TL;DR: Hanabee's all good. Black Friday sale codes valid from Thursday-Monday but stock is limited: 50% off anime: 2019BLACKFRIDAYANIME

10% off Kojima Productions: 2019BLACKFRIDAYKOJIMA

Everyone, As you may have noticed, Hanabee hasn't been overly active throughout the last few months. I owe you an explanation.

I founded the company nearly eight years ago. From the very get-go, Hanabee had a dual-purpose: representing anime as well as Rooster Teeth in Australia. The brilliant and talented staff - Karen, Zi, Cameron, Claire, Miki, Carl, Tambo, Maddie, John, Andrew, and Tero - took on whatever challenges came about in stride. Working with that group has - by far - been my most cherished part of the company's history to date. The first challenges were a lot of fun. The conventions, RTOZ events, boat cruises, pub crawls, YouTube channel, animation lectures, and afterparties created something. It established a bond with Hanabee and an incomparable group of people known as "Roo Teeth." Collaborating with Caiti, Nelly, and others on these events, which themselves founded lifelong friendships and memories, satisfied me to no end. Then I think about RTX Sydney, and it blows my mind. We stumbled through the first one, made a lot of mistakes, and reflected heavily on them. With a lot to prove, we regrouped and rebounded strongly in year two with Hideo Kojima, the Nintendo Switch, and air conditioning. This was probably the most impressive accomplishment our small team was able to achieve, and the result I'm most proud of (except for that time I pissed off Karen...sorry Karen!) RTX 2017 Industry party - from left: Cam, Kojima-san, Eric, Patrick from Supanova After all this time and all these projects, we found our team was getting more and more focused on Rooster Teeth, who became our biggest client. I took on a new project with them in the UK, and the team took over the responsibilities in Australia, embracing the chaos. It became clear over the last year that Rooster Teeth's global growth would lead to a crossroads. Their merchandise team is world-class, and they started pumping out a range of products as fast as Zara. Even Amazon struggles to keep up with those logistical demands. Although we fought like hell, ultimately, the Australian store couldn't keep up. So the hard decision was made, and we started the process of untying Hanabee and Rooster Teeth's long-standing relationship. That lead to a restructure; the original staff since moved on to a variety of new challenges. I know what they're capable of, and I am certain they will all do amazing things. Xmas 2015 - from left: Karen, Tambo, Koichi, Miki, Eric, Cameron, Zi, Carl Hanabee survived. There are some bruises and scars, but also wisdom and maturity. The company is more sustainable, and at the end of 2019, we have a clear agenda: Replenish and bring in new products in support of Kojima Productions, in time for Xmas. Work with Rooster Teeth to initiate a final store closure. Everything (I mean everything) must go. Replenish the anime range and identify what new opportunities there may be in that highly competitive space. Expand our product offerings and distribution; market them more effectively. Establish a regular cadence of communication, primarily through our newsletter. Offer solutions for companies looking to grow their businesses in Australia. Attend the odd convention, but not 16 per year like before. Fundamentally, you are the only reason Hanabee exists. Our 2020 goal is a simple one: improve each day. Starting now, then, here's our Black Friday offer, valid from Thursday - Monday: 50% off anime: 2019BLACKFRIDAYANIME

10% off Kojima Productions: 2019BLACKFRIDAYKOJIMA

Thanks for reading and be safe during this year's silly season! Very best,

Eric Cherry

Founder & CEO