Funimation brings "Goemon", "Higanjima" and more to DVD in 2011

by Chris MaGee

Texas-based Funimation Entertainment is fast becoming one of the most important distributors, along with Viz Pictures, AnimEigo and Third Window Films, bringing contemporary Japanese films to North American DVD. If you needed to have evidence of this then you need only look so far as the recent list of Funimation acquisitions that will be making their way to North America in 2011.

Funimation have announced four Japanese titles in amongst their proposed 2011 releases. These include the screen adaptation of Koji Matsumoto's horror manga "Higanjima" (above) directed by Tae-gyun Kim and scripted by "Death Note" writer Tetsuya Oishi, Kaz Kiriya's CGI-loaded adventure "Goemon" (trailer below), Hiroshi Shinagawa's adaptation of his own autobiographical novel "Drop", and Hiroyuki Nakano’s reworking of the "Rashomon" story "Tajomaru".

No specific release dates accompanied this announcement, but keep checking here on the blog and checking your local video store shelves for when you can pick up this new batch of Japanese films on Region 1 DVD. Thanks to Sci-Fi Japan for this news.