FUNIMATION ENTERTAINMENT ACQUIRES “SANDS OF DESTRUCTION” ANIME SERIES FROM SEGA OF AMERICA

July 2, 2009 by J!-ENT

Flower Mound, TX (July 2, 2009) – FUNimation® Entertainment today announced that it has acquired home entertainment, broadcast, digital, and merchandise rights to the first season (13 episodes) of the fantasy adventure series “Sands of Destruction” from SEGA of America Inc.

“Sands of Destruction” is based on the game of the same name from SEGA. The series is to be launched in tandem with SEGA’s new RPG adventure game, Sands of Destruction™. It will be SEGA’s first anime launched in partnership with Production IG.

This fantasy adventure series is directed by Shunsuke Tada and produced by Production IG (Ghost in the Shell). In Japan, the series is known as World Destruction: Sekai Bokumetsu no Rokuni™ and is critically acclaimed.

ABOUT SANDS OF DESTRUCTION

On a planet where the oceans are made of sand, inhabitants must travel aboard huge sand ships, and constant battles rage between two organizations. Therein live humans and a dominant race of Therian beings. Therians are humanoid in appearance, but possess great physical strength, and beast-like characteristics. Therians are able to use their fierce strength to force humans to live under their control.

Kyrie, the hero of this story, lives a life of solitude. He wanders from place to place since losing his parents as a child. He is resigned to accept things as they are because he believes it is futile to try to change anything in the oppressive world he lives in.

Kyrie meets Morte, a mysterious girl who is a member of the “World Destruction Committee”. She is determined to destroy the planet, freeing it from the tyrannical rule of the Therians.

After this chance encounter with Morte, Kyrie is dragged into a conflict that will dictate mankind’s future.

Featuring an all-star team of Japanese RPG developers and a sweeping soundtrack by composer Yasunori Mitsuda, “Sands of Destruction” utilizes the upper and lower DS screens for its dynamic battle system, including major boss battles where colossal monsters take up both DS screens. Mixing traditional turn-based tactics with fighting game mechanics to create an intense gameplay experience, “Sands of Destruction” also features an innovative “Quip system” where characters utter inspiring battle commands that enhance abilities and boost attributes to give them various advantages during battle. As the story unfolds new battle commands will be discovered and gamers will be able to customize the different commands to each character. “Sands of Destruction” will be released in spring 2010, exclusively for Nintendo DS™.

FUNimation Entertainment will release the first season of the series in spring 2010.