Anime Expo 2012

Funimation Industry Panel

Panelists: Sarah Sullivan, Adam Sheehan, Amanda Nanawa, Justin Rojas, Adam Zehner

Funimation's panel was packed with news and reminders about current and upcoming offerings, both in terms of anime properties, as well as different venues of watching Funimation titles. Premiering this past May on the recently resurrected Toonami block on Cartoon Network was Deadman Wonderland and Casshern Sins. Fans can also watch anime on the go with the Funimation mobile app for iPhone and Android, as well as an app for tablets. The same service will also be available for the Roku and the Internet-enabled Samsung devices.

Funimation titles are also available on the FUNimation Channel 24-hours a day for AT&T Uverse subscribers, and On Demand for Verizon FiOS subscribers, although they are looking into other providers as well. Funimation.com marketing manager Adam Sheehan also reminded fans to check out titles on Netflix and Hulu, and the Funimation website. Later, senior social media manager Justin Rojas mentioned some of the social media outlets that Funimation participates in, including providing Facebook pages for individual properties, which will provide news for certain titles. Through the embedded app on Facebook, fans will also be able to watch videos in the “Funimation Cinema” without having to leave the site.

In terms of currently available titles, convention manager Sarah Sullivan showed trailers for properties like the new Dragon Age film, Tales of Vesperia, Hetalia season four, and Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt. Also shown were trailers of upcoming titles, like Fractale, more One Piece (season four, part one), Oblivion Island, a smattering of budget-edition re-releases of shows like Kaleido Star and Freezing, and some Geneon re-releases like Ai Yori Aoshi, Texhnolyze, and Ergo Proxy, all with their original English dubs.

Joining Ms. Sullivan on stage was VP of licensing Adam Zehner, who had several special announcements to make. The first was the acquisition of broadcast, home entertainment, and streaming rights for the Mitchiko to Hatchin TV anime series, and the Appleseed XIII series. They also acquired Blood-C: The Last Dark and the Blood-C TV anime series, both of which they have the broadcast, home entertainment, streaming, and mobile rights for. The series was streamed by Funimation last year on Nico Nico. Lastly, they have also acquired Ikki Tousen: Great Guardians and Ikki Tousen: Xtreme Xecutor.

Previously streamed by Funimation, they announced the home Entertainment Rights for EUREKA SEVEN AO, Aria of the Scarlet Ammo, and Highschool DxD. For the upcoming season, Funimation has acquired the simulcast rights for Binbogami ga! and Aesthetica of a Rogue Hero.