Industry News: Funimation February 2017 Release Slate

February is pretty much the month of re-releases and unexpected new licenses.

And some sort of logic.

Let's see what Funimation has to offer for this line-up.

In total we have 8 new titles joining the catalogue. The rest are continuations or re-releases from Funi's existing list. In fact I'm going to modify the list below slightly by splitting it up to New Additions and Catalogue.

New Additions - February 7th:

Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence

Region: A|1

Publisher: Bandai Visual

Format: Blu-ray & DVD Combo | Standalone DVD

Languages: English & Japanese (w/English subs)

Price (SRP): $34.98 (Combo) and $29.98 (DVD)

Price (Rightstuf): $24.49 (Blu-ray) and $20.99 (DVD)

Extras:

Commentary with Director Mamoru Oshii and Animation Director Toshihiko Nishikubo

The Making of Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence

Japanese Trailer

Trailers

Nichijou: My Ordinary Life - Complete Series

Region: A|1

Publisher: Kadokawa Pictures

Format: Blu-ray & DVD Combo

Languages: Japanese (w/English subs)

Price (SRP): $69.98

Price (Rightstuf): $48.99

Extras:

???

Wolf's Rain - Complete Series

Region: A|1

Publisher: Bandai Visual

Format: Blu-ray & DVD Combo

Languages: English & Japanese (w/English subs)

Price (SRP): $64.98

Price (Rightstuf): $45.49

Extras:

Cast Interview 1

Cast Interview 2

Staff Interview

Pilot Film

Promo Film 1

Promo Film 2

15-Second Promos

Textless Opening and Closing Songs

Trailers

New Additions - February 14th:

The Mystic Archives of Dantalian - Complete Series

Region: 1

Publisher: Kadokawa Pictures

Format: DVD

Languages: Japanese (w/English subs)

Price (SRP): $39.98

Price (Rightstuf): $27.99

Extras:

???

New Additions - February 21st:

Assassination Classroom - Season 2 Part 1

Region: A|B|1|2|4

Publisher: Fuji Creative Corportation

Format: Blu-ray & DVD Combo

Languages: English & Japanese (w/English subs)

Price (SRP): $64.98

Price (Rightstuf): $45.49

Extras:

???

Noragami Aragoto - Complete Series (Limited & Standard Editions)

Region: A|1

Publisher: Shochiku

Format: Blu-ray & DVD Combo

Languages: English & Japanese (w/English subs)

Price (SRP): $84.98 (LE) and $64.98 (SE)

Price (Rightstuf): $59.49 (LE) and $45.49 (SE)

Extras:

???

Limited Edition Extras:

A Special Envelope with 14 Art Cards, including 3 Special Pieces inspired by the traditional artistic stylings of the series.

Ultimate Otaku Teacher - Part 2

Region: A|1

Publisher: YTV

Format: Blu-ray & DVD Combo

Languages: English & Japanese (w/English subs)

Price (SRP): $64.98

Price (Rightstuf): $45.49

Extras:

???

New Additions - February 28th:

The Betrayal Knows My Name - Complete Series

Region: 1

Publisher: Kadokawa Pictures

Format: DVD

Languages: Japanese (w/English subs)

Price (SRP): $59.98

Price (Rightstuf): $41.99

Extras:

???

Scrapped Princess - Complete Series

Region: A|1

Publisher: Kadokawa Pictures

Format: Blu-ray & DVD Combo

Languages: English & Japanese (w/English subs)

Price (SRP): $64.98

Price (Rightstuf): $45.49

Extras:

???

Catalogue - February 7th:

D-Frag! - Complete Series (S.A.V.E. Edition)

Region: A|B|1|2|4

Publisher: Kadokawa Pictures

Format: Blu-ray & DVD Combo

Languages: English & Japanese (w/English subs)

Price (SRP): $29.98

Price (Rightstuf): $20.99

Extras:

Episode 01 & 10 Commentary

Pre-Air TV Commercials

Promotional Video

The New DVD/BD Cheer

The New DVD/BD Cheer (Funabori Version)

A Commercial within a Commercial

Mobile Rally Commercial

Textless Opening & Closing Song

U.S. Trailer

Trailers

Danganronpa the Animation - Complete Series (S.A.V.E. Edition)

Region: A|1

Publisher: Showgate

Format: Blu-ray & DVD Combo

Languages: English & Japanese (w/English subs)

Price (SRP): $29.98

Price (Rightstuf): $20.99

Extras:

Episode 1 Commentary

Textless Opening and Closing Songs

U.S. Trailer

Trailers

Catalogue - February 14th:

Nobunagun - Complete Series (S.A.V.E. Edition)

Region: A|1

Publisher: YTV

Format: Blu-ray & DVD Combo

Languages: English & Japanese (w/English subs)

Price (SRP): $29.98

Price (Rightstuf): $20.99

Extras:

Episode 1 Commentary

Textless Opening and Closing Songs

U.S. Trailer

Trailers

One Piece - Collection 18 [Episodes 422-445]

Region: 1

Publisher: Toei Animation

Format: DVD

Languages: English & Japanese (w/English subs)

Price (SRP): $34.98

Price (Rightstuf): $24.49

Extras:

Episode 425,  432, 434 & 442 Commentary

Chopper Plays Doctor

Cooking with Sanji

Textless Opening Songs

Trailers

Catalogue - February 21st:

Freezing Vibration - Complete Series (Anime Classics)

Region: A|B|1|2|4

Publisher: Kadokawa Pictures

Format: Blu-ray & DVD Combo

Languages: English & Japanese (w/English subs)

Price (SRP): $39.98

Price (Rightstuf): $27.99

Extras:

6 OVA short episodes

Voice commentaries with English actors

Textless Opening and Closing Songs

Trailers

Unbreakable Machine Doll - Complete Series (S.A.V.E. Edition)
Region: A|B|1|2|4
Publisher: Kadokawa Pictures
Format: Blu-ray & DVD Combo
Languages: English & Japanese (w/English subs)
Price (SRP): $29.98
Price (Rightstuf): $20.99

Extras:
Actor Commentaries
6 OVA Specials
Blu-ray & DVD Commercials
Commercials
Promo Videos
Bookstore Promo Videos
Textless Opening & Closings
US Trailer
Trailers

Catalogue - February 28th:

Red Data Girl - Complete Series (S.A.V.E. Edition)

Region: 1

Publisher: Kadokawa Pictures

Format: DVD

Languages: English & Japanese (w/English subs)

Price (SRP): $24.98

Price (Rightstuf): $17.49

Extras:

Episode 2 & 7 Commentary

Textless Opening and Closing Songs

U.S. Trailer

Trailers

Grav's Thoughts:

So this month is quite the surprise isn't it? In fact a majority of the new additions are actually a combination of titles being rescued from previous license holders and never before released.

The Betrayal of My Name - Unlicensed Prior

Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence - Bandai Entertainment

The Mystic Archives of Dantalian - Unlicensed Prior

Nichijou: My Ordinary Life - Bandai Entertainment (Cancelled Release)

Scrapped Princess - Bandai Entertainment

Wolf's Rain - Bandai Entertainment

That's a lot of surprising rescues. Heck the only new addition from Funimation are these lot:

Assassination Classroom [Season 2] - Winter 2016 Season
Noragami Aragoto - Autumn 2015 Season
Ultimate Otaku Teacher - Spring 2015 Season (second half during Summer 2015)

I know a lot of people are disappointed that Nichijou isn't getting dubbed. Let's be honest here, it shouldn't. The show, unlike Lucky Star, has a lot of references and jokes to Japanese culture so it wouldn't work well in English form. In addition the Japanese sales were a flop for Kyoto Animation so ideally the same could (not would) apply to Funimation's release. But since it's a combo pack complete series set I'll see the show selling fine at this point.

The Betrayal of My Name and The Mystic Archives of Dantalian ending up being DVD only is disappointing to see, especially as Sentai Filmworks puts all of their subtitled only shows on Blu-ray with the exception of certain ones where the Blu-ray master doesn't exist or the licensor requests a hold-back. Funimation probably just picked them up from a package deal and had no intention on ever releasing them in the first place.

From my understanding there's no news on whether the Funimation release of Ghost in the Shell 2 will include both English dubs (there's a UK dub from Manga UK and a US dub from Bandai). If there's only one dub included I will assume it's the Bandai dub. Also why on earth is Assassination Classroom Season 2 not getting a limited edition? That makes no sense.

More One Piece collections is a good thing to see. I still haven't picked up the DVD collections yet but honestly given the show's pacing gets worse down the line I may stick with the manga. Freezing's second season going into Anime Classics is nice, so now I can pick up the series and have a consistent collection lol.

Also, it seems the logic is rather odd with the S.A.V.E. line. D-Frag!, despite having its Limited Edition set sell out (implying it did well in terms of sales) is being released as a S.A.V.E. title. Disappointing and makes zero sense unless Funimation are modifying the requirements of an 'Anime Classic'. Danganronpa ending up in S.A.V.E. makes sense due to the community reaction the show had (both the adaptation, the pink blood and even the English dub). Nobunagun was pretty obvious to be fair. Red Data Girl going into S.A.V.E. made some sense considering Funimation put zero effort in patience on that show (a Kadokawa restriction prevented a Blu-ray release). Unbreakable Machine Doll is also sad to see on there as well, I did surprisingly enjoy that show.

Anywho that's pretty much my thoughts on the matter. The March slate should see the appearance of Attack on Titan: Junior High going by the UK listings and perhaps Concrete Revolutio as I recall a UK release was originally planned for Q1 by Funimation UK (the source is somewhere on Facebook).