Funimation Entertainment has announced that it will distribute Gungrave for Geneon Entertainment.  The series and video game were both developed by Yasuhiro Nightow, known for creating Trigun.  Funimation will release all 26 episodes of the series in 2009.

Funimation has announced that it has licensed Oh! Edo Rocket, Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo, and Slayers Revolution. 

Oh! Edo Rocket is currently scheduled to be released in 2009.

Gankutuou is based on Alexandre Domas' classic novel and was created by Gonzo.  It was originally released in North America in 2005 and 2006 by Geneon Entertainment.  The license was obtained from Gonzo, not from Geneon.  The 24-episode series will be released on DVD in 2009.

Slayers Revolution is the most recent series in the Slayers franchise.  Funimation's release will consist of all 26 episodes, which in Japan were titled Slayers Revolution for the first 13 and Slayers Evolution-R for the second 13 (set to air in January).  Funimation has announced that it will be released digitally in 2009 and on DVD in 2010.

4Kids Entertainment has unveiled its new CW4Kids lineup for Saturday mornings.  The lineup includes 3 anime series and the live-action Kamen Rider: Dragon Knight series.  The block will start on January 3rd and will include Sonic X at 8 AM, Dinosaur King at 9AM, and Yu-Gi-Oh! at 11 AM.

Funimation Entertainment has announced that it has acquired the Ikki Tousen anime.  The first series was originally released in North America by Geneon Entertainment.

They also announced that they have launched a beta version of its new video portal.  The portal features hundreds of episodes, some subbed and some dubbed.  They include episodes from Darker than BLACK, Guyver, Black Blood Brothers, Gunslinger Girl -Il Teatrino-, Jyu-Oh-Sei, Negima! 2, Ouran High School Host Club, Romeo X Juliet, Shigurui: Death Frenzy, Strain: Strategic Armored Infantry, and other series for free.  The service uses Adobe Flash and also has trailers, interviews, and podcasts.

Del Rey Manga has announced that it has acquired Ninja Girls by Hosana Tanaka.  The manga currently runs in Monthly Shonen Sirius and has six compiled volumes in Japan.

"On the twelfth day of Christmas Santa Kleckner gave to me . . .
Twelve strings a-strumming"

Day 12 gives us Beck DVD Box Set for only $34.99 (regularly $69.98), Divergence Eve DVD Set for only $14.99 (regularly $44.98), and Street Fighter Alpha 2 Pack for only $9.99 (regularly $29.98)

"On the eleventh day of Christmas Santa Kleckner gave to me . . .
Eleven hyper school kids"

Day 11 gives us Gantz Perfect Score Set for only $29.99 (regularly $99.98), Kodacha Season 1 Box Set for only $19.99 (regularly $49.98), and Kodacha Season 2 Box Set for only $19.99 (regularly $49.98)

Right Stuf has started a new sale and released a list of brand new deals.  You can see their new Weekly Specials Here.  This week some of the highlights include the for $21.99 (regularly $39.99) and [url=http://www.rightstuf.com/catalog/browse/link/t=item,c=right-stuf,v=right-stuf,i=dexbx1,a=anime-bliss]Excel Saga DVD Complete Collection (Hyb) (Thinpak) for $32.99 (regularly $59.98).

Right Stuf's sale this week is the 12+ Days of Anime.  We have been listing the new deals every day and will continue to do so throughout the sale.

"On the tenth day of Christmas Santa Kleckner gave to me . . .
Ten rounds of vengeance"

Day 10 gives us Princess Princess DVD Box Set for only $12.99 (regularly $24.95), Joe vs Joe OVA Bundle for only $19.99 (regularly $49.99), and Samurai Gun DVD Set for only $17.99 (regularly $49.98)

4Kids Entertainment has announced that they are laying off about 15% of it's workforce due to the economic environment.  They expect to incur about $375,000 US in severance costs.  This combined with the early termination of it's Fox programming agreement and other reductions will gain $15 - $18 million US in savings. 

"On the ninth day of Christmas Santa Kleckner gave to me . . .
Nine deliquent slackers"

Day 9 gives us Fantastic Children DVD Set for only $19.99 (regularly $49.98), Chromartie High School DVD Set for only $14.99 (regularly $44.98), and Blue Gender Box Set for only $19.99 (regularly $49.98)

JapanFiles has announced that Sakura-Con 2009 will host the premiere US performance for Hangry & Angry.  Sakura-Con 2009 will take place April 10th-12th at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center.

"Hangry & Angry is a collaboration with a Harajuku fashion store which goes by the same name and is the brand of popular Japanese designer h.NAOTO .  Illustrator GASHICON draws the gurokawa (grotesque-cute)-style characters "Hangry" and "Angry". What is Hangry & Angry? Hangry & Angry represent a potent synthesis of fashion, illustration, fantasy and music.

The characters "Hangry" and "Angry" are said to come from the H44 Star Nebula in order to save the world from global warming. They arrived in the present in their time machine dubbed "LOVE MACHINE.""

Warner Home Video and Viz Media have agreed to a distribution deal for releases beginning April 1st.  This will include back catalog items such as Death Note and Inuyasha as well as new titles. 

Viz Media has also announced that the first three seasons of uncut Naruto, 63 episodes of Bleach, and all 37 episodes of Death Note are available on the Canadian version of iTunes.  The first dubbed episode of each series is available for free until January 6th.

On Tuesday, Upper Deck Panoceanic C.V. and Upper Deck International B.V. issued an open letter that asserts their distribution agreements with Konami Digital Entertainment for the Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game are still in effect.  The letter was a response to a press release and letter that Konami released announcing their reclaiming of "all operational and business aspects" of the trading card franchise.  Konami said it would immeditately take over "distribution and customer support" of the game franchise from Upper Deck and organize new events after a transition period. 

"On the eighth day of Christmas Santa Kleckner gave to me . . .
Eight warring ninja"

Day 8 gives us Aquarion Part 1 Box for only $24.99 (regularly $59.98), Aquarion Part 2 Box for only $24.99 (regularly $59.98), and Basilisk Box Set for only $24.99 (regularly $89.98)

JapanFiles.com has announced that cargo's full catalog is now available for legal download via their site.

"Cargo's four artists have performed extensively in Japan and worldwide, their music crossing over the genres of House, Club Jazz ,Hip Hop and Drum'n'Bass. Beginning in 2004, they released their 1st mini album [the scene], earning them rankings in HMV and Tower Records' charts."

Canada's YTV has signed an agreement with Toei Animation to broadcast the first Pretty Cure series in early 2009.  4Kids Entertainment originally licensed the series in 2006 but did not release it in the US.  Toei has since relicensed it for digital distribution to Direct2Drive and Crunchyroll.

Crunchyroll has announced that it has partnered with Pony Canyon to offer Steel Angel Kurumi, Steel Angel Kurumi Zero, and Steel Angel Kurumi to their site.  Steel Angel Kurumi and Steel Angel Kurumi 2 were both released originally in North America by ADV Films.

"On the seventh day of Christmas Santa Kleckner gave to me . . .
Seven bandits busted"

Day 7 gives us Gaogaigar Box Set 1 for only $17.99 (regularly $34.99), Gaogaigar Box Set 2 for only $17.99 (regularly $34.99), and Slayers DVD Bundle for only $44.99 (regularly $89.97)

Day 6 gives us Negima Box Set for only $24.99 (regularly $89.98), Aquarion Age DVD Set for only $14.99 (regularly $39.98), and Peach Girl DVD Box Set for only $29.99 (regularly $69.98)

"On the fifth day of Christmas Santa Kleckner gave to me . . .
Five desert foes"

Day 5 gives us Witchblade Bundle for only $39.99 (regularly $179.88), The Third Bundle for only $79.99 (regularly $189.94), and Angelic Layer DVD Box Set for only $19.99 (regularly $49.98)

Due to a system upgrade, ANN has announced that Girls High will begin streaming on Thursday and Ramen Fighter will begin next Tuesday.  Future episodes will go online every week on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Bandai Entertainment has announced that it has acquired Kurokami The Animation.  This is an adaptation of Lim Dall Young and Park Sung Woo's Kurokami manga.  The television series will debut in Japan, South Korea and the US within 24 hours of each other on January 8th.  In the US it will premiere on iaTV on Thursday nights at 8 PM ET/PT.

The producers of the American dub have been dubbing off of pencil test footage to allow the dub to be ready for the premiere.  Laura Bailey, Jason Griffith, Julie Ann Taylor, Stephanie Sheh, and Christopher Kromer have been cast for the leads and Mike Sinterniklaas is directing.

Marc Pavia, the marketing director at Tokyopop, has confirmed that eight more staffers were laid off this week.  He cited recent, dramatically low sales in the industry as the cause.  He acknowledged that Tokyopop will have to space it's upcoming releases out a bit more, but couldn't provide any details.

"On the first day of Christmas Santa Kleckner gave to me . . .
Four beastly curses"

Day 4 gives us Fruits Basket DVD Box Set for only $24.99 (regularly $69.98), He Man Season 1 Bundle for only $24.99 (regularly $59.96), and He Man Season 2 Bundle for only $24.99 (regularly $59.96)

Right Stuf has started a new sale and released a list of brand new deals.  You can see their new Weekly Specials Here.  This week some of the highlights include the Full Metal Panic? FUMOFFU DVD Comp Coll (Thinpak) for $29.99 (regularly $49.98) and Fullmetal Alchemist Movie DVD (Hyb) LE for $14.99 (regularly $44.98).

Right Stuf's sale this week is the 12+ Days of Anime.  We have been listing the new deals every day and will continue to do so throughout the sale.

The Nuart Theatre in Los Angeles will be holding a midnight showing of Hayao Miyazaki's Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind on Friday, December 12th.

"On the first day of Christmas Santa Kleckner gave to me . . .
Three Mystic Mages"

Day 3 gives us Tweeny Witches DVD Box Set for only $48.99 (regularly $99.99), Maburaho DVD Box Set for only $24.99 (regularly $69.98), and Trinity Blood DVD Box Set for only $39.99 (regularly $89.98)

The Australian and British versions of IGN have posted the international trailer for Twentieth Century Fox's live action Dragonball: Evolution.

Anime News Network has announced that it will begin streaming Girl's High and Ramen Fighter Miki on December 15th.  Both series will be available as free, ad-supported streams.  New episodes of each series will be posted every Monday for 12 weeks.  Just like with Kite: Liberator, these will only be available to viewers in North America.

"On the first day of Christmas Santa Kleckner gave to me . . .
Two racing lanes"

Day 2 gives us Gundam Seed Destiny OVA Final Plus for only $12.99 (regularly $24.98), Suzuka Box Set for only $29.99 (regularly $59.98), and Final Fantasy DVD Set for only $19.99 (regularly $49.98)

Ayumi Hamasaki will reportedly sing "Rule", the theme song for 20th Century Fox's live-action Dragonball: Evolution movie.  Fox plans to use the song as the theme in 60 countries around the world.  The song will be released in 2009 while the film itself will open in Japan on March 13th and then in the US on April 8th. 

Rightstuf has begun their yearly 12+ days of anime.

"On the first day of Christmas Santa Kleckner gave to me . . .
A "crafty" pyro burning our tree"

Day 1 gives us Shuffle DVD Bundle 1-6 for only $59.99 (regularly $179.88), Witch Hunter Robin DVD Set for only $22.99 (regularly $49.98), and Shingu: Secret of the Stellar Wars DVD Thinpak for only $19.99 (regularly $59.99)

Nishikaze has announced that due to problems securing a venue for 2009, they will be forced to cancel their convention.  The convention was originally scheduled to take place on March 14th.  They do still plan to hold a convention in 2010 however.

Anime News Network has launched a streaming anime service and made Kite: Liberator the first title.  The movie was originally released in Japan in March and is currently available on DVD from Media Blasters.  ANN has it available to watch in both English dubbed and English subbed versions.  The stream is free and ad-supported with a higher quality version available to site subscribers.  It is only available to North American viewers.

Crunchyroll has announced this week that Udon Entertainment will be posting manga and comic titles weekly on their stie.  The titles will include Udon's in house Street Fighter comic, Masahiko Nakahira's manga version of Street Fighter Alpha, Onimusha: Night of Genesis and 1520.

The official website for the new Fullmetal Alchemist TV series has posted a teaser video that confirms that it will premiere on Japanese TV in Apirl.  It also promised new information in January's Monthly Shonen Gangan. 

Veteran voice actor Mikio Terashima passed away on Thursday at 4:05 PM in Tokorozawa, Japan at the age of 77.  Terashima was best known for having played Berg Katze in various Gatchaman projects.  He also was in Choudenji Machine Voltes V, Dagger of Kamui, Ninpu Kamui Gaiden and Space Battleship Yamamoto.  He left behind his wife Yasuko.  A private funeral is planned for Tuesday.

Munetaka Higuchi, the drummer and co-founder of Loudness, passed away on Sunday at 10:00 AM in a hospital in Osaka at the age of 49.  The news was announced by Akira Takasaki, the guitarist for Loudness, on his personal website.  The official site for Loudness had announced in April that Higuchi had been diagnosed with liver cancer.  Higuchi left a message on the site on October 16th saying that his condition was continuing to worsen despite having half of his liver removed.