If you haven’t been to FUNimation’s website lately, pop over there and check out the site’s redesign, just launched last Monday. The aim of the new design is partly to make it more usable and easier to navigate, giving it a cleaner, bolder look, but as Brandon White, FUNimation’s Interactive Manager, explained, “The updated look also captures the feel of our anime series.”

Improving the look of the website wasn’t the only thing the design team was going for, though. The site now features a custom video player that allows fans to stream their favorite series onsite, without a separate popup window or having to make sure they’ve got the right player on their computers. And each month, specific series will be available for the new Download-to-Own feature, the very first offerings being episodes of Rumbling Hearts, Suzuka, Peach Girl, and Moonphase. On top of that, for the first time, subtitled episodes will be available online.

In addition to the already-mentioned Rumbling Hearts, the vampire action series Black Blood Brothers has been posted, and FUNimation promises many others in the future.

While the video streaming and Download-to-Own will make people’s ears perk up immediately, other new features promise greater accessibility and should make fans’ experience even more enjoyable. The syndicated video player can be embedded in blogs and social networking sites, so when you combine that with the already-existing discussion boards at FUNimation.com, that’s a lot of sharing. And other new offerings such as games, wallpaper, avatars, and e-cards just add to the enjoyment.

Fans can also sign up for RSS content alerts, to stay up-to-date on the current news and most recent trailers, and a “What’s on TV” section lists which anime shows are currently playing on which North American networks.

FUNimation obviously knows how much their fans value the series they carry, and are trying to make people’s experience of these shows as varied and, most of all just plain fun, as possible. Have a look at the new site, and see what you think.