Random Topic: Round-Up of Winter 2016's Legal Anime UK Streaming List

The Spring 2016 season is literally around the corner and announcements for that season are going up slowly (so far all confirmed titles are UK compatible which is excellent). The Winter 2016 season has been handled much better than usual so here's the list of titles that were made accessible for the UK (and also Ireland).

Industry News: Aniplex of America Anime Boston 2016 Announcements

Well this past weekend had some interesting announcements from Crunchyroll (BERSERK!!) and Viz Media (One Piece Box 3!). Funimation had literally none but Aniplex of America surprised us with some more home release announcements!

Here's the list of titles Aniplex will be releasing over the course of the Summer 2016 season.

Industry News: Section23 Films July 2016 Release Slate

It's that time of month where Sentai Filmworks announce their next batch of anime for home release. Interestingly enough we have no 1 disc subtitle only TV shows on this month, perhaps they finally dropped that controversial move? Who knows.

Anywho, here's the list of anime that Sentai Filmworks have scheduled for the month of July 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.

Unboxing [UK]: Mobile Suit Gundam - Part 2: First Print Edition (Blu-ray)

I've been meaning to pick up the second half of Gundam '79 for a month now but I felt the price wasn't right just yet. Sadly the partial refund from the two Amazon packages in January never came (it's the import VAT, the refund part is randomised among various orders) so I couldn't afford both this and the Senran Kagura Estival Versus LE. I decided to put my focus on Gundam '79 especially as Anime Limited have announced their first print run, that contains a Collector's Booklet, is going out of print.

So here it is, the second half of Mobile Suit Gundam (also known as Gundam '79). Let's check it out.

Unboxing [US]: Fullmetal Alchemist: Conqueror of Shamballa - 2015 Re-Release (Blu-ray)

The other remaining Fullmetal Alchemist title that I needed is finally in my hands. This, alongside the Brotherhood series and its OVA collection, are expiring on March 31st 2016 in North America - effectively meaning it will go out of print. So here's a look at the new 2015 re-release of the film Conqueror of Shamballa.

Just to point out that the plot synopsis may contain spoilers to the original 2003 Fullmetal Alchemist series.

Otaku Collection 2016: January/February Update | Operation Funiplex and Various Special Sets

Welcome to the first 2016 instalment for my Otaku Collection series, where I cover all of the titles I had picked up over the course of each month. However for the next set of quarters I'll only be doing this once every two months instead of each month like I usually do. For this update I have picked up a select number of titles with the budget I had been given.

So here's the items I picked up during January and February 2016.

Industry News: Section23 Films June 2016 Release Slate

It appears I forgot to cover this release slate.. again. Apologises for that, I've been completely focused on Persona 3 that I ignored everything else going on. Never the less here's the new releases scheduled for the month of June from Sentai Filmworks and Maiden Japan.

Unboxing [US]: Love Live! School Idol Project - Season 2: Premium Edition (Blu-ray)

I'm back in idol hell... or heaven I suppose. Nico Nico Ni!

Unboxing [US]: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood - Collection 1 & 2 (Blu-ray)

Despite being popular, the Brotherhood version of the Fullmetal Alchemist series is going out of print thanks to Funimation not being able to renew the license (they tried but Aniplex won't budge). Nevertheless I took this time to finally get my hands on the Blu-rays since I already own the UK PAL DVDs.

Here's a look at Collection 1 and Collection 2 of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.

Industry News: Funimation May 2016 Release Slate

While I'm still waiting for Funimation Now to launch in the UK this month, the distributor have unveiled their May 2016 line-up. It's a pretty small line-up.

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

Random Topic: 'Non-Aniplex of America' Distributors Losing Rights to Aniplex Titles

This past January has been rather chaotic for a lot of anime fans. While I've seen more titles being acquired by Anime Limited and new line-ups revealed for major US distributors, something else also cropped up that is making everyone get frustrated. For this post I figured I'll write about the reports that Funimation is losing rights to Aniplex titles, as well as other potential titles that could go.

UPDATE: I've tweaked the details a bit as of 14th May 2018.

Unboxing [US]: Last Exile -Fam, the Silver Wing- - Part 2 (BD/DVD)

Back in November 2013 I picked up the first half of Last Exile -Fam, the Silver Wing-, it was during the time that I focused solely on Funimation's Limited Edition sets so I didn't prioritise on the second half at all. Now fast forward to January 2016 and I finally have the second half.

Here's a look at what Part 2 has to offer.

Unboxing [US]: Darker Than Black: Gemini of the Meteor - Season 2: Anime Classics (BD/DVD)

So Funimation have announced that their license for Darker Than Black has just expired and because of that the stock for both Season 1 (the DVD version is already OOP, so what's left is the Blu-ray Premium Edition) and Season 2 aka Gemini of the Meteor are going to go out of print as a result. Here I have the Anime Classics release which was brought out around May 2015, the same month that the Season 1 Premium Edition was released.

Anywho, let's see what Chinese Electric Batman is doing.

Unboxing [US]: Tales of Graces f - Standard Edition (PS3)

Tales is a series I've been meaning to pickup for quite sometime now. I've owned Tales of Symphonia Chronicles since it got released but I only just recently finished Symphonia. Now with the prices going up I finally had the opportunity to go ahead and pick up another Tales game.

While the UK version received a special edition release, I'll be calling this US copy a standard edition regardless.