Geneon Acquisition: Fafner
LONG BEACH, Calif. - Geneon Entertainment, a leader in introducing anime to the United States, announced today that it has acquired the North American home Entertainment Rights to XEBEC's Fafner, making its DVD debut in July. In addition to the series itself, Geneon Entertainment has also acquired the rights to the Fafner Original Soundtrack, which will be released simultaneously with the first volume of the DVD.
"Fafner has been an unstoppable force in Japan because of its lush animation, dramatic story arc, wild action and great music," said Yosuke
Kobayashi, president/CEO, Geneon Entertainment. "The 'giant robot' genre
is such a cornerstone of anime, and Fafner is the best of the best; this is a great opportunity for us to bring an exciting property to an enthusiastic North American audience."
Hotly anticipated by science-fiction and anime fans for its high production value and intense storyline, the 26-episode series takes place in the aftermath of an extraterrestrial attack, where citizens must take arms against the invaders utilizing giant humanoid-type robots. To complement the ground-breaking visuals and thrilling story, the series features energetically charged and soulful songs by the J-Pop sensation, angela, whose unique sound initially impressed audiences on the Stellvia Original Soundtrack and who will be performing Fafner theme songs at Sakura Con, a Seattle-based anime convention
(April 8-10).
Featuring characters that have been consistently ranked among the Top 25 anime characters of all time, Fafner boasts a creative team which includes producer Toshimichi Otsuki (Neon Genesis Evangelion, Slayers, Nadesico), animation production by XEBEC (Zoids, Love Hina, D.N.Angel), character design and animation direction by Hisashi Hirai (Mobile Suit Gundam Seed, Infinite Ryvius) and direction by Nobuyoshi Habara (D.N.Angel, Sorcerer Hunters). The Fafner announcement comes hot on the heels of another super-powered Geneon acquisition, Viewtiful Joe, which includes a massive, multi-pronged licensing component. As a producer and distributor of entertainment content, Geneon Entertainment has a slate of licensing programs, including the popular hip-hop style property Samurai Champloo and the highly anticipated Tetsujin 28, due out in theaters later this year.
Fafner Synopsis:
Their paradise was a deception. The youth of Tatsumiya Island believed that they had ordinary lives until the advent of the Festum, extraterrestrial intelligent life forms intent on assimilating all humans. Abruptly, their once peaceful island transforms into a high-tech military fortress to counter-attack the hostile aliens. Their shock intensifies when they learn that only they can pilot the Fafner, a class of humanoid-type robots that represent the final and only weapon against the Festums and their god-like powers.
About Geneon Entertainment
A leading supplier of Japanese animation in North America, GENEON ENTERTAINMENT (USA) INC. (www.geneonanimation.com) is a full-service producer and distributor of entertainment content including film, music, animation and television shows on DVD and CD. Continually introducing new and classic anime and live-action programming, as well as anime CD soundtracks, the company also serves as a creative partner to many of Japan's top anime production companies. Additionally, Geneon Entertainment distributes critically acclaimed musical performances on DVD and CD from renowned artists. Headquartered in Long Beach, California, Geneon Entertainment's parent company is Tokyo-based advertising giant Dentsu Inc. Dentsu Inc., founded in 1901, is the largest advertising agency brand and the fifth largest marketing and communications organization in the world. Based in Tokyo, Dentsu offers national, multinational and global clients the most comprehensive range of advertising and marketing services through its unique "Total Communications Services" approach. Dentsu has pioneered and set global standards for integrated communications, which in latter years have been adopted by a number of major international networks. The group has more than 6,000 clients and 14,447 full-time employees in both Japan and in its offices overseas. Consolidated revenues for fiscal term 03/04 were recorded at $2,679,705 billion. Dentsu is publicly traded on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
"Fafner has been an unstoppable force in Japan because of its lush animation, dramatic story arc, wild action and great music," said Yosuke
Kobayashi, president/CEO, Geneon Entertainment. "The 'giant robot' genre
is such a cornerstone of anime, and Fafner is the best of the best; this is a great opportunity for us to bring an exciting property to an enthusiastic North American audience."
Hotly anticipated by science-fiction and anime fans for its high production value and intense storyline, the 26-episode series takes place in the aftermath of an extraterrestrial attack, where citizens must take arms against the invaders utilizing giant humanoid-type robots. To complement the ground-breaking visuals and thrilling story, the series features energetically charged and soulful songs by the J-Pop sensation, angela, whose unique sound initially impressed audiences on the Stellvia Original Soundtrack and who will be performing Fafner theme songs at Sakura Con, a Seattle-based anime convention
(April 8-10).
Featuring characters that have been consistently ranked among the Top 25 anime characters of all time, Fafner boasts a creative team which includes producer Toshimichi Otsuki (Neon Genesis Evangelion, Slayers, Nadesico), animation production by XEBEC (Zoids, Love Hina, D.N.Angel), character design and animation direction by Hisashi Hirai (Mobile Suit Gundam Seed, Infinite Ryvius) and direction by Nobuyoshi Habara (D.N.Angel, Sorcerer Hunters). The Fafner announcement comes hot on the heels of another super-powered Geneon acquisition, Viewtiful Joe, which includes a massive, multi-pronged licensing component. As a producer and distributor of entertainment content, Geneon Entertainment has a slate of licensing programs, including the popular hip-hop style property Samurai Champloo and the highly anticipated Tetsujin 28, due out in theaters later this year.
Fafner Synopsis:
Their paradise was a deception. The youth of Tatsumiya Island believed that they had ordinary lives until the advent of the Festum, extraterrestrial intelligent life forms intent on assimilating all humans. Abruptly, their once peaceful island transforms into a high-tech military fortress to counter-attack the hostile aliens. Their shock intensifies when they learn that only they can pilot the Fafner, a class of humanoid-type robots that represent the final and only weapon against the Festums and their god-like powers.
About Geneon Entertainment
A leading supplier of Japanese animation in North America, GENEON ENTERTAINMENT (USA) INC. (www.geneonanimation.com) is a full-service producer and distributor of entertainment content including film, music, animation and television shows on DVD and CD. Continually introducing new and classic anime and live-action programming, as well as anime CD soundtracks, the company also serves as a creative partner to many of Japan's top anime production companies. Additionally, Geneon Entertainment distributes critically acclaimed musical performances on DVD and CD from renowned artists. Headquartered in Long Beach, California, Geneon Entertainment's parent company is Tokyo-based advertising giant Dentsu Inc. Dentsu Inc., founded in 1901, is the largest advertising agency brand and the fifth largest marketing and communications organization in the world. Based in Tokyo, Dentsu offers national, multinational and global clients the most comprehensive range of advertising and marketing services through its unique "Total Communications Services" approach. Dentsu has pioneered and set global standards for integrated communications, which in latter years have been adopted by a number of major international networks. The group has more than 6,000 clients and 14,447 full-time employees in both Japan and in its offices overseas. Consolidated revenues for fiscal term 03/04 were recorded at $2,679,705 billion. Dentsu is publicly traded on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
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