Danica Davidson
January 4, 2024 
2024 is here, and Media Blasters’ CEO John Sirabella shared a brief video on what’s going on with the company, saying there’s a lot to look forward to in the new year.
“One of the major things [I’m] thinking about obviously is Anime NJ++,” he says, referencing a convention he’s been involved with. “We’re already talking to the hotel about spots and about places to go and stuff like that. So we’re trying to confirm dates. It’ll be November, December. Want to get the best guests, get everything, work it out even better for the show.”
He continues, “[There are] just a lot more releases coming out [from Media Blasters]. We are, finally I think, going to be able to get out the Kamen Riders pretty soon and we’re finally going to get out Chu-Bra!!”
He notes that Media Blasters is a “small shop” with four employees. “We’re trying our best. We got a person in Japan, three people here [in America], so we try to do what we can. You know, the video industry anime, whatever you want to call it, it’s not what it was. But this year changed a lot for us. . . We’re still doing our videos, we’re still doing all that stuff . . .we’re doing work for others in Japan; Ninja Vs Shark was the first one. We are coming out with a title very soon called Ghost Samurai.”
He then shows a trailer for the horror title, saying afterward, “So now we have a little bit more diversification, which is what I was always hoping for.”
Sirabella also says he feels a bit safer now, after Right Stuf got bought out by Crunchyroll, which shook up the industry. He remarks, “I wasn’t sure what was going to happen in terms of just who would take up the slack,” but noted that companies like Rob’s Anime Corner have.
Source: Media Blasters YouTube
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Danica Davidson is the author of the bestselling Manga Art for Beginners with artist Melanie Westin, plus its sequel, Manga Art for Everyone, and the first-of-its-kind manga chalk book Chalk Art Manga, both illustrated by professional Japanese mangaka Rena Saiya. Check out her other comics and books at www.danicadavidson.com.
