Gunsmith Cats Anime Kickstarter Campaign Reaches All Stretch Goals

AnimEigo's Kickstarter campaign for a Blu-ray Disc release of the Gunsmith Cats anime has raised more than US$300,000, funding a final stretch goal to feature an English commentary track for Episode 3 with voice actors Amanda Winn Lee and Kimberly Yates.

The company also announced on Sunday that it is planning a final "Backer's Choice" stretch goal. AnimEigo will propose several possible stretch goals after the campaign ends, including some based on backer feedback, and backers will vote for which goal they want.

The campaign launched on March 24 and met its initial goal of US$75,000 in just over four hours. As of press time the campaign has raised US$312,893, and it will end on Monday.

Other stretch goals have funded commentary tracks featuring Kenichi Sonoda, Masahiro Arai, and Takanori Kaza'ana; Takeshi Mori and Hiroki Satō; and Bennett the Sage and Marc Swint. Other stretch goals that have been met include a new four-page manga by Sonoda, a post card, a how-to-draw tutorial by Sonoda, and a sticker set.

The anime, based on Sonoda's manga of the same name, centers on marksman and gunsmith Rally Vincent, and explosives expert Minnie May Hopkins, two bounty hunters who chase criminals and other bounties in Chicago, often running afoul of gangs, police, and other bounty hunters along the way.

The three-episode OVA originally shipped in Japan from 1995 to 1996. ADV released the anime on VHS in 1996, and on DVD in 2001. Dark Horse Comics released the manga from 1996 to 2002, and also released the Gunsmith Cats Burst sequel from 2007 to 2010. Dark Horse offered a revised omnibus re-release of the original manga in 2007.

Chicago's Anime Central convention will premiere a preview of Sonoda's "Project [B.B]" anime project in May.