Wait, WHAAA—?
Hey there, fans! Sorry for the radio silence last week; I valiantly tried fighting a lab report and several bits of homework, and did not survive the skirmish. That, and the fall anime season has just begun, and the brand spanking new shows being released in Japan are all vying for my attention. However, I shall only concern myself of those said new shows after reporting a new way anime, specifically anime licensed by FUNimation, could be delivered to one’s computer.
Japanator reports:
FUNimation is now adding HD and SD anime rentals available for $0.99 in the iTunes store, cementing the company’s partnership with Apple. FUNi is has a current offering of iTunes content, with plans to add more titles in the future. But that doesn’t mean that they’re skimping at the present. The current iTunes lineup is full of anime favorites such as Afro Samurai, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Ouran High School Host Club, Samurai Champloo, and Soul Eater.
Quite an interesting development, no? Especially after I mentioned Funimation in an article a few weeks back, and how, with Crunchyroll’s new release, the “old dogs in the business would have to up their game.” As much as I love the way FUNimation is trying to diversify the various ways its bringing its licensed content to viewers like me, I don’t quite dig their rehashed content. I know, I know, sometimes the market just wants more of the same (like the fillers) and some of these shows are great, and worth a second watch (especially the likes of Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood and Ouran High School Host Club), but I find their lack of (new) content disturbing. Especially when there are already contenders in the fray hocking their wares on iTunes, like The Anime Network or Viz Media. Granted, not every show is the next big “thing” in the business, but I believe that by bringing in their new stuff, FUNimation could very well bring in new viewers, curious about these strange new shows on their channel.
That, or find a way to bring Macross Frontier to the American audiences who enjoyed the Robotech series. Just sayin’.
Anyway, that’s the big bit of news I found this week. Tune in next week when I decide whether I actually want to watch the new stuff coming out that I keep bragging about, and quite possibly write something about it! See you next week!
About the Author
After finding out that the school's library was a welcome respite from the heat of the tropical island he inhabited, Paolo Jasa found out that books were a whole lot better than being a constant target during P.E. class; so much so that he developed a love for them that would last him a life time. His first forays in Science Fiction were in the novels of the esteemed I. Asimov, R. Bradbury, and D. Adams, while his adventures in Fantasy took him to the realms of Discworld, Hogwarts, and a Chicago that houses the only Wizard-For-Hire found in the local Yellow Pages, Harry Dresden.
Then he found out about Gaiman's Sandman comics, Miyazaki's animé, Pixar's movies, and (almost) every single web-comic on the Internet.
This changed things a little bit. A lot, in fact.
Regardless, Paolo's currently enrolled in the College of William and Mary to get a Bachelor's Degree in ... something. Hopefully in English or in Education in order to become a teacher, and to bend the minds of the next generation towards all things nerdy. While not studying or reading, he enjoys playing the alto saxophone and singing unabashedly around campus when no one’s looking.