No Pizza Hut!? WHY?!

[kihayo.livejournal.com]

I thought I would share with the community the answer I received from Bandai. Since some people were wondering as well.

QUESTION:
I've been a really big fan of code geass since it aired in Japan. I just
recently watched the dub on the adult swim website, and no I haven't
e-mailed you to complain about it. I noticed that all the pizza hut ads
were censored out. Will it be like that on the dvds as well or will it
have the original imagery?

Thank you for taking you time in reading this, hope you hear from you
soon.

ANSWER:
Dear Kim,
Unfortunately, the Japanese rights holders did not clear the Pizza Hut logo for outside Japan, however we did try to get permission and Pizza Hut declined to give us permission.
So, unfortunately, we were unable to provide the Pizza Hut logo for broadcast and DVD releases.
Regards,
support@bandai-ent.com

Comments

[kira-.livejournal.com]

Re: KFC/Pizza Hut

Yeah, you got it right. KFC, Pizza Hut, A&W, and Taco Bell are all under the same company, hence the Pizza Hut/Taco Bell and KFC/A&W combo restaurants. Pepsi used to be involved somewhere in there, but not anymore iirc.

[kamuro-ishigami.livejournal.com]

Oh my.. Pizza Hut Japan doesn't want their Western branches to benefit? INTRACOMPANY RIVALRY LOLz

[kaurin.livejournal.com]

I never expected anything different. I knew it would be a problem the first time I watched the series and saw Pizza Hut in it. It's a show about terrorism. American Pizza Hut wouldn't put their name on a show about terrorism. :3

[chiapetzukamori.livejournal.com]

I don't think it's that. It's most likely along the lines of Pizza Hut not wanting to be represented that way in a country other than Japan - because of cultural differences and such. Anime is much more mainstream in Japan - particularly the war/mecha type that CG is. So seeing the Pizza Hut logo is like any other ad....but in the US (especially if it's aired on tv) they might be afraid of people thinking that Pizza Hut endorses violent cartoons and such. They're afraid of the retarded people that live in this country basically...
A more extreme example is how Bandai didn't want the final season of Sailor Moon to be liscensed in the US because they didn't want the reputation of their company stained in the US by having nude scenes in such a popular series. It's not that they didn't condone the series (obviously they did or they wouldn't have done it) but they didn't think the general western audience would see it the same way.

[lastofthesane.livejournal.com]

Agreed. Point well stated.

[tenshi789.livejournal.com]

But Pizza Hut supports terrorism and you know it -_<

*slaps self*

[pinao88.livejournal.com]

Hold the phone, for broadcast AND DVD releases? I know a lot of stuff needs to be edited for TV; that's perfectly alright with me, but I'm expected to shell out a good $30 for a DVD with 2 episodes that's edited? No. Not on my DVDs. On Adult Swim, they can replace Suzaku with Konata and call it Lucky Geass for all I care, but never on my DVDs. DVDs are sacred, man. Sacred.

[inulovinkit.livejournal.com]

To tell the truth, I was quite surprised that they left 'terrorism' in the English dub--I half expected them to replace it with 'rebellious acts' and instead of 'terrorists' put 'rebels' or something like that.

...You know if this was released 4 or 5 years ago, they would have done it.

[rkylo.livejournal.com]

=__= I totally hate this...
SUCKS
It's like an epic FAIL

[gab-rey.livejournal.com]

Even the DVD's are going to be edited. That really sucks.
I'm not happy.

[chibifairy.livejournal.com]

Seriously? That sucks! The Pizza Hut ads actually work. I never ate at Pizza Hut until I started watching Code Geass. XD

[cr-balmung.livejournal.com]

They're idiots! We use our own money on those DVDs... We should get that extra benefit from them. Anyways, if I see Cheese-kun gone, then I'm no longer watching the dubs.

I really wanted to see Lelouch on a Pizza Hut box when I bought my pizza...

[tyg.livejournal.com]

They can't cut it! It's an essential part of the plot! DX

[gatekeepers-21.livejournal.com]

Cheese-kun was in episode 1 ^^

eep.

[wolfkat4.livejournal.com]

If thier willing to edit that out of all the dvd's...
it kinda makes me fear what else they may deem worthy to "edit-out" due to one thing or another.

On-air's one thing. they ALWAYS edit out the good stuff, but DVD's should contain the originals. hense the need for subtitles and original jap language option. T-T so not cool Bandai/Pizza Hut.

*sigh* america america... always changing what isn't yours. --*

[madhatterpan.livejournal.com]

That's what we call damn successful advertising!

I was getting all hopeful for Code Geass Pizza Hut boxes here.

ah, dear.

[wolfkat4.livejournal.com]

sorry to barge in on your convo... but...

I'm kinda really glad they didn't bring in the Starlight series to america considering what they did to the other series. the american company decided to have gender-changes not to mention since Haruka and Micharu were lesbians and no... we couldn't have that they made them cousins. yay, inscestual lesbianism now! --|

but I do agree with you about the Pizza hut reasoning. American audiences are still a bit tetchy and for some reason the terorism thing is still an issue no one wants to be associated with even in a "cartoon" such as this one where most people root for the "terrorist". It's kinda sad all that we miss because we (as a country) don't want to try to understand another culture and would rather vamp it up to fit our own. *sigh* thankfully most american anime comps have moved passed this...

[ayansai.livejournal.com]

Wow. That's smart.

Hey free advertising! Let's deny it! Durr.

[ryans-cupcake.livejournal.com]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Re: eep.

[ryans-cupcake.livejournal.com]

was that icon made for this post or did you have it before this, because that is awesome.

[wing-goddessxxx.livejournal.com]

They can edit the crap out of CG when it airs on TV, but i expect to get the unedited version in the DVD. This seriously disappoints me! But... what can be done? I want English subtitles AND unedited code geass on DVD... ARGH.

[kittendreamz.livejournal.com]

You know what? Screw that. I'm keeping my downloads. I want unedited as well. If I have to keep the version I downloaded online, then so be it.

Gawd. What a stupid move on Pizza Hutt USA's part. America seriously sucks sometimes. Gotta edit everything.

[wing-goddessxxx.livejournal.com]

I'm keeping my downloads as well for now too.

I wonder though... Since it's on USA's part what about other countries like Canada? Like a bad example, USA edits Harry Potter books while Canada keeps everything as the original. Will CG be a similar example? I wonder <.<

nyaaaa?

Re: eep.

[nayami.livejournal.com]

It's not America. Pizza Hut said no. If they use their stuff, they could suffer copyright infringement. Bandai tried their best, and they have been very good with the dub. I do not want to see fans berating them for something so silly.

[saverellawish.livejournal.com]

Ok, well this answers my question if I'll be buying Bandei's DVDs or not. Guess I'll be forking over an arm and a leg for shipping the japanese DVds.