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Exclusive: Funimation to Stream Heavy Object, Dance with Devils, Valkyrie Drive Mermaid

North American anime distributor Funimation announced during the latest ANNCast episode on Friday that it will stream the Heavy Object, Dance with Devils, and Valkyrie Drive Mermaid television anime as they air in Japan this fall. It also confirmed that it will stream Seraph of the End: Battle in Nagoya, Noragami Aragoto, and Aria the Scarlet Ammo Double A, as well as Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans.

The story of the original Heavy Object light novel series by Kazuma Kamachi (A Certain Magical Index) revolves around Objects — powerful, massive weapons that change the course of warfare — and Elite Object pilots. An odd Elite girl named Milinda meets Quenser, a student who aims to become a Object mechanic, with the soldier-in-training Heivia on a snowy battlefield.

Takashi Watanabe (Slayers, Shakugan no Shana franchises, Ikki Tousen) is serving as chief director of the anime at J.C. Staff. Chikara Sakurai (Little Busters!, Little Busters! Refrain) is serving as assistant director, Hiroyuki Yoshino (Magi - The Kingdom of Magic, Accel World, World Trigger) is handling the series composition, and Atsuko Watanabe (Valkyria Chronicles, Unbreakable Machine-Doll) is adapting Nagi's original character designs for anime. Sanzigen is handling the 3DCG animation and Maiko Iuchi (A Certain Magical Index, A Certain Scientific Railgun) is composing the soundtrack.

The story of the Dance with Devils anime revolves around Ritsuka Tachibana, a female second-year high school student who attends Shiko Academy in Shiko Town. She enjoyed her school life while living with her mother Maria, but one day, that balance fell into ruin. The anime is a story of Ritsuka being loved and being attracted to demons.

Ai Yoshimura (My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU, Blue Spring Ride) is directing the anime at Brains Base (Natsume's Book of Friends, One Week Friends). Tomoko Konparu (Uta no Prince-sama - Maji Love 1000%, Blue Spring Ride) is in charge of the series scripts based on the original concept by Rejet's Daisuke Iwasaki and the original story by Grimoire Henshūshitsu. Elements Garden is composing the music, and Elements Garden's Junpei Fujita and DIVE II Entertainment are producing the music. Rejet's Hirotaka Maeda provided the original character designs, and Yuka Takashina is adapting those designs for the anime.

The "beautiful girl sexy battle action" anime Valkyrie Drive -Mermaid- is set on five artificial islands. A girl named Mamori Tokonome is transferred to one of those islands, "Mermaid." When Mamori is attacked, a newly transferred girl named Mirei saves her. The enemy doesn't stop, however, and the two are soon cornered. Just when they think all hope is lost, Mirei kisses Mamori, and Mamori turns into a sword. Mirei then wields the sword and launches a counterattack against their enemies.

Senran Kagura creator Kenichirō Takaki and Hiraku Kaneko (Maken-Ki! Battling Venus 2, The Qwaser of Stigmata, Manyū Hiken-chō) are helming the oveall project that also includes a console game and a smartphone game. Kaneko is directing the anime itself and designing characters at the studio ARMS. Yousuke Kuroda (Mobile Suit Gundam 00, Jormungand, Hayate the Combat Butler) is in charge of series composition. GENCO is producing the series.