The End of GENEON

In a recent blow to the North American Japanese Popular Culture Industry, fan-favorite GENEON (formerly known as Pioneer) is closing it's doors & becoming a "licensing company only" by parent company DENTSU. That means no more inhouse domestic releases from GENEON & this also effects "newbie to the market" DVD company BANDAI VISUAL (aka HONNEAMISE, known for translated versions of Japanese direct to market replica DVD's) as GENEON was their distributor & now their titles (like the newly released faithful Japanese replicas of GUNBUSTER & PATLABOR) will be online only in the future via this website (for now): https://www.dot-anime.us/
This comes as a major hit because GENEON is not only one of the largest & best companies for quality product in the anime industry here in the states, but was also a major contributor to the J-Music industry & a frequent to bring quality popular acts to Anime Conventions (like Otakon) all over the USA. We all know I am on good terms with Nobu Yamamoto (their Director of Field Sales Marketing). In the past they were responsible for bringing acts like YOKO ISHIDA (PARA PARA MAX), ANGELA, THE INDIGO, & THE PILLOWS to many a J-Rock Fan's delight as well as releasing a high volume of domestic anime cd soundtracks. Now with GENEON laying off all of their employees & their titles either going unfinished or on moratorium... it is time to finish up your collections of anime or GENEON released music. As the remaining stock & last few orders companies can get into them is all that is remaining of this once mighty empire.
So what does this mean for J-Rock in the future as far as USA releases go? (...as GENEON helped the cause)... Well ...now GENEON has folded, TOFU is still on hiatus till they reformat, & FREE WILL is having some legal issues...but still carrying on. BUT J-Rock is more popular in the States then EVER & I think you will DEFINATELY be seeing more upcoming US concert tours & just as many CON shows as before... just perhaps without the support of a US only sub-branch. Which means CONS will be responsible for their own acts instead of suggested activities, & the record companies will maybe become more behind the scenes, ...you will probably see the new trend I spotted this year of Import CD'S getting priced down for the US market rather then a domestic US release... All in all... whatever works! ^_- And the J-Rock community will be waiting for this new beginning, and maybe will see some new companies take the helm. In the meantime, I suggest you clean up that GENEON collection of Anime DVD's you have or need or just need to complete by getting them while they are still available, in the coming months it will just get harder & quite possibly more expensive as things are now officially "out of print" as of November 6th 2007.
As for CD's The RIGHT STUF still has a healthy dose of your GENEON faves to help fillout your J-Rock collection with originals, and MANY as LOW as $5.99 for some classics, get on it while the gettings good...check out:
ANGELA:
http://www.rightstuf.com/cgi-bin/catalogmgr/im4HSS2QHBlNai8AL-/browse/search/5/4/0/0/results/desc/asc/50/1
YOKO ISHIDA (PARA PARA MAX):
http://www.rightstuf.com/cgi-bin/catalogmgr/nfgTe2WACbNH1BcA7m/browse/search/5/4/0/0/results/desc/asc/50/1
http://www.rightstuf.com/cgi-bin/catalogmgr/UlTPRAqZOqpLLsTVn2/browse/search/5/4/0/0/results/desc/asc/50/1
THE INDIGO:
http://www.rightstuf.com/cgi-bin/catalogmgr/49plvf-mz46so=VdTY/browse/search/5/4/0/0/results/desc/asc/50/1
YUKI KAJIURA (acclaimed composer):
http://www.rightstuf.com/cgi-bin/catalogmgr/4ig2xNgwOwuoYc=ILb/browse/search/5/4/0/0/results/desc/asc/50/1
PILLOWS:
http://www.rightstuf.com/cgi-bin/catalogmgr/v54mOiFKhHRO1e75J=/browse/search/5/4/0/0/results/desc/asc/50/1
http://www.rightstuf.com/cgi-bin/catalogmgr/v54mOiFKhHRO1e75J=/browse/search/5/4/0/0/results/desc/asc/50/1
Anime CD's, J-Rock & more at THE RIGHTSUF:
http://www.rightstuf.com/cgi-bin/catalogmgr/v54mOiFKhHRO1e75J=/browse/search/5/4/0/0/results/desc/asc/50/1

...Thanks for the memories GENEON!!!