The streaming network’s new deal with Konami will bring the hugely popular anime franchise to its apps and TV channels.
FilmRise has acquired the North American rights to a hefty lot of Japanese anime titles, including 808 episodes of the widely popular Yu-Gi-Oh! Series.
According to Variety, the New York-based film and television studio and streaming network struck the deal with Konami Cross Media NY, granting AVOD streaming rights for FilmRise Streaming Network. FilmRise’s newly acquired titles will be available via apps and free, ad-supported TV (FAST) channels.
Based on the manga series by Kazuki Takahashi, the Yu-Gi-Oh! TV show is part and parcel of a franchise that includes a ubiquitous trading card game and several video games. The manga’s central story follows young Yogi Mutou, whose body is possessed by the spirit of a gambler after he solves an ancient puzzle. Although Yugi plays many different games while inhabited by this spirit, the series’ most well-known adaptation, Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters, focuses its action on the Duel Monsters trading card game -- capitalizing on a meta tie-in to the real-life card game that Konami has published since 1999.
“This iconic Japanese property will be featured alongside other beloved anime content on our FilmRise Anime channel -- a growing new destination for North American anime fans,” says FilmRise SVP of acquisitions and co-production Max Einhorn.
The streaming package includes 808 episodes of Yu-Gi-Oh! in English and 541 dubbed in Spanish. It also includes 236 episodes of Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters; 155 episodes of Yu-Gi-Oh! GX; 123 episodes of Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D; 146 episodes of Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL; and 148 episodes of Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V.
The acquisition follows a number of other additions to FilmRise’s anime library, including Flame of Recca, Ghosts at School, GTO, Key: The Metal Idol, Thermal Romae, Battery, Detective Conan, Lupin the Third, Beyblade, and Bakugan.
Max Weinstein is a writer and editor based in Los Angeles. He is the Editor-at-Large of 'Dread Central' and former Editorial Director of 'MovieMaker.' His work has been featured in 'Cineaste,' 'Fangoria,' 'Playboy,' 'Vice,' and 'The Week.'
