Funimation Adds Fairy Tail and The Treasure Hunter

During its industry panel at Sakura-Con, Funimation has announced the acquisition of two new licenses in Fairy Tail and the live-action Treasure Hunter feature film.

The Fairy Tail anime adaptation is based off of the manga authored by Hiro Mashina with current serializations in Japan and the US. The license includes the first 48 episodes along with home entertainment, broadcast, digital, mobile and merchandise rights.

The series is currently being simulcast on Crunchyroll as a premium simulcast that airs one hour after Japanese broadcast. Funimation has also begun production on the English dub of the series and is offering an exclusive desktop wallpaper on its dedicated page via the recently opened Beta portal. Dub production is being handled by Tyler Walker with Todd Haberkorn playing the role of Natsu. More cast announcements will be made in the future with the first 48 episodes set for release this year on DVD and Blu-Ray.

Fairy Tail synopsis:
The series follows the adventures of Lucy Heartfilia, a young girl who wants desperately to be a full-fledged mage. She runs away from home and towards the land of Fiore to join the most prestigious of all mage guilds in the world: the Fairy Tail Guild. Along the way, she meets Natsu Dragneel, a quirky teenage boy and practicitioner of the ancient Dragon Slayer magic. With his best friend, Happy the cat, beside him, Natsu is looking for his foster parent, a dragon named Igneel. They become a team and take on odd jobs for fame and profit. Epic adventures await!

Funimation has also announced its acquisition of home entertainment, digital and merchandising rights to the live action film THE TREASURE HUNTER from Eleven Arts Entertainment and starring noted action star Jay Chou. Newly formed distributor Eleven Arts will release the film in theaters in late summer 2011 and FUNimation Entertainment will release the film on DVD and Blu-ray in the fall.

The Treasure Hunter synopsis:
In the northwest desert, there is rumour of a buried treasure of unbelievable riches. A group of mysterious guardians have kept the map to the location of the treasure safe, until a fierce rivalry erupts. A notorious international crime group is after the map but before they manage to take it the keeper passes the map to a young man: Ciao Fei (Jay Chou). Ciao Fei is forced to give up the map to save the live of his mentor’s daughter Lan Ting (Lin Chi Ling). Teaming up with a famous archaeologist, they all embark on a dangerous journey to recover the map and fight to protect the ancient treasure.