History KeepCirculatingTheTapes / Rescued

* In Australia, Creator/MadmanEntertainment successfully licenced the ''Anime/DigimonAdventure'' dub and put out a pair of boxsets constituting the series' complete run. No word on whether they'll follow up on any of the other ''{{Digimon}}'' series currently lacking full dub releases, nor on any such thing for the rest of the world.

* Sierra released VanillaEdition {{Compilation Rerelease}}s of ''SpaceQuest'', ''KingsQuest'', ''PoliceQuest'', and ''LeisureSuitLarry'' in 2006. The ''QuestForGlory'' series, on the other hand, wouldn't see daylight until it was [[http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/quest_for_glory finally]] released on [=GoG=]. The compilations themselves are lacking, though. Besides lacking the original versions of their first games (using just their remakes):
** ''KingsQuest'': ''VideoGame/KingsQuestMaskOfEternity'' (which did eventually get on [=GoG=]) wasn't in the compilation, perhaps owing to the game's [[FanonDiscontinuity dubious standing]] among the series fans, making it a case of CanonDiscontinuity.
** ''LeisureSuitLarry'': Since the collection shipped on just one CD, they had to use the floppy version of ''Leisure Suit Larry 6: Shape Up or Slip Out'' instead of the talkie CD version, and ''Leisure Suit Larry: Love for Sail'' is missing entirely, so as far as Al Lowe is concerned, the definitive ''Leisure Suit Larry'' compilation is still the Ultimate Pleasure Pack, which includes the talkie version of ''Larry 6'', as well as ''Love for Sail'' and ''Larry's Casino''.

* The ''HomestarRunner'' shorts "Marshmallow's Last Stand" and "A Jumping Jack Contest" were removed from the site for unknown reasons, but they have been recovered on numerous other websites, and on the Homestar Runner: Everything Else Vol. 2 DVD.

* Thanks to Warner Home Video's "CartoonNetwork Hall Of Fame" DVD collection, the first seasons of ''CourageTheCowardlyDog'' and ''JohnnyBravo'' now have DVD releases as of Summer 2010, with ''DextersLaboratory'' coming the following October.

* While still no signs of the DVD, ''MegasXLR'' has had official releases for iTunes and Xbox Live Arcade.

* It was recently announced that the ''RevolutionaryGirlUtena'' series will be released by The Right Stuf International - through NozomiEntertainment - across three DVD sets (using the show's remastered Region 2 DVD release as the video base), as well as the movie.

* For the longest time, only half of ''Anime/SamuraiPizzaCats'' was available on a hard-to-find DVD box set. This box set had a good 26 episodes (most series only run that long), but the second season had some of the funniest episodes of the series. There was also almost no merchandise in the US. Cue frustrated fanbase. Until Discotek announced the license of both the dub and original version in two complete box sets[[hottip:*:52 for the dub, 54 for the sub which includes the two clip episodes]]. Cue happy fanbase. (Even moreso after since the below Power Rangers announcement came the same day.)

* Under {{Disney}}, ''PowerRangers'' got screwed over with only some episodes (usually from the start of the season) ever getting DVD releases and just about every season, bar the {{recut}} of ''MightyMorphinPowerRangers'', pulled out of airing. After Saban reclaimed the franchise from the Mouse House, ''MMPR'' was streamed in its original form one episode a day on the official website in early 2011 as a lead-up to ''PowerRangersSamurai'' and the entire franchise [[https://twitter.com/#!/anbmedia/status/80498732512198656 is available on Netflix]] starting June 15, 2011, alongside related Saban shows ''BigBadBeetleborgs'' and ''VRTroopers''.
** And now, in March of 2012, Saban inked a deal with Shout! Factory to release all 700 episodes from ''Mighty Morphin'' all the way to ''RPM'' on DVD.

* In Australia, MadmanEntertainment successfully licenced the ''Anime/DigimonAdventure'' dub and put out a pair of boxsets constituting the series' complete run. No word on whether they'll follow up on any of the other ''{{Digimon}}'' series currently lacking full dub releases, nor on any such thing for the rest of the world.

* For the longest time, only half of ''SamuraiPizzaCats'' was available on a hard-to-find DVD box set. This box set had a good 26 episodes (most series only run that long), but the second season had some of the funniest episodes of the series. There was also almost no merchandise in the US. Cue frustrated fanbase. Until Discotek announced the license of both the dub and original version in two complete box sets[[hottip:*:52 for the dub, 54 for the sub which includes the two clip episodes]]. Cue happy fanbase. (Even moreso after since the below Power Rangers announcement came the same day.)

* The 1992 telefilm ''WesternAnimation/TinyToonAdventuresHowISpentMyVacation'' was placed into this after its last VHS release in 1998 went out of print several years later. By that time, the only way to watch that film was through either airings on Nicktoons, finding a used copy, or possibly bootlegs. These practices continued until it was finally announced in May 2012 that a DVD is currently planned for August.

* For the longest time, only half of ''SamuraiPizzaCats'' was available on a hard-to-find DVD box set. This box set had a good 26 episodes (most series only run that long), but the second season had some of the funniest episodes of the series. There was also almost no merchandise in the US. Cue frustrated fanbase. Until Discotek announced the license of both the dub and original version in two complete box sets[[hottip:*:52 for the dub, 54 for the sub which includes the two clip episodes]]. Cue happy fanbase. (Even moreso after since the below Power Rangers announcement came the same day.)

* In [[TurnOfTheMillennium 2000]], MarvelComics finally released a volume of ''Essential ConanTheBarbarian''... which was never followed up, as DarkHorseComics acquired the license soon after. Seven years later, Dark Horse started reprinting not only the original Conan ongoing, but also ''Savage Sword of Conan the Barbarian'', ''King Conan'', and all the other ComicBookAdaptation(s) of RobertEHoward's works.
* The SamAndMax comic collection, Surfin' The Highway, was printed in 1995 and went out of print. For years second hand copies were going for a substantial amount of money. However, in 2008, with the success of Telltale's SamAndMax games, the company was able to rerelease it. As Steve Purcell works for Telltale, the rerelease was greatly expanded.

* RodgersAndHammerstein fans received [=DVDs=] containing the movie versions of ''TheSoundOfMusic'', ''{{Oklahoma}}'', ''{{Carousel}}'', ''StateFair'', ''SouthPacific'' and ''TheKingAndI'' from 1999-2000, but ''FlowerDrumSong'' did not receive a DVD release at this time. It ultimately did so in 2006, partly to celebrate the movie's 45th anniversary, and partly because Universal wanted to cash in on 20th Century Fox releasing remastered [=DVDs=] of seven R&H movies.

* The 1995 teen comedy ''{{Angus}}'' was a title demanded by fans to be released on DVD since the format's inception. It was finally released as a launch title for the Warner Archive in 2009.

* ''TheLegendOfBillieJean'' spent years in release limbo with no shot of ever getting a DVD release, despite massive fan demand. It was finally released in November 2011 through Sony Classics On Demand with an audio commentary.

* ''{{The Adventures of Pete and Pete}}'' got around this by replacing any protested music cues with clips from their house band Polaris on the [=DVDs=]. Unfortunately, the "Nick Rewind" DVD series was discontinued (''after'' it was designed, but) ''before'' the last season set was released.

* ''BillNyeTheScienceGuy'' is now available on a number of [=DVDs=]! [[CrackIsCheaper At $25 or $30]] for ''one'' thirty-minute episode.

* {{Averted|Trope}} with ''{{Freaks and Geeks}}'', which got a DVD despite having a soundtrack that included Styx, TheGratefulDead, Cream, and two episodes that used only songs by TheWho and BillyJoel respectively. One time when TooGoodToLast helped the {{DVD}} release.
* ''{{Family Matters}}'' qualified for this for almost a decade until they finally released the first season on DVD. A second season was released in February 2012, more than two years after the first season was issued, giving hope to fans that the remaining seven seasons will eventually be released.

* Fans of ''TheGlassHouse'' had to make do with the DVD that only contained the 2002 best-of episode and the six "Double Glazed" specials and the (very) early morning reruns of Seasons 8 and 9 in 2009-10, as the ABC did not have the rights to replay earlier episodes and did not say if full seasons would ever be released. It's now slowly being released on the iTunes Store from the very beginning and is currently up to Season 4 (as of May 2011).

* For the longest time, a JeffBuckley documentary titled ''Amazing Grace'' was completely unavailable to fans. The documentary had won numerous awards and was one of the most accurate documentaries about Buckley's life. Due to copyrights issues rumors of it being released on a DVD spiked up and then soon fizzled out. Then, in 2009, it was officially released on a special edition of ''Grace Around The World''. However, these special editions are quickly running out and odds are the documentary will fade back into this trope.

* "Greatest Hits"-type releases are made to combat this phenomenon. However; these were actually based off how well the game ''sold'' initially, regardless of critical and/or fan reception. There are exceptions; such as ''FinalFantasyTactics'' which was re-released due to fan demand.
* Bethseda has ''TheElderScrolls: Arena'' and ''Daggerfall'' for download on their site to combat this. However; you have to download a DOS emulator to use and they [[GuideDangIt assume you know this already]].
* Some people decide to watch a LetsPlay for this reason.

* The [[FireEmblemAkaneia first]] game in the {{Fire Emblem}} series has been released overseas, [[MarthDebutedinSmashBros which means Marth finally gets a proper debut.]]
* Sierra released VanillaEdition {{Compilation Rerelease}}s of ''SpaceQuest'', ''KingsQuest'', ''PoliceQuest'', and ''LeisureSuitLarry'' in 2006. The ''QuestForGlory'' series, on the other hand, wouldn't see daylight until it was [[http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/quest_for_glory finally]] released on [=GoG=]. The compilations themselves are lacking, though. Besides lacking the original versions of their first games (using just their remakes):

** Interestingly, Disney seems a little more willing to sell comprehensive [=DVDs=] of Marvel cartoons than for cartoons they made themselves. The [[WesternAnimation/SpiderMan1967 1967 Animated Adaptation]] of ''{{Spider-Man}}'' had a complete series DVD in 2004 (which went out of print a few years later) to cash in on ''[[{{Film/Spider-Man}} Spider-Man 2]]'', and ''The Marvel Action Hour'' also has DVD boxsets. (The ''{{WesternAnimation/Fantastic Four}}'' segments became available shortly after the release of [[{{Film/Fantastic Four}} the 2005 movie]], while ''{{WesternAnimation/Iron Man}}'' came around the same time as ''[[{{Film/Iron Man}} Iron Man 2]]''.)

* ShoutFactory has started to release ''{{Madeline}}'' on DVD, in random compilations.

* ''ThePhantomTollbooth'' was set for a 2008 DVD release but got delayed. It is now available to order off the WarnerBros website.

** And of course, as mentioned before, Marvel themselves do have a online video section on their site where one can catch most episodes of the older Marvel cartoon and TV series (including JapaneseSpiderMan), with no region-blocking whatsoever in place [[hottip:*:Showing that Marvel is indeed run by superheroes]].

** Season 3 also airs on Teletoon Retro...IN CANADA! (Well, it ''was'' made in Canada...)

* The 1992 telefilm ''WesternAnimation/TinyToonAdventuresHowISpentMyVacation'' was placed into this after its last VHS release in 1998 went out of print several years later. By that time, the only way to watch that film was through either airings on Nicktoons, check private collections, or bootlegging. These practices continued until it was finally announced in May 2012 that a DVD is currently planned for August.

* The 1992 telefilm ''WesternAnimation/TinyToonAdventuresHowISpentMyVacation'' was placed into this after its last VHS release in 1996 went out of print years later. It was finally rescued in May 2012 when Warner Home Video announced a DVD release currently planned for August.

* The third season of ''TransformersAnimated'' was only release on DVD in Japan (the Japanese dub, obviously), Hasbro has stated they have no plans to release it, and CartoonNetwork dropped reruns of the show from their lineup fairly soon after it ended. However, in 2012, TheHub picked up the rights to show re-runs.

* The 1992 telefilm ''WesternAnimation/TinyToonAdventuresHowISpentMyVacation'' was in limbo after its last VHS release in 1996 and its last broadcast in 2000. It was finally rescued in May 2012 when Warner Home Video announced a DVD release currently planned for August.

* ''{{Jem}}'' — Rhino Video released seasons 1-2 and part of 3 on DVD. The rest? Left in limbo. To make matters worse, the first two sets of [=DVDs=] went out of print and cost a pretty penny to buy a second-hand copy. Luckily, Jem now airs regularly on TheHub, as "Jem and the Holograms." Even more fortunate: ShoutFactory has decided to release a complete series DVD boxset, including the long-unavailable season 3 episodes.

* ''FlexMentallo'' was originally introduced in an issue of ''DoomPatrol'' as a parody of the well-known "Insult That Made a Man out of Mac" bodybuilding ads by Charles Atlas. Later on, in 1996, he got a mini-series of his own, written by his creator GrantMorrison and drawn by Frank Quitely. Some time after the mini-series came out someone informed the Charles Atlas company about Flex, and they promptly sued DC (the publisher of ''Doom Patrol'' and ''Flex Mentallo'') for trademark infringement. Since Flex, as an obvious parody, was legally considered to be a case of FairUse, the lawsuit was [[http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9500E2DC1430F932A0575BC0A9669C8B63 settled in favour of DC]]. However, even though the creative team of Morrison and Quitely has later on released some critically praised and popular series (''AllStarSuperman'' being the best known of them), DC has never collected the ''Flex Mentallo'' mini. The origin story of Flex (where the Charles Atlas connection is much more obvious than in the mini-series) was actually collected in a 2006 ''Doom Patrol'' trade paperback, so clearly there is no legal obstacle for DC to reprint comics featuring Flex Mentallo, but it took until April 2012 for the mini-series to be collected.. Only 16 years after it originally came out.

* ''Film/HeavyMetal'' was theatrically released in 1981, but only got to VHS after 15 years - with a DVD one year later - due to copyright issues (the film has much, much licensed music). Website/TheAgonyBooth [[http://www.agonybooth.com/recaps/Heavy_Metal_1981.aspx recap]] even says the movie got much of its CultClassic status for its rarity than for actual quality.

* ''RedDwarf'' took so long to appear on DVD that ''BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' made jokes about it (although a two-series-a-year blast from 2002 resolved that one eventually).

* Sierra released VanillaEdition [[Compilation Release]]s of ''SpaceQuest'', ''KingsQuest'', ''PoliceQuest'', and ''LeisureSuitLarry'' in 2006. The ''QuestForGlory'' series, on the other hand, wouldn't see daylight until it was [[http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/quest_for_glory finally]] released on GoG. The compilations themselves are lacking, though. Besides lacking the original versions of their first games (using just their remakes):
** ''KingsQuest'': ''VideoGame/KingsQuestMaskOfEternity'' (which did eventually get on GoG) wasn't in the compilation, perhaps owing to the game's [[FanonDiscontinuity dubious standing]] among the series fans, making it a case of CanonDiscontinuity.

-> ''KingsQuest'': ''VideoGame/KingsQuestMaskOfEternity'' (which did eventually get on GoG) wasn't in the compilation, perhaps owing to the game's [[FanonDiscontinuity dubious standing]] among the series fans, making it a case of CanonDiscontinuity.
-> ''LeisureSuitLarry'': Since the collection shipped on just one CD, they had to use the floppy version of ''Leisure Suit Larry 6: Shape Up or Slip Out'' instead of the talkie CD version, and ''Leisure Suit Larry: Love for Sail'' is missing entirely, so as far as Al Lowe is concerned, the definitive ''Leisure Suit Larry'' compilation is still the Ultimate Pleasure Pack, which includes the talkie version of ''Larry 6'', as well as ''Love for Sail'' and ''Larry's Casino''.

* Sierra released VanillaEdition compilations of ''SpaceQuest'', ''KingsQuest'', ''PoliceQuest'', and ''LeisureSuitLarry'' in 2006. The ''QuestForGlory'' series, on the other hand, wouldn't be re-released until it was [[http://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/quest_for_glory ''finally'']] released on GoG.
** None of the ''KingsQuest'' compilations, unfortunately, have been very good. While some have fixed the mistakes of previous ones, they inevitably introduce new ones. There is no one compilation that has ''everything'' you'd want, making them all missing things that either add to the experience or let you play the game. (You'll have to dig online for walkthroughs for information only found in the original manuals.) It also doesn't include the [[ContestedSequel last instalment of the series]] ''VideoGame/KingsQuestMaskOfEternity'' (which did eventually get on GoG), perhaps owing to the game's [[FanonDiscontinuity dubious standing]] among the series fans, making it a case of CanonDiscontinuity.
** Even the ''LeisureSuitLarry'' compilation isn't perfect: Since the collection shipped on just one CD, they had to use the floppy version of ''Leisure Suit Larry 6: Shape Up or Slip Out'' instead of the talkie CD version, and ''Leisure Suit Larry: Love for Sail'' is missing entirely, so as far as Al Lowe is concerned, the definitive ''Leisure Suit Larry'' compilation is still the Ultimate Pleasure Pack, which includes the talkie version of ''Larry 6'', as well as ''Love for Sail'' and ''Larry's Casino''.

* ''ReBoot''. ADVFilms never released Seasons 1-2 on DVD, only four episodes from Season 1 ever came out on VHS. Seasons 3-4 came out on DVD, but went out of print. Fortunately, ShoutFactory eventually released [=DVDs=] of the complete series.

* In late January 2012, Warner Archive released the first season of ''{{Pac-Man}}'' as a manufacture-on-demand DVD title.
* ''TheJetsons'' was among the first Hanna-Barbera series to receive a DVD boxset, but it only contained the original episodes, released from 1962-1963. These also became the only episodes to air on Boomerang. The 1980s revival did not come to DVD, or air on Boomerang, until 2009. Even then, only half of season 2 became available on DVD, as well as the theatrical 1990 movie. Fans have to buy the second half of the season, the two concurrently-produced TV movies, and (eventually) the third season through the Warner Archive.
* The 2003/2007 StrawberryShortcake series appeared to be in limbo when the series was dropped off Kewlopolis before the 2007 season 4 episodes could air, and rights for the series went from Playmates to Hasbro (and the animation rights went from DiC to Moonscoop). DVD releases of the series became slow and erratic, and many fans initially believed in 2009 that the releases would grind to a halt and the last 8 episodes would not see the light of day upon hearing the news back then. However, stopping of releases is one thing that did not happen, [[AndTheFandomRejoiced and the last DVD of the series came out in March 2012]].

* ''TheSwanPrincess'' and ''The Swan Princess III: The Mystery of the Enchanted Treasure'' came to DVD in 2004, but ''The Swan Princess: Escape From Castle Mountain'' did not. People wanting to complete the trilogy had to wait five years, when the second movie came, retitled ''The Swan Princess: The Secret of the Castle''.

* The 1927 classic, ''{{Wings}}'' was announced for release in 2011 on DVD and Blu-Ray by Paramount. Before this announcement, it had been the only film that has won best picture at the Oscars that hadn't been released on DVD.

* One of the most {{Egregious}} examples of this trope was ''WesternAnimation/AlvinAndTheChipmunks'', considering musical numbers were their entire shtick. But, with the success of the recent [[Film/AlvinAndTheChipmunks movies]], some compilations of the show have been released.

* The Belgian TV show ''Buiten De Zone'' was finally released on DVD in 2010, after the last of the music negotiations (over the music from ''TwinPeaks'') had concluded. The show, which ran for 2 seasons starting in 1994, still has a huge fan following and has achieved a cult status in Flanders. Bart de Pauw, one of the creators, was a soundtrack buff and used music from hundreds of films like ''JamesBond'', {{Aladdin}}, ''IndianaJones'', and even ''RobinHoodMenInTights''. Acquiring all 380 (!) music licenses while keeping the price at a reasonable level was a huge undertaking.

* ''{{Recess}}'' is now availible on iTunes in Germany. (An iTunes release in the U.S. is unknown, but ''RecessSchoolsOut'' is available)

* In December 1987, {{Prince}} ask Warner Brothers, his record label at the time, to scrap the release of ''The Black Album'', a week before its release date. However, by this time over 500k were pressed on vinyl and preview copies had gone out. Most copies were destroyed, with the few remaining being the source for "'''the most bootlegged album of all time'''". In 1991, Warner planned a greatest hits package which would have included the album as a bonus disc. However, it was scrapped when Prince delivered ''Diamonds and Pearls'' to the company. Finally in 1994, during [[TheTropeFormerlyKnownAsX Prince's]] feuded with the same label, the album was given legitimately released. Prince was payed around $1 million for its released. Ironically, it's now out of print.

** Interestingly, Disney seems a little more willing to sell comprehensive [=DVDs=] of Marvel cartoons than for cartoons they made themselves. The 1967 AnimatedAdaptation of ''{{Spider-Man}}'' had a complete series DVD in 2004 (which went out of print a few years later) to cash in on ''[[{{Film/Spider-Man}} Spider-Man 2]]'', and ''The Marvel Action Hour'' also has DVD boxsets. (The ''{{WesternAnimation/Fantastic Four}}'' segments became available shortly after the release of [[{{Film/Fantastic Four}} the 2005 movie]], while ''{{WesternAnimation/Iron Man}}'' came around the same time as ''[[{{Film/Iron Man}} Iron Man 2]]''.)

* Several MarvelComics [[http://geeksofdoom.com/2011/05/02/marvel-animated-shows-come-to-netflix-instant/ cartoons]] that never received comprehensive DVD releases will become available to stream on Netflix, such as ''SpiderManAndHisAmazingFriends'', ''SpiderManTheAnimatedSeries'', and ''The Marvel Super Heroes''.

* 1987 - Present British BBC kids show ''ChuckleVision'' suffered this as due to a bad shedual episodes over 20 minutes were not shown after 2004 but recently Barry Elliot anounced the BBC picked it up for a DVD release.