Stop me if you’ve heard this one before! A bunch of school idols, a an artist, and a rider walk into a bar…
Earlier today, Funimation unveiled their full streaming simulcast lineup for the summer 2016 season. The company will stream 14 titles during the season, with the full lineup as follows:
- Cute High Earth Defense Club Love! Love!
- D.Gray-man Hallow
- Danganronpa 3: The End of Hope’s Peak High School (Future Arc and Despair Arc)
- Endride (Continuation)
- First Love Monster
- Handa-kun
- Love Live! Sunshine!!
- Servamp
- Tales of Zestiria the X
- One Piece (Continuing Series)
- Regalia: The Three Sacred Stars
- Sca-red Rider XechS
- Tsukiuta. The Animation
- Time Travel Girl
As of press time, Funimation hasn’t revealed specific premeire dates, nor have they hinted at which shows would get the broadcast dub treatment.
One Piece, Regalia: The Three Sacred Stars, and Tsukiuta. The Animation will only be available to users in the United States and Canada. All other titles will also be available to users in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Cute High Earth Defense Club Love! Love! is the sequel to spring 2015 show Cute High Earth Defense Club Love!. Shinji Takamatsu (Gintama, Mobile Suit Gundam Wing) is returning to the director’s chair at Studio Comet, while Yumiko Hara (Muv-Luv Alternative: Total Eclipse) reprises her role as character designer. Michiko Yokote (Gintama, Hare + Guu) is stepping back in to take charge of series composition.
Funimation describes the show as:
The Battle Lovers are back! With things a bit calmer since the whole Zundar fiasco, the boys can get back to what’s important in life—like hanging around the bathhouse and lazing around! But when the Loveracelets start calling, they’ll have to jump back into the action. Will the arrival of two new students mean more allies or more chaos? Love is not over yet!
D.Gray-man Hallow is the sequel to 2008 anime series D.Gray-man. Yoshiharu Ashino (Tweeny Witches, Cross Ange) is helming the project at TMS Entertainment, while Yousuke Kabashima (Lord Marksman and Vanadis, The Girl Who Leapt Through Space) provides character designs. Scripts will be written by the team of Kenichi Yamashita (Actually, I Am…), Michiko Yokote (Shirobako, Dagashi Kashi), and Tatsuto Higuchi (Schwarzes Marken, My-Otome).
Funimation describes D.Gray-man Hallow as:
From the studio behind D.Gray-man comes the highly anticipated continuation to the popular series. Allen Walker is an exorcist working for the Black Order whose mission is to protect mankind from the evil Millennium Earl and his deadly Akuma. Allen and his comrades must recover lost Innocence while defending against the Earl’s terrifying army. But if they fail, Innocence will be lost forever.
The two Danganronpa 3 shows are based on Spike Chunsoft’s video games of the same name. Both shows will be directed by Daisei Fukuoka at Lerche, with Seiji Kishi (Angel Beats!, Yuki Yuna Is a Hero) serving as chief director. Kazuaki Morita (Assassination Classroom, Oreimo) is providing character designs, while Norimitsu Kaihō (School-Live!, Guilty Crown: Lost Christmas) takes charge of series composition.
Funimation describes the series as:
Hope’s Peak High School is a special school that nurtures those with exceptional talents and abilities. While only top students are a part of the main course, anyone can join the preparatory course, like Haijme Hinata has. Hinata wants nothing more than to be part of the talented elite, but his desires lead him to a fateful encounter that drives the future of the school into despair.
First Love Monster is based on Akira Hiyoshimaru’s manga of the same name. Takayuki Inagaki (Rosario + Vampire, Sky Wizards Academy) is directing the project at Studio DEEN, with Mariko Oka (Hell Girl, Hetalia The Beautiful World) providing character designs. The team of Deko Akao, Sayuri Ooba, and Takashi Aoshima will take charge of series composition. Go Sakabe will compose the soundtrack at Dax Production.
Funimation describes the show as:
High schooler Kaho Nikaido is having trouble adjusting to her new life in Tokyo. It doesn’t get any easier when she is nearly hit by a truck and saved by the handsome Kanade Takahashi! Infatuated with Kanade, she works up the courage to confess. But he warns that if Kaho learns who he is, she won’t want him. What could possibly keep her from this stud? Maybe the fact he’s a…fifth grader?!
Handa-kun is based on Satsuki Yoshino’s prequel to his hit series Barakamon. Yoshitaka Koyama (Miami Guns!, Louie The Rune Soldier) is directing the series at Deomedia, with Mayuko Matsumoto (KanColle) providing character designs. Michiko Yokote (Genshiken, Princess Tutu) is in charge of series composition. Ken Ito is scoring the soundtrack. Kenichi Suzumura will perform ending theme Hide-And-Seek.
Funimation describes Handa-kun as:
Seishuu Hanada leads a very interesting life for a high school student. He is admired by his peers as a calligraphy genius and held in the highest respect. Unfortunately, Hanada is under the impression that they hate him! He just wants a quiet life, but instead he’ll face countless challenges for his school idol position. Can he handle all the pressure and “bullying”? It’s hard being so clueless!
Love Live! Sunshine!! is a spinoff from 2013’s Love Live! School Idol Project. Kazuo Sakai (Mushi-Uta) is helming the project at Sunrise. Yūhei Murota and Jukki Hanada are both reprising their roles on the project as character designer and series composition, respectively. Other confirmed cast members include:
Funimation describes the show as:
Nothing is more appealing than the bright, sparkling world of School Idols! The girls of Uranohoshi Girls’ High School are swept into idol fever, wanting nothing more than to become the next-best School Idol group. And they plan to do just that. Chika Takami brings together eight of her classmates to form Aqours, their own idol group. As long as they don’t give up, any dream can come true!
Servamp is based on Strike Tanaka’s manga of the same name. Hideaki Nakano (Aoharu x Machinegun) was tapped to helm the show at Brain’s Base, while Itto Sara (Aoharu x Machinegun) serves as chief director. Kenji Konuta (Aoharu x Machinegun, Blood Lad) will be in charge of series composition, while Junko Yamanaka (Aoharu x Machinegun<, Kamisama Kiss) provides character designs.
Funimation describes Servamp as:
Mahiru Shirota dislikes difficult things, preferring to live a simple life. But after rescuing a cat he names Kuro, life takes a turn for the complex. Kuro turns out to be a “servamp” — a servant vampire—named Sleepy Ash, and the two form a contract. Kissing his simple life goodbye, Mahiru is pulled into the world of vampires, the seven deadly Servamps, and war. Life couldn’t be more complicated!
Tales of Zestiria the X is based on Bandai Namco’s Tales of Zestiria role-playing game. Studio ufotable (Fate/stay night: Unlimited Blade Works, God Eater) will produce the series, which is being helmed by Haruo Sotozaki (Tales of Symphonia the Animation, Tales of Zestiria: Dōshi no Yoake). Akira Matsushima (Maria Watches Over Us, Rurouni Kenshin: Reflection) is providing character designs for the project.
Funimation describes the series as:
Legends speak of the Shepherd, a savior who will bring peace to the seraphim and human worlds. Sorey has spent his life studying ancient books and exploring ruins to learn more about the legendary savior. When he and his seraphim companion Mikleo encounter a mysterious girl in the ruins, the stories of the Shephard become Sorey’s reality. Is he strong enough to take on the evil Lord of Calamity?
Regalia: The Three Sacred Stars is an original series from studio Actas. Susumu Tosaka (Infinite Stratos 2: Long Vacation Edition) is directing the series, which features character designs by Kimitake Nishio (ToHeart2, D.C.III ~Da Capo III~). Keigo Koyanagi (Go! Go! 575) is in charge of series composition. TRUE will perform the show’s opening theme, titled Divine Spell.
Funimation describes Regalia: The Three Sacred Stars as:
In the country of Rimguard a mysterious event shook the country and its people just twelve years prior. As time passed, memory of the incident began to fade while peace reigned over the land. Sisters Yui and Rena live a quiet life in the Enastria Empire until a large mecha suddenly attacks their peaceful home, changing everything. The girls become caught in a vortex of destiny and godly revival.
Sca-red Rider XechS is based on Red Entertainment’s visual novel series of the same name. Hideto Komori (Hayate the Combat Butler! Heaven Is a Place on Earth) is helming the project at Satelight, with Koji Haneda providing character designs. Naruki Nagakawa (She and Her Cat -Everything Flows-) is in charge of series composition, while the team of Nao Harada and Takeshi Abo score the soundtrack.
Funimation describes the show as:
The Blue World, a world symbolizing reason, is under attack by fierce creatures known as the Nightfly O’Note sent from the Red World, a world symbolizing instinct. Elected to lead the Blue World, 17-year-old researcher Akira Asagi will take charge of the combat unit “IS”. These six riders, also called the Scared Rider Xechs, will fight at the Ryuukyuu LAG to protect their world and each other.
Tsukiuta. The Animation is based on a series of music and drama CDs from MOVIC. Itsuro Kawasaki (Chrome Shelled Regios, L/R: Licensed by Royalty) is directing the title at Studio Pierrot, with Yukiko Ban (.hack//SIGN, Brave 10) providing character designs. Sayaka Harada (Library War, Starmyu) is penning the show’s scripts.
Funimation describes the series as:
Six Gravity and Procellarum are two rival male idol groups who happen to live in the same dorm. Six Gravity is made up of young men who represent the months of December to May, while Procellarum’s members represent June to November. Follow the daily lives of these twelve young men as they deal with the stresses of idol-hood, school, and living together. With music by famous Vocaloid producers!
Time Travel Girl is an original show from Wao World. Osamu Yamasaki (Toward the Terra, Gestalt) is filling the dual role of director and series composition, while Takashi Kobayashi (Angel Tales, Battle Skipper) provides character designs.
Funimation describes Time Travel Girl as:
Mari Hayase is on a mission to go back in time and meet eight of the most prominent scientists and inventors in history. With the help of her two friends Waka Mizuki and Jun Mizuki she’ll find herself up close and personal with famous figures like Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas Edison, and so many more! What’s her purpose and mission? Hopefully not getting stuck in the past!
Source: Funimation (via Anime Herald) (Thanks to L.B. Bryant for the tip!)
