Like Hulu, but sometimes wish you could save stuff for offline viewing? Enter StreamTransport, a new Windows-only stream ripper that promises to allow for downloading videos off of the ever popular service along with other video portals.  When running, the application automatically captures the stream URL for downloading, with no interaction needed in its own integrated browser. The software works on sites using harder to capture streaming protocols such as RTMP, RTMPT, RTMPE and RTMPTE.

Just tested with Hulu itself and can confirm that it saves the complete stream with no commercial breaks, confirming that the ads are inserted server-side instead of being embedded in the video stream itself.

Sentai Filmworks has announced plans to dub one of its most popular titles in Clannad along with Blue Drop, Ghost Hound, Legends of the Dark King ~ A Fist of the North Star Story, and Tears to Tiara.

Production duties for all five series will be handled by Seraphim Digital Studios under the auspices of veteran ADR directors such as Steven Foster, who will oversee the English dub for Clannad.

In addition, Sentai Filmworks is developing an “Upgrade” program which will allow owners of the subtitled versions to upgrade their DVD’s for the new release containing the English dub. The dubbed versions of the aforementioned shows will also be available both through broadcast, streaming and retail outlets over the coming months, with further details as they are made available.

This announcement is sure to delight those devoted fans that held out hope for a dub, however miniscule the chances were.

Funimation has released a new statement regarding its newest acquisition in Dance in the Vampire Bund after its initial announcement caused a considerable uproar, stating that it would make edits to the show for content for both the the streaming and home video versions.

In the days since we announced the acquisition of the anime “Dance in the Vampire Bund,” we have been following the varied responses from within the anime community to our decision to edit specific scenes from its streaming and later home entertainment release.

First, out of concern for our distribution partners and advertisers, we will continue to make minor edits to the episodes which are available via free streaming and television broadcast due to the readily accessible nature of these platforms. We will be careful to keep such edits to a minimum.

However, FUNimation is – as always – committed to bringing the best anime content to the United States in its unedited form on home video. Therefore, we are evaluating the release of the series in unedited and uncensored form for home video. Since only 7 episodes have broadcast in Japan, final determination must be reserved until all episodes can be reviewed to ensure compliance with current U.S. law.

We would like to thank everyone in the anime community for the feedback provided to us on this matter–your opinions count.”

Funimation representative Jackie Smith further stated that “based on the episodes we’ve seen, Funimation expects to be able to release the unedited version on DVD and Blu-ray, but Funimation has not yet seen the unaired episodes and will reserve final judgment until after it has considered those episodes”.

Further explaining that Funimation has paid close attention to consumer feedback, Smith also stated that the distributor has decided to take a closer look at the edited scenes and has determined that the edited scenes cut so far will be acceptable for a DVD release in their unedited format.

Another level to the story concerns the possibility of a TV broadcast, which I brought up during the apex of the initial firestorm on Twitter, suggesting that it intends to air the series via its Funimation Anime Selects VOD/SVOD platform and linear channel on Verizon FiOS at some point in the near future, albeit in the currently available edited format.

Looks like Junko Mizuno’s expanding her talents to concert poster design as seen in the above image, as she has designed legendary rock band Faith No More’s concert poster for their appearance in Sydney, Australia.

The poster is available as a limited print from Secret Serpent for $50. As a fan of Faith No More and all of the associated projects by Mike Patton and Co. as well as Junko Mizuno, I so fucking want this poster.

[via Scott Green]

Crunchyroll has issued the following statement regarding its Download to Own Service:

“As Crunchyroll continues to evolve, we add new features and remove ones that don’t perform well. Recently we’ve made a decision to discontinue our Download-to-Own service, which lets users purchase DRM-free, downloadable videos of our popular shows. We believe online streaming video is the future will continue to focus on those efforts. Starting March 31, 2010, no new purchases of video downloads will be allowed. However, your existing downloads will continue to work until May 1, 2010. Please download and save your video files by May 1, 2010…”

While the service was offered, Crunchyroll made no serious effort to promote the key selling point in DRM free video files of some of its most popular shows, preferring instead to play up its Anime Membership program, while others, most notably Funimation offers download to own titles with rather restrictive Windows Media DRM.

Just got this in from MTV Iggy. Chiaki Kuriyama, best known for her role as GoGo Yubari from Kill Bill is debuting her new single from Gundam Unicorn Ryusei No Namida today in the US.

MTV Iggy is a new project from the venerable channel to showcase international music from around the world with in-depth profiles on rising artists that are making waves in their respective countries and are about to break in the US. The link above includes her profile, interviews and video footage.

The Android Developers blog has announced the latest update to the Native Development Kit, which now includes support for the proper extensions needed for developing 3D games using the newer Open GL ES 2.0 standard, placing games and applications developed with the NDK closer in performance to the games available on iPhone 3G/3GS and Palm Pre.

In related news, the first application developed with the NDK is now available for purchase from the Android market, which is a Japanese developed 3D shooter titled ExZeus Arcade for $3.99.  The game is limited to Android 2.x compatibility, limiting the game to the Motorola Milestone/Droid and Google Nexus One.

Since someone kept bitching for it, here goes:

The original:

First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a communist;
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist;
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew;
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak out for me.

Funimation has confirmed that it will edit the recently debuted Dance in the Vampire Bund anime for content on both the streaming version currently available online and in the future home video release.

The content in question relates to scenes of overt sexuality that were expanded from the original manga, in which the main protagonist Mina Tepes is being fondled in a sexual manner on a consistent basis in several different scenes throughout the series along with overt nudity and other implied and overt sexual situations.

As the protagonist takes the form of a young girl, the above situations taken out of context may cause concern for many unfamiliar with the series, with Funimation deciding that the content in question is inappropriate for the US release.

Funimation has released the following statement:

FUNimation Entertainment is known for releasing the titles we license in their original, uncut form, as their creators intended. However, after viewing the unedited as well as the Japanese broadcast edit of the series Dance in the Vampire Bund, we have determined the series contains controversial elements which, when taken out of context, could be objectionable to some audiences.

With this in mind and with approval of the licensor, we will edit select scenes from the series in streaming and home entertainment release. These are scenes which are inappropriate for U.S. viewing and are not essential to the storyline.

Dance in the Vampire Bund is a complex and dark drama cited by press and fans as one of the best anime series out of Japan this season. Its strong story is what brought the series to our attention and why we are bringing it to the U.S.

With the above decision taken by the licensor in the wake of the Handley case, those that were hoping for an uncut release will have to resort to importing the Japanese home video release.

In an email sent out to mailing list subscribers, Tokyopop has confirmed plans to release Rave Master in a complete 51 episode set spanning 8 DVDs for $39.99 using the CreateSpace on demand disc pressing service, in a similar vein to ImaginAsian and its attempt to sell select series on demand.

The set has also been confirmed to be English dub only and will not include the Japanese voice or background music tracks.  Tokyopop formerly published the Rave Master manga before its license from Kodansha expired, which forced Tokyopop to cease publication at 32 volumes, with Del Rey resuming publication this year.

The series was also broadcast on Cartoon Network via the Toonami animation block in 2004 before recently moving to SyFy’s Ani-Monday block in 2009.Tokyopop also distributed the anime before ceasing in house licensing and distribution in 2007 due to financial concerns.

At this point, it is not known whether the Rave Master set signals the resumption of physical anime distribution for Tokyopop, or a one-time promotion.

[Special thanks to Psychopuppet]