Hasbro Reacquires Rights to Transformers and Other TV Programs

looks like hasbro now owns programing based off of its products. This includes, TRANSFORMERS
http://www.reuters.com/article/marke...0080514?rpc=44
http://ca.us.biz.yahoo.com/ap/080514...rams.html?.v=1
http://ca.news.finance.yahoo.com/s/1...quisition.html

Several news outlets are reporting Hasbro has reacquired the worldwide distribution rights to nearly 1,000 TV programs featuring its properties and characters. This of course includes Transformers but also G.I. Joe, My Little Pony, Littlest Pet Shop and others. Brand management company TV-Toonland had the rights to license the programs and according to TV-Toonland's website, the specific Transformers series they had were the Generation One series, the 1986 animated movie, and also the Japanese Transformers series Headmasters, Masterforce and Victory! We will keep you posted on what this means for future distribution of these classic shows.

Which Transformers series did this TV-Loonland have the rights to?

This could be interesting...
http://www.tv-loonland.com/programs_...4?trgt=3&tmng=

TV-Loonland apparently had rights to G1 AND Japanese G1.

oh thats very interesting indeed. good detective work

Cool deal. I hope this means more series on DVD for region 1.

Interesting indeed, now what will they do with it...

*tries not to get hopes up too high*

Dear Hasbro

Please redub Japanese G1 with some decent voice acting.

Regards
Cungitron

I don't care about the dubbing, I'd just like to get some US versions of the Japanese toons - with English menus and proper intros. There's a level of cheesiness to all the Japan cartoons and most fans expect it (even if it is kinda lame). I highly doubt Hasbro would take the time to re-record all the sounds for a few hundred cartoons. Although with the movie success and the new fanbase...

BTW, where's that Devastator/Dinbot pic from? The one that's frontpaged with this story. I'd like to get a wallpaper size of that.

Sounds like promising news. I agree that it's doubtful Hasbro would try at this stage to redub Headmasters, Masterforce, and Victory. But it does offer hope that decent region 1 DVDs of those series could be available to folks in the States. I ended up buying a region free player so that I could acquire the Takara Collection. Definitely worth it. Hardcore G1 fans here deserve to get to see these series in DVD-quality format.

I just found it on the TV-Toonland page for the Takara series, here. I like it too!

From what I understand, the Japanese series came under the ownership of Sunbow's properties because they were officially (if badly) dubbed.

I assume Sony had troubles clearing the rights for the audio to Scramble City because it was never officially dubbed in english.

There's a Littlest Pet Shop show? You really DO learn something new everyday. XD

maybe its a little to soon. But this is good news for everyone. It's probably going to greatly help the the impact of transformers 25th anniversary.

I honestly think that hasbro knew far prior to botcon they were getting the licenses back, hence why that dvd of mtmte is going to be bundled with 25th g1 prime this fall.

G1 is back baby! Let's see some hasbro licensed dvd and blu ray.

I'd just be happy to get my hands on season 3. I kept avoiding it and then it disappeared from shelves Same with GI Joe.

indeed


my fingers are crossed though

I would love to see the older Transformers series available for others to see for the first time, and I'd love to be able to purchase GI Joe in all its seasons.

Awesome

Sweet. Now give us the goodies. I missed out on the Joe season sets the first time. I've been wanting those pretty bad. Headmasters, Masterforce and Victory would be nice too. I could get rid of alot of cds with all those Japanese series on them. I hope they realize there is a market for this stuff and whoever has been holding on the rights and not doing anything with them has been loosing out on easy money.

And wow the Bigfoot, Visionaries, Ihumanoids and Robotix cartoons. Haven't seen those since I was a wee lad.

Not to fart in anyone's cereal, but it should REALLY be pointed out that this doesn't make the Takara series any more accessible or available for an American release than they were before. Rhino and Sony just licensed the series from Loonland, the same as Metrodome and Madman did - they were always capable of doing the Takara shows, they just never did.

*crosses fingers****mumbles "Boomerang, Boomerang, Boomerang"

Ah hell, with my luck, if they do show 'em somewhere, it'll probably be the Anime Network.

I trust Hasbro to know the potential of their properties a lot more than I do Rhino and Sony. The fact that they took this step speaks volumes and is in line with the company's stated strategy to develop core properties a lot more.

Yes, but Hasbro aren't actually going to be MAKING the DVDs, in the same way that Loonland didn't make them. The series are still going to have to actually be LICENSED to other companies that'll actually make the things (like Rhino, Sony, Metrodome, Madman...)

I would assume, anyway.

This looks promising, hopefully something good develops.

Of course, from a money making stand point, I would think those niche Japanese series would fare worse in the United States than they have in the UK and Australia.

I know Hasbro won't be making DVDs, but I'm a lot happier with them calling the shots on what is released and how. Hell, we could see a lot more DVD pack-ins like a PM Optimus Prime with a couple of Masterforce episodes, Victory box sets that include a show-accurate Holi, Universe Cyclonus with the Rebirth 3-parter...

I already have the G1 series and the 3 Japanese G1 series, but I really hope these come out here for others to get as well. However, if they have new dubs of the Japanese series, I may consider rebuying.

c'mon 25th anniversary complete G1 boxed-set! That's probably my biggest hope for the anniversary, and now it's at least plausible.

It may be months - years before we see anything, so I'm just gonna stick with MadMan and ethier a multiregion player or somthing easily hackable.

Either way you interpret this news it gives me a joygasm!!

I would agree that Hasbro probably better understands the value and potential of thier own properties compared to a distributor. I hope this news means we in the US have a serious chance at getting the Headmaster, Masterforce & Victory episodes at some point. If they do release those series I'd rather them be left in their japanese dialogue with English subtitles. There are elements of cheesiness to the japanese series that just doesn't translate well into English.

With the 25th anniversary and both a TF and GI Joe movie scheduled for next year it would be an awesome time to release either or both of those series on DVD. I can't imagine there would ever be a better time.

QFT!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is what I take away from this news.

1) Hasbro is da bomb and wants to take full advantage of their in house properties once again as they did back in the 80's.

2) Hasbro may in fact give us our fondest dreams and complete or re-release the entire run of Transformers, G.I.Joe and possibly dare I hope Jem and the Holograms on DVD with perhaps new bonus features and maybe the complete collection of G1 toy commercials. And Joe toy commercials. If they were easter egg bonuses I'd dig having them cheese factor and all.

3) The Japanese Headmasters, Masterforce and Victory are potential candidates for DVD releases. That alone would really be cool because I've been wanting to see those series no matter how awful the dubbing was done for a long time and Youtube just doesn't cut it. I want to see it on a big T-V screen with all audio intact, I think I might even prefer subbed over dubbed.

4) My Little Pony fans rejoice, the series might be available on DVD soon too.

5) With Hasbro's deal with Paramount concerning DVDs it is entirely possible they already have huge plans for next year's 25th Anniversary and cash cowapalooza.


Now nothing may ever come out of this, but Hasbro would be stupid not to at least do something with their own properties because they would have a much better understanding of the market base. Hell if Hasbro had been in charge before there would never have been any of this stupid Rhino shit where the series/seasons were broken up into multiple boxsets. I understand for Rhino it meant more money, but breaking up Season Two of Joe and Season Three of Jem like they did when they probably knew or suspected they'd be losing the rights and wouldn't have the chance to get the other half out in time was a total rip off to dedicated and crazed fans everywhere, including myself.

If they re-release everything I already own I'd buy it all again if it meant getting the complete series in one or two box sets rather then the multiples I have of Joe and TFs right now. Besides Hasbro's versions probably wouldn't suffer from the bad 5.0 surround sound attempts and why does Season One have no titles? Answer me that?

*does happy dance of joy*


so this means they are continuing to consolidate thier properties right?

Sweet, would love to get those. I still want RID! Come on hasbro buy it from disney.

Again, as Chris has been saying, Hasbro won't call the shots any more than before today with what is released and how. That will be up to the DVD company that they sell the rights to. Hasbro have had some influence before today, because even thought TV Loonland owned the cartoon, they could not sell the rights to the cartoons without Hasbro's permission in using the "Transformers" name.

The only thing really likely to change is more one-off episodes included with toys and that Hasbro will keep all the profit for the license fee.

If Hasbro had always been completely in charge, and Rhino had decided to split up the series, they would have allowed it. Why? Well, it's the same reason Metrodome split them up in the UK. It is harder to sell a 20 year old cartoon for £50-60 than 2 sets for £20-25. It wasn't for making money, but simply to make some profit.

Great job Hasbro!! We need more G1 DVDs.

I tried watching Headmasters and Victory and I couldn't get through them, they were so badly written.

I'm hopeful for GI Joe to get released in its entirety.

...Interesting

I have to admit I do like the idea of getting a full series release of GI Joe and Transformers in time for their respective movies next year. Now the question is will it happen?

I really would love to finally see the japanese g1 trilogy.

I hope this means we end up with some good dvd sets!

Dear Hasbro,

Please work out a deal with FUNimation in regards to the Japanese G1 series. Not only will they give it an awesome dub, but they'll include some awesome special features and treat the property with the respect it deserves.

Thank you.

Much love,
Spider Striker

My dream:

Headmasters DVD release with

- Original Japanese audio and accurately translated English subs.
- Brand new English dub with as many original G1 VAs as possible. RIP Scatman Crothers, Chris Latta, Don Messick and others, but Peter Cullen, Frank Welker, et. al. are still around... and Tom Kenny does a pretty good Starscream...
- Original Malay dub for lolz

1. There are already DVDs from Metrodome and Madman with 95% accurate subtitles.
2. 0.1% chance of ever happening
3. Again, already on DVD.

Yeah, Rhino had talked about releasing the Japanese series way back when, but had stated that they weren't sure they would do well as they are such a niche market.

FUNimation or ADV would probably be the fandom's only real hope of getting the three Japanese seasons out. And, I have a feeling, that Hasbro would probably have to approach them about doing the series. Again, it's a real niche market.

Yup! Headmasters, Masterforce, and Victory, please! (preferably with subtitles)

Luci Christen as Minerva. Make this happen, Hasbro. ^_^

I just hope that this news doesn't prevent TV Nihon from subbing Headmasters. If it does I will be very pissed.

all i want is a decent set of g1 tf and sunbow joe. petition anyone?

TV-Nihon is what is preventing TV-Nihon from subbing Headmasters.

Whatever! I just wish Hasbro would bring the Go-Bots back.