ACEN08: FUNimation
Aaaaand FUNimation’s panel…
ACEN08: FUNimation
Aaaaand FUNimation, which I know has at least one announcement today (and, no doubt, a sum-up of all their announcements in the past week). Events manager Adam Sheehan presides once again, and it sounds like it’s mostly going to be the same skit as NYCC, so onwards and upwards.
Starting with digidistro on Xbox Live, iTunes, their own site, and now Zune. The FUNimation.com versions offer subs, including some that haven’t been released on DVD yet, which there will eventually be more of than just Black Blood Brothers. Viridian and FUNimation Green– the discount line and the recyclable line, respectively. Viridian Collection boxes are being upgraded so that they don’t fall apart quite so easily, yay. Operation Anime, their anime club screeners program…I maintain that they’re pushing it because ADV closed its similar program.
Moving on to series: Aquarion, which came out in 13-episode chunks, with the second such chunk coming out July 15th– apparently its done very well. A lot of stuff is changing in the industry now (but don’t panic!), and they plan to move forward with similar releases in the future. xxxHOLiC, first volume is out. Shin-chan season one part one box set– this one’s being released in 13-ep chunks like Aquarion, and it’s out now (just cameout last week). Sheehan says production had “way” too much fun with the box set…such as disc #1 being yellow and disc #2 being brown. (#1 is yellow…#2 is brown…get it?)
Aaaand Vexille, which they happen to have for $20 at their booth, and which I just picked up myself– though it doesn’t come out officially until May 20th. (Okay, it’s only a few days early, but still.) It’s also coming out on blu-ray.
“And we’ve reached the Dragon Ball Z portion of our presentation,” so sayeth Sheehan. Dead Zone and The World’s Strongest Movie are coming out, digitally restored and HD on DVD and Blu-Ray. Season 5, the Cell Saga, is due out May 27th, with marathon play and stuff.
Well, that was remarkably short! One Piece, which was announced at least year’s ACEN (AFTER it had been announced on animeOnline, thank you very much, Sheehan!). It’s coming out with 13 eps on 2 DVDs on the 27th, un-cut, and it will also have marathon play, and exclusive cover art from Toei. Luffy has a really long leg. Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles is going blu-ray, due out September 2nd, with “over 110 minutes of extra features.” Is that longer than the actual movie yet?
So, new Blu-Ray releases: Afro Samurai, DBZ Double Feature: Tree of Might/Lord Slug, DBZ Double Feature: Cooler’s Revenge/Return of Cooler, Robotech: Shadow Chronicles, Shinobi: Heart Under Blade, and Vexille.The Baldr Force EXE OVA is out on the 20th. Shuffle volume 6 is due out this fall and will come with exclusive “GOD” panties. (My question: do they really have the ties on the sides? Answer: No. Damn.)
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Everything we did this week! Complete with cheat sheet. Poor Sheehan. So: Save Me! Lollipop, all 13 eps on one DVD available this December. KenIchi the Mightiest Disciple gets some happy yells, available January 2009– they only have the first season but will get more if it sells well. Gunslinger Girl Il Teatrino is coming sometime in 2009, 15 eps on one DVD. Strain: Strategic Armored Infantry (aka Soukou no Strain), 13 eps on one DVD, coming March 2009. Darker than Black, by the way, had a materials delay of 8 months and they’re JUST now starting it. Shigurui: Death Frenzy (love that sub-title), 12 eps on 1 DVD, due out spring ‘09.
New license: Romeo x Juliet! I was right, except for the part where I thought that was being announced on Monday. It’ll come out in two box sets, 24 episodes, starting out spring ‘09.
And another surprise: Go to this link and guess what show they’ve licensed. Those who are right will get a reward, and you can plug in as many guesses as you want (uh-oh). No clues beyond it being the biggest one they’ve announced. It’s “epic.”
In the Q&As: Ouran! They have something planned, and there’ll be a press release coming out on May 30th regarding an Ouran event. Ohhh no. I hope it’s at a con I’m at. I don’t think I could handle more travel!
…I tuned out most of the Q&As because I was trying to discover the new license, but nothing major was mentioned, mostly just rehashes of the old stuff.
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Too bad the guess the license thing lost it’s edge since we already know what it is ;p Still happy about confirmed Romeo x Juliet!
[...] their announcements in the past week. Events manager Adam Sheehan presides once again, and it souhttp://giapet.net/2008/05/17/acen08-funimation/What Teaser SnowboardingBrothers Factory Presents “What” Featuring… Jeremy coutier, Phil jacques, [...]
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Hm, I hadn’t heard anything about the DBZ double-feature: Coolers Revenge, Return Of Cooler. But I would imagine it would be released in later fall, probably later november since Season Six and the Tree Of Might/Lord Slug double feature will probably be out end of august/first week of september. I wish those two had dates already.