ADV Films Reportedly Suspends 4 DVD Titles Indefinitely

Krisqo · Post by **Krisqo** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 7:17 pm

From <a href="http://www.animenewsnetwork.com">ANN</a>

Several retailers are reporting that the North American distributor ADV Films has suspended indefinitely the shipments of the following DVDs: Shattered Angels #2 (with and without an art box), Kanon #6, Tokyo Majin #4, Welcome to the NHK #5. A small number of Welcome to the NHK #5 DVDs had shipped to Best Buy, but no more are being released for now.

ANN contacted a representative of ADV Flms for further details, but the representative could not comment at this time. ADV Films is holding a sneak peak event at 2:00 p.m. PT today at Anime Expo, and a regular industry panel at 4:00 p.m. PT tomorrow.

Thank you to Viga and Lizzi Hamm for the news tips.

Update: The above DVD titles do not appear on ADV Films' own online store.

Update 2: The Crunchyroll video-sharing website had been hosting a preview of Welcome to the NHK, but changed the status of the videos to private viewing on Wednesday. The site removed the streaming videos of this anime entirely on Thursday morning.

Update 3: At the ADV Sneak Peak panel at Anime Expo on Thursday afternoon, A.D. Visions co-founder Matt Greenfield acknowledged that his company had separated from its former business partner, Sojitz. He indicated that, as a result, the status of recent titles are now "fate undetermined." However, he did say that the company is negotiating for 23 more titles.

So what do you think? ADV done for? From what I hear, this is the second time this year they have had licensing problems.

Ishbalan · Post by **Ishbalan** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 11:17 pm

I has on a happy high from finding out I could finish Higurashi and Black Lagoon.
...And less than two minutes later, I find out that Im not gonna be able to finish Kanon and Welcome to the NHK!

Way to kill the mood.

LivingFlame · Post by **LivingFlame** » Thu Jul 03, 2008 11:31 pm

eBay ftw? =\

Sukunai · Post by **Sukunai** » Fri Jul 04, 2008 9:03 am

I am not able to come up with a magical method to make dvd sales in North America suddenly oh so successful.

But every time I have it shoved in my face by company X that they don't wish to market to me digital product Y in North America, I can only respond with "well I know where to get it if you refuse to sell it to me".

Yes I want the physical product, and the nice case and jacket, and the nifty box. Although granted I don't always have that opinion for all forms of media.
But anime is special to me I suppose.

Still, it would be nice if I could go to an official download store and just buy a digital download straight from the source. Certainly solves the problem of supplying North American retail chains.

And for those about to suggest "online stores or eBay" pleeeeeeeease, I've so little desire to trust that route. I might just as well download it the normal way as opposed to pay someone for their illegal copies.

LivingFlame · Post by **LivingFlame** » Fri Jul 04, 2008 10:48 am

Sukunai wrote:And for those about to suggest "online stores or eBay" pleeeeeeeease, I've so little desire to trust that route. I might just as well download it the normal way as opposed to pay someone for their illegal copies.

I feel like you missed my sarcasm, but I am unsure.

xexyzl · Post by **xexyzl** » Fri Jul 04, 2008 12:35 pm

ADV was dead to me back in February when they lost Gurren Lagann.

Krisqo · Post by **Krisqo** » Fri Jul 04, 2008 2:54 pm

From <a href="http://www.animenewsnetwork.com">ANN</a>

Funimation Picks Up Over 30 Former AD Vision Titles
posted on 2008-07-04 09:01 EDT
Chevalier, Devil May Cry, Guyver, Kanon, Sgt. Frog, Welcome to the NHK, more

The North American anime distributor FUNimation Entertainment and Japan's ARM Corporation have announced that ARM has transfered the rights to more than 30 of its titles — all previously held by A.D. Vision — to Funimation. Those rights include the home video, broadcast, digital, and merchandising rights in North America and other regions. The complete list of transferred titles is as follows:

* 009-1
* Ah! My Goddess: Flights of Fancy
* Air Gear
* Air movie
* Air TV
* Blade of the Phantom Master
* Comic Party: Revolution
* Coyote Ragtime Show
* Devil May Cry
* Guyver: The Bioboosted Armor TV
* Jing, King of Bandits: Seventh Heaven
* Jinki:Extend
* Kanon
* Kyoshiro to Towa no Sora (once titled as Shattered Angels by ADV Films)
* Le Chevalier D'Eon
* Magikano
* Moeyo Ken TV
* Moonlight Mile
* Murder Princess
* Nerima Daikon Brothers
* Pani Poni Dash!
* Project Blue Earth SOS
* Pumpkin Scissors
* Red Garden
* Sgt. Keroro 1st & 2nd
* Tokyo Majin
* UFO Princess Valkyrie
* Utawarerumono
* Venus Versus Virus
* The Wallflower
* Welcome to the NHK
* Xenosaga

These are most of the titles that had been removed from ADV Films' catalog in January. A majority of them were relisted in ADV Films' catalog in February, only to be gradually removed for a second time. ADV Films also once planned to release Gurren Lagann, but Bandai Entertainment announced in May that it had acquired the series. 5 Centimeters Per Second is not on Funimation's list of transferred titles, but copies of ADV Films' release remain available at retailers.

The joint Funimation/ARM announcement comes the day after Funimation announced it will also manufacture and distribute select titles that Geneon Entertainment (USA) had planned to release before it ceased in-house DVD distribution. Funimation indicated that the new titles from ARM will be significant to its efforts in "social networking, the FUNimation Channel, and Internet VOD."

Funi is now #1 in my books. Go to hell ADV!

angelx03 · Post by **angelx03** » Fri Jul 04, 2008 3:02 pm

In all honestly I think it was Sojitz is the one who screwed ADV badly.

Krisqo · Post by **Krisqo** » Fri Jul 04, 2008 3:53 pm

angelx03 wrote:In all honestly I think it was Sojitz is the one who screwed ADV badly.

Maybe, maybe not. I'm just a little irked that this little crap happened again.

doughboy · Post by **doughboy** » Fri Jul 04, 2008 9:24 pm

This is absolutely stunning... Funimation is really picking up a full plate, but I'm very saddened that so many shows are exchanging hands from a company that used to be the industry's juggernaut.

Then again, only about 4 or so of those shows I actually give a hoot about... the rest are just spamming the market.