

Breakdown

New Bakugan due out Spring 2019

During the company’s second quarter financial call this morning, Spin Master revealed that the long in development Bakugan relaunch is planned to debut in Spring 2019. The new toy line is expected to debut alongside the series in early 2019.

Little is known about the new Bakugan, though Nelvana and TMS Entertainment, who helped launch the property in 2007, are both onboard with the new show, which will allegedly utilize the 11-minute episode format. As Spin Master expects success, the company has already started planning out the second season of programming and toys. Last month, images thought to be from the relaunch were found in Spin Master’s Business Segment Report. The company has previously trademarked the name “Bakugan Battle Planet.”

As for Spin Master’s finances, the company bucked the trend set by other toy giants reeling from the Toys “R” Us situation. The Toronto toy maker reported growth in Q2 2018, with revenue up 12% year-on-year to US$311.5 million.

English Black Jack dub streams on Amazon Prime

Last year, news broke about an English dub of 2004’s Black Jack anime series recorded in Burnaby, British Columbia. After airing on television internationally, The Japan Foundation released the first 52 episodes of the dub onto Amazon Prime in late July. An updated adaptation of Osamu Tezuka’s 1970s manga of the same name, the series ran for 61 episodes on Yomiuri TV. A 17 episode sequel, called Black Jack 21, followed shortly after. Both star the titular Black Jack, a rogue doctor with a mysterious past.

The dub was recorded at Digital Sound Magic and directed by studio owner Richard Dolmat. While the cast isn’t credited in the video streamed on Amazon, some of the actors have made their involvement with the dub public. This marks Black Jack’s second English-language dub. An earlier one was produced in Hong Kong for broadcast on Animax Asia.

What’s the catch? Black Jack appears to only be available to stream on Amazon Prime in the United States.

Via: WTK

Thanks Jesse, John!

Adult Swim.com streams FLCL Progressive internationally

Things were looking rough for fans outside the United States hoping to check out Production I.G.’s sequels to the cult anime hit Fooly Cooly before the inevitable (but currently unannounced) western home video release. Produced for Adult Swim in the United States, FLCL Progressive debuted on the channel in June with no real push for audiences outside the country. Despite initially saying otherwise, the same-day AdultSwim.com streams were region locked. Williams Street’s long-abandoned Canadian-exclusive Adult Swim app, naturally, didn’t have the episodes. A local television run was a comically unrealistic possibility. Well, Williams Street has pulled off a surprise. The entire six season is now available to stream for free internationally on Adult Swim’s website. This move, which happened last week, isn’t limited to Canadians either. People as far as Germany have said they’ve been able to check out the show on the site. Australians, though? Tough luck (presumably there’s interest from a local distributor). No word on if this is a temporary thing, so if you’re interested, it’s better to watch it while you can.

Audiences outside the United States were actually able to watch the show through one legal option: download-to-own. Various online storefronts offered each episode for $1.99 (SD)/$2.99 (HD), or as part of a $9.99 (SD)/$14.99 (HD) season pass with new episodes going online shortly after their U.S. TV broadcast. Presumably, this will continue with FLCL Alternative, when it debuts next month. If you can’t wait …

The original FLCL is available to stream on Funimation’s platforms.