It is almost fitting to talk about these two news items together today, as they both tie into one of my favorite anime franchises of all time, The Slayers.
First, the good news. At Anime Expo today, FUNimation announced that it has reunited the main cast of Slayers for its upcoming releases of Slayers Revolution and Slayers Evolution-R. The four main and most important voice actors are returning: Lisa Ortiz as Lina, Eric Stuart and Gourry, Crispin Freeman as Zelgadis and Veronica Taylor as Amelia. New ADR director Michael Sinterniklaas will be replacing the polarizing David Moo as the enigmatic Xellos.
FUNimation couldn't have got it more right.
Considering it had been years since this cast had been together recording Slayers TRY, it would have certainly been understandable if FUNimation was unable/unwilling to reunite the cast back together. Many believed that Freeman would be virtually impossible to get, considering his desire to not work non-union dubs in recent years. Plus, FUNi has a huge, talented voice staff to choose from. Who could blame them if they decided to start from scratch, or at the very least, borrow the ADV actors used in the Slayers OAVs and movies (especially Premium, which featured Cynthia Martinez as Lina, Chris Patton as Gourry, Freeman as Zelgadis and Luci Christian as Amelia). In fact, despite the fact that I love the original actors and dub, I had pretty much talked myself into accepting whatever FUNi decided and embracing a third group of actors to take on the characters.
That won't be necessary.
Although more details were not released (other than a 2010 street date), it can be inferred from the cast that this dub has been farmed out to NYAV or another NY-based studio. We'll know for sure as some of the minor characters are revealed (it would be awesome to get Jimmy Zoppi back as Prince Philionel).
From Slayers fans everywhere - thanks again, FUNimation. You seem to be the only US company currently interested in listening to its fans and giving us what we want (within reason, of course). I thought Bandai was after last year's Otakon ... but ... well, that's another subject for another time.
The Slayers news ties into the bad news from earlier this year - the bankruptcy and dissolution of Central Park Media. Based in New York, CPM originally licenced the Slayers under the name "Software Sculptors."
The story of CPM goes back to my beginnings as an anime fan. I had seen Pokemon and Dragon Ball Z on television, but that was pretty much the limit to my anime exposure. Then, my brother and I saw a show on the now-defunct International Channel called the Slayers. I was immediately hooked on the show, and looked to buy it, even though I had only seen it subtitled. I had even read somewhere that the same people who voiced Pokemon also did voices for this show. That made me want it even more. So I bought it, all $200 per set. Yes, my original collection of Slayers set me back $600. Think about that for all you fans who picked up all three season from FUNi for less than $100.
I did not regret my purchase (of course, I had no idea how that $600 would turn into many more hundred dollars in the coming years). I would go on to purchase a couple more CPM releases, including both seasons of "Record of Lodoss War" and "The World of Narue." However, they were yet another casualty of the downturn in the economy and the slide in anime popularity.
"World Peace Through Shared Popular Culture," was their slogan, and while we may not be closer to world peace, Central Park Media brought a generation of Americans closer to Japanese culture than they had ever been before. It is certainly fair to say that I wouldn't have become near the fan that I am today if not for CPM and Software Sculptors.
During this weekend's Anime Expo, Central Park Media ran a farewell ad in the convention program, thanking all of those who made them go for two decades. It is certainly sad to see them go, but I too want to thank them for helping make me the fan I am today.
Thanks CPM, you will be missed.
Coming soon - my countdowns of my top opening and ending themes of all time. If I can work on it tonight, I might post the first 11 ending themes (51-40).
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