Funimation was an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. Launched in 2016, the service was one of the leading distributors of anime and other foreign entertainment properties in North America. It streamed popular series, such as Dragon Ball, One Piece, YuYu Hakusho, My Hero Academia, Attack on Titan, Fairy Tail, Black Clover, Fruits Basket, Assassination Classroom and Tokyo Ghoul among many others. The service and its parent company were acquired by Sony, who ran the service through Sony Pictures Entertainment from 2017 to 2019 and then through SPE and Sony Music Entertainment Japan's Aniplex from 2019 to its closure in 2024. In 2021, Sony acquired Crunchyroll.
Kent Williams is an American voice actor who works on English dubs of Japanese anime. He is known as the voice of Mercenary Tao, Dr. Gero, and Supreme Kai from the Dragon Ball franchise, Father in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, the Judge from the Ace Attorney anime series, and Dr. Hatori Soma from the original Fruits Basket series, as well as its 2019 reboot.
Lydia Marie Mackay is an American voice and stage actress, known internationally for her work for Funimation and OkraTron 5000. She has provided voices for a number of English versions of Japanese anime films, television series and video games.
UserJoy Technology Co., Ltd. is a Taiwanese video game development and publishing company. The company was founded in 1995 in Taipei, Taiwan, and publishes worldwide.
Date A Live is a Japanese light novel series written by Kōshi Tachibana and illustrated by Tsunako. Fujimi Shobo published 22 volumes from March 2011 to March 2020 under their Fujimi Fantasia Bunko imprint. Yen Press holds the license to publish the light novel in English.
KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World!, often referred to simply as KonoSuba, is a Japanese light novel series written by Natsume Akatsuki and illustrated by Kurone Mishima. The series follows Kazuma Satou, a boy who is sent to a fantasy world with MMORPG elements following his death, where he forms a dysfunctional adventuring party with a goddess, an archmage, and a crusader. Originally serialized as a web novel on Shōsetsuka ni Narō between December 2012 and October 2013, KonoSuba was published as a printed light novel series by Kadokawa Shoten under the company's Kadokawa Sneaker Bunko imprint from October 2013 to May 2020. The light novel series features a divergent plot.
Makoto Uezu is a Japanese anime screenwriter.
Afterlost is a Japanese mobile game series. An anime television series adaptation by studio Madhouse aired from April to June 2019.
Isekai Quartet is a Japanese anime series that serves as a chibi-style crossover between the light novel series KonoSuba, Overlord, Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World and The Saga of Tanya the Evil, all published by Kadokawa Corporation. The series aired its first season from April to June 2019. A second season aired from January to March 2020, including additional characters from The Rising of the Shield Hero and Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious. An anime film set after the second season, titled Isekai Quartet: The Movie – Another World, was released in June 2022.
Hensuki: Are You Willing to Fall in Love with a Pervert, as Long as She's a Cutie?, also known as Hensuki, is a Japanese harem, romantic comedy light novel series written by Tomo Hanama and illustrated by sune. It was published by Media Factory under their MF Bunko J imprint from January 2017 to January 2022. A total of fourteen volumes have been published. The series follows Keiki Kiryū, a high school student who seeks the identity of the sender of an unnamed love letter attached to underwear, which consequently leads him to discover the special hidden peculiarities of the girls in his life.
Geek Toys, Inc. is a Japanese animation studio based in Nakano, Tokyo.
Warlords of Sigrdrifa is a Japanese anime television series produced by A-1 Pictures. It aired from October to December 2020. Two light novel series, titled Warlords of Sigrdrifa Rusalka and Senyoku no Sigrdrifa Sakura, were published by Kadokawa Shoten under their Kadokawa Sneaker Bunko imprint. Additionally, two manga series, titled Senyoku no Sigrdrifa Non-Scramble and Senyoku no Sigrdrifa Kurū no Eiyū, are serialized by Kadokawa Shoten.
Seirei Gensouki: Spirit Chronicles is a Japanese light novel series written by Yuri Kitayama and illustrated by Riv. It was serialized online between February 2014 and October 2020 on the user-generated novel publishing website Shōsetsuka ni Narō. It was later acquired by Hobby Japan, which has published the series under its HJ Bunko imprint since October 2015. A manga adaptation with art by tenkla was serialized online via Hobby Japan's Comic Fire website from October 2016 to February 2017, being discontinued because of the artist's poor health. A second manga adaptation with art by Futago Minaduki has been serialized online via the same website since July 2017. Both the light novel and the second manga have been licensed in North America by J-Novel Club. An anime television series adaptation by TMS Entertainment aired from July to September 2021. A second season premiered in October 2024.
Full Dive, short for Full Dive: This Ultimate Next-Gen Full Dive RPG Is Even Shittier than Real Life!, is a Japanese light novel series written by Light Tuchihi and illustrated by Youta. Media Factory has published four volumes since August 2020 under their MF Bunko J imprint. A manga adaptation with art by Kino was serialized in Media Factory's seinen manga magazine Monthly Comic Alive from January 2021 to January 2022. An anime television series adaptation by ENGI aired from April to June 2021.
Daman Mills is an American voice actor known for his work in anime and video game dubs. He served as an understudy for fellow voice actor Christopher Ayres for the role of Frieza in the Dragon Ball Super anime until he assumed the role completely following Ayres' death in 2021.
Blue Reflection Ray is a Japanese anime television series that is a spin-off of the 2017 video game, Blue Reflection, serves as a prelude to the 2021 game, Blue Reflection: Second Light and features a new cast of characters. It aired from April to September 2021.
Below is a list of events affecting Japanese television in 2022.
The Prince of Tennis II, known in Japan as The New Prince of Tennis, is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Takeshi Konomi. It is a sequel to Konomi's manga series The Prince of Tennis. It has been serialized in Shueisha's shōnen manga magazine Jump Square since March 2009. A 13-episode anime television series adaptation was broadcast on TV Tokyo from January to March 2012. A new anime television series titled The Prince of Tennis II: U-17 World Cup aired from July to September 2022, with a sequel premiering in October 2024.
Chiharu Sawashiro is a Japanese voice actor affiliated with Stay Luck. After working as a stage actor, he used connections from his sister to become a voice actor and made his debut as Masamune Shiga in Tokyo Twilight Ghost Hunters. Since Tokyo Twilight Ghost Hunters, some of his more prominent roles include Nishiki Sasa in Love Kome, Ritsu Shikishima in Caligula, and Taiga in Tribe Nine.
Lindsay Seidel is an American voice actress, mostly known for her work in the dubbing of various anime series in English. Some of her noteworthy roles include Nagisa Shiota in Assassination Classroom and Gabi Braun in the final season of Attack on Titan. Other major roles include: Mira Konohata in Asteroid in Love, Nejire Hado in My Hero Academia, Meme Tatane in Soul Eater Not!, Kino in Kino's Journey, Eto Yoshimura in Tokyo Ghoul, Romeo Conbolt and Sorano Agria in Fairy Tail, Belfast in Azur Lane, Vanica Zogratis in Black Clover, Maya Fey in the Ace Attorney TV series, and Pochita in Chainsaw Man. She was also one of the lead actresses in the cult classic horror torture film "The Final" directed by Joey Stewart
