Anime Geneon USA to cease distributions

I picked up the fourth volume of Higurashi.

It's still Geneon branded, features the same design as the previous releases, and has the same dub/sub production work. For those wondering if Funimation was altering the release, it looks like my previous thoughts of them simply distributing was right on the money.

 

A few things.

First, there aren't plans for a full third season as they've covered nearly all of the original material (every question and answer story). Despite the whole stigma the murder lent to the anime scene (and Higurashi wasn't the lone title being pointed at - School Days also received flak), there is an OVA planned to release starting this February. It has been pushed back, as it was first scheduled for December of last year, but I believe that is only due to production setbacks. This is the title Basher mentioned (Higurashi no Naku Koroni Rei), however it hasn't ended last August - it ends this August. Methinks she confused it with Higurashi no Naku Koroni Nekogoroshi-hen, the bonus episode that was available to Japan customers who purchased all 9 DVDs of the original season.

Rei will consist of one 3 episode arc, and 2 oneshot stories, for a total of 5 episodes.

There was also a live action movie produced last year, although it has been largely panned by the few reviews I have read.

Second, the Geneon distribution disaster was limited to the USA branch of the company. I don't believe the Japanese counterpart is in any similar strait.

I picked up the final two volumes of this before the close of last year. It was great enough revisiting the last arc to make me haul out my Kai fansubs and continue on with a re-watch of that. Looking forward to Rei.