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VIZ Media 
VIZ Media 
ICv2 has a three-part interview up with Gonzalo Ferreyra, VIZ Media's veep of Sales and Marketing, who talks about the company's performance in manga and anime, as well as plans on upcoming distro-- definitely required reading for industry otaku. (You know, the ones who always want to know what's going on? Yeah, you know who you are.)

For those of you who are a bit more time-sensitive, a few highlights:

  • Amusingly, when Ferreyra is asked about what manga are doing particularly well, all three are vampire-related: Vampire Knight, Black Bird (there's demonic blood-drinking), and Rosario+Vampire. I guess we live in a post-Twilight world, after all.
  • Also of note, ICv2 mentions that there are "several conversations happening" relating to possible original material from VIZ. A little insider info here: I know someone who was just encouraged to submit a series for consideration, so they're clearly still looking, but we don't know if they've found a title they like just yet.
  • Ferreyra also points out something I've mentioned a few times: that anime-wise, VIZ focuses primarily on A-list titles for release. He also thinks that the market that is shrinking is specifically the market for B- and C-list titles.
  • It doesn't look like VIZ is going to release any Blu-Ray anime in 2010; they're still hammering out the best way to do it without ruffling the feathers of the Japanese owners due to counter-importation problems.
  • Aaaand Ferreyra says he's heard "anecdotally" that simulcasting is having a positive effect and that piracy is shrinking somewhat.

 Whew, that should more or less cover it. Looks like VIZ is in for a year of some tough navigation, but with plenty of fun titles-- which actually I think may apply to the North American fandom as a whole.    
8 Comments
FoxxFireArt on Jan. 21, 2010
Well, an interview with someone at VIZ and no one questions their decisions on sporadic and often drastic alterations on the products they publish to the US audience. What a 'shocker'. (See, I'm controlling myself from ranting on this. I do have self control.)

VIZ Sucks @$$!!............Ohhh, So close.
John_Martone on Jan. 21, 2010
@FoxxFireArt: You know, you're like a moth to flame when it comes to VIZ.
gia on Jan. 21, 2010
@FoxxFireArt: @John_Martone: Even as I wrote it I was cringing and waiting for a flood of anger and hatred ;)
 
FWIW, though, this is a Sales & Marketing guy, so he wouldn't be able to say anything interesting about editorial. It'd be kinda like asking the sales guy at Best Buy why the company that made the washer and dryer blue. ;)
FoxxFireArt on Jan. 21, 2010
@John_Martone: 
Hey, they butcher my all time favorite manga while leaving others relatively untouched. They deserve every bit of it.
 
You have no idea how much I enjoy reading Detective Conan. To me, it's like having modern day Sherlock Holmes novels once a week. I read the cases online and I use the evidence to try and solve the case. In a few weeks the solution chapter comes out and I get to see if my deduction is right. No other manga is that interactive.
 
@gia:
I behaved myself.......to a certain extent. I wouldn't say it's anger and hatred. That's a bit extreme. More "venomous spite".

One of the reasons why I didn't volunteer for the MOD position was due to the fact that I wasn't sure you'd want  a moderator who had such open hostility toward VIZ. Well, that and the fact that by the time I even noticed the thread it was over. lol
Addfwyn on Jan. 21, 2010
I've only read Detective Conan in Japanese, dare I ask what they did to butcher it?   Poor translation?
 
Interesting little read, but why am I not surprised to see vampire-related stuff doing well?  The sad thing is, I like vampire-related stuff too, I just try to hide it now that it gets me associated with Twilight, and that's not an association I want.
FoxxFireArt on Feb. 3, 2010
@Addfwyn: 
Not only do they frequently get the translation wrong so there are mistakes in the cases. They also took every single repeating character and stripped away their Japanese name to replace it with a European style name. (Ran=Racheal Kogoro=Richard Heiji=Harley Ai=Anita and so on.) It's as if they are trying to remove as much Japanese culture from the series as possible. Which is ridiculous when you consider how important Japanese culture is to the series.
 
Though in series like Naruto and Bleach they keep the Japanese names. Stick to the Japanese version that doesn't contradict itself.
gia on Feb. 3, 2010
@Addfwyn: FWIW, it was actually FUNimation's decision to change the names (presumably in the hopes of getting it aired on US TV), and VIZ went along with them to be consistent. :)
John_Martone on Feb. 3, 2010
@Addfwyn said:
" I've only read Detective Conan in Japanese, dare I ask what they did to butcher it?   Poor translation? Interesting little read, but why am I not surprised to see vampire-related stuff doing well?  The sad thing is, I like vampire-related stuff too, I just try to hide it now that it gets me associated with Twilight, and that's not an association I want. "
That blows, I know exactly what you mean. When I was heavier in my Naruto/Bleach habit I had to admit that I thought the over drawn fans were wayyyyy too much, at the same time suppressing my actual enjoyment of such material. Well, at least the public knowledge of it at the time.
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