FUNimation Offers Anime Fans Digital Upgrade

Anime distributor FUNimation Entertainment is doing plenty to keep fans on their toes this spring season. Eager and willing to jump into the environment of digital distribution with content partnerships and simultaneous-broadcast agreements abound, FUNimation is providing further evidence of its rightful place as a market leader amongst a constituency of the digitally savvy. While the greater Japanese animation distribution community has yet to adequately find a way to properly organize and monetize anime programming's place on the web, FUNimation appears well on its way.

Not quite dividing the spoils of title licensing amongst video-sharing partners but still conjoining a much-needed dialogue between the distributor, fans, and supporting groups, FUNimation Entertainment has unveiled a string of importance announcements that will see to a host of new, recent, and classic Japanese animation available on the web -- for free.

Headlining this head-rush of anime available on the net is FUNimation's acquisition of the highly anticipated series re-make Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.

A re-imagining of the events taking place in a worldview where fantastical alchemy dominates evolutionary thought rather than science, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood will reportedly retrace the steps of the first Fullmetal Alchemist anime, from 2003, this time keying up Hiromu Arakawa's original manga as its primary script.

Brotherhood has already made its debut on FUNimation.com/video, the distributor's free-access holding site for all sorts of video clips, trailer footage, and subtitled episode viewing. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood will essentially be simulcast with its Japanese debut, with subtitled episodes streaming via FUNimation soon thereafter. FUNimation Entertainment, it should be noted, has additionally acquired the rights to distribute Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood on home video, presumably starting later this year

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Also on this licensing and distribution company's slate is a calculated plan to make available episodes of other popular anime, only recently announced, available on the FUNimation site. Titles such as the classic, over-the-top action fest Fist of the North Star, space-opera classics Captain Harlock and Galaxy Express 999, and magical-girl anime Pure Cure are among the lucky few.

With the distributor's video portal already seems bursting at the seams with anime already under license; the additions here offer a cheap and easy way for fans to become acquainted with more out-of-the-way, sought-after anime. These anime programs will be shown with English language subtitles.

According to FUNimation, one complete series will be added each week for seven straight weeks.

Capping off FUNimation's announcements in relation to online video content distribution, the company has inked a deal with Veoh Networks, to serve as exclusive broadcaster for select animation titles. A self-proclaimed, "open platform for content publishers of all sizes and sophistication," Veoh will host roughly 200 hours of FUNimation programming. More than just an afterthought for online viewing, FUNimation's Veoh Channel will host new episodes of current anime series'. Currently on schedule is the girls-with-guns sequel anime Gunslinger Girl: Il Teatrino and supernatural tale Shikabane Hime. Other anime available on Veoh range far and wide: Ghost Hunt, Shigurui: Death Frenzy, Rumbling Hearts, Moon Phase, Jyu-Oh-Sei, and Kiddy Grade.

on FUNimation Entertainment: FUNimation Entertainment (www.FUNimation.com), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Navarre Corporation, is a leading company for home video sales of Japanese animation in the United States. FUNimation has a formula for launching and advancing brands, and manages a full spectrum of rights for most of its brands.

Recent FUNi-related Articles at Animation Insider:
"Barbarity & Skill Converge: Shigurui Samurai Anime on DVD" (04/2009)
"Utawarerumono DVD Review" (03/2009)
"Martial Arts Anime Kenichi on Sale" (03/2009)
"February 2009 FUNimation Licensing News: Part Two" (02/2009)
"February 2009 FUNimation Licensing News: Part One (02/2009)
"January 2009 FUNimation Licensing News" (02/2009)