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Funimation: Difference between revisions
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Less than a week later, they also [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-07-04/funimation-picks-up-over-30-former-ad-vision-titles picked up over 30 titles] from [[ADV Films]] as a result of a ''major'' falling-out between ADV and Japanese partner Sojitz. Those titles are indicated below.
At the end of 2008, Funimation went on a licensing binge called "New Show A-Go-Go!", during which they announced even more [[Geneon]] titles (such as ''[[Samurai Champloo]]''), as well as new titles such as ''[[Soul Eater]]'' and the ''[[Rebuild of Evangelion]]'' films.
In an effort to counter [[Fan Sub|fansubs]], they have recently made a number of their titles available for free [http://www.funimation.com/video/ on their website] (as well as [http://www.youtube.com/user/FUNimation YouTube]), including new acquisitions that have never been sold legally in the United States before, like ''[[Fist of the North Star]]'' and the original ''[[Captain Harlock]]'' series. This is awesome. They have also begun a program to carry shows on their video site a few days after they air in Japan; they have done this with ''[[Shikabane Hime]]'' and ''[[Full Metal Panic!]]: The Second Raid'' and are now doing this with newer [[NoitaminA]] series and recent episodes of ''[[One Piece]]''. This is ''really awesome''. Unfortunately, they only have distribution rights for the USA and Canada for any of these, and have thus prevented people outside North America from watching those shows on their own website. This is anti-awesome.
Needless to say, the company is now held in very high regard among anime fans, despite forming an equal base of hatedom for those very reasons listed above, and they seem determined to hold to their current course. This all happening amidst an economic recession that is shrinking the dubbing industry, which results in gaining a higher percentage of anime statewide than other studios. Part of their marketing strategy is that they actually listen to the fans and take their suggestions into account, which does work. They graciously make most of their titles available in full on their website, with links to which DVD they're on so they may be purchased. They also run their own digital cable channel, currently the only linear anime-exclusive, television network. Because of their insane amount of titles and the somewhat limited budget for dubs, 95% of the time they have to use the same actors who live in the area, leading to severe [[Relationship Voice Actor]] situations in all their shows, and who have gained growing popularity among fans.
FUNimation currently holds the rights for almost<ref> (Exceptions: [[Gate Keepers]] and [[Gate Keepers 21]] ([[Geneon]]); [[Blue Submarine No. 6]], [[Melty Lancer]], [[Yukikaze]] ([[Bandai Entertainment]]); [[Gravion]], [[Final Fantasy Unlimited]], [[Zaion I Wish You Were Here]], [[Special A]] ([[ADV Films]] and its descendants); [[Real Bout High School]] ([[Tokyo Pop]]), and others that remain unlicensed.)</ref> all [[GONZO]] properties, and they have been releasing them in very appealing boxed sets with excellent production values and many extras (examples include their releases of ''[[Afro Samurai]]'' and ''[[Speed Grapher]]''). They also have an imprint of sorts called ''The Viridian Collection'', which they have designed as a sort of [[Criterion Collection]] for high-profile anime releases, such as ''[[Samurai 7]]'', ''[[Basilisk]]'' and ''[[Desert Punk (manga)|Desert Punk]]''. These releases are budget priced, so it's very easy to amass a relatively large collection of good anime without breaking your pockets. ''S.A.V.E. Edition'', where you can get a complete series for at most $30, takes this concept one step further.
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* [[Kodomo no Omocha]] (as "Kodocha"; first 51 episodes only, with [[Bad Export for You|some issues]] beyond their control)
* [[Last Exile: Fam, The Silver Wing|Last Exile Fam the Silver Wing]]
* [[The Legend of the Legendary Heroes]]
* [[Lupin the Third|Lupin III]] (nine of the TV specials and the "Dead or Alive" film)
* [[Mahou Sensei Negima]] (only the two TV series and the Spring / Summer OVAs)
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* [[Rumbling Hearts]] ([[Market-Based Title|a.k.a.]] Kimi Ga Nozomu Eien)
* [[The Sacred Blacksmith]]
* [[Rosario
* [[Samurai 7]]
* [[Sasami Magical Girls Club]]
* [[School Rumble]] (except for the [[Contested Sequel|3rd Semester OVA]])
* [[Sekirei]]
* [[Sengoku Basara]]
* [[Seto no Hanayome]] (released as ''"My Bride is a Mermaid"'')
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* [[Galaxy Express 999]] (via Toei)
* [[House of Five Leaves]]
* [[Interlude]] (via Toei)
* [[Pretty Cure]] (via Toei)
* [[Slam Dunk]] (via Toei)
* [[The Tatami Galaxy]]
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** Their anti-piracy and fansub stance is pretty much the reason why [[Scandalgate|they briefly lost simulcast rights for Fractale]]. Unlike [[Anime News Network]] where they got [[Ore no Imouto ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai|Oreimo]] back within several weeks, Funimation managed to get the Fractale simulcast back ''within a few days.''
* [[Doing It for the Art]]: one of the major reasons why some LA and New York based voice actors are willing to work with Funimation. Heck, they even got [[Scott McNeil|a Canadian guy]] to work on a small role in [[Fullmetal Alchemist (anime)|Fullmetal Alchemist]].
* [[Fan Service]]: According to a Funimation representative as well as many of the Funimation voice actors, some of the highest selling shows happen to be ones with heavy fanservice (along with the said popular [[Shonen]] titles like [[Dragonball Z]] and [[Fullmetal Alchemist (manga)|Fullmetal Alchemist]]), much to the very annoyance of the [[Anime News Network|ANN]] editors who are quite critical to this trope. It wouldn't [[Baka to Test to Shoukanjuu|be a]] [[Cat Planet Cuties|surprise]] [[B Gata H Kei|with]] [[Chaos;Head|the]] [[Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt|recent]] [[Rosario
** This is most apparent with their release of ''[[Sekirei]]'', whose tagline is "Boobies for the win!".
* [[Gag Dub|Gag Dubs]]: While most of Funimation's dubs attempt to stay reasonably faithful to their source material, some comedy series, such as [[Shin Chan]], [[Keroro Gunsou|Sgt. Frog]], and ''[[Axis Powers Hetalia|Hetalia]]'', receive this treatment.
* [[Hey, It's That Voice!]]: Given the company's highly centralized talent roster, anyone who watches more than a couple of their dubs will start to recognize their regulars, and is probably the one complaint fans have with them. They do occasionally spring for new talent, however.
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