FUNimation news - Anime Expo and afterward
http://firefox.org/news/articles/1635/1/FUNimation-news---Anime-Expo-and-afterward/Page1.html
Phyl Good
By Phyl Good
Published on 07/12/2008
At Anime Expo 2008, FUNimation announced some things already known (the acquisition of Geneon and ADV titles), and amplified their continuing efforts to expand into non-traditional media (e.g. YouTube and the iTunes store). Another new endeavor, the launch of the FUNimation Channel video-on-demand service to AT&T and Sprint cell phone subscribers, finally took place on Wednesday, July 9.
Confirming acquisitions, titles on YouTube and iTunes, launch of video-on demand on cells
As we've already seen in the last couple of months, FUNimation Entertainment just doesn't stop.
At Anime Expo, during the company's industry panel, FUNimation Events Manager Adam Sheehan confirmed several things we'd already heard (the acquisition of the Geneon and ADV titles, for example), and added more information that was new.
We had recently heard about the company's reworking of its channel on YouTube. Sheehan confirmed the first titles to be available in that venue: Blue Gender, Slayers, Peach Girl, Mushi-Shi, and Kiddy Grade. He also mentioned two new series that are going to be added to the company's iTunes Store later this month: Aquarion and Witchblade. These will be dubbed shows, each episode available for US $1.99.
As well as covering all of that ground, Sheehan reaffirmed what had been announced earlier this year in May, that Red Planet Media would be providing FUNimation anime episodes to American AT&T subscribers with video-capable cell phones.
That earlier announcement, and Sheehan's amplification last weekend, finally came to fruition on Wednesday July 9, as the FUNimation Channel was launched for both AT&T and Sprint subscribers, on JumpInMobile.TV, Red Planet's mobile video-on-demand service. For cell customers of AT&T and Sprint to sign up for the service, they simply need to point their browsers to http://jumpinmobile.tv/funimation, or else send the text message, "go funimation," to 22646 to receive a link to the JumpInMobile.TV page. All the directions they need will be available there.
The three inaugural series on the channel are MoonPhase, Gunslinger Girl, and Galaxy Railways. For US $4.99 per month, subscribers can choose either the MoonPhase or Gunslinger Girl package, and the first season of Galaxy Railways will be free with either package.
What is becoming clear from all this is that FUNimation continues to create partnerships that will enable them to expand into all sorts of new media, beyond the traditional television and DVD markets.
At Anime Expo, during the company's industry panel, FUNimation Events Manager Adam Sheehan confirmed several things we'd already heard (the acquisition of the Geneon and ADV titles, for example), and added more information that was new.
We had recently heard about the company's reworking of its channel on YouTube. Sheehan confirmed the first titles to be available in that venue: Blue Gender, Slayers, Peach Girl, Mushi-Shi, and Kiddy Grade. He also mentioned two new series that are going to be added to the company's iTunes Store later this month: Aquarion and Witchblade. These will be dubbed shows, each episode available for US $1.99.
As well as covering all of that ground, Sheehan reaffirmed what had been announced earlier this year in May, that Red Planet Media would be providing FUNimation anime episodes to American AT&T subscribers with video-capable cell phones.
That earlier announcement, and Sheehan's amplification last weekend, finally came to fruition on Wednesday July 9, as the FUNimation Channel was launched for both AT&T and Sprint subscribers, on JumpInMobile.TV, Red Planet's mobile video-on-demand service. For cell customers of AT&T and Sprint to sign up for the service, they simply need to point their browsers to http://jumpinmobile.tv/funimation, or else send the text message, "go funimation," to 22646 to receive a link to the JumpInMobile.TV page. All the directions they need will be available there.
The three inaugural series on the channel are MoonPhase, Gunslinger Girl, and Galaxy Railways. For US $4.99 per month, subscribers can choose either the MoonPhase or Gunslinger Girl package, and the first season of Galaxy Railways will be free with either package.
What is becoming clear from all this is that FUNimation continues to create partnerships that will enable them to expand into all sorts of new media, beyond the traditional television and DVD markets.