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Friday, 18 March 2016

Industry News: Funimation June 2016 Release Slate

Everything is packed in June's release slate for Funimation. Frickin hell, but there's a lot of disappointment for the collector's though. Nevertheless there's some memorable titles here including the long-awaited re-release of The Girl Who Leapt Through Time!

Here's the list of anime that Funimation have scheduled for the month of June 2016.


First things first, it seems that Funimation have changed their strategy for their limited edition sets. Usually every show released on Blu-ray gets a chipboard artbox special release but this year 75% of the titles didn't get the treatment while the remaining 25% ended up getting the special treatment but the MSRP went up $20 which was not needed at all.

Usually I generally discuss each title while the solicitation goes along but for this instance I'm moving them to the bottom below. This is because there's a lot of titles in this line-up and I barely seen/know half of them (plus it's easier for everyone).

6th June 2016

The Boy and the Beast
Region: A and 1
Publisher: NTV
Format: Blu-ray and DVD (as a combo pack and separate DVD set)
Languages: English & Japanese (w/English subs)
Price (SRP): $29.98 (DVD) & $34.98 (Combo)


Extras: Original Teaser, Japanese Trailers, U.S. Trailer, Trailers

Fairy Tail - Part 20: Ep. 227-239
Region: A and 1
Publisher: Kodansha
Format: Blu-ray and DVD
Languages: English & Japanese (w/English subs)
Price (SRP): $54.98


Extras: Guild Pride: Fairy Tail, Episode Commentaries, Textless Opening, Textless Closing, U.S. Trailer, Trailers

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (Standard & Collector's Editions)
Region: A and 1
Publisher: Kadokawa Pictures
Format: Blu-ray and DVD
Languages: English & Japanese (w/English subs)
Price (SRP): $34.98 (Standard) & $49.98 (Collector's)


Extras: Feature Commentary, Features with Storyboard, U.S. Trailer, Trailers
CE Extras: Premiere Screening Event, Direction File ''a talk with the director'', Behind the Scenes at Premiere Screening Event, Hanako Oku ''Garnet'' Music Video, Theatrical Trailer, Promo Clip

Gonna Be the Twin-Tail!! - Complete Series
Region: A B and 1 2 4
Publisher: Fuji Creative Corporation
Format: Blu-ray and DVD
Languages: English & Japanese (w/English subs)
Price (SRP): $64.98


Extras: Episode Commentaries, Textless Opening, Textless Closing Songs, U.S. Trailer, Trailers

Psycho Pass: The Movie
Region: A B and 1 2 4
Publisher: Fuji Creative Corporation
Format: Blu-ray and DVD (as a combo pack and separate DVD set)
Languages: English & Japanese (w/English subs)
Price (SRP): $29.98 (DVD) & $34.98 (Combo)


Extras: Commentary, Japanese Trailer, U.S. Trailer, Trailers

Shonen Hollywood -Holly Stage for 49- - Season 1
Region: 1 2 4
Publisher: King Records Company Limited
Format: DVD
Languages: Japanese (w/English subs)
Price (SRP): $44.98


Extras: TBA

28th June 2016

One Piece - Collection 16: Ep. 373-396
Region: 1
Publisher: Toei Animation
Format: DVD
Languages: English & Japanese (w/English subs)
Price (SRP): $34.98


Extras: Episode Commentaries, In the Galley with the Straw Hats, Villains and Fishmen: A Peek Behind the Curtain, Textless Songs, Trailers

Selector Spread Wixoss - Complete Series
Region: A and 1
Publisher: Showgate
Format: Blu-ray and DVD
Languages: English & Japanese (w/English subs)
Price (SRP): $64.98


Extras: Episode Commentaries, Promotional Videos & TV Spots, Textless Opening Song - ''world's end, girl's rondo'', Textless Closing Song - ''Undo -Asu e no Kioku-'', U.S. Trailer, Trailers

Yona of the Dawn - Part 1
Region: A B and 1 2 4
Publisher: Pierrot Co., Ltd
Format: Blu-ray and DVD
Languages: English & Japanese (w/English subs)
Price (SRP): $64.98


Extras: Episode Commentaries, Promotional Videos & TV Spots, Textless Opening - ”Akatsukino Yona'', Textless Closing Song - ''Yoru'', U.S. Trailer, Trailers

Yurikuma Arashi - Complete Series
Region: A B and 1 2 4
Publisher: Kadokawa Media Factory
Format: Blu-ray and DVD
Languages: English & Japanese (w/English subs)
Price (SRP): $64.98


Extras: Episode Commentaries, Textless Opening Song - ''Ano Mori de Matteru'', Textless Closing Song - ''TERRITORY'', Promotional Videos & TV Spots, U.S. Trailer, Trailers

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I find it weird to see a lot of regular editions for the TV shows this time around. Literally barely any title this release date received any special treatment, well with the exception of The Girl Who Leapt Through Time which is getting a booklet and more on-disc extras that cover premiere events and behind the scenes. It's nice to see the film is back in print and I may consider the collector's edition, especially as I really enjoyed watching it in dub and sub form.

Fairy Tail Series 2 gets another part release with more episodes for the dub fans. The US release is pretty much catching up with the newer episodes and Japanese home releases so Funimation will have to stretch out their later sets for the rest of the year. Meanwhile One Piece gets another collection set! The 16th set covers the rest of Season 6 (Thriller Bark) and the start of Season 7 (Sabody Archipelago). I expect at least two more collection sets before the end of the year, otherwise Manga UK will end up catching up.

Another subtitle only release enters the slate with Shonen Hollywood -Holly Stage at 49-, this is a male idol show and while I can understand it's not dubbed it's a bit harsh to make it DVD only. Then again streaming numbers on a LEGAL streaming site DO help companies like Funimation determine whether a release gets a Blu-ray and an English dub - make sure you understand that. So don't blame Funimation or Sentai for your favourite show ending up subtitle only on DVD, blame the people who watched the show on illegal streaming sites - just saying.

Last but not least we have the dubbed TV shows, for this slate we have Gonna Be the Twin-Tail!!, Selector Spread Wixoss, Yona of the Dawn and Yurikuma Arashi. Half of these got the broadcast dub treatment so they were at the very least expected to receive dubs on the final release. Selector Spread was also expected as its first season (Selector Infected) got dubbed, however oddly enough it didn't warrant a chipboard artbox release so folks will have some inconsistency if they picked up the limited release for Infected and then the regular release for Spread. Similar thing has happened with me for Date A Live and Maken-Ki! with their second season releases only getting the regular release treatment as well.

That's it for this line-up, it's pretty strong on the film side and we got a lot of titles out there now. Perhaps the less limited edition releases available, the more titles Funimation can put out - that would make sense (well to me anyway). For July's line-up I'm expecting A Good Librarian like a Good Shepherd as that's scheduled to appear on Funimation's streaming service as a subtitle only title and also The Heroic Legend of Arslan Part 1 with Universal Pictures UK scheduling their collector's edition release at some point in early July.

Funimation Now is almost here in the UK and I'll be checking out Yurikuma Arashi, because it's got yuri.. and kumas.

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