The Fort Worth Star Telegram has printed a Dragon Ball Z article on
the front of its business page. "That's certainly the buzz out there,"
said Gen Fukunaga, president of Funimation Productions. "Kids are graduating
out of Pokemon." And a lot of money is being made on it. Funimation
gets no royalties from the Burger King deal, but something perhaps far
more valuable, Fukunaga said. Fukunaga is a nephew of an executive at
Toei Animation in Japan, which produces Dragonball Z and the Mighty
Morphin Power Rangers. Fukunaga, originally from Sunnyvale, Calif.,
recommended the series when his former IBM co- worker Daniel Cocanougher
was looking for investments with brother Daniel and father Allen, both
of Decatur. Fukunaga wouldn't disclose current Dragonball Z sales but
says the company, which employs 50, has "way more cash flow than we
know what to do with." That extra money is likely to go to purchasing
the rights to another Japanese anime series, Funuaga said. The equity
marketing plan puts all the product and promotion costs on Burger King,
giving Dragonball Z free exposure to 25 million fast-food patrons. The
article can be read
here.
