Funimation "Roll-out Riot" Talkback

I often join an Asian Film Group at the local university. The guy who runs it is a Film studies major with a specialty in Hong Kong cinema. This will most likely make him happy. He was recently lamenting the dwindling proper releases of classic Hong Kong films.
 
So Hetalia was the most exciting announcement this week...

I've never heard of Blacksmith, but I have heard of Hetalia. I'm glad they at least got something that some of the fans wanted.

...But yeah, I am very disappointed here. But I can't say I'm angry. I had put my expectations down recently due to the live-action crap coming first. I knew there wasn't going to be anything too exciting.

I just hope FUNimation get Trigun and Higurashi Kai ASAP. They probably have been trying to get Higurashi Kai so I'm not too worried about that.

Either way it looks like Hetalia will be the only thing I will be checking out here. I might check out Hero Tales as well, but there was nothing else exciting at all. Sad.
 
So, Hetalia and Sacred Blacksmith. I can finally care about watching them now. According to the press releases, Funi has them both almost short of full ownership (ie home video, broadcast, merchandising, and digital rights) and both will be out this fall (Hetalia in 2 parts and Sacred in one set).

Also, we get Blacksmith first but no love for Michiko To Hatchin? Come on, Funi, and complete the manglobe set! Still wouldn't sacrifice a live-action announcement just to get that, though.
 
I kinda doubt that they'll redub it. If I remeraber correctly from the commentary track, the director of the anime was involved in the English dubbing process so I would think they're gonna preserve this. I'm just hoping they keep the extras. For me, it's definitely worth re-buying the Blu-Ray release. I've had the limited edition box set for a while now, but this is one of the few instances where I'm willing to double dip. Seeing the crisp visuals and hearing the pillows rock out in Blu-Ray is totally worth it.
 
And traffic strangles the blog again! Good to see lots of interest at least.

More live action...Kamui and..."RoboGesha." Hmm. Kamui was announced for release in the UK today as well, incidentally.

No real opinions about these. Obviously there will be more disappointment for the lack of anime...this time I'll certainly chime in with hopes for that on Wednesday.

This is another multiple-title day, so maybe that will continue this week....
 
Really shocked to see that Shangri-La and Saki (GONZO's final two series) did not wind up getting licensed.

Axis Powers Hetalia has a significant cult audience over here already, smart move getting it. The Sacred Blacksmith is meat-and-potatoes fantasy, not Mangalobe's best work but not bad.
 
I didn't find anything interesting get announced this week other then FLCL.

I mean come on Funi....did you really have to go and announce all the good stuff last year?
 
Surely now we have a slight bit of a right to be disappointed about no anime titles...

Seriously... that's now two out of the five days. That means now there's even less anime to be announced...
 
Yeah, I double dipped with Champloo, but I sold my singles.
I'll HAVE both versions of FLCL.
 
Hetalia: No interest, not a fangirl, but congrats to those who are.

The Sacred Blacksmith: I watched the first couple episodes and found the characters too annoying to continue, which is a shame because I enjoy fantasy anime, just not this one.

So all-in-all for me the riot peeked on Monday and was all downhill from there. No biggie, life goes on. Now I'm off to the blog to entertain myself with all the comments about how FUNi is horrible and evil for not licensing Toradora and K-ON!
 
I wonder if Darkhorse is gonna pick up the Trigun license. I know they don't deal with licensing anime, but they've already got the manga and a good chunk of the merchandising rights, it wouldn't be much of a stretch to snag the anime as well.

Anyway, I just can't see the show staying in lirabo for much longer - it's more popular here than it is in Japan, IIRC. Heck the first footage of the movie to be released was actually at an American anime convention.
 
I heard the last release of FLCL has some microblockage on the high motion scenes (the manga scene in particular). A Blu-Ray release might be fix that.
 
Funimation definitely saved the best announcement of the week for the end with the acquisition of Hetalia.

Trust me, this show is fun whether you watch it alone or with a group of Hetalia fangirls.
 
Now Shaw Brothers kung-fu is kind of neat but yet more live action movies I don't plan on seeing nor care to see? Better bring it big the last 3 days FUNi. Given they haven't announced just 1 thing either day so far they may very well announce several titles every day so anime fans need not be dissappointed yet.

Actually I'll laugh my socks off if all 5 days this week they only announce live action distrubtion deals. Then I'd say they rather appropriately named this event as a roll-out of nothing but live action properties would surely cause a riot.
 
OMG
I can't believe they licensed "Robogeisha". Its from the creators of Machine Girl and from what I've seen in the trailer, its just as bloody, over the top and hilarious-looking. For those who want to see the trailer, it is here but a word of warning: it is bloody.

Geisha is.... Robot!
 
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