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Funimation Streams 1st Episodes for Sonny Boy, Scarlet Nexus Anime Ahead of Japanese Premiere Dates for Limited Time

Funimation announced on Thursday that it will stream the first episodes for the Sonny Boy and Scarlet Nexus anime ahead of their official Japanese premiere dates on Friday after its summer 2021 preview livestream on YouTube. Funimation's livestream begins on Friday at 6:00 p.m. EDT. The premieres will be available for a limited time.

Director Shingo Natsume (One-Punch Man, ACCA: 13-Territory Inspection Dept., Space Dandy) and Madhouse's original science-fiction survival television anime Sonny Boy will premiere on July 15 at 24:30 (effectively, July 16 at 12:30 a.m.) on the Tokyo MX and KBS Kyoto channels. It will also run on Sun TV, BS Asahi, and RAB Aomori Broadcasting Corporation. Funimation will stream the anime.

The first episode will stream for free on Saturday at 8:00 p.m., although this stream is specifically restricted to Japan only.

The science-fiction ensemble drama centers around 36 boys and girls. On August 16, midway through a seemingly endless summer vacation, middle school third-year student Nagara, the mysterious transfer student Nozomi, and their classmates are suddenly transported from their tranquil daily lives to a school adrift in an alternate dimension.

Natsume conceived the story and is directing and writing the anime at Madhouse. Norifumi Kugai (ACCA: 13-Territory Inspection Dept.) is handling the anime characters designs based on the original designs by manga artist and illustrator Hisashi Euguchi (Perfect Blue, Roujin Z, Eiji, Stop! Hibari-kun, Mujin Wakusei Survive). Studio Pablo's Mari Fujino (Dororo) is directing the art, and Ken Hashimoto is the color key artist. Akane Fushihara is serving as the compositing director of photography, and Kashiko Kimura is editing. Shōji Hata is directing the sound.

The television anime of Bandai Namco Entertainment's Scarlet Nexus role-playing game will premiere on Tokyo MX, BS11, and Sun TV on July 1. Funimation will stream the anime in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, the United Kingdom, and Ireland; on AnimeLab in Australia and New Zealand; and on Wakanim in Russia, France, Germany, and Scandinavian countries.

Funimation describes the anime's story:

Solar calendar year 2020: grotesque organisms called Others have begun eating people. To take down this new enemy, the Other Suppression Force is formed. Saved by this elite team as a child, psychokinetic Yuito withstands the training to enlist. On the other hand, prodigy Kasane was scouted for her abilities. But Kasane's dreams tell her strange things, dragging the two into an unavoidable fate.

Hiroyuki Nishimura (chief animation director and character designer for Deltora Quest, Kurokami The Animation, LBX) is directing the anime at Sunrise, and is also credited for character design alongside Yuji Ito (Phi-Brain - Puzzle of God episode animation director). Yoichi Kato (Yo-kai Watch) and Toshizo Nemoto (Macross Delta) are supervising and writing the series' scripts, and Akiko Inoue (Duel Masters!!) is also co-writing the scripts.

Osamu Tayama is the art director, while Nagisa Abe is the color key artist. Hitomi Itou is credited as the CG line director, and Tatsuya Shimano is credited as the CG modeling director. Hironori Anazawa is composing the music. Daichi Iseki is the compositing director of photography, while Masato Yoshitake is the editor. Yayoi Tateishi is the audio director.

Thanks to KitKat1721 for the news tip.

Source: Funimation's Twitter account