This has come as a bit of a surprise, but thanks to my former co-host Mike Maverick, I have recently learned that Sentai Filmworks, a successor to ADV Films which was a company responsible for dubbing anime into English for anime fans here in North America has licensed the rights to "AKB0048", the anime based on the hugely successful real life idol group AKB48!
It has also come to my attention that Crunchyroll has started legally streaming the 2nd season called "AKB0048 Next Stage". Why Crunchyroll didn't get the rights to stream the first season is unknown at this time, and it's currently unknown if the first season will be dubbed into English with an English voice cast. If an English voice cast is announced, I'll let you know! But this is a step in the right direction for those of us who want to watch this anime legally without having to resort to fan-subs.
While I regularly don't condone downloading fan subs with tokusatsu being the only exception to that rule, you should go to
http://evetaku.com/ and watch the first half of "AKB0048" there and then sign up for an account at
crunchyroll.com and start a free trial for their premium membership service.
Here's the official press release!
HOUSTON, January 16, 2013 — Get ready to rock in the New Year
with Sentai Filmworks’ newest acquisition: AKB0048! This epic
26 episode series is directed by Yoshimasa Hiraike (Kaleido Star,
Amagami SS) and features series composition by Mari Okada (Vampire
Knight, Canaan), character designs by Risa Ebata (Macross Frontier),
sound director by Jin Aketagawa (Samurai Girls, Canaan) and music by
Hiroshi Takaki (Tytania).
The year is 0048, and in the wake of the great wars, all forms of
entertainment have been banned by the dystopian and iron-gloved rule
of the anti-music DES. To combat this threat to intergalactic
harmony, a group of bold young women have resurrected the legendary
J-Pop band AKB48 and formed an all new Band of Sisters – AKB0048!
But these rocking rebels aren’t simply singers! Trained in
combat as well as choreography, these striking strike team members
are equally at home in concert halls and in the trenches. Under
the leadership of the mysterious Sensei Sensei, they’re ready to
lay down their lives in order to make the universe a safe place for
getting your groove on! And as a fresh new team of
singer-soldiers join the cause and enter basic training, the batons
and battle gear are about to be passed to a new generation of daring
divas! Get ready to polish your dancing boots and dive into
danger with the latest hard hitting hits as the new recruits take the
staging ground and the veterans provide the musical soundtrack to
their own action epic in AKB0048!
AKB0048 will be available soon on select digital outlets and later
this year on home video.
