FUNimation Entertainment Announces Multiple Acquisitions at Otakon

SPACE BATTLESHIP YAMATO RESURRECTION, TENCHI MUYO! WAR ON GEMINAR, LUPIN III, SANKAREA, AKIRA and More Source: FUNimation Entertainment press release Special Thanks to Scott Lonski

FUNimation Entertainment announced yesterday at Otakon that it has acquired the streaming, broadcast, home entertainment, video on demand and pay-per-view and DTO/DTR rights to the complete anime OAV series, TENCHI MUYO! WAR ON GEMINAR (?????????, Isekai no Seikishi Monogatari, 2009). This spin-off series takes place roughly 15 years after the events in TENCHI MUYO! GXP. From AIC SPIRITS -- the animation studio that brought you GA-REI ZERO and TOKKO -- and Koji Yoshikawa -- the director of BAKI THE GRAPPLER -- FUNimation is pleased to announce the acquisition of streaming, home entertainment, theatrical and merchandise rights to the complete TENCHI MUYO! franchise. Kenshi -- half-brother of intergalactic hero Tenchi Masaki -- has been summoned to the mysterious world of Geminar, and his only hope of returning to Earth is piloting a bio-mechanical weapon in a shocking assassination attempt! When the mission fails and Kenshi is captured, he discovers he’s been lied to by the very culprits who transported him to this strange new world. Luckily, Princess Lashara kindly welcomes Kenshi and invites him to live amongst her followers. Now, caught up in a political whirlwind -- and hotly pursued by Geminar’s female population -- Kenshi must find a way to get home while civil war erupts all around him! Additional information may be found at funimation.com/tenchi-muyo-war-on-geminar. In addition, FUNimation has acquired the streaming, home entertainment, and digital rights to the complete anime series LUPIN III: THE WOMAN CALLED FUJIKO MINE (LUPIN THE THIRD ??????????, Lupin III ?Mine Fujiko to Iu Onna? 2012). What happened when Lupin III met Fujiko Mine for the first time? Find out in the first new chapter of the LUPIN III franchise in 25 years! More information may be found at funimation.com/lupin-the-third-fujiko-mine.

FUNimation has also acquired the streaming, home entertainment, broadcast, pay per view and merchandise rights to the complete anime series, MAKEN-KI! BATTLING VENUS (?????!, 2011). The series is directed by Koichi Ohata, best known for directing IKKI TOUSEN: GREAT GUARDIANS and MD GEIST. Based on the manga series by Takeda Hiromitsu, this romantic comedy is about Ohyama Takeru, a typical perverted teenage boy. His new school doesn’t require entrance exams, and it just turned co-ed! Unfortunately, his dreams of a happy high school life are dashed when he finds out the school is much more than it seems. All of the students wield a special item -- a Maken -- to unleash their magical abilities in duels! Can Takeru find a Maken that works for him? Even while trying to fit in at a new school and dealing with all kinds of girl problems? Additional information may be found at funimation.com/maken-ki-battling-venus. FUNimation has also acquired the streaming, broadcast, home entertainment, theatrical and merchandise rights for the complete anime series SANKAREA (?????, 2012). The series is directed by Shinichi Omata, best known for his work in MAHOU SHOUJO MADOKA MAGICA and ARAKAWA UNDER THE BRIDGE. Furuya`s not interested in the living, he`s got zombies on the brain! When Furuya`s cat dies, he decides he`s going to try and bring it back to life. In the process, he stumbles across a girl who is involved in an accident and turns into a real zombie! What`s Furuya going to do now that the thing he loves the most is right in front of his eyes? Additional information may be found at funimation.com/sankarea. Lastly, home entertainment rights have also be acquired for the following, with additional information to be announced at a later date:

SPACE BATTLESHIP YAMATO RESURRECTION (??????? ???, Uchuu Senkan Yamato: Fukkatsu Hen, 2009) In the year 2220, a crisis is approaching Earth with the expansion of a moving black hole. A plan is devised to move over 300-million people from Earth. When the latest transportation fleet is attacked, Space Battleship Yamato comes to its defense under the command of Susumu Kodai. Also aboard is Miyuki, the daughter of Susumu and Yuki. FAIRY TAIL SEASON 2 (????????, Fearii Teiru, 2010) 24 new FAIRY TAIL episodes -- We’ll follow the continuing adventures of our favorite Fairy Tail Guild members: Lucy, Natsu, Erza, Gray and Happy as they take on new jobs, make new friends, go against incredible adversaries and solve big mysteries all in the Kingdom of Fiore. FAIRY TAIL – THE MOVIE- (??? FAIRY TAIL -?????- Gekijooban Fearii Teiru: Hoo no Miko, 2012) We’ll be introduced to a new female character that carries a mysterious stone with her called the Phoenix Stone. We’ll also find out how the Fairy Tail guild gets tied up in the mystery. It’s a great story that you won’t want to miss! AQUARION EVOL (??????EVOL, Akuerion Evoru, 2012) The "Abductors", invaders from Altea, come to Earth with only one purpose... to harvest humans. DEAVA the Aquaria Academy exists to train men and women to use Aquaria, but they cannot ever merge because of Guize stones, which block an "unholy union" between genders. The story follows Amata and Mikono in their enrollment into DEAVA, and their fight with Abductors.

AKIRA (???, 1988) It’s the year 2019, thirty-one years have passed since the start of World War III. A top-secret child with amazing powers of the mind breaks free from custody and accidentally gets a motorcycle gang involved in the project. This incident triggers psychic powers within one of the gang members, Tetsuo, and he is taken by the army to be experimented on. His mind has been altered and is now on the path of war; seeking revenge on the society that once called him weak. ONE PIECE SEASON 5 and ONE PIECE FILM: STRONG WORLD Season 5 (Episodes 264 – 336) will span the entire "Enies Lobby Arc", as the Straw Hat Pirates continue their battle with CP9, and ends with the "Ice Hunter Arc". Fans can look for ONE PIECE Season 5 to hit DVD in the summer of 2013. But that’s not all for ONE PIECE fans! FUNimation Entertainment also announced the acquisition of the ONE PIECE feature length film, ONE PIECE FILM: STRONG WORLD (????????? ?????????, Wan Piisu Firumu: Sutorongu Waarudo, 2009). ONE PIECE FILM: STRONG WORLD takes place between the "Thriller Bark" and "Sabaody Archipelago" Arcs as the Straw Hats Pirates return to their hometowns in East Blue to face off against the infamous, Golden Lion Shiki. When Shiki abducts Nami to use as his personal navigator, the Straw Hats must place their very lives on the line to save her. FUNimation Entertainment has yet to announce any information regarding the release of this film.

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