Summer is the time for anime conventions and a time when companies usually like to announce as many licenses as possible. AnimeExpo was this weekend. Here’s what we’ve got.

FUNimation:

Trigun: Badlands Rumble (Movie)
Black Lagoon: Roberta’s Blood Trail (OVA series)
Toaru Majutsu no Index
Toaru Majutsu no Railgun
Hellsing Ultimate (continuation, 4-7)
Darker than Black 2
Shana 2

FUNi-Simulcasts:

Sekerei 2
Sengoku Basara 2
Kuroshitsuji 2
Moyashimon drama
Shiki
Legend of the Legendary Heroes

FUNi – Geneon recoveries:

Hellsing TV
Serial Experiments Lain
Texhnolyze
Ai Yori Aoshi
Lots of Tenchi stuff
Armitage III
Haibane Renmei

Bandai:

K-On!

Sentai/AnimeNetwork

Highschool of the Dead + simulcast

Nozomi:

So-Ra-No-Wo-To
Revolutionary Girl Utena (rescued from CPM)

Viz:

Nurarihyon no Mago

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So let’s see. I almost called all those simulcasts. LotLH was a bit of a surprise, but the rest of the FUNi simulcasts were almost a given as I had recently posted. Highschool of the Dead was also an easy pick to see done by Sentai/AnimeNetwork.

I have quite a bit on K-On. Yes, it’s definitely a title Bandai would get, sure. But I see this as Bandai’s final stand. If K-On fails them like Haruhi and Lucky Star did, Bandai USA/Ent is out of the anime market. They had to pay quite a bit of money to get the license for that title, and since they have already been failing in the past year, I don’t see how they could manage to stay open any longer if K-On does not bring in some money for them. Sure, it has a large fanbase, but so did Haruhi and Lucky Star. The problem is, that fanbase is fanbase who uses the internet for their pleasure — to hell that they’ll actually buy DVDs. That’s the problem I see that lies ahead for Bandai.

I’m really surprised at the number of titles FUNi picked up for simulcasts. I’m sure that all those sequels will eventually be released to DVD/BD as well with a dub, but nothing has been made clear yet with press releases. Hellsing! Gah, I was seriously talking about the dub last night with a group of people and telling them how much I thought it sucked that it was still in limbo land on being continued. Ah! It’s so awesome, can’t wait. I’m pretty sure FUNi will be able to get the original dub cast back for it, Black Lagoon, and Trigun no problems. If they can do the Slayers, they can do anything. Can’t wait for those! Madhouse is awesome. I might actually pick up Lain too. I’ve heard a lot about it, but haven’t ever had the chance to pick it up. Definitely will be watching the noitaminA block’s simulcast as well. Looks good, FUNi.

Was thinking that CR would get Nurarihyon no Mago before someone else, but it seems that Viz has jumped the gun and will be simulcasting it. Though, I guess it still could be on CR like Naruto and Bleach, though more likely on their vizanime.com site.