Actions we can take, as fans, to get Bobobo on DVD?

L

Libbles1233

New member
Hey guys, I have some questions and I'd like to see what you think about the topic.

I was recently listening to a podcast and the hosts were talking about an anime show that wasn't licensed in the US. The fans of this show grouped together and wrote a petition to get the show released and an anime company picked it up and distributed it, I think through special order.
I recently got into Bobobo, and I'm watching the whole series. The problem is that I can't go and buy the show. I ordered two of the volumes, that are out of print, just to have a little bit of something official. I remeraber hearing that the company that produced the dub or the DVD tanked and all that was left were the two DVRAB (which are so amateurly put together it's almost funny).

What are some steps we can take to get another company like FUNimation, ADV, or VIZ, to pick the show up and put it out on DVD? There's already a competent (however heavily localized) dub out there that was even broadcast on Cartoon Network. I'm just wondering how hard or expensive it would be for another company to get the dub and original version and put it on DVD.
 
Writing a physical letter, talking politely with representatives at conventions or online, and buying stuff are all good methoRAB. Especially the third, since being able to say you're a loyal customer gives a lot of credibility. I'm rather sure any of the companies always want to know what their paying fans are interested in; they want them to keep coming back. I would avoid petitions, since they are usually impersonal and for all they know they are 50% signed by the type of fan that talks a lot about anime while not doing much to support the industry.
 
Toei USA did the dub. They sold the DVD distribution rights to Illumitoon who still exists but lost their DVD contract and hasn't done anything since their initial announcements. About the only way to get it on DVD would be to petition Toei USA to reclaim the DVD rights and then get someone like FUNi to gain the DVD Distribution rights, but we all know petitions don't work that often.
 
Hmmm... I'm curious as to where you got this information. The credits list Phuuz Entertainment INC. under "English Production by." Wikipedia forwarRAB "Phuuz Entertainment" to "Unbound Creative INC." which has Bobobo on the page as ADR (Additional Dialog Recording) Production. Apparently they also did some work for Lupin the 3rd, and an English dub of Crayon Shin Chan.

GWOtaku, that was some great advice. I'm going to be proactive about this. I want to see the complete series on DVD. Anybody wanna help out?
 
Phuuz and that other company were who Toei got to dub it. Toei didn't dub Bo-Bobo in-house. If Illumitoon still has the distribution rights then it may take a rescue from Illumitoon or for Illumitoon releases for Bo-Bobo to get on DVD.

As for what WE can do? Contact Illumitoon and Toei first to ask if they are going to do something with Bo-Bobo and then to implore them to release it in full. Snail mail is always more valuable than e-mail in these cases.
 
Another idea would be to buy the manga. Viz has already released three volumes ( which includes extra content that hasn't appeared in the US edition of Shonen Jump) and they're set to release a fourth in February - http://www.viz.com/products/products.php?product_id=8635. Maybe if enough people buy it and continue to show their support, Viz will speed up the manga release and pick up the anime as well.
 
I will do that, for sure. I actually don't collect comics; I'm more of fan of animation. I respect manga, but I mostly devote my time and attention to cartoons. However, I do like to check out the manga sections when I'm in the store and what I like about the Bobobo comic is that all the Japanese characters are translated. That's significantly harder to do with video.

Also, before I started this thread, I sent an e-mail to FUNimation. I received a response today, but I think it's an automated message. It said:
That's some questionable grammar. "Have not received any information about which titles." I don't even know what to make of that.

EDIT: I just sent an email to Phuuz Entertainment, or whatever they're called now. I'll post if they respond.
 
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