Funimation News

Hellsing Ultimate OVA Joins Adult Swim’s Toonami Block

posted on 2014-08-23 14:00 EDT
1st episode will premiere on September 13 at 3:00 a.m. ET/PT

[quote]FUNimation Entertainment Announces New Acquisitions at Anime Central

Flower Mound, TX – April 28, 2012 -FUNimation Entertainment announced today at Anime Central it has acquired the home media rights to the feature film King of Thorn and series Eureka 7: AO (Astral Ocean).

In addition, FUNimation has acquired the simulcasts rights for Eureka 7: AO. Full episodes will begin on www.funimation.com during spring 2012.

A brief synopsis for each series is listed below:

Eureka 7: AO (Astral Ocean) – The story is set on Okinawa’s isolated island of Iwado, which has seen a growing movement advocating a return to an autonomous government. Ao Fukai, a 13-year- old boy with a missing father, lives on the island with an old doctor named Toshio and is about to enter middle school. Ao’s mother was taken away a decade ago by unknown individuals. Naru Arata, Ao’s 13-year-old childhood friend and the story’s heroine, lives with her father, older sister, and grandmother. She has a “Yuta” power awakened within her due to an incident when she was young. A mysterious entity called “Secret” suddenly appears and launches an attack on the Scub Coral lifeform on the island. Ao launches a certain military FP called “Nirvash” aboard a Japanese military transport in his fervent desire to protect the island.

King of Thorn: Panic spreads worldwide as the Medousa Virus—a fatal pandemic that solidifies the body to stone—threatens to wipe out the human race. 160 infected individuals are selected to be cryogenically frozen while a cure is developed. Kasumi is one of those chosen for the experimental program. Forced to enter without her twin sister, Shizuku, her distress multiplies when she awakens to find the facility overrun with thick, thorny vines and ravenous monsters. As Kasumi and six others fight a losing battle to escape this labyrinthine nightmare, questions cloud her distorted mind. Where is her sister? Why did their only salvation mutate into a deathtrap? If they survive, how much longer do they have to live? [/quote]

There is more but this was the only one I cared about at the moment.

I’ve never heard of King of Thorn. Funimation has a preview of the dub up, and one of the bit characters is totally being voiced in a hilarious (IMO) Arnold Schwarzenegger impersonation. Maybe the dub will be well done; with Chris Bevins as the director there is hope. Though I admit that I was reminded a bit of Blue Gender from the preview, and I remember how horrid the Funimation Blue Gender dub was (surprisingly, that was a Sabat dub, and he has done some stellar stuff).

I have to admit that I’m surprised to see Funimation with this. I thought that Sentai was the king of anime sci-fi movies these days??

I’m not too surprised about Funi getting E7, but I’m kinda disappointed.

I can’t wait to buy this in like 3 years.

###Funimation Consolidates Divisions Under Group 1200 Media Name
posted on 2013-05-10 23:55 EDT

Maybe they will make a new separate anime label for ecchi anime titles that are almost borderline hentai that won’t directly hurt the main anime label’s reputation.

I imagine the ‘1200’ in “Group 1200 Media” comes from their street address, 1200 Lakeside Pkwy.

I suspect this is for managerial flexibility as much as it is to re-brand their corporate face.

It should be possible to eventually make their various divisions into separate accounting and / or operational units such that sales / spin offs would be easier. Acquisitions & Start-ups should be easier too.

Mark Gosdin

sounds like something else i remember,

ADV begat: Sentai, Section23, etc

From the sounds of it, it would also give Funimation the option of doing sub-only SKUs.

It’s also apparent that Funi can`t find a parent company to purchase them.

Some of the anime they Simulcast like 2 years ago I would buy sub only, Its better then not getting them at all.

Why would they want to sell?

Oh, silly wabitts; don’t ya know it just their way to avoid that messy lawsuit of theirs. :blink: :silly:

I’ve long thought that ADV should have picked better business names for its post-split “components” but I have to admit that they’re much better than the incredibly lame “Group 1200” that Funnimation has moved towards.

I realize that Funi’s creativity is limited to such brilliance as “Boobies FTW” and their nonsensical “You should be watching” slogan (that is seen only while watching!) but even so I think that they could do a bit better than this vaguer-than-vague “Group 1200 Media” title.

[quote=“chrisc”]

Some of the anime they Simulcast like 2 years ago I would buy sub only, Its better then not getting them at all.[/quote]

[quote=chrisc]

Why would they want to sell?[/quote]

From the sounds of it, Funimation’s profitability for Narrave dried up in 2011. Which explains why they were dropped.

I think this is also the result from their failed attempted lawsuit against ADV from early last year. Seems like the Sojitz properties are jinxed.

If I were Gen, I’d be going for broke and doing sub only releases on 1200 Media as well as doing a Hentai label.(The Nu Tech/Dan Groove releases from the late 90s mid 2000s could SURE use some license rescuing).

I wonder what they’d call their H label if they start one? Probably something like “The Den”.

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2013-05-25/funimation-sentai-in-talks-over-former-bandai-entertainment-titles
[size=20]Funimation, Sentai in Talks Over Former Bandai Entertainment Titles[/size]
posted on 2013-05-25 18:13 EDT

Animation studio Sunrise producer Masayuki Ozaki revealed at his company’s panel at Anime Boston on Saturday that the company is in talks to with Sentai Filmworks and Funimation to distribute former Bandai Entertainment titles. Ozaki noted that Sunrise will release some of its series through distributors such as these. Any possible deals are currently in the works, so further details are not yet available.

Sunrise would like to release titles with Sentai and Funimation as distributors, similar to the current deal in place for Mobile Suit Gundam UC through Right Stuf.

I will praise to the lords if Cowboy Bebop, Outlaw Star, Escaflowne, Gundam and Code Geass will be re-released here. Preferably on Blu-ray.

Lets hope Sunrise is more accommodating to Funimation and Sentai Filmworks then they were to Bandai Ent. I just hope we get the upgraded masters for those that had them. Pretty sure we will see the ones that have aired here again ,but still wondering how many of the Gundam series that did not will find a home. Sentai is at least willing to look at older stuff so might get some of the classic mecha and Super Robot series .

Well, so far they seem to have been much better with the titles that Sentai and others have licensed from them, so hopefully there are no major issues.

You would have thought that the Bandai Japan connection between Sunrise and Bandai Ent. US would have made it easier to work together, but it really looks like the opposite was true.

Like Cody says, hopefully this will work out better for everyone.

Mark Gosdin

###Anime Adaptation of Touya Mikanagi’s Karneval Announced
posted on 2012-04-24 23:27 EDT
Wraparound jacket of 9th volume reveals plans for anime

###Karneval Anime Slated to Air Next Spring
posted on 2012-10-20 17:40 EDT

###Karneval TV Anime’s 1st Promo Streamed
posted on 2012-11-28 07:30 EST
Hiro Shimono & Hiroshi Kamiya narrate as characters Nai & Gareki

###Funimation: Additional Rights Acquired for Karneval
Posted by Michelle on 02/21/2014 at 9:00am