Anime Zen Blog

FUNimation Entertainment has achieved recent success with its well managed programming venture, the FUNimation Channel and its related media partners. Continually expanding its boundaries as a company well capable of reaching out to more than your traditional product licensor and distributor, FUNimation Entertainment has recently announced their plans to increase fan exposure to their FUNi Channel, and in more ways than one as well. The FUNimation Channel is a new digital network featuring programming of top anime brands from Japan.

FUNimation has announced that through CoLours TV Network, as available through the DISH Network’s basic satellite television package, the FUNimation Channel has planned to extend the programming block of primetime anime. Due to an overwhelmingly positive response from the television viewing community as well as form the anime community itself, FUNimation is responding in the best way possible: by giving everyone more of what they love. The new extended block will feature uncut episodes from such fan favorites as the action-packed Yu Yu Hakusho, the classic comedy The Slayers, and the newer hit fantasy series Negima, which was voted as one of the top four best anime series by fans in Japan.

“Based on strong fan feedback and network partner response, we are pleased to announce that the FUNimation Channel syndicated anime block will double from two hours to four hours,” Gen Fukunaga, pres. and CEO of FUNimation Ent. commented. “Once again this is outstanding news for anime and entertainment fans in the United States as we continue to offer new and exciting programming to a growing number of households.”

In related FUNimation Channel news, one of the few distribution channels of Japanese animation created by fans for fans has been made available in Hawaii since September 18th 2006. Courtesy of KIKU-TV, approximately 375,000 anime fans in Hawaii will be offered the FUNimation Channel. KIKU-TV is a multi-cultural television station that broadcasts over 90 hours of fascinating programming from around the world in five languages every week, including over 30 hours weekly of Japanese language shows.

“KIKU-TV has been bringing quality Asian programming to the people of Hawaii for nearly 40 years,” Phyllis Kihara, GM of KIKU-TV commented. “FUNimation Channel’s great anime programming fits perfectly with and is a great addition to our existing line-up and we are excited to bring these shows to our viewers.”

The FUNimation Channel will be shown Mondays through Fridays from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Hawaii Time. The anime series that will be featured are Blue Gender, Kiddy Grade, Tenchi Muyo! GXP and Baki the Grappler.

 Anime Weekend Atlanta today, ADV FIlms announced the following new licenses: UFO Ultramaiden Valkyrie 3, Moeyo Ken TV series and the Coyote Ragtime Show.

ADV Films also announced the license for UFO Ultramaiden Valkyrie Season 4 at AWA this weekend. Source: Anime on DVD

Media Blasters has licensed Gakuen Heaven. The series is based on You Higuri’s shonen ai manga, the first volume of which Tokyopop will release in November. Source: ICv2

Robotech: The Shadow Chronicles has been named the Best Animated Sci-Fi Feature at the 2006 International Horror and Sci-Fi Film Festival. The DVD was originally scheduled for a November release but has been delayed to “early 2007.”

Bleach volume 1, which was first released in June 2004, soared to #7 on the BookScan graphic novel list for the week ending September 17. Volume 2 jumped to #20, and five other Bleach volumes are in the BookScan top 50, of which manga held 42 spots. Addendum: The Jump on Bookscan is for the week immediately following the September 9 premiere of Bleach on Cartoon Network. A similar jump was reported for Naruto in September 2005.

Geneon’s new Paradise Kiss splash page confirms that they have obtained a license to use the show’s ending theme, Franz Ferdinand’s Do You Want To, in the US. Geneon previously stated they were hopeful but not sure whether they would be able to license the music. Source: Anime on DVD

AN Entertainment has informed Anime News Network that the Haré+Guu TV series will be included on the Funimation Channel. Haré+Guu is the first non-Funimation property to be announced for broadcast on their channel/block (Funimation distributes Haré+Guu for AN Entertainment).

Geneon has announced that most of the DVDs they were distributing for Toei (including those that were never released) have been officially discontinued, effective August 31. These are Slam Dunk volume 1-6 (5 and 6 were solicited but never released) and Air Master volume 1-5 (54 and 5 were solicited but never released). Toei’s 2005-04-12 release of Interlude, also distributed by Geneon, remains available.

The New York Film Festival will be showing Satoshi Kon’s newest movie, Paprika on October 7th. Paprika premiered at the Venice International Film Festival earlier this month and is scheduled to compete in the Tokyo International Film Festival next month. The Japanese theatrical release is scheduled for January, followed by the North American theatrical release in March.

Gunslinger Girl is coming to the Independent Film Channel as part of The Grind Hour, a new anime block on the network. The block will run Fridays from 11-midnight Eastern with Gunslinger Girl and Basilisk starting January 12 (Basilisk premieres October 6 at 11pm). Source: Hollywood Reporter