I just got a press release announcing that FUNimation has acquired the currently-airing Gainax TV series Shikabane Hime: AKA, for which a first date review is pending.

More exciting than my review, to be sure, is the information that FUNi will be offering up the subtitled version of the series within weeks of its Japanese airing; the first episode will be available at YouTube, Joost, and Hulu starting October 24th (just about 3 weeks from when the episode first aired).

These streaming episodes will be offered for free; a download-to-own version will be available at FUNimation.com for $1.99 an episode. I’m not sure if it’s DRM-free but I’ve got an e-mail out and I’ll let you know as soon as I know! I’m told that the files are NOT DRM-free.

I don’t know who ANN sucked off to get this news, but Gainax apparently told them about one of their new projects, a TV adaptation of Akahito Yoshiichi’s horror mnaga Shikabane Hime. I’m guessing that this is the serious/”heavy” TV series they mentioned before.

Though this was actually already rumored; a couple of people were discussing it on the AnimeSuki forums after I posted on Gainax’s first panel…but there it is!