Just a rant that I posted on 4chan (is that a bad word?) about the news of Gundam Unicorn being released on DVD by Right Stuf (I always go to spell out Stuff and have to fix it every time) and Sunrise:
[In response to: "Just give me complete boxsets of Gundam X and Turn A, and a remastered G Gundam. That's all Daddy wants, all Daddy needs."]
A way to make this happens is to support the effort that Right Stuf and Sunrise are collaborating for. This seems like an interesting way to potentially test the waters. Gundam Unicorn never got a full DVD run in the States, ending at episode 4. So with this they can test to see if there is still demand for Gundam anime. I have both of the volumes preordered and will preorder volumes 3 and 4 when able in order to support Gundam financially.
The only way to get Gundam back in the US to is speak and vote with our wallets. Sunrise and Bandai need to see results for this to work. Will we ever get Gundam back the way it was? Likely not. But I could see Sunrise bring over sub-only Gundam anime on DVD and Blu-ray in the US if this sells.
Not only that, but by buying these, we are also showing Sunrise/Bandai that we are willing to pay for Gundam anime; however, at the same time, we are fighting against Bandai charging $60 for one episode of Gundam Unicorn on Blu-ray, which is an absurd price. Obviously these DVDs are not HD; however, at $9 an episode, they are a great deal.
I urge that if you are a Gundam fan and don't already own Gundam UC, to preorder these DVDs in order to show your support for the series that you are supposedly a "fan" of (which doesn't involve downloading and watching the shows; it involves supporting them). These purchases are the only way to get official, quality subtitles and releases for shows like ZZ, V, X, Turn A, and AGE, which never saw the light of day in North America.
Buying all four sets of these DVDs, you can own all of Gundam Unicorn for around $72. Alternatively, buying the overpriced Blu-ray release, you will pay around $350-$400. Show Sunrise that you're willing to pay for Gundam at a reasonable price.
Of course, for $0 you could always just download Gundam instead of supporting it and then spend time on the Internet bitching that fan subs and Gundam stuff costs too much to import.
Continuing my rant: preorder. These companies set up preorders to get an estimate of the demand for a show. If the company doesn't get many preorders it won't print a lot of copies. That simple. I know that some people want to wait for the entire thing to be out to make sure it doesn't get canceled so they don't "waste" their money. I get this. But, unfortunately, that mentality is what will get the series canceled due to the perceived lack of demand. If you preorder the first few volumes, then it turns out the release does get canceled, I'm sure you can sell the (then out of print) DVDs on eBay and get your money back (if not a little more). It's an investment; without preorders there won't be a lot of prints.
This goes for manga too. A lot of people are scared that Vertical's release of Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin may get canceled (which they have assured us it won't, even with low preorder numbers), so they don't want to buy it and be stuck with an incomplete manga. But without the preorders (stressing once again, PREORDERS, not just regular orders) the copies won't be printed. People ask for things like Char's Deleted Affair, Crossbone Gundam, Gundam W: Glory of the Losers, and many other Gundam manga to make it to the States. This simply WON'T happen without preorders and orders in general. If we don't support efforts like Vertical taking a risk is bring over The Origin, then they aren't going to continue licensing other manga from the franchise. If you want Gundam in the States (whether it be DVD/Blu-ray, manga, games, Gunpla, whatever), then you must say so with your wallet and let these companies hear you.
#bringbackgundam
