After numerous negative comments from fans, Funimation has addressed the backlash after the 7th episode in the English dub of the anime adaptation of Akira Hiramoto’s Prison School (Kangoku Gakuen) manga featured a comment referencing the infamous GamerGate controversy.
Funimation has issued a response to the claims made by fans:
Last week’s Broadcast Dub episode of Prison School generated significant feedback from anime fans. While the company is not able to answer each person individually, FUNimation does read and review all fan feedback, without exception.
In creating English dubs over the past 20+ years, FUNimation has always modified each Japanese script to appeal to Western audiences. This ensures that North American audiences can enjoy a high-quality viewing experience regardless of their familiarity with Japanese culture.
Neither the dialogue in our shows nor the personal statements of our actors or writers reflects the views or opinions of FUNimation. Official statements from FUNimation are only released via company owned channels (i.e., website and social media profiles) or newswire.
FUNimation will continue to pay close attention to fan feedback on Prison School and will take it into consideration in the future. FUNimation is committed to providing the highest quality entertainment possible.
In the 7th episode of the anime’s English dub, a comment was made by one of the female characters in the anime directly referencing the GamerGate controversy. The comment is as follows:
Do you have a stick up your ass? Or are you one of those dumbass GamerGate creepshows?
The GamerGate topic itself is highly controversial and many anime fans have raised questions about its inclusion in the anime. Fans have been questioning the translation of the line and agenda of the writers, as the topic does not appear in the original manga or Japanese dub of the anime. Here is the full scene in question:
In addition to this, the official website of the live-action drama adaptation of Akira Hiramoto’s Prison School (Kangoku Gakuen) manga has revealed a brand new visual for the TV drama series, which starts on October 26th.
Recently the Japanese television station MBS aired a 15-second promotional video for the upcoming live-action drama adaptationof Akira Hiramoto’s Prison School (Kangoku Gakuen) manga on Monday.
In addition, a new visual of the main cast was also revealed.
The drama’s website also revealed that the TV series will begin on MBS on Monday, October 26 at 12:50am JST. The drama will then air on TBS on the 28th at 1:11am JST.
The main cast of the live action drama has been revealed in costume and includes:
- Taishi Nakagawa (Susumu Minami from Minami kun no Koibito: My Little Lover) will play Kiyoshi Fujino
- Tokio Emoto (Shyogo Yokota in The Wings of the Kirin) as Takehito Morokuzu
- Former kickboxer Daiki Miyagi will portray Jouji Nezu
- Garigarigarikuson (Japanese Comedian) as Reiji Ando
- Masato Yano (Suguru Teshigawara in GTO: Great Teacher Onizuka Live Action Drama) will act Shingo Wakamoto
- Hirona Yamazaki (Ichika Akimoto in Kamisama no Iutoori) plays Mari Kurihara
- Aoi Morikawa (Tomoko Nagano from The World of Kanako) as Hana Midorikawa
- Asana Mamoru (Maki in Zombie Ass: Toilet of the Dead) acting as Meiko Shiraki
- Rena Takeda (Lil from Attack on Titan Live Action) playing as Chiyo Kurihara
- Yuko Araki (Yuka in Dragon Seinendan) as Anzu Yokoyama
- Masahiro Takashima (Kazuma Aoki from Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla II) will play The Chairman
The TV drama will be directed by Noboru Iguchi (The Machine Girl, Mutant Girls Squad) and the series will air during the late night broadcast block. As Iguchi was made known about the announcement, he was in disbelief and laughing at the idea but he did not want to miss the opportunity to miss out adapting the manga.
In addition to this, the website revealed the TV anime series will have a total of 12 episodes and the first details about the Blu-ray and DVD releases of the anime. There will be a total of 6 volumes being released with each volume containing 2 episodes each. The first volume, releasing on September 30 will contain episodes 1 and 2, a special event ticket, new illustrations on a 3-sided case (designed by Junichiro Taniguchi), Gokuchuuki booklet (8 pages), Textless OP/ED, audio commentary for episode 1 and special set of cards. The remaining volumes will release on the last Wednesday of the month:
- Volume 2- October 28th with episodes 3 & 4
- Volume 3 – November 25th with episode 5 & 6
- Volume 4 – December 23rd with episodes 7 & 8
- Volume 5 – January 27th with episodes 9 & 10
- Volume 6 – February 24th with episodes 11 & 12
All volumes will contain uncensored footage of the anime. The Blu-ray version will cost ¥7,000 (~ $57.00 USD) and the DVD will cost ¥6,000 (~ $48.90 USD) without tax. Along with the episodes, the volumes will also contain bonus video and audio material.
A new visual of the series has been featured in the September issue of NyanType, the poster features Hana Midorikawa, Mari Kurihara and Meiko Shiraki in prison-themed underwear. You can view the other posters that come in this issue here.
A new visual featuring Hana Midorikawa was featured as a poster in the August issue of popular Japanese magazine Megami:
Meiko Shiraki was also featured as a poster in the August issue of NyanType:
The Prison School anime’s first episode aired on Tokyo MX on July 11th at 1:05am JST. The anime will then air on the 12th at 12:30am JST on KBS Kyoto followed by an airing on TV Aichi at 2:20 am JST. It will then air on BS11 at midnight on the 13th, on Sun TV an hour later at 1:00am JST, and finally at 3:30am JST on AT-X. The anime will also be streaming online on various platforms, including Niconico, J:COM, Bandai, Amazon and PlayStation Video.
The main cast includes:
- Hiroshi Kamiya (Yuzuru Otonashi from Angel Beats!) will voice Kiyoshi Fujino
- Katsuyuki Konishi (Char Aznable from Mobile Suit Gundam) will voice Takehito Morokuzu
- Kenichi Suzumura (Hajime Tsunashi from Danna ga Nani wo Itteiru ka Wakaranai Ken) as Shingo Wakamoto
- Daisuke Namikawa (Rokuro Okajima from Black Lagoon) will voice Jouji Nezu
- Kazuyuki Okitsu (Seishin Muroi from Shiki) as Reiji Andou
- Sayaka Ohara (Lelouch Lamperouge from Code Geass) as Mari Kurihara
- Shizuka Itou (Haruka Morishima from Amagami SS) will voice Meiko Shiraki
- Kana Hanazawa (Nadeko Sengoku from Bakemonogatari) as Hana Midorikawa
The staff includes:
- Director: Tsutomu Mizushima (Blood-C, Shirobako, Witch Craft Works)
- Series Composition: Michiko Yokote (Genshiken, Joshiraku, Shirobako)
- Character designer and Chief Animation Director: Junichiro Taniguchi (Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun, Gosick, Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica)
- Production: J.C. Staff (DanMachi, Toradora!, Sakurasou no Pet na Kanojo)
Visual:
Akira Hiramoto first launched his manga in the Kodansha’s Young Magazine Weekly in February 2011. The manga won the best General Manga award alongside Yūji Moritaka and Keiji Adachi’s Gurazeni manga at Kodansha’s 37th Annual Manga Awards in May. The same wraparound band on the 14th volume also notes that the manga has more than 3.5 million copies in print.
Akira Hiramoto’s Ago Nashi Gen to Ore Monogatari manga received a mobile phone anime adaptation in 2010. Hiramoto’s Yarisugi Companion to Atashi Monogatari manga inspired a live-action film in 2011. Akira Hiramoto also wrote the award-winning supernatural drama manga Me and the Devil Blues, which Del Rey published in North America.
Prison School (Kangoku Gakuen) synopsis from Haruhichan:
On the outskirts of Tokyo stands Hachimitsu Private Academy, a storied all-girls boarding school for elite young women full of potential and good breeding. But as the new school year rolls around, one tradition is going out the window: For the first time in the school’s long history, boys are being allowed to enroll. But on the first day of school, only five boys make the cut. Kiyoshi Fujino, one of the lucky few, is thrilled by this discovery, his heart leaping with joy at the thought of being surrounded by all those girls, day in and day out. But little does he know of the shocking fate that awaits him.
The Prison School anime airs every Saturday at 1:05am JST on Tokyo MX during the Summer 2015 anime season, for a total of 12 episodes. The first Blu-ray and DVD volume of the anime will be released on September 30.
You can visit the anime’s website here: http://prison-anime.com/
And follow their Twitter: @prison_anime
Source: Funimation
