FUNimation has announced the acquisition of the first 26 episodes (Season One) of the 50-episode Shijo Saikyo no Deshi Kenichi (“History’s Strongest Disciple Kenichi”) anime series, which it will release in the U.S. in 2009 as Kenichi.  The anime series is based on the 27-volume shonen manga series by Syun Matsuena, which is published in Japan by Shogakukan and serialized in Shonen Sunday magazine. 

FUNimation plans to release the first 26 Kenichi episodes in two 13-episode boxes in 2009.  The 13-episode/half-season box set is quickly becoming the new standard format for the release of anime TV series in the U.S.

The Kenichi anime series was produced by TMS (Tokyo Movie Shinsha), directed by Hajime Kamegaki, and broadcast on Japanese TV from October of 2006 to September of 2007.  Kenichi Shirahama, the 16-year-old protagonist of the series, is a typical weakling until a beautiful girl with martial arts training transfers to his high school.  Soon the former wimp is undergoing rigorous training at the Ryozanpaku dojo and regularly being forced into fights with delinquents at school.  The Kenichi anime series explores the world of martial arts in some depth incorporating and explaining techniques from karate, Jujitsu, Thai boxing, and Baguazhang, but leavens the proceedings with ample servings of high school comedy and romance. 

Syun Matsuena’s manga series, which has not yet been published in the U.S., is considerably bloodier than the anime.  Capcom released a Kenichi video game in Japan in 2007, but it has not yet made it to the U.S.