The license announcements continued today from both Crunchyroll and Funimation. Before today Funimation promised two things from today’s announcement: it was definitely going to be an anime and it was ‘surreal’. Finally the announcement hit and Funimation has revealed that they are the brand new owners of a slightly used but still very shiny FLCL license!

Originally licensed by Synch-Point, the six episode OVA got its first release in the US via DVD in 2002 and an Adult Swim broadcast (which is where I watched it the first time) in 2003. The series will be released on both DVD and Blu ray before the end of the year and as of the time I’m writing this, there’s no official confirmation regarding if the original English dub track will be used.

I’ll fess up right here though that while this is a very fan friendly move on the part of Funimation I’m personally not that excited. I remember not really being able to get into it when I first watched it. It could be fun to give this one another pass though. Regardless of how I feel about this, this is a slightly bigger deal than usual. FLCL is considered a classic from the last decade of animation by a lot of fans. The story and animation created by Gainax and Production I.G. was really unique for its time (keep in mind; FLCL was released the same season as Love Hina, Sakura Taisen and Saiyuki). Giving it a brand new life on both DVD and Blu ray is good news for fans that never had a chance to add to their collection the first time but I wonder how the moe generation of fans will take to it.

In another part of the internet, Crunchyroll made their next simulcast announcement today confirming the rumored Durarara. Produced by Brains Base, the series premieres on Thursday and will be available to fans in United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Finland on Friday at 11am Pacific.

While we’re on the subject of Crunchyroll, earlier tonight VP of Licensing at CR Rob Pereyda confirmed via twitter that their simulcasts of Omamori Himari will now also be made available in the UK, Ireland and Brazil. He also commented to me earlier that they are attempting to get Cobra the Animation available in ‘the rest of the Americas’.

Updated: Scratch that, it was just confirmed over twitter. “You asked, I listened…just got COBRA approved for the rest of the Americas! Change in effect in a bit on Crunchyroll.”

Full press releases below the cut

FUNIMATION ENTERTAINMENT ACQUIRES

FLCL

FROM PRODUCTION I.G.

Flower Mound, Texas (January 6, 2010) – FUNimation® Entertainment today announced that it has acquired home entertainment and digital rights to the six OVA sci-fi comedy anime series “FLCL” from Production I.G.

“FLCL” is the hugely popular OVA series from powerhouse partners Production I.G. (“The Ghosts in the Shell,” “Tsubasa”), Gainax (“Evangelion” series), and Starchild (“The Slayers” movies). It is directed by Kazuya Tsurumaki. 

ABOUT FLCL

Bored with his mundane middle school life, Naota longed for a change from his daily grind.  However his life completely changes after a pink haired stranger on a Vespa runs him over.  Weird things happen when he is around the mysterious girl known as Haruko.   Now not only must Naota deal with regular teenage troubles, but also with this new enigmatic woman.

FUNimation Entertainment will release all six OVA’S on one DVD set and on Blu-ray disc in late 2010.

About FUNimation Entertainment

FUNimation® Entertainment, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Navarre Corporation, is the leading company for Japanese animation in the United States. FUNimation is known for acquiring top-rated anime series from Japan and for being the market share leader for home video sales of anime in the United States. The company 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.

Baccano! Creator Ryohgo Narita’s Next Big Hit Coming to Crunchyroll Starting January 8th

San Francisco, CA and Tokyo, Japan (January 6, 2009) ‹ Crunchyroll and Aniplex announced today the addition of DURARARA!! to Crunchyroll’s Winter 2010 Anime Lineup. Based on characters created by Ryohgo Narita (Baccano!) and featuring original character designs by Suzuhito Yasuda (Kamisama Kazoku, Yozakura Quartet), DURARARA!! is animated by the perrenial hit-maker Brains Base. Series features the voice of Toshiyuki Toyonaga in the lead role of Mikado Ryugamine. More information can be found at http://www.crunchyroll.com/durarara.

“DURARARA!! is the most anticipated new anime title of the winter season,” states Crunchyroll Vice President of Licensing, Rob Pereyda, “we are extremely honored that Aniplex is working with Crunchyroll to bring this superb series to anime fans.”

DURARARA!! will be available in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Finland, in standard definition free of charge to all visitors of Crunchyroll’s website and across the Crunchyroll network one week after airing in Japan. Crunchyroll’s Anime Members and All-Access Members will receive early access to the program in 480P within one hour after its Japanese airing every Saturday JST.

DURARARA!! joins hundreds of other Japanese anime and Chinese and Korean live-action drama series in one of the largest English-subtitled streaming collections of officially-licensed East Asian content in the world.

All fans can enjoy all content on the site for free, but Crunchyroll Anime Members benefits include higher quality streams of all shows (in some cases at 720p High Definition Video) with no advertisement and early access to all simulcast shows as early as one (1) hour after its Japan Broadcast. Crunchyroll Anime Membership costs as little as $5 a month and goes directly towards supporting Japan Animation companies. More information, including a two week free trial membership can be found at http://www.crunchyroll.com/freetrial

Title Synopsis:

DURARARA!!

Ikebukuro, Tokyo.

Mikado Ryugamine is a young man who yearns for the city like no other. At the invitation of his childhood friend, Masaomi Kida, he moves to Ikebukuro and enters school there.

Masaomi tells Mikdado about some dangerous people in Ikebukuro to watch out for. There are two in particular, a brawling champion named Shizuo Heiwajima
and hobbyist information broker Izaya Orihara. And then there is a mysterious organization of unknown origins known as Daraazu.

On his first day headed into the city, Masaomi sees a jet black motorcycle being driven by a headless rider. From then on, a series of random attacks and events begin to occur on the streets of Ikebukuro, and a group known as the Kikinada Gang arises as Ikebukuro begins to crumble.

About Crunchyroll
Crunchyroll is the largest online community and video site for the very best in Japanese Anime and Dramas from Asia. Crunchyroll’s content is provided by Asian media leaders including TV TOKYO, Shueisha, d-rights, Fuji Creative Corporation (FCC), Media International Corporation (MICO), Pony Canyon, Yomiuri Telecasting Corporation, Toei Animation, Gonzo, Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation America and many others.

Crunchyroll was founded in June 2006 and has offices in both San Francisco and Tokyo. Crunchyroll is a pioneer and innovator within the Japanese anime industry and the only video service in the world to offer hit programs like NARUTO SHIPPUDEN, GINTAMA and many others online to its subscribers within one hour of its Japanese broadcast. Crunchyroll is a member of the Association of Japanese Animations (AJA) and the Licensing International Merchandisers Association (LIMA) and is funded by leading venture capital firm, Venrock. More information can be found at its website http://www.crunchyroll.com/ .

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