HOUSTON, January 28, 2016 – Sentai Filmworks is proud to announce its latest acquisition, Nurse Witch KOMUGI R, as part of its winter 2016 anime lineup. One day, second-year middle school student Komugi Yoshida encounters a wounded, rabbit-like creature named Usa-P. She tends to its injuries, and in return is granted the powers of a "Legendary Girl." Now, in addition to juggling her school duties and her career as a pop idol, Komugi has to take on the role of a magical nurse. Watch the hilarity ensue in this slapstick comedy that throws in more magic and mayhem than this busy girl can handle!

The series will be directed by Keiichiro Kawaguchi (Moetan, Million Doll, Nyan Koi!), with Momoko Murakami in charge of series composition. Original character designs will be provided by Akio Watanabe (The World Only God Knows, Bakemonogatari), with production handled by Tatsunoko Production (Gatchaman Crowds, Gatchaman Crowds Insight).

Nurse Witch KOMUGI R began its Japanese broadcast on January 10, 2016 by Nippon TV. It will soon be available through select digital outlets, with a home video release to follow.

HOUSTON, January 28, 2016 - Today, Anime Network announced the streaming release of Nurse Witch KOMUGI R. The series delivers a one-two "Komugi Punch" as aspiring idol, Kumogi Yoshida ends up (reluctantly) becoming a magical “Legendary Girl.” To top things off, she doesn’t become just any Legendary Girl – Kumogi’s encounter with a strange rabbit-like creature turns her into Magical Nurse in about 0.2 seconds!

The 12-episode TV series is a playful and refreshing take on the magical girl genre. Streaming is scheduled to begin on February 9th, with episodes released weekly every Tuesday at 3:30 PM EST in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, South Africa, Netherlands, Turkey, Scandinavia, Central America, and South America.

This breakout, sci-fi anime series culminates in an action-packed feature film that can’t be missed! Catch PSYCHO-PASS: The Movie in select theaters March 15 + 16.

will the mobile suit zeta Gundam: a new translation movies be released on blu ray?

The movies will be on DVD only.

Here’s a look at the cover for the 8 Man After DVD. Release date will be in June or July. This will have the Streamline English dub and the Japanese with English subtitles.

More Lupin the 3rd! Here’s a look at the Voyage to Danger cover. The DVD will be released in mid 2016. This will have the English dub and Japanese with English subtitles.

Even more Lupin the 3rd! Here’s a look at the cover for Alcatraz Connection.The DVD will be released in mid 2016. This has never been released in the US before. It will have Japanese audio and English subtitles.

Dimension W on Adult Swim’s Toonami Starting February 27th!
Posted by Godswill on 02/12/2016 at 5:48pm

We’re excited to announce that our new series Dimension W will broadcast on Adult Swim’s Toonami schedule beginning Saturday, February 27, 2016. English dub episodes of the new anime series will air during the Toonami block each Saturday night at 12:30AM Eastern. Each dub episode will be available exclusively on Adult Swim for two-weeks before it is available for streaming on Funimation.com.

We’re also releasing a bi-weekly Production Diary on YouTube available here which features behind-the-scenes videos on the creation of Dimension W. New simulcast Japanese subtitled episodes of the series stream at 9:00 a.m. on Saturdays at FunimationNow and the Hulu streaming services.

HOUSTON, February 16, 2016 – Sentai Filmworks is proud to announce its latest acquisition, Hakuoki ~ Demon of the Floating Blossom: Wild Dance of Kyoto. In this theatrical feature based on the popular game and anime series, Chizuru Yukimura heads to Kyoto in search of her father, a doctor who has disappeared. However, she soon discovers that the city hides deadly creatures within its shadows, and that a fearsome group of swordsmen, the famed Shinsengumi, help maintain a tenuous peace. As both parties attempt to find the missing doctor, Chizuru and the men of the Shinsengumi will discover things about themselves that they would rather have left a mystery.

The film was directed and scripted by Osamu Yamasaki (Hakkenden: Eight Dogs of the East). Atsuko Nakajima (Get Backers, Ranma ½) handled animation direction and character design, with original character designs provided by Yone Kazuki (Kamigami no Asobi, Nobunaga the Fool).

Hakuoki ~ Demon of the Floating Blossom: Wild Dance of Kyoto will be available through select digital outlets, with a home video release to follow.

Press Release:

San Francisco, CA – February 16, 2016 – Pied Piper, Inc. announces its acquisition of the North America DVD and Blu-ray license for the anime series Skip Beat! with an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign in March to enhance the release. In the 25-episode shojo series, 16-year-old Kyoko Mogami is devastated to learn that her long-time crush Sho Fuwa has been using her as a servant while he waltzes to stardom. She vows to beat him at his own game and joins a rival talent agency, and in the process transforms from a docile people-pleaser to ingenious creative talent. The anime’s riveting story arcs include Kyoko’s discovery of friendship with fellow actress Kanae (“Moko”) Kotonami and her tumultuous relationship with romance-challenged star Ren Tsuruga, who slowly leads her away from revenge and returns her to the path of love.

The Indiegogo campaign will run from March 1st through March 31st and will focus on enhancing the quality of the English dub, which will have Mela Lee (Rin Tohsaka in Fate/Stay: Night, Yuuki Cross in Vampire Knight, Shinku in Rozen Maiden) acting as executive producer along with Cristina Vee (Sailor Mars in Sailor Moon, Homura Akemi in Madoka Magica, Mio Akiyama in K-ON!) and Jason Charles Miller (Avatar: The Last Airbender, Final Fantasy XIV, World of Warcraft, Hellsing, and owner of Central Command Studios). Additional features to be added through stretch goals include behind-the-scenes bonus videos, an all-star voice cast and top creative talent for direction and script adaptation, and other surprise goals to be revealed during the campaign. The rewards include exclusive merchandise and experience-based tiers that pull back the curtain on the localization and dub production process.

Links:
Indiegogo Coming Soon page:
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/s...ca/coming_soon

https://twitter.com/piedinc
https://www.facebook.com/piedinc
https://www.instagram.com/piedinc/
https://jp.pinterest.com/piedinc/
http://piedpiperinc.tumblr.com/

Belladonna of Sadness
Hardcover, approx. 220 pages
9 × 12 in.
22.86 × 30.48 cm.

$60
LTD. $120

PREORDER

Belladonna of Sadness, the final film in the adult-oriented Animerama trilogy, is one of the great forgotten masterpieces of Japanese anime. Loosely inspired by Jules Michelet’s 1862 history of witchcraft and the occult, La Sorcière, Belladonna of Sadness tells the story of a young woman who makes a pact with the devil to exact revenge after being raped and driven from her home. This brief synopsis, however, does no justice to the visual spectacle of the film, which proceeds as a series of still images flashing onscreen. Spectacular watercolor paintings by Kuni Fukai, marry the art nouveau artifice of artists like Aubrey Beardsley to ’60s psychedelia; the film’s North American distributor, Cinelicious Pics, describes it as “equal parts J.R.R. Tolkien and gorgeous, explicit Gustav Klimt-influenced eroticism.” A legendary cult classic, Belladonna of Sadness has never been officially released in the United States—until now. This publication accompanies the restored film’s North American release.

Beautifully produced in a colorful, large-format edition, this volume provides an indispensible companion to this incredible animated masterpiece, including script outtakes, stills and other ephemera from the film, a text about the film’s painstaking restoration and interviews conducted with the film’s illustrator and composer, and director Eiichi Yamamoto.

++

The Limited Edition includes the upcoming Blu-Ray release of the restored feature film by Cinelicious Pics; the official U.S. theatrical one-sheet 27"x39" poster; an alternate theatrical poster featuring artwork only available with the limited edition; a Belladonna enamel jewelry pin; and a promotional postcard.

Edited by Jessica Hundley and J.C. Gabel
Designed by Morgan Ramsey
Hat & Beard Press #4
Split release with Cinelicious Pics

Funimation Entertainment Acquires Rights To "The Girl Who Leapt Through Time"

FLOWER MOUND, Texas, Feb. 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Funimation Entertainment is proud to announce its acquisition of "The Girl Who Leapt Through Time" – the 2006 film and first, non-franchise theatrical release from acclaimed director Mamoru Hosoda. Funimation has secured the exclusive North American rights to home entertainment, video on demand and broadcast distribution of the film as part of its agreement with Kadokawa. With the new acquisition of "The Girl Who Leapt Through Time" and prior acquisitions of "Summer Wars," "Wolf Children" and "The Boy and The Beast," Funimation now holds rights to all four Mamoru Hosoda masterpieces. In homage to the film's theme of time travel, Funimation will be releasing a special home video edition of "The Girl Who Leapt Through Time" later this year to commemorate the 10-year anniversary of its theatrical release.

"We're excited to now be the exclusive U.S. distributor of all four of Mamoru Hosoda's theatrical masterpieces with the addition of 'The Girl Who Leapt Through Time,'" said Gen Fukunaga, CEO and founder of Funimation. "'The Girl Who Leapt Through Time' gave audiences a taste of Hosoda's cinematic magic, and now – ten years later, audiences still crave his films."

"The Girl Who Leapt Through Time" was Mamoru Hosoda's non-franchise movie debut as a director and kicked off his unbroken streak of box office hits. The film was so well received in Japan that it was honored as the inaugural recipient of the Animation of the Year award from the Japan Academy Awards. Hosoda followed-up "The Girl Who Leapt Through Time" with "Summer Wars" in 2010, "Wolf Children" in 2013 and most recently "The Boy and The Beast" in 2015.

"We look forward to taking Hosoda fans back in time with a special home video release of 'The Girl Who Leapt Through Time,'" said Mike DuBoise, EVP and COO of Funimation. "This film – the one that started it all – showcases Hosoda's unique formula of the intimate and emotional, combined with the real world and fantasy, mixed with comedy and drama – a recipe that no other director has been able to duplicate."

Hosoda's newest film "The Boy and The Beast" opens in select theaters nationwide on March 4, 2016. "The Boy and The Beast" has garnered critical acclaim of its own and was nominated for Animation of the Year at the 39th Annual Japanese Academy Awards as well as for Best Animated Feature-Independent category at the 43rd Annual Annie Awards, which recognize the best in the field of animation.

Film Synopsis
After waking up late, flunking her pop quiz, embarrassing herself on numerous occasions, and starting a fire in her home economics class, high school student Makoto Konno figures she's just having one of those days. And just when she thinks she's made it through, the brakes on her bike malfunction putting her on a collision course with a speeding train. The life-ending accident would have been the perfect end to the worst day ever, but the strangest thing happens—she leaps backwards in time.

After unlocking her new ability, Makoto does what any teenager would do. She re-takes tests, corrects embarrassing situations, and sleeps in as late as she wants, never thinking that her carefree time travelling could have a negative effect on the people she cares about. By the time she realizes the damage she's done, she only has a few leaps left to make things right.

For tickets and more information on "The Boy and The Beast" visit funimationfilms.com/theboyandthebeast. Hi-res stills and screener are available to media at epk.tv.

Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/funimation and follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/funimation and on Instagram at instagram.com/funimation.

Additional news and pre-orders for The Girl Who Leapt Through Time will be coming soon— be sure to keep an eye on the Funimation blog for updates!

HOUSTON, February 18, 2016 – Sentai Filmworks is proud to announce its acquisition of the 2011 soft tennis comedy Softenni! Based on the original 2008 manga series written and illustrated by Ryo Azuchi, Softenni! follows the exploits of Asuna Harukaze, a girl with an almost obsessive love for soft tennis, a popular form of tennis developed in Japan using softer, rubber tennis balls. Together with her equally quirky (and sometimes overly enthusiastic) teammates, Asuna does her best to return the challenges that school life and tennis training launch at her!

The anime series was produced by anime studio Xebec (Argevollen, Motto To Love Ru, Negima!) and directed by Ryouki Kamitsubo.

Softenni! will soon be available through select digital outlets, with a home video release to follow.

Getting closer on Kyousougiga but it’s not done yet. This will be a Blu Ray/DVD combo.

Getting closer on Seha Girls but still working. It will be a Blu Ray/DVD combo when finished.

Any idea when Strike the Blood will get a DVD release? My friends wants it on DVD.

We're doing a BD/DVD combo for Strike the Blood. No date yet.

The Vision of Escaflowne is coming out this year and could get a new dub! Find details here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects...b-for-the-clas

About this project

For $150,000, help create a new 20th anniversary experience of The Vision of Escaflowne in its perfect form with a Blu-ray release of a brand-new English dub that finally matches every second of the complete uncut Japanese HD materials!

The Vision of Escaflowne is one of the most prolific classic anime to date—and a pivotal title in opening the door to anime fandom in North America. From its riveting fantasy storyline, gorgeous visuals, a stirring score, romance, and of course, awesome gigantic robots, it's clear that this is a series that has stood the test of time.

The series is beloved worldwide, but there has never been a complete English dub for fans. The uncut HD Japanese version of the show includes scenes that have never been seen in North America, meaning that English speakers have never experienced the show fully in dubbed format. Also, despite the fantastic visuals, the series has not been released in its HD glory on Blu-ray here either. Across forums, social media, conventions, and more, fans like you have voiced endless requests for a new full-series dub that gives this series the treatment it deserves. Team up with us to make this a reality!

We’ve been working hand-in-hand with Sunrise—and legendary director Kazuki Akane and creator Shoji Kawamori—to explore the possibility of creating this new dub for months. We aren’t attempting to raise the entire production costs of a new dub, but rather to demonstrate the extent of fan interest—is it enough to warrant the creation of this dub? If the demand is truly there, then you can think of this Kickstarter more as a pre-order campaign rather than a fundraiser.

If the project meets the goal of $150,000, we’ll be releasing The Vision of Escaflowne television series on Blu-ray and DVD with both the original uncut Japanese HD with English subtitles, and a brand-new English dub matching those materials. This release will also include an exclusive interview with Kazuki Akane and Shoji Kawamori specifically recorded for English-speaking fans, and the Escaflowne movie will receive a new matching dub. Certain tiers of this Kickstarter include Escaflowne Blu-ray/DVD releases as rewards, including a special pre-order of a one-of-a-kind version of Part 1 that includes a beautiful chipboard housing box and art cards featuring illustrations from the series. This Kickstarter Edition of Part 1 is ONLY available to Kickstarter backers.

Pledge $5 or more
THE HERMIT
You’re helping make this a reality! Enjoy a one-of-a-kind digital wallpaper featuring Escaflowne art.
Estimated delivery: Apr 2016

Pledge $15 or more
THE MAGICIAN
You'll receive the digital wallpaper plus an on-disc credit listing, AND a certificate of participation with reprinted signatures from original director Kazuki Akane and Funimation CEO Gen Fukunaga.
Estimated delivery: Nov 2016
Ships to: Only certain countries

Pledge $30 or more
Limited to 500 backers
THE SUN
You are a true Escaflowne fan. Receive everything in the $15 tier, plus a pre-order of the Escaflowne movie. (Early bird tier, limited to 500 units)
Estimated delivery: Nov 2016
Ships to: Only certain countries

Pledge $35 or more
THE CHARIOT
You are a true Escaflowne fan. Receive everything in the $15 tier, plus a pre-order of the Escaflowne movie.
Estimated delivery: Nov 2016
Ships to: Only certain countries

Pledge $65 or more
Limited to 1000 backers
THE TOWER
For supporting this endeavor, you get: Everything in the $15 tier, plus a pre-order of the Escaflowne TV Series Part 1 Kickstarter Edition, featuring episodes 1-13 of the HD complete uncut version of the series in Japanese with English subtitles AND the brand new English dub, all housed with exclusive art cards in a handsome chipboard box not available outside of this Kickstarter.
Estimated delivery: Nov 2016
Ships to: Only certain countries

Pledge $125 or more
Limited to 500 backers
THE HIGH PRIESTESS
Good things are coming your way! For $125, receive everything in the $15 tier, a pre-order of Escaflowne TV Series Part 1 Kickstarter Edition AND Part 2 (which completes the rest of the series and fits in snugly in the Part 1 Kickstarter Edition box), plus a theatrical-sized poster of Escaflowne art.
Estimated delivery: Nov 2016
Ships to: Only certain countries

Pledge $155 or more
Limited to 500 backers
THE MOON
We can see you are just as excited as we are. Please enjoy everything in the $125 tier, plus a pre-order of the Escaflowne Movie.
Estimated delivery: Nov 2016
Ships to: Only certain countries

Pledge $175 or more
THE WORLD
This is the true collector tier. For your generosity, you’ll receive a pre-order of the Escaflowne Complete Series + Movie Collector’s Edition Box Set, the ultimate collection. This includes the complete series and movie with Japanese audio and English subtitles PLUS the new dub, as well as:
- a chipboard box (different from the Kickstarter edition) featuring new art from the Japanese release
- a perfect-bound art book
- a special exclusive item--to be announced!
- AND bonus DVDs of the original dub version--the only release that includes this version!
Estimated delivery: Nov 2016
Ships to: Only certain countries

Pledge $200 or more
Limited to 250 backers
THE LOVERS
This tier is for fans of the gorgeous Escaflowne music, from legendary composers Yoko Kanno and Hajime Mizoguchi. Contribute $200 and you’ll get everything in the $175 tier plus the imported soundtrack from Japan (Lovers Only).
Estimated delivery: Nov 2016
Ships to: Only certain countries

Pledge $300 or more
Limited to 50 backers
THE EMPRESS
You get everything in the $200 tier and a theatrical-sized poster of Escaflowne art, signed by the U.S. principal cast of the new dub.
Estimated delivery: Nov 2016
Ships to: Only certain countries

Pledge $400 or more
Limited to 50 backers
THE EMPEROR
This tier is the mark of an ultimate anime fan! You’ll get everything in the $300 tier plus your poster will also signed by three legendary Japanese talents: director Kazuki Akane, original creator Shoji Kawamori, and character designer Nobuteru Yuki.
Estimated delivery: Nov 2016
Ships to: Only certain countries

Pledge $5,000 or more
Limited to 1 backer
THE STAR
FOR CONTINENTAL U.S. ONLY – A one-of-a-kind Escaflowne experience. We’ll fly you out to the Funimation office where you’ll get a tour, a bag of Funimation goodies, and you’ll even get to do voice work that will appear in the new Escaflowne dub! And of course, you’ll also receive the Escaflowne Collector’s Edition Box Set and everything else in the $400 tier.
Tour and recording will be conducted before the end of May; all other rewards will ship in late fall. Flight, transportation to and from airport, and a one-night hotel stay will be provided for one person. You must be available to participate during this time to fulfill this reward!
No specific role is guaranteed. For this experience you must be 18 years of age or have permission from a legal guardian to travel and have a legal guardian who will travel with you. Prizes subject to signing an agreement with Funimation.
Estimated delivery: May 2016
Ships to: Only United States

In the event that this project exceeds its $150,000 goal, here's how this release gets even better:

$200,000 – In addition to the series' new dub, The Vision of Escaflowne Part 1 will be upgraded to include a special feature of the new English cast, including behind-the-scenes footage and interviews. This will be added to the Kickstarter Edition of Part 1, the standard edition available outside of this Kickstarter, and the Collector's Edition.

$250,000 – The Part 1 Kickstarter Edition release will receive a second upgrade—the art cards will be upgraded to a saddle-stitched art booklet, and the chipboard box that houses the release will get special foil printing. Remember that this is only on the Kickstarter-specific release!

$500,000 – You're invited to a VIP backer-only Escaflowne party! We’ll arrange a U.S. visit for original director Kazuki Akane at a major U.S. anime convention, and provide an exclusive VIP party for Kickstarter backers only. (Transport and lodging are not provided.)

What happens if this Kickstarter does not meet its goal?
As you already know, this Kickstarter is a mandate to gauge how much widespread demand exists for a new dub—it’s not just a fundraiser. If the project doesn’t meet its goal, Funimation will still create a release based on the materials we have access to. We still want to showcase the HD, but because the HD materials don’t match up with the current English dub, this will likely be a subtitled-only Blu-ray uncut version. A separate release of the original English dub on DVD may follow.

Who are the voice actors for this new dub?
We won’t start casting until we get a sense that there’s a demand for the new dub. If and when we hit our goal, we’ll start casting and will reveal the actors soon after.

Will I have access to this dub on Funimation.com if I’m not a contributor?
Of course! If the project meets its goal, you’ll be able to buy the Escaflowne series and movie on Blu-ray or DVD once it’s released, or stream it with a FunimationNow subscription. The Collector’s Edition in the $175 and up tiers will also be available for purchase. There will also be digital video download options as well. However, the special Kickstarter version of Part 1, with the exclusive chipboard box and art cards, is only available to backers only.

Will you release the original dub separately?
The original dub episodes will be available as bonus DVDs in the Collector’s Edition on the $175 and up tiers (using the original SD materials rather than the uncut HD materials). As for a potential separate release, the answer is: possibly. All of our focus is on the new dub right now, so there are no plans to release the original dub. However, it may come at a future point.

Zac Bertschy, ANN: So, tell us about this project.

Lauren: So we have the HD materials for Escaflowne and they do not match the current dub. We've been hearing for a long time that people want to see Escaflowne dubbed. We hear it on forums or we hear it in person, but really what we want to do is gauge if there is a very real want for that. So what we decided to do is launch a Kickstarter and if we meet our goal of $150 thousand, which is not funding the entire production, that's just a part of it, that's just our benchmark number for making sure that there's a want for it, then we will have a full HD dub of The Vision of Escaflowne to kind of give fans that complete, definitive dub experience.

Do you know the technical details of why exactly the old dub doesn't match up with the new one? With the new transfer?

Lauren: For that—hang on, let me bring in brand manager Jennifer Fu.

Jennifer Fu: Hi Zac. So basically there was the original dub that came out and it's based on SD materials that, as you're aware, the director's cut, the HD Japanese version that was released on Bluray more recently, has scenes that were not in the original materials that the original English dub was based on. So because of that it's not possible for us to put the subtitled HD material which is what we've just received from Japan, on the same disc as the original dub, because otherwise it doesn't line up correctly and there are some points where the dub just won't have any dialogue or anything in it and it'd just be kind of strange.

Right.

Jennifer: So that, coupled with all of the forum comments and social media comments we've seen asking for those particular scenes to be dubbed, are the main reasons that we're looking to do this Kickstarter. So to clarify a little bit on the difference between this standard edition and the collector's edition, that standard edition—so first of all: if we do not hit the goal of $150k dollars on this Kickstarter to be able to actually create this new dub, then we're just going to be releasing the new HD material, so the new stuff based on the Japanese Bluray, subtitled only. In terms of what's going to happen with the dub release: right now we don't have any plans—by dub here I mean the original dub—right now we don't have any plans for that, we want to see what happens with the Kickstarter first before making a decision there.

So the standard edition is a Bluray/DVD combo pack. The DVD version in the standard edition will match the new dub and the HD materials just because we know there are still some people who prefer DVD to Bluray, that's something we've always done with the combo pack. With this collector's edition, what we're planning on doing is having the Bluray only, so the Bluray of the new dub and the new Japanese materials, and the original dub will be available on DVD discs that are in that release. At this time, and again this is only if we get this project budget, at this time we don't have any plans for a release of the original dub just on DVD yet and again that's because we do want to gauge a little bit of interest before just churning things out. So I hope that clears up a little bit of what the goals are, what we're trying to do here, so let us know if that's still a little bit confusing.

That was all the sort of nitty-gritty that I needed. The other big question is, of course, is the intention to get back and rerecord that dub with those actors, or are we gonna get a fresh cast?

Lauren: So we don't have a cast at this point, we're still obviously looking into that. That's something we'd really have to wait until it's funded before we start really sort of casting and testing that part out.

So here's the question that's going to be a little uncomfortable, but I feel needs to be asked. It wouldn't cost $150,000 to dub Escaflowne and nobody would consider the show a serious sales risk; Funimation is a big company that releases shows like this all the time. Why can't you just produce the new dub without needing to have the fans raise this money for you?

Jennifer: One thing is that we've been seeing a lot of forum comments saying, "oh I really want a new dub of this." And twitter and people coming up at conventions and stuff and they give their reasons and it makes sense to us, but with a lot of this stuff, you know, we don't know, let's say a hundred forum comments really translates to in true demand. So that's something that—I mean that's really the case with any company, right? We want to make sure that it's—I guess that's pretty much it. We want to make sure there actually is the demand for this in the first place.

Lauren: So it's not really looking at fans to help us do something that we couldn't do or couldn't achieve, it's more "hey! If you really want this, almost consider this a preorder." It's not that we see it as a risk, this is more we wanted to create something neat where fans could be a part of bringing it back to life, this thing they've asked us for, and we've heard, like Jennifer mentioned, through forums or in person, it's more kind of creating a platform where they can be a part of bringing it back.

It's more saying "I helped Kickstart this to make this happen, I was part of this tier or part of that tier," it's allowing a little more ownership, and maybe not going the traditional route and just redubbing something and putting it out, that works great for certain titles. We're basically going a bit of a different route that just allows fans a little bit more ownership.

Right. So presumably the Kickstarter launch will feature financial transparency that will give fans the full rundown of everything, like why you need $150k for this, and what that entails. This could be a look inside the cost of producing a Funimation Bluray, you know, sort of the industry standard. This could be a really informative look at that. So do you intend on opening the process, showing the fans, "hey, here's what this costs, here's why it costs this much, and we're going to show you the process in action?"

Jennifer: Unfortunately a lot of the cost of things like dubbing related or putting things out on Bluray or things like that, a lot of those are locked down via contract, so there's really no way for us to reveal this, the only thing we're saying is that the 150k is not actually the production costs. So I think that if we were in a world where that was not a concern, then it would be pretty interesting to look at it and get some more transparency, but unfortunately we're not at liberty to do that.

So it's just: that's the number, and that's what it's going to cost us to do and that's it?

Jennifer: Really, the 150k is not what it costs us to make it, it's more we benchmarked to get to that number and we think that's pretty reasonable. We're going to be funding the rest of it. We just can't really say how much more or less it is.

Lauren: Yeah, that's sort of our benchmark to show interest.

Jennifer: Unfortunately it's the case where we're not really at liberty to disclose that.

Understood. So if this is a success, will we see more of "well we licensed this show and now we're going to have a Kickstarter to redub it, or get a nicer package, or whatever" to plus up this release? Is this a test? Will we see this more?

Lauren: Honestly, that's something that we don't really know. It's a first for us and it's kind of an anomaly in the industry. It's something we'll have to test and see how fans feel about it. If it's something they really love and they enjoy being a part of it, then the experience for them, that's definitely something we'd take into consideration going forward, but right now we honestly don't have a forward projection for whether or not this will be part of our, I guess our MO.

Well it's an interesting experiment. I'm very curious to see how it turns out. Best of luck to you.

Lauren: Thank you.

HOUSTON, March 1, 2016 – Sentai Filmworks is proud to announce the home video release of Wake Up, Girls! The Movie on June 7, 2016.

It is a time of fierce competition between many rival pop idol groups. This is the story of "Wake Up, Girls!" a group made up of seven young girls who have braved the raging storm.

Green Leaves Entertainment is a small production agency located in Sendai, Tohoku, representing former magicians, pinup idols, and fortune tellers. With its last active performer having quit, it finds itself in a dangerous situation as its talent base drops to zero -- so company president Junko Tange comes up with the idea to produce an idol unit. While manager Kohei Matsuda has his concerns about the overbearing president, he heads to the city streets in search of diamonds in the rough. In doing so, Matsuda will bring about an inevitable encounter with a certain young girl...

The film was directed by Yutaka Yamamoto with a script by Toko Machida. Character design was helmed by Sunao Chikaoka, with Satoru Kosaki and MONACA in charge of music composition. Animation production was handled by Tatsunoko Production (Mach GoGoGo, The Adventures of Hutch the Honeybee, Gatchaman) and Ordet (The Miyawaka Family's Hunger, Senyu, BLACK★ROCKSHOOTER).

Sentai Filmworks licensed both Wake Up, Girls! The Movie and the Wake Up, Girls! TV Series in December 2015, and the movie is available for preorder now.

HOUSTON, March 2, 2016 – Sentai Filmworks is proud to announce its acquisition of all three straight-to-video entries in the Strawberry Marshmallow series. First released in 2007, these original video animations (OVAs) continue the adventures of youthful protagonists Chika, Miu, Matsuri, and Ana under the watchful eyes of Chika's big sister Nobue. With botched job applications, curious takes on play time, and (somewhat crude) trips to the public bath house, what adorable antics will the girls get up to this time?

The OVA series was produced by anime studio Daume (DearS, Please Teacher!), with Takuya Sato (Girls Beyond the Wasteland, Student Council’s Discretion, Steins;Gate) handling both directorial and series composition duties.

Strawberry Marshmallow (OVA) will soon be available on select digital outlets with a home video release to follow.

FUNIMATION ENTERTAINMENT ACQUIRES EXCLUSIVE INTERNATIONAL RIGHTS TO “MY HERO ACADEMIA” FROM TOHO
Posted by Funimation on 03/08/2016 at 2:34pm

Adaptation of Smash Hit Manga Series to Premiere in April in US, Canada and UK

FLOWER MOUND, TEXAS – March 8, 2016. Funimation Entertainment is proud to announce its acquisition of “My Hero Academia”—the most highly-anticipated, new anime series of 2016. Funimation has secured the exclusive international rights to home entertainment, video on demand, merchandise, and broadcast distribution of the series as part of its agreement with Toho Co. Ltd. Episode 1 of the series will premiere in April on Funimation’s streaming service, FunimationNow, in the U.S., Canada, UK, and Ireland.

“We’re extremely pleased with this expansion of our partnership with Toho following last year’s successful theatrical release of the ‘Attack on Titan’ live action movies,” said Gen Fukunaga, CEO and founder of Funimation. “The excitement around this new series is palpable. Fan response to the anime will quickly rank ‘My Hero Academia’ among top anime classics such as ‘Dragon Ball Z,’ ‘One Piece,’ and ‘Naruto.’” “My Hero Academia” is based on the smash hit, superhero manga series of the same name, which now totals more than 3.7 million copies after less than 2 years since it first appeared in Shonen Jump. The manga has been so well-received in the U.S., that both released volumes of the English language version were New York Times Bestsellers. The new TV series is being produced by the acclaimed studio BONES, which has been the force behind numerous international anime hit series like ‘Fullmetal Alchemist,’ ‘Cowboy Bebop,’ ‘Soul Eater,’ and ‘Space Dandy.’

“Toho and BONES both enjoy an incredible reputation for producing extraordinary shows for anime fans,” said Mike DuBoise, EVP and COO of Funimation. “With the launch this week of our completely new mobile apps for iOS, Android, Kindle, and Windows 10 devices, FunimationNow will be the destination for fans to discover and stream subbed and dubbed episodes of the most anticipated new show of the spring season, ‘My Hero Academia.’”

Synopsis

There’s a new hero in town! “My Hero Academia” is a superhero origin story that soars to the top of the class! Izuku has dreamt of being a hero all his life—a lofty goal for anyone, but especially challenging for a kid with no superpowers. That’s right, in a world where eighty percent of the population has some kind of super-powered “quirk,” Izuku was unlucky enough to be born completely normal. But that’s not going to stop him from enrolling in one of the world’s most prestigious hero academies. Now, the only thing standing between him and his first class is the academy’s formidable entrance exam—nothing a little private tutoring from the world’s mightiest hero can’t solve.

For more about “My Hero Academia,” visit funimation.com/myheroclass and sign up for exclusive news and information.

HOUSTON, March 9, 2016 – Sentai Filmworks is proud to announce its acquisition of the 2008 comedy-fantasy anime Hatenkou Yugi. Having been lovingly kicked out of her home with the words, "Don't you wanna see the world a little?" 15-year-old Rahzel Anadis suddenly finds herself traveling from town to town. Her journey is off to a rough start when she's joined by Alzeid, a young man seeking revenge for his father's murder. The two do have a few things in common: they can both use magic, and they both despise each other. Despite their animosity, Rahzel and Alzeid travel together, helping people in other cities and discovering what it really means to "see the world."

The series was directed by Nobuhiro Takamoto (Starry Sky, Beelzebub), with series composition helmed by Yasuhiro Imagawa (Pet Shop of Horrors, Souten no Ken). Studio DEEN (Fate/stay night, When They Cry Kai) was in charge of animation production.

Hatenkou Yugi will soon be available on select digital outlets with a home video release to follow.

Published on Mar 12, 2016

Sword Art Online, the mega hit that sold 16.7 million copies worldwide, will come back as an animated feature with a brand new original story by author, Reki Kawahara!

Coming to theaters in 2017
Get the latest info at:
http://sao-movie.net/us/ (English)
http://sao-movie.net/de/ (German/Deutsch)

HOUSTON, March 14, 2016 – Sentai Filmworks is proud to announce its acquisition of the second season of the laugh-out-loud supernatural comedy series, RIN-NE. Produced by Brains Base and adapted from the original manga series by renowned mangaka Rumiko Takahashi (Urusei Yatsura, Ranma ½, Inuyasha), RIN-NE 2 continues where the first season ended.

Penniless half-human, half-shinigami-kind-of-thing Rinne Rokudo manages to scrape together just enough money to survive as he continues his work, leading lost spirits to the Wheel of Reincarnation. Aided by the forever blunt Sakura Mamiya and an entourage of ridiculous “friends,” Rinne has his work cut out for him as he encounters new allies and enemies, while still dealing with his nearly crippling poverty!

RIN-NE 2 is scheduled for an April 2016 broadcast in Japan. It will soon be available through select digital outlets, with a home video release to follow.

Published on Mar 14, 2016

The stakes have never been higher; the rivalries never as fierce; the risks never so great. One wrong move—one card short—and it’s game over for good. A decade in the making, Yu-Gi-Oh! The Dark Side of Dimensions features new designs and an all-new story from the original creator of the global phenomenon, Kazuki Takahashi. His masterful tale features anime’s most beloved characters in their long-awaited return: Yugi Muto, Seto Kaiba, and their faithful friends Joey Wheeler, Tristan Taylor Téa Gardner, and Bakura.

For the latest new on the new movie visit Yugioh.com/movie.
Watch full episodes of the original Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters animated series at Yugioh.com.