FUNimation Entertainment and Toei Animation Announce Online Streaming of
Anime Leaders to Stream Episodes of Iconic Anime Series
Flower Mound, Texas – January 3, 2011 — FUNimation® Entertainment and Toei Animation Co., Ltd. have entered into an agreement giving the American anime leader exclusive rights to the U.S. and Canadian online streaming of the studios’ signature animated series “Dragon Ball Z.”
Starting Saturday, January 15th at 7:30 PM CDT preceding the One Piece simulcast at 8:00 PM CDT, FUNimation will stream the series from its beginning via the official Dragon Ball Z websitewww.dragonballz.com in addition to www.dragonballzkai.com , www.funimation.com and FUNimation partner site www.hulu.com.
FUNimation will offer its professionally-produced, uncut, English-tracked and English-subtitled adaptations of the hugely successful series beginning with the first episode as well as other chapters of the Dragon Ball franchise: Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball GT and Dragon Ball Z Kai.
“We are pleased to offer the first legal streaming of this seminal anime series,” said Gen Fukunaga, president and CEO of FUNimation Entertainment. “Dragon Ball Z and One Piece are the crown jewels of our digital content strategy and we are proud of the diverse selection of series that entertains established fans and new ones as well.”
ABOUT DRAGON BALL Z
The explosive sequel to “Dragon Ball” follows the adventures of an all grown-up Goku and his son Gohan as they team up with their friends to battle evil forces throughout the universe to protect their beloved planet Earth.
After Akira Toriyama’s original manga, “Dragon Ball” debuted in Weekly Shonen Jump in 1984, this monstrous hit has gone on to surpass 42 volumes and has consistently remained a best-seller; selling more than 120 million copies worldwide. In 1989, Toei Animation created a popular animated version of the story called “Dragon Ball Z” which aired on Fuji TV until 1996.
In North America, the “Dragon Ball Z” manga appears in the monthly SHONEN JUMP magazine (www.shonenjump.com) sold by VIZ Media, LLC, which also sells the individual volumes.
The franchise is also the top-selling anime series of all time in home video sales and is one of the most successful video game franchises ever.
“Dragon Ball Z Kai” airs daily on Nicktoons and on Saturday mornings within the CW4Kids Toonzai block.
FUNimation Entertainment will release the next home entertainment volume of the franchise,“Dragon Box, volume 5” on DVD on February 8th, 2011.
