It’s FUNimation. Only streaming. And cheaper. And sub-only. On Friday, FUNimation unveiled their new SubPass service. The new program will allow fans to access all of FUNimation’s streaming shows, including simulcasts, in commercial-free HD. The only catch is that this only unlocks subtitled content. It doesn’t include dubbed shows, extras, or FUNimation store discounts like the standard tier.
Still, at $4.95 a month, $12.95 per three-month block, or $39.95 a year, it’s not a bad deal.
Hitting the Short List! Otaku Review unveiled a new recurring column last week. “The Short List,” in which writer John Carpenter compares a short-form show to a long-form counterpart, kicked off on January 5. The maiden installment delves into the slice-of-life world, by pitting last season’s I Can’t Understand What My Husband Is Saying against Genshiken.
PlayStation Vita: a visual novel paradise? While Sony’s PlayStation Vita is pretty much dead and buried in North America, the handheld has seen somewhat of a renaissance in Japan. It’s become a true haven for otaku-centric content, including the always-popular visual novels.
This year looks to be no different, as the Vita will see more games than any other console in the next few months, including a truly amazing selection of visual novels that will make any hardcore fan happy.
MikuMiku Dance. MikuMiku Greenlit (on Steam)! Popular animation software MikuMiku dance was officially approved via Steam’s Greenlight program. Now, fans of all stripes can make a silly 3D animated music videos… or do something truly amazing, like recreate a full episode of Tom & Jerry[internal]. The possibilities are endless!
Disgaea, revisited. The opening sequence for Disgaea 5 was uploaded to YouTube, and it just oozes with style. And Prinnies, dood. Check it out for yourself below:
Anime openings, a step deeper. Ogiue Maniax takes a more thoughtful look at the art of the anime opening in a recent article.
That crazy Japanese Spider-Man show is back on YouTube! That’s right, true believers! Marvel began streaming two episodes of the Spider-Man tokusatsu show on their YouTube channel. The episodes, which include the pilot and “Fearful Hit Tune! Song Dancing Murder Rock,” originally streamed in North America in 2009.
The series is pretty important[internal] in the Super Sentai lineage, so it’s definitely worth a watch!
http://youtu.be/3MxGtH-2duM
Live-action Eva: a blast from the past! This is diving into the archives a bit, but in 2009, a group of fans created a shot-for-shot redo of the Evangelion opening sequence. Well… kind of. Even today, though, it’s a fun little watch!
