Just had this pop up on my dash and initially was kind of stoked about an unexpected bonus for my Gold account, only to download and launch the app. The layout itself is pretty awful and unresponsive, much like the HBO Go one. Unlike HBO Go, though, It hardly has any content. If you view "all titles," it lists 25 things, but most of them are entries for the same property (eg, multiple Robotech series or multiple Macross series), so really it's 18 things.

What's worse is that it's all dubbed. I'm not one of those purists that think all anime should be subtitled and in Japanese, but given the medium it deserves at least the option. Also, of the videos I clicked on, the video quality was very poor, around SD, even for something relatively recent like Gurren Lagen (sp?). I blame Starz, since their Netflix stuff is equally crappy-looking.

Is Manga Entertainment even relevant at all? I remember they put out a bunch of stuff in the 90s, but recently it's been slim pickings for them, I think. I had no idea they were even still in business.

It's all very lame. If they're going to put this app out for a service with such a weak catalog, there's no reason they shouldn't put a Giantbomb app out too. They've put out enough video content to at the very least quintuple what Manga has available.

That app has been available for a while. Any way you're right, it is shit.

So is it's an app for anime called Manga?

That's like calling Netflix a thesaurus.

@onan said:

Is Manga Entertainment even relevant at all? I remember they put out a bunch of stuff in the 90s, but recently it's been slim pickings for them, I think. I had no idea they were even still in business.

They're still pretty big in the UK I believe. In the US they've been completely absorbed by Starz / Anchor Bay, and are now just a marketing label for for their fairly rare anime releases.

I'm surprised Manga Entertainment are still around, haven't heard about them licensing anything since the 90's, like you. If they've got Catgirl Nuku Nuku, see if you can grab it. It might be the one dubbed by Manga Entertainment UK with the most british accents ever.

@Ravenlight said:

So is it's an app for anime called Manga?

That's like calling Netflix a thesaurus.

Do they even have manga?

@BraveToaster said:

That app has been available for a while. Any you're right, it is shit.

My mistake, but this is the first time I've seen it advertised. On the first metro screen, no less, front and center, big Ghost in the Shell image (because that's still relevant?).

@AlexanderSheen said:

@Ravenlight said:

So is it's an app for anime called Manga?

That's like calling Netflix a thesaurus.

Do they even have manga?

I think they published the Crying Freeman manga in English, other than that, no, not at all.

@onan: Ghost in the Shell is ALWAYS relevant >:3

@AlexanderSheen: @Ravenlight: The company is called Manga Entertainment, so they named their app Manga. I don't know why they name it that, seeing how they mainly dub anime.

@Aetheldod said:

@onan: Ghost in the Shell is ALWAYS relevant >:3

Do fans call themselves GiTS? :)

This past month I saw that Crunchyroll launched a Windows Phone app, so perhaps they'll announce one for XBL this E3. That would be more relevant to modern anime than Manga Entertainment, I believe. Every E3, Microsoft tacks on a few more services that can be seen through your Xbox, so it's not unlikely.