| The Lost Series, Part 1: The Series |
When I decided to create “YGO Uncensored” I hoped to create enough of an interest in an uncut version of the show that sooner or later someone would have to notice. My main goal is to get the first 27 episodes licensed and released here in America on dual language DVD’s. But I remember someone saying that a good way to help get what you want released, you have to tell the companies how you would want it to be released. So in this new editorial series I’m planning on giving all interested companies some “suggestions” on how the show should be handled. Part 1 of this series is going to be about several ways they can release the show. The first thing they can consider is releasing the episodes exclusively on DVD, this would also be the choice preferred mostly by anime fans. Since 4Kids has a distributaries deal with FUNimations they could either dub the show uncut themselves and have FUNimation release it, or they could let FUNimation dub the show the themselves and just offer them some support…for a small fee of course. And since FUNimation is the king of editing anime (No offense FUNi, but you are), FUNimation could also release an edited version of the show for kids, so that parents who buy the show wouldn’t have to worry about all the dark stuff in the show. Another suggestion for this practice is FUNimation might possibly want to create two different covers for this release: A sinister set of covers for the uncut DVD’s, and bright colorful covers for the edited DVD’s. I know it sounds strange that I’m giving them suggestions on how to do edited versions of the first series, but if I’m going to try and get someone to release the first series uncut on DVD I have to look at this situation realistically. “Yu-Gi-Oh!” is nothing more then a card commercial to the public eye, and a select few might even simply see it as the strangest kids show to come along in a long time, but either way it’s looked at like kids fare. Releasing the incredibly dark first series uncut only would cause some problems with parents. A law suit or two could come up, people would probably be scared for life by this show that they were expected some “family friendly kids entertainment,” and a whole mess of things could happen by just releasing it uncut only. That’s why it would be wise to release two different versions of it. First dub it uncut, and then when they’re done with that they can edit it for kids and release it in two versions so that everyone’s happy. Plus imagine how high the sales would be if they marketed these episodes to kids as “Unaired, never before seen episodes, exclusively on DVD.” The sales would sky rocket as kids would buy the DVD’s for these episodes they will never see on TV, while teens and adults will eat up the dark journey that awaits them in the uncut DVD’s. But let’s say 4Kids doesn’t like the idea of “exclusiveness.” Let’s say they want to air these edited episodes on TV and make a quick buck rather then waiting for the DVD sales to come in? Well then let’s look at our TV options next. Now let’s get something straight here: If we don’t get the first series uncut on DVD, in Japanese with English subtitles, then I TOTALLY object to editing this series for TV! But if we get promised the series uncut on DVD then I guess I don’t have much of a problem with these episodes airing on TV. But how should these episodes be presented on TV, and more importantly, who should get the privilege to air them? This is where the major hurtle comes in. It’s no secret that the first series has a very different feel to it then the current series does. In fact watching both shows side to side makes it feel like you are watching two different series. So obviously searching for another network, other then WB, to air this series on makes perfect sense. The first network I would pick would be Cartoon Network. This show could either air on Toonami or Adult Swim, which both blocks are geared for teens and adults respectively. While many people would probably prefer that Adult Swim be the home for this series, it’s also the one place that is least likely to get it. Because even though the first “Yu-Gi-Oh!” series is different from the second series in practically every way, the general public still see’s it as kids stuff, and that means the ratings probably wouldn’t be very good in the end. A better choice would be Toonami, which is geared for older kids, yet still has a good following with the younger crowd. If the first series were to air on Toonami it would open up a mountain of possibilities. Not only would it allow 4Kids/FUNimation to be more flexible with the editing, but also it would mean that both kids and teenagers would both be watching it. Teens would watch it to see what’s so different about ‘this’ “Yu-Gi-Oh!” compared to the other one, and kids would watch it because…well because it’s “Yu-Gi-Oh!” So ultimately I think Toonami would be the perfect place to air the first series of “Yu-Gi-Oh,” but there are a couple more options. Another option would be for 4Kids to make the first series for their own “Fox Box” lineup on the Fox Network. They could fight WB for first place with this show, advertising a new age of kid’s animation, and ultimately use the first series as the first block in creating a massive kids network. Although this could cause some problems with WB, and if problems arise between the two companies then WB might drop 4Kids programming, and who knows if 4Kids can make it on their own? So for safety reasons they might just want to send the show to Toonami. The last thing they could do, and this is the one option I truly would not like to go with unless this was the only way to do this, but 4Kids could find a way to make this part of the WB version of “Yu-Gi-Oh!” Because let’s face it, WB is airing so many episodes of “Yu-Gi-Oh!” that they WILL run out of things to air sooner or later! Japan can’t make the episodes fast enough, and if worse comes to worse 4Kids might have to dub the first series and incorporate it into the second series to buy them some time. As I said this is the one option I truly don’t want to happen, but sometimes you need to look at all your possibilities when it comes to things like this. Anyway that’s food for thought for both 4Kids and FUNimation. Just remember: The uncut DVD’s MUST be included in the plan somewhere along the line to get support from me, and any other fan of uncut “Yu-Gi-Oh!” So if you don’t plan to make the DVD’s then you might as well not even bother, because we won’t support them. Anyway that’s it for now, tune in next time for when I talk about how they can dub the show. NEXT TIME: Next time I'm going to continue our little on going series here with who I would pick to voice the "Yu-Gi-Oh!" cast! |
| Past Editorials |
|