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Funimation to Stream Ben-To Fighting Comedy Anime This Month

North American anime distributor Funimation confirmed on Thursday that it acquired the streaming rights to the Ben-To anime. The company will begin streaming the anime with English subtitles to subscribers on Tuesday, February 11, followed by free streaming on February 28.

Funimation describes the story based on Asaura's "school serious/gag action" light novel series:

Every day an epic struggle rages in grocery stores across Japan—the battle for half-priced bento boxes! Once the discount stickers go on, ravenous brawlers start throwing punches in a knockdown, drag-out war over who gets to take home the cheap eats. When a young, broke high school student named Sato joins the Half-Priced Food Lovers Club, he proves to be a rising talent in the world of insane food fights. But does he have what it takes to become the king of clearance cuisine? From the director of Black Cat comes a very different type of hunger games. Welcome to the world of Ben-To, where chopsticks are lethal weapons, the supermarket is a battleground, and there's nothing more delicious than a deep-fried win.

Shin Itagaki (Devil May Cry, Mayoi Neko Overrun!) directed the 2011 anime, and he was also responsible for story editing (with Kazuyuki Fudeyasu of Bleach, Monster and Gunslinger Girl) and design works. Katsuzō Hirata (Cosplay Complex, Hand Maid May) served as both the character designer and the chief animation director. Taku Iwasaki (Black Butler, Gurren Lagann, Soul Eater) composed the music.

Mariya Ise and Emiri Katō voiced the story's competitors Sen Yarizui ("The Frozen Witch") and Ayame Shaga ("The Beauty of the Lake"). Ise also sand the ending theme song, "Egao no Hōsoku," under Sen's name.

Asaura has been publishing the light novel series through Shueisha's Super Dash Bunko imprint since 2008. Kaito Shibano (Luminous Arc simulation role-playing games' character designs) illustrates the volumes.

Funimation had already opened a web page for the anime.

Image © Asaura, Kaito Shibano/Shueisha, HP Club