[XW1n5t0nX]

Quote:

Originally Posted by uchihabro77

Exactly. Even after I joined this site I had no idea what the hell Kamen Rider really was for a couple months

Sure itd be cool to see Rider SHF in stores, or hell Rider merchandise in general, but it wont happen for awhile.

It probably wouldn't in a store like Barnes and Noble simply because it isn't mainstream enough or well known enough to warrant them buying an inventory of them. They're not some comic shop or Japan shop or anything along those lines that will bring stuff over like that because they know there's a fanbase for it. Kamen Rider is mostly known in the states for Masked Rider and Dragon Knight, but those are shows which aren't really all too known unless you followed MMPR as a kid or are into those types of shows as a whole. I'd love to walk into B&N and be able to pickup some Ryuki SHFs but it isn't going to happen. It would take Kamen Rider being released in the states and getting a lot of attention all around for a big chain like Barnes and Noble to even consider stocking KR figuarts.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guyver Spawn

That makes no sense to me because how come Ginga gets a free pass and not Gaim? Kamen Rider is more popular then Ultraman. Kamen Rider gets more fan sub support then Ultraman does. Over-Time pretty much drop the ball on Ginga and Max never got finished.

Also look at the Super Robot Chogokin line too. Nearly all that line expect for some of the Sentai/Power Rangers mecha are obscure as hell if you're a huge otaku. The only mecha anime that most US residents know about is Gundam and Evangelion. No one seems to know what Mazinger Z, Getter Robo, Grendizer and Brave Reideen are. You will be lucky to bump into one someone at the age of 10 - 25 that knows what Gigantor is.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Powerman293

Slightly off topic but then why does B&N carry Gundam stuff then? I know it was on TV but that was like 10 or 15 years ago when that was popular. And they have stuff from Build Figthers. So there's no reason why they shouldn't have KR stuff.

I think the difference for the Gunadam and more anime related stuff is simply because while it is to a degree a niche market, anime is a big cultural thing in America and has been for years. They know that if they stock anime/manga related products that they will probably sell them. Tokusatsu is something your everyday American will only know because of PR and Kaiju films, specifically Godzilla (though people do know Gamera pretty well). Kamen Rider though is something that was only brought over twice and just faded away rather quickly to where only fans of the genre know about them. Anime is a big market that made the successful leap from Japan to America, toku has only been able to do that with a few things and Kamen Rider isn't one of them.

I can't really comment on Ultraman simply because that's one that could be argued both ways. And as somebody with very little knowledge about the franchise, I can't really say anything about it being brought over.

[gogglev]

You might be underestimating the popularity of classic super robots. Mazinger is huge in Latin America, Spain and Italy. While younger collectors might not know any Super Robots, that doesn't mean they aren't still just as popular. Just look at how many different manufacturers make Mazinger figures. There is the SOC, SOC DX, Fewture, SRC, ThreeA, and probably countless more.

Regardless of licensing issues, Toku and Kamen Rider is still marketed towards kids. I'm not looking offend anyone, but lets be honest, the 10-25 toku demographic probably isn't dropping that much money on toys compared to the nostalgic older collectors buying multiple 500 dollar Mazinger DXs.

[Dr Kain]

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Originally Posted by XW1n5t0nX

Probably because not many US residents know about Kamen Rider unless you're into Tokusatsu. Black RX maybe because of Masked Rider, but other than that Kamen Rider just isn't that well known to a lot of the population. A lot of people know Power Rangers, DBZ, and Mega Man so it makes sense for B&N to sell those.

Yes, but the best way to spread the word and get people familiar with Kamen Rider is by promoting them and selling them in stores like Barnes & Noble and Tradesmart. The majority of the unknowing public is not just going to learn about Kamen Rider on their own by accident. Selling them in stores is going to get some people's attention and start researching these series and stuff.

[MaskedRiderAsakura]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr Kain

Yes, but the best way to spread the word and get people familiar with Kamen Rider is by promoting them and selling them in stores like Barnes & Noble and Tradesmart. The majority of the unknowing public is not just going to learn about Kamen Rider on their own by accident. Selling them in stores is going to get some people's attention and start researching these series and stuff.

Well, typically, in the States those franchises he listed are popular amongst us because they've had successful U.S. incarnations. DBZ and Megaman are DBZ and Megaman, and someone who's into Power Rangers will probably learn about Super Sentai sooner or later, and if not, well, most modern Sentai shows still get adapted anyway.

Kamen Rider has tried twice to get a popular U.S. adaptation going but has failed. There could be a successful Rider show here in the future, who knows, but I wouldn't expect one any time soon. For now, however, there's just no reason to think that anything Kamen Rider is worth the effort of bringing over to a mainstream market.

[Dr Kain]

Kamen Rider did not try twice to get popular in the US because it was just some aholes that thought Americanizing the series was going to do it as opposed to just releasing the series subtitled. I just hate this mentality that they need to add American actors into a series to make it appeal to American audiences. I thought we had moved past this stage when DVD went mainstream ten years ago and anime was finally being released properly. Obviously I was wrong. They need to stop marketing Kamen Rider as Power Rangers and just market the series as Kamen Rider! Power Rangers was a fluke. No show will ever have the same success as Power Rangers as lightning does not strike twice.

Anyway, I've not heard anything from NY yet on my Tiger Ranger.

[Guyver Spawn]

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Originally Posted by gogglev

You might be underestimating the popularity of classic super robots. Mazinger is huge in Latin America, Spain and Italy.

I know that, but here not many people in the US know 70's and 80's super robots are. It seems like Gundam is the only Mecha that most people know about. There was a American 80's dub of Mazinger Z, but that was 30 years ago. Shin Mazinger Shougeki! never got a English dub here in the US. It came out in 2009, it's still rather recent and Funimation said that they have no interest on dubbing it. Seems perfect for Toonami if it was ever dubbed.

I do feel like anime like Mazinger Z and Gunbuster are just as obscure as Kamen Rider. So saying that a obscure series not selling well is still BS to me. I know Tiga got a dub from 4kids, but that was 11 years ago back in 2003. That bombed too. So did Ultraman: Great aka Towards to the Future.

[MaskedRiderAsakura]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr Kain

Kamen Rider did not try twice to get popular in the US because it was just some aholes that thought Americanizing the series was going to do it as opposed to just releasing the series subtitled. I just hate this mentality that they need to add American actors into a series to make it appeal to American audiences. I thought we had moved past this stage when DVD went mainstream ten years ago and anime was finally being released properly. Obviously I was wrong. They need to stop marketing Kamen Rider as Power Rangers and just market the series as Kamen Rider! Power Rangers was a fluke. No show will ever have the same success as Power Rangers as lightning does not strike twice.

If the goal is making Rider more popular, then subbed DVD sets won't really do it because those only appeal to people who are already fans of the series. Let's be honest, casual audiences are going to be put off on the idea of having to read subtitles. We deal with it because the series are already familiar to us and we love Toku. That isn't true for other people.

[GoseiWonder]

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Originally Posted by MaskedRiderAsakura

If the goal is making Rider more popular, then subbed DVD sets won't really do it because those only appeal to people who are already fans of the series. Let's be honest, casual audiences are going to be put off on the idea of having to read subtitles. We deal with it because the series are already familiar to us and we love Toku. That isn't true for other people.

Dubbed DVD sets featuring anime dubbing all stars like Johnny Yong Bosch, Crispin Freeman, Steve Blum etc?

[Kiryu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guyver Spawn

I do feel like anime like Mazinger Z and Gunbuster are just as obscure as Kamen Rider. So saying that a obscure series not selling well is still BS to me. I know Tiga got a dub from 4kids, but that was 11 years ago back in 2003. That bombed too. So did Ultraman: Great aka Towards to the Future.

Ultraman is more popular outside of the US than you think it is. It's huge in places like China, Brazil, and i think Italy.

I think they can get away with bringing Ultra Act because Ultraman is a much more reconized name.

[Guyver Spawn]

I wonder when Bluefin will announced Kamen Rider 2 reissue to the US? I want to pre-order it on Amazon. I miss out on his retail release back in 2011.