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The reason we are doing this is so that non members of the forum can also have access to this data. »»»» Last updated on July, 22nd, 2004 @ 7:15pm EST  Q:What is Funimation's policies on censorship in their 'uncut' versions of shows (use DBZ as an example if you must).
A: [FUNi’s Rep:]-- The uncut versions of our DVDs are uncut. Look at the ending of Blue Gender. Q:I've noticed that the uncut versions still have a moderate amount of censorship present. Is this due purely to translation issues or is there something else in play?
A: [FUNi’s Rep:]-- Censorship is a very strong word. Uncut = uncut. Which ones? There is always going to be some differences in dubbed versions due to translation. Sometimes direct translations don't work and in some instances there are cultural differences. Q:Has an official release date for the Full Metal Alchemist DVD release been set as of yet? I have heard a tentative January previously, so is this still accurate? What is the release schedule following that looking to be? 6 week intervals?Have any of the details on extras in the vol.1 release been finalized yet? things like Art Box, etc.?
A: [FUNi’s Rep:]-- Right now it is still a little early for the release schedule and specifics on extras for the releases. I can tell you that the January 2005 date is the targeted release date. This sounds like a dodge, but its all the official information I have at the moment. Q:Will you be dubbing FMA's Ready Steady Go or retaining the original Japanese lyrics by L'arc~en~Ciel?
A: [FUNi’s Rep:]-- Too early to tell. Q:Also, I wanted to know why on the offical Fullmetal website, the trailer that has Alphonse speaking in it was taken off. I only got to see it one time, and could not place the actor. Who is confirmed, at this time, that you can reveal, to play the roles of the characters?
A: [FUNi’s Rep:]-- I don't have any official cast lists, yet. We are in the process of gathering and developing the Fullmetal Alchemist Web site. The official cast list will make its debut there. Q:Why did they increase the time between releases for Yu Yu Hakusho dvds?
A: [FUNi’s Rep:]-- Good question. Decisions like these also take place on a much higher level, so I don't have the specifics. My two cents: When Yu Yu Hakusho was rescheduled to Saturday nights it probably moved to a different position in our production schedule. I feel your pain. This happened right after I got caught up on my Yu Yu Hakusho DVDs and now I am Jonesin' for the next release (August 17). Q:Now I'll just hope that the 26th DVD comes out earlier than I'm being led to believe(end of October/start of November).
A: [FUNi’s Rep:]-- Definitely earlier. It looks like October 5 is the targeted release date. Q:Can you clarify the "legal reasons" for changing Detective Conan and the names? As in, what causes a legal danger to Funi by doing so? ("Legal reasons" is REALLY vague...)
A: [FUNi’s Rep:]-- Let's just say it wasn't the word "Detective." There were other considerations on top of any potential "legal reasons." We worked with our Japanese partners very closely on this and Case Closed was the name chosen for the U.S. market. Case Closed. Q:Does Fox still own the name Detective Conan? How much would it cost to buy it from them?
A: [FUNi’s Rep:]-- Don't know if they do or did. More than $1 if they did or do. Q:What exactly is Fight Club?
A: [FUNi’s Rep:]-- From the movie: "The first rule of Fight Club is - you do not talk about Fight Club." It's a great line. The FUNimation Convention Team adopted this phrasing to address questions and topics that are not available for discussion. Q:I was wondering when FUNimation gets new shows if [adult swim] will be given the first chance to air them? or is it more like whoever makes the best offer to you guys gets the shows?
A: [FUNi’s Rep:]-- Another good question. Adult Swim is a perfect fit for quality anime titles that are targeted toward the discerning fan. Negotiations are very high level, and unfortunately, I am not included in these meetings. I find out after the fact. »»»» The Following was updated on July, 21st, 2004 @ 3:15pm EST
Q: How long does it take to make the edited episodes ready for TV? A: [FUNi’s Rep:]-- I don't really have a set formula that I can give that would give us a guideline. I can tell you that it depends on the show (even down to individual episodes), the block that it is targeted for (TVY7 will typically have many more edits than TVPG), the programming schedule, etc., just to name a few.
Q: I would like to know how much of Fullmetal will be edited. I know in the past your company has utterly destroyed shows *cough* Dragon Ball Z *cough*. If Fullmetal is overedited, I will not be wasting my time watching the edited, dubbed version. A: [FUNi’s Rep:]-- You'd better do something about that cough. Dragon Ball Z was Y7 and was edited to suit those ratings. Destroyed? Interesting opinion. Dragon Ball Z is one of the highest rating series on Cartoon Network, ever. FUNimation does not decide the ratings. We can try for certain blocks, but we need to work within the ratings parameters of those blocks and then we work with the network or broadcaster on any additional editing. Especially today, after increased fines and legislation. DVDs are released uncut. Since Fullmetal Alchemist is airing on Adult Swim, they have wider ratings and allow more content suited to older audiences. Like I said above, I haven't seen any episodes yet so we will have to wait and see.
Q:I have also heard that the only intro to Fullmetal you will be using is L'arc~en~Ciel's intro, Ready, Steady, GO! It would be a HUGE disappointment not to see the others like ASIAN KUNG-FU Generation’s "Rewrite". Any truth to this? A: [FUNi’s Rep:]-- There are four openings in the Fullmetal Alchemist series. It was decided, with input from multiple parties, that the L'Arc~en~Ciel inro would be used for the Adult Swim broadcast. The additional openings will be available on the DVD releases with their corresponding episodes.
Q: there is case closed manga coming out soon will the names be japenese or ameican versoin and how close are you working with the people who made it A: [FUNi’s Rep:]-- I believ VIZ is doing the manga. You will need to check with them on the names. We don't work to closely with the folks at VIZ, but we do work closely with their Animerica magazine and Shonen Jump. That is because they cover the anime industry and we work with them to cover our releases.
Q: why did you change the names in Case Closed, besides for legal reasons? A: [FUNi’s Rep:]-- The legal reason was really the 800 lb. gorilla sitting in the middle of the room. Working closely with our Japanese partners, the names we have in the series today are the ones that were chosen for the U.S. release.
Q: will Fullmetal Alchemist air slightly edited or unedited on Adult Swim? A: [FUNi’s Rep:]-- How about slightly unedited? When working with broadcast, you work within the established rating parameters of the different channels and networks. Adult Swim offers greater leeway and allows for less editing, but there is still some editing. I haven't seen any episodes yet, so we will have to see. The DVDs will be available uncut. »»»» The Following was updated on July, 19th, 2004 @ 11:45pm EST Q. FUNimation seems to be pitching more shows to Adult Swim than Toonami at the moment. Has the company shifted it's focus to Adult Swim?A. [FUNi’s Rep:] - We would love to be a larger part of Adult Swim's programming. All of the shows we acquire have the potential for broadcast. We find the block that will best represent the show's potential for fans and the mass market. Q. How many episodes will be on each Fullmetal Alchemist DVD? A. [FUNi’s Rep:] - Still in discussion. Q. Is it true there will be four episodes on each Case Closed DVD? A. [FUNi’s Rep:] - The Case Closed DVDs will be released to accommodate story arcs, so there will be times there are four per DVD and times there are three. We are going to make sure that story arcs are kept in tact. Right now it looks like the volume 3 release will be episodes 56 – 58 and I imagine the continuity will start there. (release date August 24th) Q. How far apart will Conan DVD releases be? A. [FUNi’s Rep:] - Right now, we are looking at a 6 - 8 week release schedule. Q. Why only three or four per disc? I understand that more anime releases are this way, but why not try the route American shows take (multiple-disc season boxsets with up to eight episodes per disc)? I have several American shows on DVD and this is the first anime I've been interested in acquiring, but only three episodes per disc puts the price point for the series a bit high for the casual fan. A. [FUNi’s Rep:] - Think price per episode. We have found that the three episode per DVD allows us to offer a very attractive $19.98 price tag. Most anime titles that have four per DVD have a price point of $29.98 ($7.50/episode). Case Closed with three episodes at $19.98 is $6.66/episode. Q. Are you in the process of dubbing any of the Detective Conan movies at the moment? A. [FUNi’s Rep:] - We are still working on the episodes. Once we are in sync with the episodes, we will work the movies into the production schedule. Q. Could you tell us what series FUNimation is interested in acquiring? A. [FUNi’s Rep:] - We look into most of the proven and popular titles from Japan. I think a better question is, what titles are you interested in seeing on TV? Q. What was the real reason YYH left Adult Swim? There has been speculation that it was that the kids ratings were higher than the adult ones, but what is the real reason? A. [FUNi’s Rep:] - I think you hit the nail on the head. Yu Yu Hakusho fits both blocks very well. Right now, it looks like Yu Yu Hakusho is a better title for Toonami. Q. Were Kiddy Grade and Tenchi GXP pitched to Adult Swim, but rejected? A. [FUNi’s Rep:] - I am not sure of the broadcast plans for either Tenchi Muyo! GXP or Kiddy Grade. Both would make great series on Adult Swim, but nothing "official" has been announced. Q. Any chance of us seeing Blue Gender movie on Adult Swim? A. [FUNi’s Rep:] - Blue Gender did very well on Adult Swim and you would think that the movie would make a great addition to Adult Swim. That would of course depend on when it could fit in the programming schedule. The Blue Gender movie "The Warrior" is being released on DVD on July 20. It has received some great reviews. If you liked Blue Gender on Adult Swim, keep your fingers crossed for seeing the movie on Adult Swim. Q. How is Conan doing in the ratings? Is there any fear that AS could cancel it like it did Lupin? A. [FUNi’s Rep:] - Case Closed is doing very well in the ratings. Our titles traditionally do well. Part of the reason is that the series we bring to the U.S. market are already proven in Japan. They have the best content, great ratings and tremendous popularity. Case Closed is hugely popular in Japan and we are expecting similar results in the United States. A. [FUNi’s Rep:] - FUNimation has the Lupin III movies, not the TV episodes. It's kind of a weird licensing thing. The Lupin III movies have more of a polished look and feel than the TV episodes. Q. Will the Case Closed 2nd ending and/or opening show up on Adult Swim when its time for it to start, even if it is shortened? A. [FUNi’s Rep:] - At this point I am hearing yes on the DVDs and it is scheduled for Adult Swim. Q. Will Full Metal Alchemist's opening show up on Adult Swim? A. [FUNi’s Rep:] - It is a little early for Fullmetal Alchemist broadcast questions. The Adult Swim debut is currently scheduled for November 6, 2004. Q. Would Prince of Tennis go to Adult Swim or Toonami if you guys were to pitch it to CN? A. [FUNi’s Rep:] - Uhhhh…as my convention team says, "Fight Club!" No official announcement has come from anyone on Prince of Tennis. Q. Just a comment here, but is it true that you guys are announcing an anime at Comic Con? If you are, my money's on Baki the Grappler A. [FUNi’s Rep:] - I haven't heard of any specific announcement plans for Comic Con. The convention team is still finalizing their plans. We will have an industry panel on Saturday, July 24, starting at 2:30 p.m. PT. We will also be screening the Blue Gender movie "The Warrior" on Saturday at 10:35 p.m. PT in room 25A. If you want to stop by, we will be in island booth #4107. Q. I had heard that Blue Gender was first sent to AS after being picked up, but then FUNimation as told the show had too many scenes they couldn't air, and then it was re-edited to get the watered down version that aired on TV. Any truth to that? A. [FUNi’s Rep:] - Blue Gender received only minor edits for its Adult Swim broadcast. A few of the excessively gory scenes and nudity, which you wouldn't get anyway on most TV in the United States. Q. Which FUNimation shows have done the best, ratings wise, on Adult Swim? A. [FUNi’s Rep:] - That's a good question. The ratings game really depends on the genre, programming, timeslot, weather, shoe size… the first three for sure. You will very rarely get any specific ratings numbers. I can tell you that all of our shows have received great ratings compared to the other shows on Adult Swim. Some of our shows have even received great ratings compared to all the shows on Cartoon Network. Most of it is going to be up to you, what you like to watch and when you like to watch it. Q. Tenchi Muyo! Ryo-Ohki OAV 3. Will the cast be the same ones from the episode of GXP or will FUNimation get the original VAs? A. [FUNi’s Rep:] - Good question. We just announced this and nothing has been decided, yet. It is nice to try for the original cast, but sometimes it is not possible. Q. A question regarding the intended future of Case Closed on Adult Swim: In an earlier post you indicated there will be more batches of new episodes sold to AS for as long as you keep dubbing this show and they want to buy more. Is that true? A related question: In other long-running series, AS has bought episodes in batches of 52 per year. Is that what we can expect, 52 new Case Closed episodes each year? And how far have you dubbed CC to date? A. [FUNi’s Rep:] - These are interesting questions. Negotiations like these take place on a much higher level and nothing official has been announced. The more you fans enjoy the show on Adult Swim, the better chance the show has at longevity. - 52 episodes is essentially two seasons worth of episodes (in Japan). I will let you know as soon as I hear anything. Q. How much do AS ratings impact DVD releases, and, conversely, how much do DVD sales impact AS's acqusition of more episodes? If AS didn't buy more Conan, would you continue to release DVDs anyway? A. [FUNi’s Rep:] - Typically, FUNimation releases the DVDs before the episodes appear on television. So, great ratings on Adult Swim mean more people see the show, which definitely helps sales. I am not sure of vice versa. I think that is an AS question, but I think ratings are the driving factor in the acquisitions of shows. And yes. Q. Is FUNimation going to dub Naruto? A. [FUNi’s Rep:] - Nothing "official" has been announced by any company. From what I have read of the manga, this is a great series but wait for some type of official announcement before you get your hopes up for broadcast. Basically, "Fight Club." Q. Do you get any ideas on which animes to bring over to the US and dub from AS "action suggestion folder"? A. [FUNi’s Rep:] - We have a team that researches brands and properties. They have many criteria that they research in order to determine properties that would do well in the U.S. market. Popularity is one of them. There are a lot of good series in the Action Suggestion Folder, but our criteria and research are very hush hush. Q. Also is FUNimation thinking about any brand new animes to dub and bring over? A. [FUNi’s Rep:] - Can't tell, Fight Club. Q. So you can't release anything about current titles? (im not asking just curious). A. [FUNi’s Rep:] - FUNimation's policy is to not discuss anything that has not been officially announced. In here, we are guided by the parameters of the thread (FUNimation properties airing on Adult Swim). Informer: [adult swim] \ [ All info © copyright AdultSwim.com the offical site ] \ [ July 19th, 2004 ] \ [ by Sam of SzR ] 
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