Eccentric merchant Dryden is here and ready to make a deal!
Earlier today, Funimation announced that Eric Vale (Fairy Tail, One Piece) will play the role of Dryden Fassa in the company’s updated Vision of Escaflowne dub.
Earlier this week, the company revealed that Alexis Tipton, Sonny Strait, and Colleen Clinkenbeard are joining the cast as Merle, Allen Schezar, and Millerna Aston, respectively.
Caitlin Glass (Fullmetal Alchemist, Ouran High School Host Club, Attack on Titan) was tapped to play Hitomi, while Aaron Dismuke (Blood Blockade Battlefront, The Heroic Legend of Arslan, Fullmetal Alchemist) was cast as Van. Sonny Strait (Ouran High School Host Club, Fullmetal Alchemist) is directing the adaptation.
Funimation’s Kickstarter to re-dub Vision of Escaflowne officially launched on February 27. In an interview with Anime News Network’s Zac Bertschy, Funimation brand manager Jennifer Fu explained the need for a new dub on the series:
So basically there was the original dub that came out and it’s based on SD materials that, as you’re aware, the director’s cut, the HD Japanese version that was released on Bluray more recently, has scenes that were not in the original materials that the original English dub was based on. So because of that it’s not possible for us to put the subtitled HD material which is what we’ve just received from Japan, on the same disc as the original dub, because otherwise it doesn’t line up correctly and there are some points where the dub just won’t have any dialogue or anything in it and it’d just be kind of strange.
Funimation noted that the $150,000 goal wouldn’t cover the full cost of a new English adaptation.
The campaign reached its goal on March 1, and passed its first stretch goal of $200,000 on March 10. The second stretch goal was hit earlier this week.
As of press time, the campaign stands at $261,742 donated across 1,676 backers, with an average contribution of $156.17 per backer.
Three stretch goals are currently in play:
- $200,000: Behind the Scenes featurettes and interviews (Funded)
- $250,000: Upgraded box art, and art book added to Kickstarter Edition copies (Funded)
- $500,000: Backers-only Escaflowne party at a major US anime convention, with director Kazuki Akane in attendance as a guest.
Source: Kickstarter
