The
lists of releases that some fans love to hear came flowing like a
mighty stream from Lance Heiskell, brand manager from Funimation.
"We'll have a lot more anime in the fall. We have a lot of nice new
shows, but I can't say yet," he said. The plans he could discuss begin
with a makeover for the Funimation.com web site, where Heiskell hopes
to get voice directors and actors to respond to more online questions.
Then the release plan talk, beginning with Yu Yu Hakusho, where
Funimation will release new episodes in conjunction with new figures
from Jaaks Pacific, more T-shirts, a lunch box and a game and Yu Yu
Hakusho bedding for kids. The series' "chapter black saga" is
scheduled for release in February.
February
2004 also is the month for Kiddy Grade, starting with a Feb. 10
release. According to Heiskell, the first volume will feature a clear
case, reversible cover and cards with artwork that is based on
mid-episode bumpers. There were 48 cards with an ultraviolet aqueous
coating in the Japanese release, and they'll be released six cards to a
volume in the U.S. version with the cards limited to the first 10,000
copies in the U.S. release. Kiddy Grade also gets its own web site;
Heiskell promises a "kick ass site" with Shockwave Flash displays, Java
applets and videos. Watch the videos for "easter egg" hints, he said;
the easter eggs include Kiddy Grade model sheets.
Dragon
Ball GT continues with new volumes scheduled for 2004 release on Feb.
3, and March 30 (look for cards in this volume), and a new saga on May
11. Then there's Tenchi GXP, which should start release just after
Kiddy Grade and finish up after that series (final episodes of Kiddy
Grade go on sale in November and Tenchi GXP ends in December, he said).
While Funimation also will release more Yu-Gi-Oh, it will be the U.S.
television version and won't be uncut. Why? "It's mainly because of
music rights," he answered. "The music rights are expensive you
wouldn't believe it." Of course, the rights to anime series usually are
divided among several groups - financiers, artists, production
companies and publishers - and a company such as Funimation has to
negotiate the rights to all aspects of those series.
The
lists of releases that some fans love to hear came flowing like a
mighty stream from Lance Heiskell, brand manager from Funimation.
"We'll have a lot more anime in the fall. We have a lot of nice new
shows, but I can't say yet," he said. The plans he could discuss begin
with a makeover for the Funimation.com web site, where Heiskell hopes
to get voice directors and actors to respond to more online questions.
Then the release plan talk, beginning with Yu Yu Hakusho, where
Funimation will release new episodes in conjunction with new figures
from Jaaks Pacific, more T-shirts, a lunch box and a game and Yu Yu
Hakusho bedding for kids. The series' "chapter black saga" is
scheduled for release in February.
February
2004 also is the month for Kiddy Grade, starting with a Feb. 10
release. According to Heiskell, the first volume will feature a clear
case, reversible cover and cards with artwork that is based on
mid-episode bumpers. There were 48 cards with an ultraviolet aqueous
coating in the Japanese release, and they'll be released six cards to a
volume in the U.S. version with the cards limited to the first 10,000
copies in the U.S. release. Kiddy Grade also gets its own web site;
Heiskell promises a "kick ass site" with Shockwave Flash displays, Java
applets and videos. Watch the videos for "easter egg" hints, he said;
the easter eggs include Kiddy Grade model sheets.
Dragon
Ball GT continues with new volumes scheduled for 2004 release on Feb.
3, and March 30 (look for cards in this volume), and a new saga on May
11. Then there's Tenchi GXP, which should start release just after
Kiddy Grade and finish up after that series (final episodes of Kiddy
Grade go on sale in November and Tenchi GXP ends in December, he said).
While Funimation also will release more Yu-Gi-Oh, it will be the U.S.
television version and won't be uncut. Why? "It's mainly because of
music rights," he answered. "The music rights are expensive you
wouldn't believe it." Of course, the rights to anime series usually are
divided among several groups - financiers, artists, production
companies and publishers - and a company such as Funimation has to
negotiate the rights to all aspects of those series.
