FUNimation has announced that they're making some room on the channel for their neighbor and arch-rival (you know, the kind you work together with when the going gets tough even if you're also in some competition with them?), VIZ Media.
The first VIZ titles announced are Nana, Honey and Clover, Buso Renkin, Hunter x Hunter and-- one I'm incredibly excited about –Monster! Yes, Monster, the excellently done anime based on Naoki Urasawa's amazing manga, is going to run on the FUNimation Channel. Now, if only I actually GOT the channel.
Also, permit me a moment to fantasize about what would happen if Bandai and Media Blasters got in on the action-- we'd finally have just one big anime channel. And it would get picked up by every cable company ever, and everyone could just watch anime all day long if they wanted to. And then everyone would be too busy watching anime in their spare time to get into wars and we'd have world peace. Also, fairies would come and sprinkle the Earth with fairy dust so that the whole planet could just fly around the galaxy like a giant ship and we'd fly around having all sorts of adventures and--
...Errr, sorry. Got a little distracted.
Gia, it hasn't been funi time all the time on the channel. In the past they've also had shows from other companies (RightStuf/Nozomi & Central Park Media). But I'm excited about the implications of this deal. It's great seeing Funi and Viz working together, especially in the current economical environment. I'm excited to see Honey & Clover and Nana coming at long last. I hope that does translate into DVD releases for those brands as well, but considering that Full Moon is stopped mid-release... I don't know how likely dvd's for their shojo titles are. :( I'm still waiting on more Full Moon over here. *sighs*
Gia, have you heard anything about Viz's Full Moon DVD plans?
BTW, Thanks for dropping by the FUNimation office today. It was cool to meet you in person. I'm glad the both of you could take your time to visit with us. And thanks again to Jackie for lunch =)