going to care any more.

[bleed0range]

Two years really is a long wait. I do not have that much patience. I won't download any shakey cam footage, I'll see its release in some kind of limited theatrical run and then i'll buy the japanese bluray if they bother to put English subtitles on it... or i'll watch a fan sub rip of it. I just cannot wait two years to see it at all.

[Hellspawn28]

I doubt the R2 DVD will have subs. I think it's pretty rare in Japan for have DVD releases with English subs since I haven't seen many movies and shows on DVD with English subs. The newest Cyborg 009 movie has English subs on the Blu-Ray, but I can't any other examples that have them.

[UpFromTheSkies]

I doubt the R2 DVD will have subs. I think it's pretty rare in Japan for have DVD releases with English subs since I haven't seen many movies and shows on DVD with English subs. The newest Cyborg 009 movie has English subs on the Blu-Ray, but I can't any other examples that have them.

I only mentioned it because the JSAT Dragonball film had English subs.

And I normally wouldn't watch something like a cam before seeing a quality version of the movie, but this is one I absolutely can't wait to see, and I don't care what format it's in, I'll watch it.

[MagicBox]

People are taking the "two years" thing far too seriously. A random FUNimation rep at a convention likely has no idea of Toei's aforementioned desire to specifically give "Battle of Gods" a decent international presence via foreign screenings. Like he said, the film hasn't even been "optioned" yet, so he probably just threw out a two-year time frame because that's how long it's taken for many of FUNi's other theatrical acquisitions (the Evangelion films, Summer Wars, etc.) to hit release in the US. I'm sure we'll get it sooner. Toei's already said that they have special plans for this movie.

I'm also interested in this pizza time stance anime distribution has taken. Less than 2 years or it's free huh?

Could not agree with you more.

Seriously, comments like the one below...

If I feel like I was forced to watch it for free due to an unreasonable wait, I'm likely to never pay for it when it does come out.

I just... what? I can't even describe what I'm reading here. This misguided sense of entitlement is just... What the hell? You're being forced, you say?

"Cannot" wait and "will not" wait are two very, very different things. Getting to see your little action movie ASAP should not be be talked about as if you're having to steal food to feed your family or something. The movie came out yesterday. Be mature and wait.

[UpFromTheSkies]

If I feel like I was forced to watch it for free due to an unreasonable wait, I'm likely to never pay for it when it does come out.

I just... what? I can't even describe what I'm reading here. This misguided sense of entitlement is just... What the hell? You're being forced, you say?

Maybe he thinks FUNimation is reading this thread and will see his comment and be frightened into making a quicker release, hahahaha

"We better hurry up and get Battle of Gods out before FindKenshi is forced to watch a bootleg, and never gives us his $19.99!"--FUNimation Executive

[MagicBox]

For the record, Pappy didn't say that thing I quoted.

[UpFromTheSkies]

For the record, Pappy didn't say that thing I quoted.

Haha, fixed

[FindKenshi]

but really? A two year wait if it comes to that isn't going to kill any of us

You don't know that. Two years is a long time.. we could literally die by then. Anything could happen... a giant meteor nearly destroyed parts of Russia with no warning. The next time it may actually make it to the ground and wipe us all out.

You can't in all seriousness expect us to wait two years.. that sounds more like a prison sentence than anything else. American fans, thanks for your support over the years, you are hearby sentenced to waiting two whole years to see BoG after every other country gets to see it first. Dismissed!

no it ain't gonna happen like that. I must see this movie. I'll pay for it legally if I can but it looks like that option won't even be available to me!

[theoriginalbilis]

I'm sure we'll get BoG here relatively soon. Hell, I'm used to anime taking a year or two to be released on DVD in the US, it's how the licensing business works over here. That said, you can criticize people who download fansubs all you want; there are plenty of folks who have a false sense of entitlement and just hit it and quit it: once they've seen an anime, they never feel like supporting it officially. Just take into consideration, out there are plenty of people who watch the fansubbed version, but still support the domestic release when they can. In my case, I usually do check out a fansub here and there for previewing purposes, mainly if there's no license or legal stream put out... but most of the time I support the official releases. Anime companies have gotten really good in the last 3-4 years about making titles legally available as they air, or shortly thereafter.

In the case of the new Jojo's Bizarre Adventure anime, there's been absolutely no domestic release announced yet for the US. So, if you'd want to see the anime, you'd have to watch a fansub. Or read the scanlations. Yeah, it's not legal, but hey... it's the only translated version available.

As long as Battle of Gods isn't released here at some sort of BS over-priced Aniplex of America-styled release, you can rest assured that Battle of Gods will most likely sell well for FUNimation/FOX/whoever releases it. ($600+ for a Gurren Lagann Blu-Ray? No anime's worth that price.)

And the people who are upset about the "two years" comments, don't worry too much. Don't you have other things to fill your time? It'll go by pretty quick. A year or two between an anime coming out on home video in Japan and on American home video is actually considered the norm for much of the American anime market.

[Hellspawn28]

Dragon Ball Z is way more popular than Evangelion

That's not the point. The recent Evangelion films got released here in the US after two years of waiting and they did fine. Fans of the franchise bought the movie on DVD & Blu-Ray, and even went to the screenings for the movie. I saw 1.0 in 2009 in a pack theater, so people can wait just fine. You guys act like the movie is not even going be out in another 10 years .

If the film seriously comes out everywhere else two years from now, no one's going to care any more.

Not true. You have people that will still want to see it. G.I Joe 2 did well this weekend despite it getting push back nearly a year later just put the movie in 3D.

[bleed0range]

The point is simply it doesn't have to take that long to release it outside Japan. Take my money Toei, Fox, whoever... I'll buy it officially whenever that's possible but I'm not waiting two years for something I know I can see now. I didn't wait for Funi to dub the Boo arc back in the day but I still bought it three times over now.

[sangofe]

It would be amazing if FOX dubbed the film with Justin Chatwin, Emma Rosum, and the rest of the cast of Evolution!

Would there be any reason why Fox can't hire FUNimation va's?

I'm shocked by the amount of people just completely going 'Well I have a right to this movie so I'm going to watch it another way no matter what, nyeh!'. I get that times are different now, and that you (and myself as well) really wish it was coming sooner, but really? A two year wait if it comes to that isn't going to kill any of us. Sheesh, we were further behind than that back when the show was first being brought over here.

Oh, I'd totally pirate it and buy it later.

[Kuwabara]

That's not the point. The recent Evangelion films got released here in the US after two years of waiting and they did fine. Fans of the franchise bought the movie on DVD & Blu-Ray, and even went to the screenings for the movie. I saw 1.0 in 2009 in a pack theater, so people can wait just fine. You guys act like the movie is not even going be out in another 10 years

I don't know about anyone else but I never said anything like that, I actually have comparatively low expectations for the film. All I meant was that from a business perspective it would be smart to get the movie out to as many places as possible, as soon as possible. Two years is ridiculous.

Not true. You have people that will still want to see it. G.I Joe 2 did well this weekend despite it getting push back nearly a year later just put the movie in 3D.

Could people freely watch it online two years before it came out in theaters?

[Bussani]

No offense, but I'm amazed by the lengths people will go to justify copyright theft in their own minds.

I do agree--but at the same time, that's the reality of it. There are people who will pirate it no matter what, and it's clear (not only because it's obvious, but because actual studies have been done) that such a long wait will only increase this piracy and reduce profits. I'm not saying I advocate it or that it's justifiable, but that's just how the world is right now. Right or wrong, companies are going to have to adapt to how the world is.

[OutlawTorn]

Well that's a little disheartening. Not necessarily the two years (though that certainly is in it's own way), but the fact that Fox really does have first dibs on the film if they want it is a little worrying.

Yeah. It's a similar situation with Transformers as Paramount has the rights to the feature movies which, unfortunately, also includes the 1986 animated movie. So, despite the animated movie actually being part of the story of the 80s cartoon, Shout! Factory couldn't include it in their massive release of the entire series a few years ago.

There's also a rumour that Paramount is refusing to allow the animated movie to be re-released because they don't want anything to steal the thunder from the horrid Michael Bay movies.

[B]

It would be amazing if FOX dubbed the film with Justin Chatwin, Emma Rosum, and the rest of the cast of Evolution!

Would there be any reason why Fox can't hire FUNimation va's?

They could, but why would they?

[dbboxkaifan]

They could, but why would they?

Right.

You guys seem to think only FUNimation's cast is the only one that's acceptable for an English dub. That's a bit close minded.

[Gyt Kaliba]

They could, but why would they?

Right.

You guys seem to think only FUNimation's cast is the only one that's acceptable for an English dub. That's a bit close minded.

I wouldn't really call it closed-minded per say. In general, people do prefer consistent casts across a medium. It's already jarring going from DB to Kai, if one were to watch it like that, due to the changed voices. Or even just going through the four 'DB' rather than Z movies, you go through 3 different Goku's. It can really pull someone out of it as you watch them.

[Chrono Trigger]

They could, but why would they?

Shouldn't they use the cast that American fans have been hearing for like...the past couple years? Just seems like the right thing to do.