Anime distributor and part-time publisher Bandai Entertainment has announced that they have the anime, manga, and light novel licenses for CODE GEASS: Lelouch of the Rebellion. The anime series will begin airing on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim block in spring of 2008 with the manga and DVD release scheduled for later that summer.
"CODE GEASS is an action-adventure series with a compelling story and unique characters," said Bandai Entertainment manga editor Robert Napton. "It takes place on an alternate earth where a totalitarian regime has taken over Japan, and revolutionaries [struggle] to overthrow that regime." Both anime and manga were developed simultaneously. Bandai has the license for all three ongoing manga series.. Napton said that a light novel series is also part of the franchise and predicts that Bandai will begin rolling out this segment in the fall of 2008.
In Japan, the anime is handled by Studio Sunrise, the same animation studio that developed Gundam. Kadokawa Publishing, a media company best known for their light novels, handles the CODE GEASS manga and light novel. Famed manga circle CLAMP designed the CODE GEASS characters for both the anime and manga.
Bandai's first foray into publishing was Eureka 7 in 2005. "The publishing strategy for us is to look for tie-ins and tie the manga into an anime release." said Napton. "We'll license anime without a manga tie-in, but we won't license a manga series without the anime."
Napton said that this approach has allowed his company to create a marketing synergy that gives them a certain amount of control of the brand. "We're in a unique position where we can package the manga with the DVD and feature it that way." Napton says. "Fans seem to like that."
In Japan, manga properties are handled by the publisher and the anime properties are handled by the studios. Acquiring rights to both can be a challenge since acquiring the manga license doesn't necessarily lead to acquiring the anime license. However, Napton says that he's noticed that the process has become a bit easier. "The Japanese are very aware of the market place here," he told PWCW. "A lot of licensors are looking for a North American distribution deal."
