ANIME MEETS THE RUNWAY

FUNIMATION DEBUTS EXCLUSIVE LIMITED EDITION “AKIRA” KANEDA JACKET

PHOTO CREDIT: Hillary Head

Today, high-fashion and anime couture collide as Funimation, the go-to destination for all things anime, announced the release of an exclusive limited edition AKIRA Kaneda leather jacket. Authentic to the manga and film of the same name, this iconic jacket was designed by Carlo Levy (Managing Director of DYBEX S.A), Alessandro Trombetta (Designer), and Stefan Henzgen (MD of Van Doornum GmbH & Co.), and based on the wildly popular manga by world-famous Katsuhiro Otomo. The premium leather jacket worn by the lead character Kaneda arrives at Funimation's online e-commerce shop, Funimation Shop, beginning Tuesday, July 13.

More than 30 years after its release, AKIRA remains one of the most popular and influential anime films and mangas to date. Under Levy’s supervision, the legendary jacket has been years in the making and designed with AKIRA superfans in mind. It is one of the few AKIRA products that captures all the details described in the original manga. The carefully and thoughtfully designed piece combines the best of apparel and anime to create an authentic replica for the most passionate of fans. The jacket comes in sizes small, medium, and large. There are only 300 units available in North America, priced at $450.00 USD each.

PHOTO CREDIT: Hillary Head

"I have been a fan of AKIRA since 1989 when Epic Comics first released it, and imports arrived in Europe,” said Carlo Levy, Managing Director of DYBEX S.A. “I always dreamed of having a replica of the iconic jacket and was surprised it hadn’t been created by anyone outside of Japan yet, so I did what any super fan would do...I went after the license and had our team design it!”

“Some fans of AKIRA have been waiting a lifetime to wear this authentic and iconic jacket, and Funimation is proud to be able to make fan dreams come true,” said Mitchel Berger, Senior Vice President of Global Commerce at Funimation Global Group. “This special edition item reminds anime fans that you can enjoy the anime lifestyle beyond just on screens, and Funimation Shop is the premier destination for must-have anime merchandise.”Funimation Shop is the go-to destination for must-have collectibles, home entertainment, apparel, and more.”

Orders for the AKIRA Kaneda leather jacket will open on Tuesday, July 13th at funimation.com/Akira. Additional AKIRA collector items are also available on Funimation Shop, including an AKIRA limited edition movie box set, and a DVD/Blu Ray combo case.

About Funimation

If it’s anime, it’s Funimation. As the market leader in anime, we proudly deliver incredible fan experiences across television, feature films, events, collectibles, and the Funimation App. Headquartered in the US and connected by a global network, our anime-obsessed team serves the fandom in over 49 countries and 10 languages. With over 400 team members, we’ve built a global community where fans and their passion will always have a place to belong. Funimation is an independently-operated joint venture between US-based Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Japan’s Aniplex, a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc., both subsidiaries of Tokyo-based Sony Group Corporation.

Visit funimation.com and follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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