To understand why this is so, you have to understand how the video industry works. A product gets released like this:

• Video compnay (us) gets a license and announces it. We then proceed to do all the translation, subtitling and DVD authoring. This can take anything from a couple of months to a year, depending on our schedule.
• Then we set a STREET DATE (date of first sale, or date the stores can put it out for sale) about 2 months in the future.
• This gives time for stores/online sites to (a) decide to order it, (b) place the order, and (c) add to their inventory systems, about a month before the street date.
• Then we have a month to (a) gather all the orders, (b) replicate enough discs, and (c) ship them out in time for the stores to get them by the street date.
• "Missing" a street date, not having the product to the stores in time, is a major sin in the industry, and we've been nailed by last minute problems so many times that we now have a policy of "don't announce a street date until we have finished, tested product in the warehouse!"
• So when the product does come in, we announce a street date, and as a bonus for fans who can't wait, make the title available on our website.
• So there's often a 2 month delay between the time something pops up on our website, and the time it might appear on, say, amazon.com. And also, keep in mind that stores like Musicland or Best Buy, with limited shelf space, may not stock a particular title at all, although they can special order them.
• Finally, we'd like to mention that since we put this policy in place, all our titles have arrived early! !^#^@&*@!!

We are waiting for the stupid format war between HD-DVD and BluRay to be resolved. However, we do have hi-def transfers of many of our titles, and when we decide to transition, we'll be able to do it fairly quickly.

The images on the AnimEigo website are available for NON-COMMERCIAL FAN USE only. You can use them on your website as long as you (1) provide proper copyright attribution, which you will find at the bottom of the page that contains the image, and (2) link back to AnimEigo from your website.

Yes, but only if the showing is NON-PUBLIC (that is, only for club or convention members) and NON-COMMERCIAL (admission must not be charged, other than admission to the convention itself).

Simply email Branson and tell him "who, what, when, where and why," and he'll say "yes, ok, uh-huh, fine and no problem!" If you have any concerns that your situation doesn't fit into the above category, ask first.

If for some reason you need some written documentation of approval, write us a letter asking for it that we can sign and return to you. Include a SASE please! Something like this works well:

AnimEigo
PO Box 989
Wilmington NC 28402

ATTN: Showing Approvals (Branson)

Dear Branson,

We would like permission to show [enter shows here] at
our [meeting/convention] on [date(s)] at [address].

This showing will be non-public and only available to
members of the club / convention guests.

No admission will be charged.

Sincerely,


[Your name here]
[club/convention name]

PS: I think you're a total stud!


Approved : ____________________________

    Date : __________________

If it's not our show, we definitely have no clue. If it is our show, we probably have no clue (but what we know will be on the product page, or the liner notes page). We suggest using Google for your websearching needs.

Probably not. We originally intended to do so, which is why there is a cryptic mention of "GENOM Records" on the credits of the dubs (it's also there because Robert thought it was a funny thing to do). However, some complications ensued, in particular the fact that for some of the songs, only the part of the song needed for the video was actually recorded. So right now it's on permanent indefinite hold.

We neither confirm nor deny the confirmation or denial of any future licensing plans. I'd like to say we could confirm or deny this is company policy, but we neither confirm nor deny that either.

Further, we neither confirm nor deny the upcoming release plans of our licensors in Japan, nor do we confirm or deny that we HAVE any licensors in Japan. In fact, we're unwilling to confirm that Japan even EXISTS. And as for this internet thing you're using, it might just be a figment of your imagination.

We do confirm that we do listen to your suggestions, however bizarre they might be. We regret doing this, however, since some of you are even stranger than we are!

Our licenses preclude us from selling outside North America, so we can't sell to you. If we sold you a Toho title, for example, they'd send Godzilla over to stomp our office flat.

Also, most of our DVDs are region-coded by request of the licensor, so they probably wouldn't play in your DVD player anyway.

Some local companies in various countries have licensed our titles, and when they do, we are happy to provide them with the dubbing and subtitling. So you may see local versions of our titles appearing.

We have in the past, but are not doing so at the present time. We have cels from Totoro, Kiki, Porco Rosso, Bubblegum Crisis, Bubblegum Crash, Gaiarth and a few other shows.

If we do start selling again, they'll be sold on eBay.

We also bring a book or two of cels to most conventions we attend. If you know we are going to a convention, best to drop us a line to remind us to bring the cels.

**** A new addition to this FAQ is notes about DVD#3 in the second pressing, which was in some cases misreplicated. See below!

M-2K, which did the DVD, is aware of some problems with it. We are not sure yet if the problems occur when the DVD is played on all machines, or on particular brands of DVD player.

As M-2K learns more, we'll post more information on our respective websites. If you want to email them directly, email techsupport@m-2k.com. Make sure to tell them what brand of player and sound configuration you have.

The issues uncovered so far are:

1) Nobody likes the computer-software-style packaging. M-2K has released the set in video packaging on JANUARY 18th, and the packaging upgrade to The Collector's Edition is available only on the Multimedia 2000 website for $9.95. The individual Bubblegum Crisis DVD discs are available from consumer electronics and software retailers with a suggested retail price of $24.95

M-2K is also considering releasing an additional DVD containing Hurricane Live and possibly Scramble Wars as well. If you have an opinion about this, email them at bgc_feedback@m-2k.com.

2) Out-of-sync and disappearing subtitles. This one's weird, and driving everyone nuts. We pushed DVD titles to the screaming limit on this release and something went screwy. We went so far as to rev our subtitling software to generate DVD authoring files for all the titles, so they should have been exactly identical to the VHS and LD titles.

Note however that the titles will NOT be synced when listening to English audio. They were supposed to be synced to the japanese audio only. Also, due to a limitation in DVD hardware, when we do our trademark overlapping multicolor titles, there is a 1-2 frame "blink" in the titles. This is because DVD players can't go from showing a bitmap of titles directly to another bitmap; they have to go "blank" first.

3) Soundtrack problems on discs 2 and 3 with the Japanese audio. Again, this is a bizarre problem. The pulsing tone that some people are hearing is apparently a faint time-code audio bleed that was on the original masters, but something about DVD audio has amplified it enough to make it noticeable.

4) A bug in Apple's DVD software for the Macintosh causes the DVDs to be unplayable. Apple has just released a new version of the player software that fixes this, you can get it on their website.

5) A small number of copies of the second pressing of the BGC DVD contain a misreplicated DVD #3 (Episodes 7 & 8). The replication plant used the wrong master tape.

Affected copies of the disc can be recognized by the following:

A) Disc Three disc art features a blond Priss holding a microphone. Second pressing Bubblegum Crisis DVDs feature full-disc headshots of the main characters. First pressing discs use similar art for all three discs: a pink background and four small pictures of the main characters to the right-hand side of the disc.

B) Subtitles appear malformed and white in color with a black border. This will differ notably from the correct subtitles, which appear evenly proportioned, and in yellow with a black border. Correct subtitles are found on all 3 first pressing discs and on discs 1 and 2 of the second pressing.

C) Selection states in the motion menus appear inverted. A transparent green box surrounds unselected options in a menu; on selection, the box disappears.

D) Japanese audio portion not available. Various set-top DVD players may not recognize the Japanese audio tracks.

To replace a disc:

1. Make sure the disc meets the first three criteria above.

2. Remove the disc from the case it came in. This may be a jewel case or a standard DVD clasp-case.

3. Mail the disc to:

Multimedia 2000 BGC Disc 3v2 Replacement Offer 2017 Eighth Avenue, Third Floor Seattle, WA 98121

M-2K is working hard to resolve the issues in the BGC DVD. In one case, we may have run afoul of an incompatibility between different types of DVD players that nobody has previously been bitten by! They are working on the remastering process right now, and the next (3rd) pressing will use the new masters.

AnimEigo is working closely with M-2K to deal with customer concerns and there will be some announcements in the near future that I think will please everyone concerned about the BGC DVD.

The same thing we will do if you email us and ask one of the questions on the list. We will roll the AnimEigo Dice of Doom and take the appropriate action:

1 : Dispatch Ninja Death Squad.

2 : Make note in your customer record that you want "UPS Next Month Underground" delivery service (surcharges apply)

3 : Forward your email around the office with sarcastic comments applied.

4 : Ridicule you in an upcoming convention panel (if time permits).

5 : Put your name in a "list of shame" easter egg in an upcoming DVD.

6 : Roll again. Twice.

Absolutely. If you dealt with Otaku all day long, you would be too. So take pity on us, and buy lots of our stuff, to keep us off the streets, and reduce the burden we impose on our long-suffering friends and families.