FUNimation Entertainment Acquires Afro Samurai: Resurrection Starring Samuel L. Jackson
Broadcast Premiere and DVD Release Coming Early 2009
FLOWER MOUND, TX, July 24, 2008 – FUNimation® Entertainment has acquired the home video, master toy and merchandising rights to AFRO SAMURAI: RESURRECTION from GDH K.K., the second installment to the animated series Afro Samurai which aired on Spike TV in 2006 and was the best-selling anime DVD release of 2007.
Academy Award® -nominated actor Samuel L. Jackson returns as the voice of Afro and his sidekick Ninja Ninja as well as executive-producer of this stylish series.
Based on the graphic novel by Takashi Okazaki and set in a unique world that is part ancient Japan and part futuristic fantasy, the five-episode first season of AFRO SAMURAI followed the solitary samurai's journey to avenge the murder of his father. In this second season, Afro Samurai picks up his sword once again to wreak bloody vengeance against an army of deadly foes.
Joining the cast is Lucy Liu (Dirty Sexy Money, Charlie's Angels, Kill Bill) as SIO, a seductive and sadistic mastermind plotting to destroy Afro. Also newly cast is Mark Hamill (Star Wars) as Bin, SIO's servant and protector.
Returning to the cast is Yuri Lowenthal (Naruto) as Kuma, the teddy-bear headed warrior and once childhood friend of Afro.
Renowned rap artist RZA again provides a funktastic score, fueling the show's intense drama and fusing American hip-hop culture with the world of the classical samurai.
FUNimation Entertainment will bring AFRO SAMURAI: RESURRECTION to DVD in February 2009. The first season will be available on Blu-Ray™ disc August 26.
Please visit www.afrosamurai.com for all the latest news and information on this evolution in entertainment.
About FUNimation Entertainment
FUNimation® Entertainment, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Navarre Corporation, is the leading company for home video sales of Japanese animation in the United States. FUNimation has a proven formula for launching and advancing brands, and manages a full spectrum of rights for most of its brands including broadcasting, licensing, production, internet, and home video sales and distribution. For more information about FUNimation Entertainment and its brands, visit www.funimation.com.
About GDH K.K.
GDH (Security code: TSE Mothers 3755) is a globally-focused Japanese media company founded in February 2000. The group produces cutting edge entertainment for teens and young adults including the famous GONZO animation brand and for kids and family under the recently launched Gonzo Films and Gonzino brands. GDH is a world leader in content development that targets both domestic and international audiences with Japan's trend-setting animation culture and, usually, GDH controls licensing management and international distribution for the content it produces. GDH group companies include GONZO K.K., GONZO Rosso K.K., Future Vision Music K.K., GONZINO K.K., GDH Capital K.K. and GK Entertainment K.K.
About SPIKE
Spike TV is available in 96.1 million homes and is a division of MTV Networks. A unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), MTV Networks is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike TV's Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike TV's press site at http://www.spike.com/press.
FLOWER MOUND, TX, July 24, 2008 – FUNimation® Entertainment has acquired the home video, master toy and merchandising rights to AFRO SAMURAI: RESURRECTION from GDH K.K., the second installment to the animated series Afro Samurai which aired on Spike TV in 2006 and was the best-selling anime DVD release of 2007.
Academy Award® -nominated actor Samuel L. Jackson returns as the voice of Afro and his sidekick Ninja Ninja as well as executive-producer of this stylish series.
Based on the graphic novel by Takashi Okazaki and set in a unique world that is part ancient Japan and part futuristic fantasy, the five-episode first season of AFRO SAMURAI followed the solitary samurai's journey to avenge the murder of his father. In this second season, Afro Samurai picks up his sword once again to wreak bloody vengeance against an army of deadly foes.
Joining the cast is Lucy Liu (Dirty Sexy Money, Charlie's Angels, Kill Bill) as SIO, a seductive and sadistic mastermind plotting to destroy Afro. Also newly cast is Mark Hamill (Star Wars) as Bin, SIO's servant and protector.
Returning to the cast is Yuri Lowenthal (Naruto) as Kuma, the teddy-bear headed warrior and once childhood friend of Afro.
Renowned rap artist RZA again provides a funktastic score, fueling the show's intense drama and fusing American hip-hop culture with the world of the classical samurai.
FUNimation Entertainment will bring AFRO SAMURAI: RESURRECTION to DVD in February 2009. The first season will be available on Blu-Ray™ disc August 26.
Please visit www.afrosamurai.com for all the latest news and information on this evolution in entertainment.
About FUNimation Entertainment
FUNimation® Entertainment, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Navarre Corporation, is the leading company for home video sales of Japanese animation in the United States. FUNimation has a proven formula for launching and advancing brands, and manages a full spectrum of rights for most of its brands including broadcasting, licensing, production, internet, and home video sales and distribution. For more information about FUNimation Entertainment and its brands, visit www.funimation.com.
About GDH K.K.
GDH (Security code: TSE Mothers 3755) is a globally-focused Japanese media company founded in February 2000. The group produces cutting edge entertainment for teens and young adults including the famous GONZO animation brand and for kids and family under the recently launched Gonzo Films and Gonzino brands. GDH is a world leader in content development that targets both domestic and international audiences with Japan's trend-setting animation culture and, usually, GDH controls licensing management and international distribution for the content it produces. GDH group companies include GONZO K.K., GONZO Rosso K.K., Future Vision Music K.K., GONZINO K.K., GDH Capital K.K. and GK Entertainment K.K.
About SPIKE
Spike TV is available in 96.1 million homes and is a division of MTV Networks. A unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), MTV Networks is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike TV's Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike TV's press site at http://www.spike.com/press.
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