At Sakura Con FUNimation Entertainment announced the acquisition of the 48-episode Fairy Tail anime series from Kodansha Ltd.  Produced by A-1 Pictures and Satelight and directed by Shinji Ishihira, the Fairy Tail anime series is based on the popular manga by Hiro Mashima (Rave Master).  Del Rey began publishing the Fairy Tail manga series in the U.S. in 2008.  Kodansha USA has taken over the series and will publish Volume 13 of the manga in May (the series has reached 24 volumes in Japan). 

 

FUNimation has already begun production of an English language version of Fairy Tail with actor Todd Haberkorn as Natsu.  Tyler Walker is the ADR director on the project.  FUNimation plans to release the complete Fairy Tail anime series on Blu-ray and DVD in the U.S. later this year.

 

FUNimation has also acquired the home entertainment, digital, and merchandising rights to The Treasure Hunter (Ci Ling), a live-action adventure film starring Jay Chou (Green Hornet) and supermodel Lin Chi-Ling.  Directed by Kevin Chu (Kung Fu Dunk), The Treasure Hunter features superb photography by Xiao-Ding Zhao (Hero, House of Flying Daggers) and excellent production values.  Set in a dusty desert in China’s Northwest, The Treasure Hunter is a rousing adventure yarn (Indiana Jones with martial arts) that revolves around a map, which shows the location of an ancient treasure of unbelievable riches.  Eleven Arts will release The Treasure Hunter in theaters in the late summer, and FUNimation will put the film out on DVD and Blu-ray in the fall.