FUNIMATIONCON 2020 [Panel News]: Four-Alarm Blaze!

Typically every year at San Diego Comic-Con, I make sure to check out the back-to-back — and usually late night — animation panels, Funimation and Crunchyroll (which I will highlight tomorrow from Anime Expo Lite!). But with COVID-19 causing more harm than a mere cancelling of nerd conventions, I decided to just relay the news to you this year via press release. There’s no reason to rate/review a panel you physically can’t attend! (But that may change later when the actual SDCC @Home takes place in a couple weeks).

With the virtual FunimationCon 2020 holding it down this weekend for the anime powerhouse (click here for schedule/attendance information!), they opened up with Funimation’s industry panel, and rightfully so. Host Lauren Moore did a nice job this morning relaying the latest on the streaming service’s new and returning series, upcoming theatrical releases, and expansion of Funimation to Latin America.

Perhaps the biggest news of the block was that all 220 episodes of the original Naruto series subbed and dubbed will launch on Funimation in North America on July 6, and the next batch of One Piece dubbed episodes are coming in August to digital storefronts.  Also announced were the returning and continuing series Fruits Basket Season 2, Fire Force Season 2, No Guns Life Season 2 and new series including DECA-DENCE (which I may peep a screening for in just a bit), By the Grace of the Gods, Higurashi: When They Cry – NEW and Akudama Drive all coming to the service.

Lauren also noted exclusive products in THE FUNIMATION SHOP, including Dragon Ball Z Funko Pop Ultra Size Shenron, and Exclusive Dragon Ball Super Funko Pop Kale and Caulifla two-pack. And starting today, the Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Part One Standard Edition Blu-ray is available for pre-order. Aniplex of America is partnering with Funimation Films to distribute the new highly anticipated Demon Slayer – Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train in theaters. More information on that coming soon. Yes!

Funimation, which is currently available in the U.S., Canada, U.K., Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand, will expand to Mexico and Brazil in Fall 2020. Funimation also announced it would offer select subtitled and dubbed anime series in Spanish and Portuguese.

Returning and Continuing Series this Summer (North America)

• Fruits Basket Season 2
• Fire Force Season 2 premieres July 3
• Black Clover
• One Piece – Simulcast continues
• Sword Art Online Alicization War of Underworld Part 2 premieres July 11
• No Guns Life Season 2 resumes July 9 with Episode 13
• The Millionaire Detective – Balance: UNLIMITED resumes Simulcast on July 30 with Episode 3
• APPARE-RANMAN! resumes Simulcast on July 24 with Episode 4
• A Certain Scientific Railgun T – SimulDub™ resuming
• Diary of Our Days at the Breakwater returns July 28 with Episode 4
• Bungo and Alchemist -Gears of Judgement- returns July 3 with Episode 8 

New to Funimation’s Streaming Service in July 2020 (North America)

• SUPER HXEROS premieres July 3
• DECA-DENCE – July 2020
• Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out! premieres July 10
• Lapis Re:LiGHTs premieres July 4
• Muhyo & Roji’s Bureau of Supernatural Investigation Season 2 (Subtitled) premieres July 7. All of Season 1 (subbed) will be released on same day as Season 2 premieres

Coming to Funimation 2020 and 2021 (North America)

• By the Grace of the Gods – Fall 2020
• Akudama Drive – October 2020
• Adachi and Shimamura – Fall 2020
• Higurashi: When They Cry – NEW – Fall 2020
• Maesetsu! Opening Act – Fall 2020
• Our Last Crusade or the Rise of a New World – Fall 2020
• Ikebukuro West Gate Park – Fall 2020
• Dropout Idol Fruit Tart – Fall 2020
• MARS RED – 2021

-Travis Moody, with press release info from Funimation’s partners

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