If you’re attending or in the area, PLEASE listen to the staff and cross to the other side of the street safely until further instructed. Staff is working on the issue right now and hopefully everyone will get to go back to enjoying their weekend soon.

Keep checking back for more details as they are made available.

Update: While no official cause has been determined, it seems that the incident was minor with no injuries being reported. People are slowing being let back into the building starting with staff and those in the dealer room. Whew, glad that everyone is ok!

Ookami-san to Shichinin no Nakama-tachi
Mr. Wolf and Seven Companions
Studio: JC Staff
Genre: Romantic Comedy / Fairy Tale parody
Premiere Date: 7/1

Where I Started: So yeah, there was something mentioned about a fairy tale parody series?

Where I Ended: Wow did that concept get dropped in a hurry. What was billed as a fairy tale parody series quickly turned into generic romantic comedy that vaguely references fairy tale each week. While I’ve heard others insist that the comedy in this series is gold, I’ve yet to see it. After 3 episodes the jokes were already repetitive while the characters didn’t have any real originality to begin with. It’s a comedy that occasionally elicits a chuckle but there are much better (and funnier) ways to spend your free time. The moral of this story: Plot summaries can’t be trusted.

Verdict: For fans who need a cheap Taiga Aisaka replacement.

Legend of the Legendary Heroes
Studio: ZEXCS
Genre: Fantasy
Premiere Date:
Available via Funimation

Where I Started: Oh right, I did watch this.

Where I Ended: It took way too long for me to stop feeling like I was watching a fantasy series trying to be every other fantasy series instead of something new and unique. While it’s nice to look at, Legend of the Legendary Heroes spends so much time establishing history and setting that it forgets to create memorable characters or lasting impressions. While fantasy fans might recognize this as building towards something, spending so much time in the past doesn’t do much to get me excited about the future.

Verdict: If you liked Record of Lodoss War, Tales of the Abyss, Tower of Druaga, etc. this will feel like a visit back home.

Shukufuku no Campanella
Studio: AIC
Genre: Harem Romance
Premiere Date: 7/2

Where I Started: One of the purest definitions of empty, moe trash.

Where I Ended: No clever quips here; the story of Shukufuku no Campanella is about as empty as the space inside each of its characters heads. It’s very pretty to look at but if you’re entering this series because you want a sweet moe story filled with cute romantic twists you’re better off saving your brain cells on ANYTHING else. It will never, EVER be referred to as a shining example of any genre but if you’re willing to turn your brain off for 25 minutes each week than this could be something to kill time with.

Verdict: A possibly guilty pleasure but I wouldn’t advertise it.

Mitsudomoe
Studio: Bridge
Genre: Comedy
Premiere Date: 7/2
Available via Crunchyroll

Where I Started: It’s kind of funny now but do they really intend to keep up this pace all the way?

Where I Ended: Taking the worst parts of Kodomo no Jikan and Azumanga Daioh, Mitsudomoe tried really hard in the beginning to be edgy with its fast paced physical comedy that never stopped. If only they hadn’t used all their best jokes by the end of the first episode. Going from slightly clever physical comedy to pee and snot jokes, Mitsudomoe took a nosedive and crashed spectacularly. No longer trying for clever, the staff now seem content with being gross or dumb just for the sake of doing so. Hint for aspiring anime writers: Just because the characters are yelling doesn’t make the jokes any funnier. Also, pee is usually only funny for a few seconds, not a few minutes.

Verdict: For fans of toilet humor and Ben Stiller movies.

Seitokai Yakuindomo
Studio: GoHands
Genre: Ecchi School Comedy
Premiere Date: 7/3

Where I Started: Wow, did they really just say that?… and that?… and that???

Where I Ended: I don’t hide how much I enjoy comedy that is willing to be at least a little different. Even before it premiered, fans have been comparing this season to last year’s Seitokai no Ichizon which isn’t entirely unfair. They do share some key elements: a single male landing a position within an all female student council and much of the comedy relies on sex jokes and that’s about where the comparisons end. While Seitokai no Ichizon relied on a perverted male lead and parody jokes; Seitokai Yakuindomo is happy to let their perverted female leads take the ball and run with it while taking turns being the straight man to the others. Unlike other comedies relying on gross comedy, this series succeeds in turning dirty comedy into dry wit. The hardcore references will limit its appeal to many but I’ll be watching through to the end at least.

Verdict: The other choice for those who find Mitsudomoe to be a little too blunt or crass.

Occult Academy
Studio: A-1 Pictures
Premiere Date: 7/5
Available via Crunchyroll

Where I Started: Maya makes me laugh!

Where I Ended: At first Occult Academy was a delicious dip into refreshing that walked a very tight line between mysterious horror and comedy. Somewhere along the way however that balance became terribly tipped towards the comedy side almost ruining the atmosphere that it had worked so hard to create. Using jokes and humor that made me flashback to old Looney Toons shorts, the series has already shrunk into a shell of what it was mere episodes earlier. It has its charm but this season is packed with horror and most of it a lot better than this.

Verdict: It lost me at episode 3.

Nuraihyon no Mago
Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan
Studio: Studio Deen
Premiere Date: 7/5
Available via Viz Media

Where I Started: I feel reminded of 3 different series already.

Where I Ended: Along the lines of Buso Renkin or DNAngel, Nura never comes across as a particularly weak shonen series. It also never comes across as a particularly original shonen series. Filled with story elements and designs that feel or look borrowed, this is one of the weakest efforts from Studio Deen in a long time (which pains me to say because I like Studio Deen). There’s nothing else like it this season because it was all done over the last few years.

Verdict: Pick a random shonen from the last 3 years and you’ll probably get the same effect.

Tono to Issho
Studio: Gathering
Premiere Date: 7/5
Available via Crunchyroll

Where I Started: So it’s 90 seconds of Japanese puns?

Where I Ended: I take that back; it’s 90 seconds of Japanese puns and historical references. If you’ve ever studied the Warring States period of Japan or the Japanese language in general you might find something to watch here. I can’t help but look at this and become confused at everything I’m not getting.

Verdict: Huh?

Asobi ni Iku Yo
Studio: AIC Plus
Premiere Date: 7/10
Available via Crunchyroll

Where I Started: No, just no.

Where I Ended: If you enjoy busty heroines and moe alien love comedy, this is the summer premiere that you knew about ahead of time and were waiting for. Asobi ni Iku Yo delivers exactly what you’re expecting: fan service, mostly mindless humor, government conspiracies and a bit more that you weren’t expecting. Regardless, if you enjoyed To Love Ru this is your next big thing.

Verdict: This will have absolutely no problem finding an audience, I just won’t be among them.

Cat Shit One
Studio: Anima
Premiere Date: 7/17

Where I Started: I thought it’d be bloodier.

Where I Ended: Essentially a 25 minute action sequence starring a grizzled bunny war veteran with his much younger bunny recruit. What makes this release special are the use of animals to replace people which completely alters the audiences perspective on how one should feel. It’s easy to filter out war violence you’re used to but bunnies blowing away camels and almost getting turned into bunny bits themselves? Not so much. Should Anima turn this into a full TV series or OVA I would watch without a moment of hesitation.

Verdict: Another one that everyone should check out just to watch something different.

So there are my views of the month. Obviously your experiences may vary but let’s face it, there just wasn’t a lot of great original series to get excited about this month. But the fall season is just around the corner and with that will come more Letter Bee, To Aru Majutsu no Index and To Love Ru along with new series such as Panty and Stocking and the first Marvel anime, Iron Man. But what got you excited this month? Disagree with any of my assessments? Share your favorites in the comments below!

Alright, finally we’re in the home stretch of this very busy news cycle that Funimation put everyone through today. Saving the best bits for last, Funimation made five license announcements today at their panel at Otakon. Starting with two new summer simulcasts, Funimation revealed today that they will be picking up the “fairy tale parody” series (I use that phrase very loosely and love that even Funimation use the phrase ‘fairy tale-ish’ in their release) Ookami san, the vapid moe harem eroge adaptation Blessed of Campanella (Shukufuku no Campanella) and the popular fan service series Strike Witches 2. Honestly all three of these are kind of a surprise to me; Strike Witches 2 because it started as a Crunchyroll simulcast earlier this month and the other two because they really aren’t that good. Regardless, all three series will begin streaming on the official Funimation site in August with DVD releases all planned for 2011.

In Hetalia news, Funimation also announced today that they have picked up the latest season of the popular series Hetalia World Party along with the movie Hetalia Paint it White. Like the previous announcements, the latest season will begin streaming on their official site in August and the movie will see a DVD release in 2011.

Finally, Funimation licensed two additional movies. The first one is the one that fans have probably long suspected would be coming but here it is anyway: Yes Virginia, Funimation is releasing the second of the four Evangelion remakes Evangelion 2.0: You Can [Not] Advance. The movie originally opened in 2009 in Japan and will finally be getting its North American DVD and Blu ray release in 2011.

Last from Funimation is the one that completely took me by surprise. Released in 2009, the family fantasy movie won the Best Animated Film category at the Japanese Academy Awards and features a family coming together to fight off a real world crisis that occurs after a teen accidently brings down a worldwide social networking site. That’s right, Funimation has picked up Summer Wars. You can tell them thank you for that in all the usual places.

And that does it for today. It’s almost 1am and I’m exhausted! If there are any incoherent rambles, typos or just plain weird passages that you notice I haven’t fixed feel free to point them out and I’ll fix them in the morning. For now though Funimation, thanks for an exhausting night of catch up. For everyone else, all the press releases are below the cut and as always it’s been real, it’s been fun, it’s been… zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

FUNimation Acquires “Blessing of the Campanella”

Simulcast to begin in August, DVD release planned for 2011

Flower Mound, Texas (July 30, 2010) – FUNimation Entertainment, the leading distributor of Japanese animation in North America, announced today it will partner with Marvelous Entertainment for the online simulcast of the “Blessing of the Campanella” exclusively in the United States.

FUNimation has also acquired home entertainment, digital, broadcast and merchandise rights for the 12 episode fantasy anime series.

Known as “Shukufuku no Campanella” in its native Japan, “Blessing of the Campanella” is based on the popular Japanese visual novel of the same name.  The series takes place in the magical city of Ert’Aria.  As the residents prepare for a harvest festival, a young technician named Leicester Maycraft witnesses the crash of a mysterious shooting star.  Upon further investigation, Leicester is surprised to find a young woman at the site of the crash.  Now the young man must figure out who this mysterious girl is, and why she keeps calling him Father.

Animation for the series is done by studio AIC (“Strike Witches 2”, “Heaven’s Lost Property”).  The series features as Nobuhiko Okamoto (“Air Gear”, “Sacred Blacksmith”) as Leicester Maycraft and is directed by Shinji Uchiro.

The FUNimation.com video portal will also soon be the online simulcast home for the fairy-tale-ish parody, “Okamisan”, exclusively in the U.S. on behalf of Media Factory, Inc.

FUNimation Entertainment’s rights also include home entertainment, digital, broadcast and merchandise for the 13 episode series with plans to release the title on DVD in 2011.

Known as “Ōkami-san to Shichinin no Nakama-tach” in its native Japan, the series is animated by Japanese animation studio J.C Staff and directed by Yoshiaki Iwasaki (“Love Hina”, “The Familiar of Zero”).  The show features an all star cast including veteran voice actress Shizuka Itou (“xxxHOLiC”, “Blassreiter”) and actress Kanae Itou (“Queen’s Blade”, “Tetsuwan Birdy Decode”).

Based on the light novels released by ASCII in Japan, the anime follows tomboy Ookami Ryouko and her spunky best friend, Akai Ringo.  Both work for a special club at their high school that specializes in solving students’ problems, no matter how dangerous.  The anime is well known for parodying famous children’s stories including Snow White and Little Red Riding Hood.

FUNimation Entertainment has been tapped for the online simulcast of the 13 episode World War II adventure anime “Strike Witches 2”.  Through an agreement with Kadokawa Pictures, Inc. fans can catch new episodes, in addition to already aired episodes of the series through the FUNimation video portal at www.funimation.com/video.

In addition to the simulcast, FUNimation has been awarded home entertainment, digital, broadcast and merchandise rights for the series.

Directed by Kazuhiro Takamura (“Strike Witches”, “Cardcaptor Sakura”), animation for “Strike Witches 2” is done by studio AIC (“Shuffle”, “Heaven’s Lost Property”).  The anime continues the adventures of the Strike Witches, the group of young woman fighting to liberate war torn Europe from deadly aliens.  With jet pack boots and supernatural powers, it is up to them to take on the powerful Neuroi before they take over the earth and enslave humanity.

FUNimation Entertainment previously released the first series, “Strike Witches”, on DVD in North America earlier this year and will release “Strike Witches 2” on DVD in 2011.

FUNimation Entertainment to Acquires Hetalia World Series
and the Movie HETALIA AXIS POWERS: PAINT IT, WHITE

Flower Mound, TX – July 30, 2010 – Flower Mound Texas, FUNimation Entertainment, the leading distributor of Japanese anime in North America, announced today it has reached an agreement with Japanese production studio Media Factory, Inc. for the online simulcast and home entertainment release of the comedy series “Hetalia World Series” in the United States.

Starting in August, FUNimation Entertainment will premiere the newest episode of “Hetalia World Series” shortly after its initial digital download premiere in Japan.  The anime will be available with its original Japanese dialogue with English subtitles through FUNimation.com and FUNimation streaming partners.  A date and time for its U.S. debut will be coming soon.

“Hetalia World Series” continues the off-beat tradition of its predecessor, “Axis Powers Hetalia”, following Italy, Germany, and now joined more prominently by Prussia on their escapades re-interpreting the past.  Colorful, cute, and crass; this is world history as you have never seen it before.

Created by Hidekaz Himaruya, Hetalia World Series reunites the voice cast “Axis Powers Hetalia”.  The anime stars Daisuke Namikawa, as Italy, Hiroki Yasumoto voicing Germany, and new addition Atsushi Kousaka as Prussia.  The series is produced by Studio Deen (“Fruits Basket”, “Vampire Knight”).

FUNimation has also acquired to first animated feature-length adaptation of the series “Axis Powers Hetalia.” The film is called HETALIA AXIS POWERS: PAINT IT, WHITE and is the first appearance of the character Iceland. The nations must ward off aliens and save mankind as we know it from extinction and the draining of color throughout the world.

FUNimation will release the movie on DVD in 2011.

FUNimation Entertainment Acquires EVANGELION: 2.0 YOU CAN (NOT) ADVANCE from NTV

Flower Mound, TX – July 30, 2010 – FUNimation® Entertainment today announced that it has acquired the home entertainment, broadcast, digital  and merchandise rights to the animated sci-fi action film EVANGELION: 2.0 YOU CAN (NOT) ADVANCE from NTV.

EVANGELION: 2.0 YOU CAN (NOT) ADVANCE is the second of four films by Hideaki Anno and Studio Kharabased on the 1990’s Gainax “Neon Genesis Evangelion” anime series, a long-running anime about teenagers defending the world from machines and mass destruction.

The film is produced by Toshimichi Otsuki and directed by Hideaki Anno, Masayuki, and Kazuya Tsurumaki from the screenplay written by Anno. The mechanical designer is Ikuto Yamashita.

The setting is Tokyo 3, an outpost in a future world devastated by the “Second Impact.” Attacked by shape-shifting mecha-behemoths known as “Angels”, what’s left of Earth is defended by giant “Eva” robots piloted by high school students. Selected for duty by NERV, a top-secret military organization, the children are linked to their Evas by a design feature that channels the spirits of deceased family members into the machine’s circuitry. The lead pilot is Shinji (voiced by Ogata), the troubled son of emotionally distant NERV scientist Gendou Ikari. Rebelling against his predestined path, Shinji is brought back into the fold by teacher-mother figure Misato Katsuragi (Mitsuishi) and fellow pilot Rei (Hayashibara).

EVANGELION: 2.0 YOU CAN (NOT) ADVANCE. opened as the #1 film at Japan the week of its debut in October 2009.

FUNimation Entertainment will release the film on DVD and Blu-ray in 2011.

FUNimation Entertainment Acquires

Japanese Academy Award Winner SUMMER WARS from NTV

An Anime Family Saves the World in this Film Festival Favorite

Flower Mound, TX – July 30, 2010 – FUNimation® Entertainment today announced that it has acquired the home entertainment, theatrical, broadcast and merchandise rights to the animated sci-fi action film SUMMER WARS from NTV.

Released in August 2009 in Japan by Warner Brothers, SUMMER WARS is produced by Madhouse and directed by Mamoru Hosoda.  SUMMER WARS is the second full-length film that Hosoda has made as a freelance director. The first, THE GIRL WHO LEAPT THROUGH TIME, an animated movie in which the teenage heroine discovers that she can travel to the past, received rave reviews from critics and audiences worldwide.

SUMMER WARS reunites many who worked on that film, including scriptwriter Satoko Okudera and character designer Yoshiyuki Sadamoto.

The SUMMER WARS story begins with Kenji, a timid math prodigy who seems better suited for virtual worlds than his more intimidating high school. When class cutie Natsuki asks Kenji to accompany her on a family trip to celebrate her great-grandmother’s 90th birthday, he instantly agrees, not realizing she intends to present him to her family as her fiance – a ruse that forces Kenji, who hides behind an avatar online, to role-play in the real world as well.

The plot thickens after Kenji solves a math riddle that inadvertently brings a worldwide social networking site to its knees and throws the real world into confusion. Suddenly, this large family in rural Japan must work together to stave off a world crisis.

SUMMER WARS has screened at film festivals worldwide, including the Sitges International Film Festival of Catalonia, the Berlin International Film Festival, the Sydney Film Festival, Locarno Film Festival, the Hawaii International Film Festival, and the New York International Children’s Festival and was nominated for an award at the prestigious Annecy International Animation Film Festival. Hosoda’s previous offering, THE GIRL WHO LEAPT THROUGH TIME, won the Special Distinction for Feature Films in 2007.

SUMMER WARS also won the prize for Best Animated Film at the 33^rd Japanese Academy Awards earlier this year and made an impressive $18.3 million at the Japanese box office.

FUNimation Entertainment will release the film theatrically in 2010 and on DVD and Blu-ray in 2011.

About FUNimation Entertainment

FUNimation® Entertainment, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Navarre Corporation, is the leading company for home video sales of Japanese animation in the United States.  FUNimation has a proven formula for launching and advancing brands, and manages a full spectrum of rights for most of its brands including broadcasting, licensing, production, internet, and home video sales and distribution. For more information about FUNimation Entertainment and its brands, visit www.funimation.com.

In news that isn’t immediately related to emptying your wallet, Funimation has also announced the first new details for their online social networking/streaming site. Formally known as ShoDojo, the site will now be called… funimation.com (a little anti-climatic but MUCH less confusing). The site will launch for the first time in September as part of an open public beta and will include a lot of the standard features you’d expect like the ability to comment, forums, profiles, exclusive video content and more. In October the site official go “live” and will be free for everyone to join. Of course a premium membership which will feature ad free content and more exclusive features will also be offered at some point down the line which means Crunchyroll just got some very direct competition.

I’ve been kind of excited about this project ever since Funimation announced it and I know that I will be getting a membership as soon as they are made available (I’m guessing I’ll pretty much have to if I want to watch simulcasts in a timely fashion). Anyone else already got plans to check it out?

Once again, full press releases can be found below the cut or you can follow me to the last part of the news cycle license announcements. Trust me, Funimation saved some good announcements for the east coast!

FUNimation Entertainment to Offer First Anime Branded Pre-Paid Debit Cards

Flower Mound, TX (July 30, 2010) – FUNimation Entertainment has partnered with Plastyc Inc. to distribute a new series of UPside Visa® reloadable prepaid cards to customers who want to keep a little anime in their wallet.

Some of the anime leader’s signature series will be available in prepaid debit card form when the cards are rolled out nationally in August. Afro Samurai: Resurrection, Fruits Basket, Sgt. Frog, Soul Eater and Tsubasa will be among the first brands featured with more to be added as the program grows.

The UPside Visa Prepaid Card is a secure, responsible and easy way for users to make their anime or everyday purchases anywhere Visa credit or debit cards are accepted. Cardholders can conveniently load funds onto their prepaid debit cards online using direct deposit or cash using Green Dot® MoneyPaks®”or a parent credit or debit card, or a parent checking or savings account. The UPside Visa Prepaid Card is issued by MetaBank pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc.

The card offers the consumer:

- buying flexibility of credit cards with no risk of debt or interest rates

- a safe “charge” option for online purchases

- protection if a prepaid card is lost or stolen

- parental control features

- online account monitoring

- financial independence

“The Upside VISA Prepaid Card is a great alternative to credit,” said Adam Zehner, Director of Acquisitions and Licensing at FUNimation Entertainment. “There is no worry about a credit card bill at the end of the month because you will only be able to spend what is pre-loaded on your card.  Plus, you can manage your account and its balance online. An anime branded prepaid card allows you to be cool while fiscally responsible.”

“Fans of anime are active, and often young, participants in the online economy.  The anime-themed UPside cards are the best way for them to be responsible in the way they spend their money on what they are passionate about, and also for every day needs,” said Patrice Peyret, CEO of Plastyc.

The program will begin in August. For more information about the program, please visit www.funimation.com/card.

Plans for  the UPside Visa Prepaid Card vary and card maximum may change or fees may apply based on the plan selected.

About Plastyc Inc.

Plastyc provides the most affordable, easy-to-use and financially responsible banking services in the U.S. today. Everybody can sign up online in minutes and start receiving funds from jobs, parents, or friends. No hidden fees, no risks of overdraft, no impact on credit scores.

Plastyc addresses consumers of all ages, including teenagers (13-17), provided that an adult is involved in their enrollment to our services.
Plastyc helps companies get paid by consumers easily and efficiently, or even pay contributors out instantly and at no cost.

Plastyc’s principals are veterans of the consumer and payment industries, with decades of experience at companies such as GemAlto, Oberthur, Unilever, Thomson/RCA, Sun Microsystems and Mobile365. Plastyc Inc. privately held with headquarters in New York City.

About MetaBank™

MetaBank is a federally-chartered savings bank regulated by the Office of Thrift Supervision.  Meta Financial Group, Inc.® is the holding company for MetaBank, Meta Payment Systems®, and Meta Trust Company®.

For more information visit http://www.metacash.com

FUNimation Entertainment Introduces Video-Based Social Networking Website for Anime Fans

Users Can Sign Up Now For Beta Test

FLOWER MOUND, TEXAS – July 30, 2010 – FUNimation® Entertainment, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Navarre Corporation, has announced that the anime leader is launching an anime-focused social media and video hub in an all new FUNimation.com. FUNimation is inviting fans to participate in a private beta test in September, with the public launch to follow in October.

FUNimation.com is an online video community designed specifically with the anime fan in mind. At funimation.com, fans will find the largest selection of streaming, on-demand, high-quality, premium anime programming as well simulcasts for series now airing in Japan. The site has also integrated more than 200 individual brand sites, each with its own look, content, message board, videos and more. New features offer tools for the user to interact with friends and forge relationships with other fans who share their passion. Whether it’s posting on message boards, inviting friends, or uploading fan art or cosplay photos, FUNimation.com is the online destination for anime fans.

Membership to the FUNimation.com community is free and allows anyone the ability to create an account and personal profile and watch hundreds of hours of top anime content from FUNimation Entertainment, including exclusive content from top titles not available anywhere else.

Features of the site include:

• Improved video environment
• Exclusive content
• Ability to post comments and reviews on your favorite content
• Free account with customizable profiles
• Cosplay and fan art galleries
• Upgraded forums
• Weekly contests and polls
• More FUNimation news and event updates

Other features will be added in the future, including an Elite Membership subscription service launching later this year. The Elite Membership service includes everything mentioned before as well as access to ad free, high-quality English language dubbed episodes before they are available anywhere else, exclusive forums, additional contests, and more.

“Fans of this entertainment genre and industry flock to the Internet to find compelling content and people with similar interests,” said Gen Fukunaga, president and CEO at FUNimation Entertainment. “Meanwhile, online social networking engages millions of consumers and has become a part of their daily lives. Our intention for the new FUNimation.com is to not only create a central point for them to gather and share that information but a distinctive interactive experience.”

Anime fans who are interested in signing up to participate in the private beta testing period can do so in one of two ways: if attending the Otakon anime convention in Baltimore July 30^th through August 1^st, fans may go to the FUNimation booth (booth B at the front of Hall F) or they can go directly to www.FUNimation.com/Beta to sign-up for a chance to selected to be a part of the beta team.

Registered members can also interact with community managers and provide feedback that will help shape the way FUNimation.com evolves.

Starting with Black Butler the cast lists as

ADR Director: Ian Sinclair

CIEL                          = Brina Palencia
SEBASTIAN               = J. Michael Tatum
ABBERLINE               = Jonathan Brooks
AGNI                          = Patrick Seitz
ANGELA                     = Colleen Clinkenbeard
ASHE                          = Chuck Huber
BARDROY                 = Ian Sinclair
CORRARO                 = Bruce DuBose
DROSSEL                  = Sonny Strait
DRUIT                         = Todd Haberkorn
ELIZABETH                = Cherami Leigh
FINNIAN                     = Jason Liebrecht
GRELL                        = Daniel Fredrick
HAROLD                    = Newton Pittman
LAU                             = Jerry Jewell
MATILDA                    = Leah Clark
MEI LIN                       = Monica Rial
MR. TANAKA             = R. Bruce Elliot
PAULA                        = Jessica Cavanagh
PLUTO                        = Z. Charles Bolton
RACHEL                     = Brina Palencia
RANDALL                   = John Gremillion
SOMA                         = Chris Ayres
UNDERTAKER          = John Swayze
VINCENT                    = Robert McCollum

If gothic masters and servants isn’t your cup of tea, Oh Edo Rocket is shaping up to be an interesting historical comedy itself with the cast as follows

ADR Director: Tyler Walker

AKAI                             = Chuck Huber
ANKLES                       = Mike McFarland
ARMS                           = Jeremy Inman
BLUE GIRL                   = Colleen Clinkenbeard
EARS                           = Anthony Bowling
EYES                           =  J. Paul Slavens
GENZO                         = Chris Cason
GENZO’S MOTHER       = Melinda Wood Allen
GINJIRO                       = Jonathan Brooks
HEELS                        = Newton Pittman
KNEES                        = Justin Cook
OISE                            = Stephanie Young
OLD MAN                     = Steve Powell
ONUI                            = Tia Ballard
ORIKU                         = Trina Nishimura
ROKUBE                      = Sonny Strait
ROKUBE’S WIFE          = Laurie Steele
SANTA                         = Charlie Campbell (Note: I’ve never seen this series but Santa???)
SEIKICHI                       = Greg Ayres
SHINZA                        = Sean Michael Teague
SHUNPEI                      = Cherami Leigh
SORA                           = Brina Palencia
TENHO                         = Leah Clark
TENTEN                        = J. Michael Tatum
TETSUJU                      = Vic Mignogna
TORII                            = R Bruce Elliott
TOYAMA                      = Ian Sinclair

Finally, if you’re not into gothic masters and servants or historical comedy… damn you’re hard to please. How about a twisted Bee Train action series filled with guns and assassins like Phantom ~Requiem for the Phantom~?

ABEL: Mike McFarland
ANTON: Eric Vale
CAL: Brittney Karbowski
CARLO: Ian Sinclair
CLAUDIA: Colleen Clinkenbeard
DUKE: Maxey Whitehead
EIN: Lindsay Seidel
GODO: Phil Parsons
HIRONO: Megan Miller
JUDY: Ginneh Thomas
LIZZIE: Shay Moore
MCGWIRE: J. Michael Tatum
MIO: Leah Clark
MOTEGI: Todd Haberkorn
RANDY: Christopher R. Sabat
REIJI: Newton Pittman
RICHARD: Robert McCollum
SANAE: Jamie Marchi
SCYTHE: Kent Williams
SHIGA: Christopher Bevins
TONY: Mark Stoddard
WALLACE; Bryan Massey
WISEMEL: Rick Keeling
XU: Jerry Jewell

So that takes care of the first three announcements of the day (full press releases are below the cut if you want to take a look). Next up, Funimation talks social networking and buying stuff.

FUNimation Entertainment Announces English Dub Cast of Black Butler

Flower Mound, Texas – July 30, 2010 — FUNimation^® Entertainment has announced the English cast of the supernatural anime “Black Butler.”

The cast:

CIEL                          = Brina Palencia

SEBASTIAN               = J. Michael Tatum

ABBERLINE               = Jonathan Brooks

AGNI                          = Patrick Seitz

ANGELA                     = Colleen Clinkenbeard

ASHE                          = Chuck Huber

BARDROY                 = Ian Sinclair

CORRARO                 = Bruce DuBose

DROSSEL                  = Sonny Strait

DRUIT                         = Todd Haberkorn

ELIZABETH                = Cherami Leigh

FINNIAN                     = Jason Liebrecht

GRELL                        = Daniel Fredrick

HAROLD                    = Newton Pittman

LAU                             = Jerry Jewell

MATILDA                    = Leah Clark

MEI LIN                       = Monica Rial

MR. TANAKA             = R. Bruce Elliot

PAULA                        = Jessica Cavanagh

PLUTO                        = Z. Charles Bolton

RACHEL                     = Brina Palencia

RANDALL                   = John Gremillion

SOMA                         = Chris Ayres

UNDERTAKER          = John Swayze

VINCENT                    = Robert McCollum

The ADR director is Ian Sinclair.

About Black Butler

Produced by A-1 Pictures, “Black Butler” was released in 2008 in Japan.  Based on the manga written and illustrated by Yana Toboso, the anime of the same name is directed by Toshiya Shinohara. The series follows the story of the 12 year old head of a noble family, Ciel Phantomhive, and his demon butler Sebastian.

For more information about the series, please visit http://www.funimation.com/blackbutler.

FUNimation Entertainment will begin releasing the 24-episode series in early 2011.

FUNimation Entertainment Announces English Dub Cast of Oh! Edo Rocket

Flower Mound, Texas – July 30, 2010 — FUNimation^® Entertainment has announced the English cast of the 26-episode animated series “Oh! Edo Rocket.”

The cast:

AKAI                             = Chuck Huber

ANKLES                       = Mike McFarland

ARMS                           = Jeremy Inman

BLUE GIRL                   = Colleen Clinkenbeard

EARS                           = Anthony Bowling

EYES                           =  J. Paul Slavens

GENZO                         = Chris Cason

GENZO’S MOTHER       = Melinda Wood Allen

GINJIRO                       = Jonathan Brooks

HEELS                        = Newton Pittman

KNEES                        = Justin Cook

OISE                            = Stephanie Young

OLD MAN                     = Steve Powell

ONUI                            = Tia Ballard

ORIKU                         = Trina Nishimura

ROKUBE                      = Sonny Strait

ROKUBE’S WIFE          = Laurie Steele

SANTA                         = Charlie Campbell

SEIKICHI                       = Greg Ayres

SHINZA                        = Sean Michael Teague

SHUNPEI                      = Cherami Leigh

SORA                           = Brina Palencia

TENHO                         = Leah Clark

TENTEN                        = J. Michael Tatum

TETSUJU                      = Vic Mignogna

TORII                            = R Bruce Elliott

TOYAMA                      = Ian Sinclair

The ADR director is Tyler Walker.

About Oh! Edo Rocket

In this comedy set in1842, government reforms have banned all luxuries, including plays, inventions, and fireworks. Despite the political climate, Seikichi, a young fireworks maker, dreams of making a huge firework the likes of which have never been seen. Unfortunately, every time he fires a test rocket the government officials try to track him down. One day, a beautiful, mysterious girl appears before Seikichi and asks him to build a rocket that can reach the moon.

FUNimation Entertainment will release the complete series on DVD this fall.

FUNimation Entertainment Announces English Dub Cast of

Phantom ~ Requiem for the Phantom

Flower Mound, Texas – July 30, 2010 — FUNimation^® Entertainment has announced the English cast of the anime series “Phantom ~ Requiem for the Phantom.”

The cast:

ABEL

Mike McFarland

ANTON

Eric Vale

CAL

Brittney Karbowski

CARLO

Ian Sinclair

CLAUDIA

Colleen Clinkenbeard

DUKE

Maxey Whitehead

EIN

Lindsay Seidel

GODO

Phil Parsons

HIRONO

Megan Miller

JUDY

Ginneh Thomas

LIZZIE

Shay Moore

MCGWIRE

J. Michael Tatum

MIO

Leah Clark

MOTEGI

Todd Haberkorn

RANDY

Christopher R. Sabat

REIJI

Newton Pittman

RICHARD

Robert McCollum

SANAE

Jamie Marchi

SCYTHE

Kent Williams

SHIGA

Christopher Bevins

TONY

Mark Stoddard

WALLACE

Bryan Massey

WISEMEL

Rick Keeling

XU

Jerry Jewell

About Phantom ~ Requiem for the Phantom

The suspense-filled thriller centers around a mysterious organization called Inferno and its “Phantom,” the organization’s most elite assassin. This assassin’s true identity is compromised by an unwitting witness. Witnesses are usually killed but this witness is brainwashed into become Inferno’s newest assassin and enters a world of intrigue and violence.

FUNimation will release the series on DVD in early 2011.

Announced on their blog today, Funimation will be offering special pre-paid Funimation cards starting next month which can be used to purchase anime online securely. You’ll even be able to choose between five different card designs (Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles, Soul Eater, Fruits Basket, Sgt. Frog or Afro Samurai) with more to come later. The details on the blog entry are still a little vague at the moment but a direct page has been set up for fans to get on the email list which will alert you when the program is completely up and running.

So as much as I like that Funimation is doing something new to empty the wallets of teenagers and young adults across North America (where was this idea when I was 14 and needed a way to buy stuff online?) I’m failing to see exactly is how this is really any different from going to the grocery store and buying a regular reloadable, pre-paid card. I do have an email out to Funimation as I type this and will update with more information as it becomes available.

In this case everyone including the judge and defendant’s lawyer expressed some doubt at the ruling. To quote the judge preceding over the case, Nils Palbrant, he stated

“There’s a clear conflict between freedom of speech on the one hand and general regulations regarding children’s rights on the other.” “It was however our view that the protective aspect weighed more heavily when taking into account the intentions of the legislator. The aim of the law, as described in the preliminary work that led to its creation, is not just to protect individual children but children in general.”

Today it seems that Canada has joined in the battle to save the rights of fictional children by sentencing a man in Ottawa on child pornography charges stemming from his arrest earlier this year. After a search of his possessions (part of a nationwide sweep) revealed 1,974 images of children in sexual positions or situations (only 3 of which weren’t cartoon images). The man was submitted to psychological testing but failed to meet the criteria to be labeled a pedophile and was instead sentenced to 90 days in jail (to be served on weekends) and 3 years of probation.

Additionally he must submit a sample of his DNA, have no unsupervised contact with minors under the age of 14 and have his name on the sex-offender registry for 20 years. Assistant Crown Attorney Mark Holmes, said of the case “To call them cartoons is to trivialize them.” Really Sherlock? (see what I did there?) Because to a lot of us it looks like you’re spending a lot of time fighting a pretty trivial part of a larger issue.

I’ve made my feelings about these kinds of charges fairly clear in the past but for the sake of being redundant here it is again; protecting children is important. No child within the real world should have to go through abuse be it physical, sexual or otherwise. Fictional children however can be abused however they want because guess what? They don’t exist. There are no rights being violated here because fictional 2D drawings haven’t been granted the same rights that you or I are fortunate enough to possess in any single country (including their possible country of origin).

It’s a sad trend that we’re seeing play out but sadly it might actually be the way of the future.

<Image via Pixiv>

Regardless, last night the news broke that the light novel Kizumonogatari by NisiOishi (Bakemonogatari, Katanagatari) will be getting an anime adaptation! The information is coming via a promotional flyer included with another of NisiOishi’s light novels, Nekomonogatari, and so details are still limited. It is known that the story serves as a prequel to Bakemonogatari and Shaft will be returning to do the animation. Earlier this year, an anime adaptation for the sequel novel titled Nisemonogatari was also listed on Amazon Japan but was quickly scrubbed from existence once people started to notice it. Conspiracy? Probably not but let’s make with the additional announcements here! I’m not going to be able to waste my life away watching foreign cartoons forever ya know!

On a related note, it was also noted alongside the flyer that there will be five additional light novels published in the series with the final being Koimonogatari in December of 2011.

If you couldn’t tell, I’m really excited about this. I have absolutely adored both Bakemonogatari and Katanagatari since their premieres so more NisiOishi anime makes for one happy little anime geek! So now begins the not so patient waiting game. Is it out yet? Is it out yet? Is it out yet? Is it out yet? Is it out yet?

<Via MyAnimeList, ANN>

For the first ten minutes of this feature, I was actually confused and left wondering what the point was: Who are these girls with weapons and why are they fighting? Why are we suddenly cutting to a slice of life school story? And now why are we cutting back and forth? As the school story begins however, the questions that surround the beginning become the intricate little pieces that pull it together so tightly. Centering on a new school year, two girls meet for the first time and quickly become best friends. Throughout their first year together, Mato and Yomi share all of the joys and experiences that one usually associates with a new friend. They laugh, they study, go to festivals; most importantly they bond to each other.

All the while, in a world that has a completely different atmosphere and art style a girl named Black Rock Shooter is trapped in the darkness and searching for the one who controls this world; another girl called Dead Master. When she finds her their battle begins with Black Rock Shooter never once going for a kill but always on the defensive with her hand extended towards the other as another mysterious girl waits in the shadows for the battle to finish.

With such a stark difference in tone and art, it was hard to see at first but finally all the clues made sense and I realized I was seeing two entirely different worlds express the exact same events in different ways. In one world, Mato is entering her new school on a search. Filled with optimism she wants to find who she is, what she’s good at and more importantly someone to share that time with as she is searching. In another world Black Rock Shooter is alone in a foreign world but never stops pushing forward until she finds the thing that she is searching for.

When Mato and Yomi are put into separate classes during their second year, Mato finds a new friend and Yomi is left alone and her jealousy and loneliness becomes very real. It’s all she can do but to stay away and watch from a distance. Almost as though there is a physical barrier keeping her from being with her friend once again. In response to this, Yomi does what anyone might do and puts up a wall to prevent anyone from knowing how much she is actually hurting leaving Mato to slowly figure it out and fight to get to her best friend once again.

Meanwhile Black Rock Shooter has found the one she is searching for and extends her hand once again. There is no warmth on the face of her opponent however and Black Rock Shooter will have to overcome every physical obstacle possible to reach her goal. No matter how many walls Dead Master has put up and no matter how chains and obstacles she must fight through, Black Rock Shooter and Mato are both left with the option of giving up or testing themselves to see how far they are willing to push and what pain they are willing to endure when the only source of energy they have left is friendship. In the closing moments when Yomi disappears, Mato is left with no choice but to feel responsible while Black Rock Shooter is left shackled and powerless. In the end it’s up to Yomi herself to provide the final answer, one final message that states in the fewest amount of words possible ‘save me from this loneliness. Let me know that I’m still an important part of your life.’

The loudest argument that I can still hear in my head is why that world or those doing battle even exist in the first place but for once the answer is simple and makes an amazing amount of sense without even having to be explained; it exists because Mato and Yomi made it exist. Imagine your own feelings; conflicts you may have had with friends or the emotions that always felt like they were so much more powerful when you were a teenager and experiencing them for the first time. When these two girls meet, neither one have many (or any) other friends. Yomi had just moved back to the country and Mato never had any other friends to begin with. When entering a new environment like that, it only makes sense that the first best friend you make is the one who creates the most powerful emotions within you. The feelings that you could feel within every part of you; when you’re with that friend laughing, everything inside of you feels warm but when you’re low or feel rejected, those feelings could be equally magnified in the other direction. The feelings of jealousy, loneliness and self loathing that Yomi felt as she watched her best friend slip away were obviously crushing. She wanted badly to reach out and have her friend back but felt completely alone. Imagine those feelings becoming so real and tangible that the shell Yomi puts around herself is an entirely new world. A feeling of emptiness so strong to create a world that she believes even her best friend would not traverse to rescue her.

While watching this release, a part of me almost wanted to be offended for being sold to so obviously. It had been made clear that this entire release was created to generate the sale of goods. A 50 minute commercial? You could argue that but as I watched and just took in everything that was being offered from the music to the artwork and most importantly, the rich self contained story of two best friends willing to literally battle to keep their relationship alive I felt my cynicism wash away. This release may have ended happily but the worlds created are still alive and have a new master that I’d like to see again. If this is the direction that animation is starting to head, I will follow and support it the best I can if means that releases like this will return in the future. Skillfully crafted and leaving an impression that will last for days to come, if it means I get to watch another approachable artistic leap of faith like this again I’d be willing to make a sacrifice to repay the effort.

Available from NIS America

Available from Right Stuf

The Story

After losing their parents and youngest sibling to an accident, Shin and his younger brother Jun moved to Tokyo to be raised by their aunt. 10 years later, the brothers have decided to move back to their hometown of Ayanagi City to stay with their older brother, Ryo, who happens to be chief of police there. Arriving in town, Shin and Jun are treated coldly by Ryo who tells them that they should leave right away. Refusing to listen, the brothers stay and slowly start to learn about the history the city and their brother is trying to hide.

10 years earlier, the city underwent massive damage due to citizens falling into vegetative states from what was referred to as Apathy Syndrome while a crew manning a submarine in Toyama Bay all mysteriously disappeared without a trace. In the present day, more incidents are happening involving people disappearing while others are dying by literally turning inside out. Through their friends at school, Shin and Jun also learn of a new trend amongst the teenagers called Shadow Extraction involving forcibly making someone’s spirit leave their body giving them an overwhelming sense of relaxation and euphoria. In the middle of all this, Shin stumbles across a secret plan to target people like him who are capable of using Personas, incarnations of their spirits which take on the form of mechanical beings and battle against others.

Good and the Bad

Another series that I started blindly, Persona – Trinity Soul - (referred to as simply Persona from here out) is billed as a supernatural action series and had I watched this series weekly upon its premiere I can say without a doubt that I would have dropped it within only a couple of episodes. Thanks to the benefit of having it on DVD I know now that this eventually would have been a mistake… but it certainly took a long time to get to that point.

Starting slow, Persona gets in its own way early thanks to clumsy storytelling that takes many episodes to find its footing. In the first three episodes, the tone of the series is very heavy. That’s not automatically a bad thing but one of the key elements to this entire first half is a very slow story introduction and rarely elaborated past the surface level. This creates the first issue of story information being delivered on such a small level that the tone drags the pacing to a crawl. And it takes another 11 episodes to fix the problem.

It’s never that Persona is trying to tell a particularly weak story. Throughout the series, there are quite a few interesting elements that are hinted at to keep viewers intrigued. By delivering the story information in such small doses however, those interesting tidbits become increasingly frustrating. Almost entirely dialogue driven, the series continues through each arc by spending entire episodes exploring new relationships or story elements but rarely elaborates much further than surface level of what is happening.

For a series that is steeped in mystery and intrigue, any viewer would naturally expect many elements to be obscured from view in order to keep them guessing. Persona goes far beyond that scale however by creating elements and cliffhangers that may never even be brought up again for the entire first half. As frustrating as this was to watch as a viewer, looking back I can’t help but wonder how much this frustration was just due to all of it being delivered by such a flat cast of characters.

With dialogue being the primary source of moving forward, the loudest thud that comes from Persona dropping the ball occurs with its characters. Flat and lacking in general personality, it was exceedingly difficult to feel any sort of real attachment to the characters. While occasionally managing to develop new sides to their personalities, the main and supporting characters are fairly 2 dimensional in their presentation. This isn’t a completely generality as there are certain one off events and running stories which show some new sides Shin and his brother, Ryo. However other characters such as their friends at school will remain almost entirely the same people throughout the half despite any new events or interactions that they come across along the way.

And yet despite this laundry list of complaints that I feel the need to lodge against the story and characters, there were just as many moments throughout the set in which it was impossible to turn my eyes away. Produced by A-1 Pictures (Black Butler, Senkou no Night Raid, Occult Academy), the animation in this release is another stellar feast for the eyes. Deeply detailed, the visual eye candy that A-1 Pictures creates for Persona is evident in the first few minutes. From the first time Shin and Jun make it back to their house and again later when the audience sees personas being used for the first time, many times throughout this series the scenery surrounding the characters will create an atmosphere that feels almost real. When one character has a moment of weakness on the beach at night, the glow of the moon along with the background behind the characters it can almost make a person feel the chill from the wind blowing against the characters.

Music

Composed by Taku Iwasaki (Katanagatari, Samurai X, Soul Eater, Black Butler), the score for this series is one of the more amazing highlights that keeps the series moving forward while also playing one of the largest roles in creating the heavy tone and atmosphere that was mentioned earlier. In the first few moments of the series, Iwasaki plays the series in with a soft string melody to match the snowfall while later turning to a warm piano theme for the brothers return home. That’s just the first episode though; throughout the series Iwasaki’s music will only serve to compliment the heaviness of the series with tones that rarely let any part of the story move forward too quickly. The exceptions to this occur mostly during car scenes when things are mixed up with new elements ranging from hip hop to modern pop with insert songs. Long after you’ve left this series behind though, it’s the softer tracks, such as the haunting choral piece that fills the background in episode 4, that will stick with you.

Extras

Like their release for Toradora, NIS America filled this release with extras both on the discs and in the packaging. Packed inside a large art box along with the DVDs is a collector’s art book filled with series information and artwork. Filled with profiles on the characters, setting, the various persona and 4 panel manga representations of each episode; the book is an interesting to read through once you are done watching the set (there are spoilers within so I do suggest waiting until the end to read through it entirely). It wasn’t until I read through the five interviews and thoughts from various staff members the the book provided the most interesting looks into the series that expand very slightly on what was trying to be accomplished through the animation and storytelling.

On the other side of the book, NIS America has also include a full color reprinting of the book ‘A Whale’s Feather’ written by the parents of the brothers and occasionally featured throughout the series. All created on high quality thick cardboard, fans of the series will appreciate having wonderful keepsakes to add to their collection. However just like their Toradora release, the main complain with this set is the sheer size! Measuring 11 inches tall, 8 inches wide and 1 inch thick, I’m left once again with no choice but to ask NIS America… make them smaller!

Moving onto the discs themselves, extras featured on the second disc include original commercials and a promotional movie released prior to the series premiere.

Overall

The good news about Persona is that eventually the series does find its footing and creates one shocking cliffhanger leading into the second half. The bad news is that the story is so completely desperate to keep its secrets well guarded to the end that I couldn’t blame a single person who had already decided to give up on the series long before they reached this point. While pretty to look at, the first half of Persona proved to be more of a challenge to complete than a treat to sit down and enjoy.

To feel a particularly strong connection to this series audience members are going to have to work at it and be ready to put their patient hats on while they wait for  answers to the questions constantly being raised. This is not something to pick if you’re looking for something light that you can have on for background noise. Persona will require and demand your full attention. Unfortunately the effort it takes to get anywhere severely outweighs the enjoyment it gives back along the way. You can find better ways to spend your time than pushing your way through this.