Joseph Luster
October 21, 2008 If you’re going to attempt to combat piracy, this is certainly a good start. FUNimation has announced that they’ll be streaming high-quality, English subtitled episodes of Gainax’s latest show, Shikabane Hime: Aka ( charmingly translated as Corpse Princess) across their various video-sharing partners. Yes, that means you’ll be able to watch the anime adaptation of Yoshiichi Akahito’s manga anywhere from YouTube to Joost to Hulu, all for free.
Or, if you like, you can opt to own these episodes via individual $1.99 purchases at FUNimation’s website. Either way, the fun begins this Friday (October 24th). In the press release, the company’s head honcho had this to say about the offer:
“Often by the time a licensing deal is signed to bring a series from Japan to the U.S. the episodes are already available as illegal downloads,•bCrLf said Gen Fukunaga, president and CEO of FUNimation Entertainment. “In bringing this series to anime fans within days of its premiere we are not only offering unique content and increasing the awareness of the series but we are offering a legal online alternative to illegal file sharing.•bCrLf
The concept of rolling out a subtitled version of a Japanese show mere weeks after its debut is certainly a potent one, and it will be interesting to see how it plays out in the battle against fansub downloads and the effect they have on the industry. Let us know in the comments if any of you start checking out Shikabane Hime.
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