Anime on the PlayStation Portable

Bandai Entertainment, Inc.

From a company uncertain about the future of their title releases on the PlayStation Portable, we segue into a company that is pretty certain about their product line in association with this next generation gaming system. Bandai Entertainment has been reportedly taking the matter into their own hands, rather than simply letting industry professionals contact them. Being a part of a much larger media organization, the anime distribution company of Bandai, is considering releasing PSP usable anime materials due to their inherent relationship with like-titled videogames. That is to say, with program-based games such as Cowboy Bebop, Ghost in the Shell, and several others, either in development or currently on the market, Bandai Entertainment is taking a more sensible approach. The company is acknowledging that there is already a video gaming audience that is familiar with their titles, and as such, the company will market to these audiences with anime titles utilizing the UMD capabilities.

Bandai Entertainment has noted as recent as the Sakura-Con 2005 anime convention that such domestic releases were inherently, very likely, due to Bandai Entertainment Incorporated's relationship with various media outlets. Reportedly, currently consulting for the most part distributing anime on PSP that are feature film releases--as it is simpler to manage--Bandai Entertainment is a company that is certainly moving forward with whichever grasp of knowledge they have concerning the future distribution of their diverse catalogue of Japanese animation.

Seven Seas Entertainment

Company Website: www.gomanga.com

While some individuals feel the need to let the industry trends take them where they need to be, and other individuals feel the need to assert themselves as the industry often does what it wants, there are a few companies that have already taken the initiative of implementing the PlayStation Portable access of Japanese animation-related materials with their product line. Recently established, yet quite successful, original manga-styled publication and distribution company Seven Seas Entertainment has already made the foray into the wonderful world of PSP distributed materials. Even in challenging anime and manga fans' conventional knowledge of what the term "manga" should be defined as, Seven Seas Entertainment has become another trailblazer in their free distribution of portions of their manga to the PSP system. Company President Jason DeAngelis commented: "The Sony PSP is a great, innovative way to reach manga fans, and the fact that we're still a small company with flexibility means that we're able to work fast to provide original, free content for PSP users."

Seven Seas Entertainment, like Bandai Entertainment, has the distinct ability to take advantage of their corporate circumstance in order to become successful with the PSP. (Granted, Seven Seas Entertainment is distributing previews of their materials, and is not at present providing purchasable materials to the PSP.) Here, the case is not that Seven Seas Entertainment has an audience that is familiar with their titles and can therefore capitalize in the audience's awareness with their titles; but rather, the case is that Seven Seas Entertainment is a small company that is capable of utilizing the PSP as an advertising platform for their fledgling company.

Already providing free content through their website, why not allow people to distribute their material to an even wider audience, by allowing free downloads through the PSP gaming system? By distributing the entire first chapter of select titles of their catalogue, Seven Seas Entertainment has found a way to utilize the initial popularity and resourcefulness of the PlayStation Portable to their advantage, it's smart advertising.