Title:

Imagine you’ve just graduated college, and took a trip to Washington, D.C. to celebrate. While snapping a photo of the White House, you encounter a naked man with gun, a cell phone, and no memories. Do you lend him your coat? Do you follow him back to Japan? Saki Morimi finds herself in this situation in the first episode of the anime Eden of the East, soon to be released from Funimation Entertainment.

The naked man reveals himself (not like that) to be Akira Takizawa, a young man who lives in a shopping mall and may or may not be a terrorist. Eden of the East follows Takizawa’s increasingly-bizarre journey to find out who he is and why he voluntarily erased his memories. Takizawa’s cell phone is also a mystery, as it contains 10 billion yen and has the power to call forth a concierge who can make anything happen. Yes, anything. What’s more, he must spend this money to save Japan – and if he doesn’t, he’ll be killed.

Where did Takizawa get this cell phone and who is on the other line? How will he “save” Japan with 10 billion yen? What has he bought with 2 billion already? The questions just keep coming until the end of this 11 episode series. Saki gradually learns more and more about Takizawa, as well as who was really behind the mysterious missile attacks on Japan.

Eden of the East is firmly set in a world aware of 9/11 and its impact around the world. The story centers on young people who are alienated by authority and who don’t fit into a rigidly structured society. Those who have decided to withdraw from society harness the power of the Internet to communicate, and Takizawa is determined that these social misfits are actually the key to Japan’s future.

The pacing of the story is tight, with tidbits of information in each episode designed to keep audiences in suspense. There’s a lot packed into 11 episodes, but the series never feels rushed. With animation by Production I.G., the visuals of Eden of the East are superb, and the character designs are pleasant and cute while retaining their expressiveness. The cityscapes are beautiful and provide a real sense of place to the events in the show.

I’d recommend Eden of the East to anyone who likes the “Jason Bourne” series and is willing to go with the flow of this unusual anime. Funimation is streaming the series in its subtitled form on their website, and the DVD and Blu-Ray versions were released in stores October 19th.

FUNimation Entertainment has just acquired the licensing rights to “Baka and Test” and “Dance in the Vampire Bund.” On Friday, March 5th at 10:00 AM CST, they’ll be screening the first two episodes of Baka and Test along with the first four episodes of Dance in the Vampire Bund.

Baka and Test is about an academy of students who can summon a miniature avatar version of themselves and battle. he students are grouped by skill level, and those in Class A are the brightest. Then there’s Akihisa Yoshii’s group – lowly Class F. They’re the worst on campus, and they’re about to take on the school’s best.

Dance in the Vampire Bund, produced by Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood’s Masahiro Sonada is about Mina Tepes, Queen of the Vampires, and her protector Akira Kaburagi who wishes to fufill his destiny by protecting those who wish to dethrone her.

Both series will also be available to own through download for $1.99 per episode through FUNimation’s website.
For more information, check out their official site.

http://www.funimation.com/

Fullmetal Alchemist: State Alchemy Exam Features:

Art taken directly from the series, including rarely seen concept art
Each exam question has a time limit, so players will have to think fast
12 reward wallpapers specially designed for the iPhone and iPod Touch
Certificates to mark your progress, and earn the title of “State Alchemist”
Social networking integration that let you post your best scores and achievements to compete with other players for bragging rights, or share your progress with friends on Facebook or Twitter
More questions will be added via updates to give players new challenges.

Fullmetal Alchemist: State Alchemy Exam is currently available for $1.99 from the Apps Store.

FUNimation and Appliya are planning more anime app releases, including a Fullmetal Alchemist action game, apps based on the comedy anime Shin chan, and apps featuring Afro Samurai anime series, which aired exclusively on North American cable network Spike TV, featured the voice of Samuel L. Jackson, and was ranked as the best-selling North American anime DVD of 2007.

Today we received a flood of news from the FUNimation camp! Not sure if there was a con of the weekend or they just felt like sharing the good news. Either way…here we go!

First up is the announcement of FUNimation earning the full rights to the 24 episode sci-fi action anime series, “Full Metal Panic!” and the 12 episode “Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu” sequel. The series will be released on DVD and Blu-ray in 2010 but you can catch it streaming on their website here in December.

What is Full Metal Panic?

Sousuke Sagara is a seventeen-year-old military specialist working for the secret organization MITHRIL and has been recently assigned to protect the latest “Whispered” candidate: Kaname Chidori. Sousuke will have to deal with enemies from his past as well some surprising characters. Unfortunately for Sousuke, the toughest part of his mission isn’t only protecting Miss Chidori but also getting used to living as an average high school student.

FUNimation also acquired the rights to 12 episode action anime series, “Sekirei” from Aniplex. The anime is based on the manga only available in Japan. The series will be released on DVD in 2010.

Here is a rundown about the story:

Minato Sahashi is extremely intelligent, yet his inability to cope well under pressure has led to his failing the college entrance exam – twice. As a result he has been branded a loser. One day he meets a girl named Musubi as she is being chased by two bandits and his life changes forever. The girl runs but takes him with her and soon finds that Minato, while unknown to him, is an Ashikabi, one of the mysterious set of masters that can become partners with some of the 108 cute girls, buxom women, and bishōnen called “Sekirei”. Their partnership will allow Minato to realize his true capabilities and his own strength.

In more series from Aniplex news, FUNimation also acquired the digital rights to the 26 episode sci-fi action anime series, “Testuwan Birdy Decode”. The series is based on the manga and will be released in half season sets on DVD in 2010.

Here is what Tetsuwan Birdy Decode is all about:

Birdy is an interstellar space agent sent to Earth to investigate the appearance of aliens under the secret identity of a popular Idol. A frantic late night mission causes her to catch an innocent schoolboy, Tsutomu in her deadly line of fire. Thanks to a special space technology, Birdy knows a way to restore his life by joining their two bodies into one. Now Tsutomu and Birdy must share the same body, mind and adventures while the his body slowly heals…

The last bit of news is actually about FUNimation. Today they have announced that Chris Moujaes will be joining them as Director of Original Entertainment. Chris has prior work with Boomstar and in managing animation teams.

What FUNimation hopes that Chris does is to focus on acquisition and development of a slate of original anime titles based on major intellectual properties.

Companion Cube Love

This past weekend I was lucky enough to visit Anime Weekend Atlanta for a day and check out one of the largest anime conventions in the US. The convention took place from Sept 18 to 20th at the Renaissance Waverly Hotel and Cobb Galleria.

We got there bright an early on Saturday morning. The weather was not very pleasant, so it was great that the hotel and galleria were connected to one another. No one wants to be walking around in cosplay outside in the rain. Doubly so if you are dressed as a Companion Cube!

The first thing we did was check out the Dealers Room. As every good con-goer knows, the most popular items will go first and fast, so you want to make sure you don’t miss out on the rare find. There were a lot of great retailers there; FUNimation and Media Blasters had booths on the floor. Happy Japan had a great little booth with some bento boxes and accessories for the bento enthusiast. Several booths were selling felt/fabric kitty and animal hats. Of course, many t-shirts, keychains, figurines and manga and anime sellers were also in attendance. I didn’t spend too much in the Dealers Room myself, limiting purchases to some blue & black kitty ears, a Mokona keychain, an SOS Brigade button, a cute “wing” ring and Rock and Roll Love, a manga by Misako Rocks! (Look for a review coming to the Turning Japanese section later this week.) Thrallmind and I also picked up an onigiri mold and some sauce containers for bento making.

Bear Bento & Tools Used to Make It from Natakiya

There were two panels in particular that we wanted to see that day. The first one was Budget Bento Beautification. The panel was all about how you can make great bento with tools you should already have in your kitchen. Our hostess Natakiya had some really great tips on how to make bentos more colourful and fun with using simple things like food colouring in the rice, cookie cutters and even your standard single hole punch. Can’t afford a bento box at the moment? Odds are you have a Ziploc or Tupperware container around that’s just the right size. And you would be amazed at what you could have hiding in the fridge to help you make fun shapes for animals and other creatures. Rule #1 of bento making: make sure the rice is completely cool before putting meltable items on top! You can check out her blog for more great pictures and bento tips.

After this panel we were going to try to see Rikki Simmons (voice of GIR from Invader Zim) for an autograph and Misako Rocks! for her manga workshop, but due to an injury I sustained outside the hotel, we unfortunately missed those panels. So we grabbed some sushi and chocolate filled mochi before checking out the Steampunk cosplay panel.

I wasn’t too sure what to expect going into the Steampunk panel. I’ve seen elements of the genre in anime like Tsubasa Chronicle and Desert Punk, but I’ve never really researched the topic. Hosted by the ladies and gents of Outland Armour, they began with a video they put together, then proceeded with a brief overview of Steampunk and where it came from, the books and visionaries behind it. Then it got more technical as they started talking about various materials they’ve used to make their pieces and showing off some of their latest works. They had some very impressive looking weaponry and armour, including pieces they created for their Steampunk Star Wars. I have to say that other than the fact I was still a bit out of my element in the room, the hosts had some awesome humour in panel, which helped make the 2 hour block more enjoyable for me.

Gracious & Gorgeous Geisha

Next up we headed over to Artists Alley. We saw some very amazing prints and pieces there, as well as some not so amazing. Most people were very happy when we approached their tables, but some sadly chose to ignore us for their DSes or PSPs or iPhones and speak only to tell us pricing. A few of our favourite artists were Zelas, Shori Ameshiko, Chewibunny, and littlecelesse, to name a few.

They had several other great events going on that I didn’t have the chance to check out. There was a Maid Cafe and a Lolita Fashion Show, several video rooms and gaming rooms, panels with various guests like Tavicat, Troy Baker and others. If I had had the chance to go again on Sunday, there was a JDrama panel that I would have had a blast attending I’m sure.

I’m looking forward to attending again next year, hopefully for the entire event. It was a great time, everyone was so welcoming and well behaved, and there were some great costumes to behold. Many thanks to the AWA staff for hosting such a well-planned event.

Volume 1 of 3 (contains 4 episodes)

Release Date: 15/04/2009
Genre: Action/Adventure, Anime, Fantasy, Horror
Runtime: 100.0 mins

Those of you who have played the “Devil May Cry” games would most likely know the story behind this series. If you’re like me and haven’t touched any of them – read on.

The main character in this series is Dante. He is packing some serious heat – in fact in the first episode he’d made quite a few demons resemble Swiss cheese by the 2 minute mark. However he isn’t just wielding 2 smoking barrels but a big, nasty, sharp sword as well.

Dante is an assassin of sorts – he gets hired to fulfil certain jobs (for a fee) and each one varies. At one stage he gets hired to protect and accompany a little girl (named Patty) who is the heir to a fortune that her uncles and everyone else wants a piece of. Somehow she ends up taking residence with Dante, and tries to spruce up his office thinking frills and bows will entice more business.

It’s not all up to Dante – there are two ladies turning up the heat who are just as skilled as he is. These ladies appear to operate in the same manner as Dante, meaning that they seem to get hired to perform certain jobs similar to those which Dante carries out.

From what I can gather, although these jobs may start out innocently enough, they all tend to gravitate towards a common theme – get rid of the demon. So yes, that means gory looking creatures and violence, followed by a smidgen of blood flow. Or blood explosion.

Special features? Certainly!:

• Interview with the Japanese voice actor for “Dante”, Toshiyuki Morikama.
• Promos for “Devil May Cry 4″ video game and “Devil May Cry” Anime
• Textless versions of the opening and closing songs
• 2 cut scenes from “Devil May Cry 4″ video game
• E3 2007 preview of “Devil May Cry 4″ video game
• Tokyo Game Show ’06 preview of “Devil May Cry 4″ video game
• Trailers of other Madman animated releases

Yes, this series does involve a lot of slashing, gunfire and other types of violence but if you are already a fan of the video games then this would come as no surprise. If you aren’t though, this series might just interest you enough to pick it up. Give it a go if this is the type of genre you live for!

(c) 2007 CAPCOM CO., LTD. / DMC Committee. Licensed by FUNimation? Productions, Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

For the US readers, our friends at RightStuff have a copy here or here – or you could grab the Complete Collection. If you’d prefer our Amazon store then there is a copy available and the Complete Collection on Blu-Ray will be coming out soon.

Casshern Sins

FUNimation is at Otakon anime convention and is releasing three announcements of new anime series. Casshern Sins is a 24 episode (first season) post-apocalyptic sci-fi series. Casshern tracks down Luna, a girl that is supposed to save mankind, and kills her. This cause events to start to end the world. Hundreds of years later, Casshern has no memory and is on a journey of self discovery and redemption.

The series will start in fall 2010.

FUNimation then announced that is owns the original masters for the entire Dragon Ball Z series including episodes and films. The first of seven Dragon Boxes will be available this fall. Box one has 42 episodes, uncut and on 6 discs. Dragon Box One will be our on November 10 for $79.98.

FUNimation’s last announcement is that they have acquired the rights to the live action comedy movie, Daytime Drinking from StONEwork Film Production.

Here is a summation:

After breaking up with his girlfriend, Hyuk-jin hits a bar in Seoul with his friends. They decide to take a drunken trip to a festival in Joengseon, a small town out in the Korean countryside, to console his broken heart. They agree to leave first thing the next day.

However, when Hyuk-Jin gets off the bus the next afternoon, he finds out he’s the only one that made the trip. He calls his friends, but they all had horrible hangovers and completely forgot. Worse, he quickly finds that the festival they were headed to was weeks ago, and the tiny beach town is shuttered- the shops aren’t open, there are no other tourists there, and the beach is freezing cold. Hyuk-jin is truly, honestly, alone.

When one of his friends suggests Hyuk-jin wait for them at a hostel run by an old pal from college, he agrees. He seeks it out, not realizing that not only is the place he’s sleeping in not the right hotel in the slightest, but that this is just the beginning of a very strange adventure.

Daytime Drinking will be out in 2010.

If you are a fan of the popular Shoujo manga Fruits Basket, then odds are you have posters, t-shirts and tote bags you use in your day to day life. Well, thanks to a new partnership with There.com, FUNimation is now offering digital versions of popular items for your Avatar and its virtual home.

Not only can you purchase digital versions, but you can also choose to visit FUNimation’s e-store and purchase real life versions as well.

“We love that Fruits Basket can inspire There.com inhabitants to add a little flair to their avatars and profiles and create a vibrant, virtual world influenced by anime,” says Adam Zehner, Director of Acquisitions and Licensing at FUNimation Entertainment.

“Virtual goods continue to be increase in popularity with our members,” said Michael Wilson, CEO of There.com. “We’re pleased to add FUNimation Entertainment to the growing list of partners that offer our members an avenue for self-expression, both in There.com and in the real world.”

FUNimation is planning to launch merchandise for some of their other popular anime series later on this year, meaning even more goodies for There.com members.

FUNimation Entertainment announced that they will be broadcasting streams of the popular anime series, One Piece immediately following the Japanese television run.

Starting May 30 at 9pm CDT, the first episode will be available and streaming on www.onepieceofficial.com. The episodes will be subtitled in English.

”This simulcast is a turning point for FUNimation, our One Piece partners and the U.S. anime industry,” said Gen Fukunaga, president and CEO of FUNimation Entertainment. “Thanks to our close partnership with Toei, Shueisha and Fuji Television, together we have effectively closed the longstanding gap between the Japanese broadcast and U.S. distribution of a series. As One Piece continues to be one of the top rated anime still in production, we can assure U.S. fans that new episodes of One Piece will not only make the voyage overseas, but will do it virtually instantaneously.”

Day 9 FUNimation brings you mech action-adventure Gad Guard.
“Many people have searched for it, many have stolen it, and many will kill for it. The Gad is a seemingly magical stone that, once making a strong spiritual connection with someone, will grow into a very powerful robot known as a Techode: a mechanical being that embodies the will of the bonded person.
This is the story of Hajiki Sanada, a boy struggling to help support his fatherless family in an electricity-impoverished city known as Night Town. One day he encounters a Gad. Now his life will never be the same… ”

The series will be released on DVD in 2009.

Day 8 FUNimation announces action sci-fi series Vandread
“The battle of the sexes may seem bad on Earth, but in a space colony far, far away, things are even worse. Men and women haven’t seen each other for decades, so they don’t just argue in the future – they go straight for each other’s throats. Enter lowly Hibiki, a little guy with big dreams of adventure, who finds himself in the middle of a firefight after stowing away in a top secret mech designed to purge the galaxy of estrogen! But as the gender war rages on, a mysterious crystal weapon forever links their starships – and their destinies. Time is running out as men and women explore their sexual differences, struggle to suppress raging hormones, and fight to survive the threat of a deadly common foe! ”

You can see the first episode at www.funimation.com/vandread

Day 7 FUNimation announces the new Ninja Action anime Nabari No Ou
“Miharu Rokujo is content to live an introverted, apathetic life, but destiny has other plans for him. Trapped inside this young boy lurks the powerful secrets of the Shinra Banshou – a ninja art powerful enough to control the world. Forced to join the school’s Nindo Club for his own safety, Miharu is introduced to covert members of the hidden ninja world Nabari. If the boy is to survive, he must rely on Kumohira, the club’s advisor, who vows to discover a method for removing the clandestine powers that could one day make Miharu the Ruler of Nabari. ”
The complete series will be on DVD in two 13 episode half season sets in 2009.