FUNimation Productions has acquired North American rights for the 24-episode Basilisk anime series produced by Gonzo Digimation.  Based on the Basilisk manga by Futaro Yamada and Masaki Segawa published by Kodansha, Gonzo's Basilisk anime blends elements of the ninja and horror genre with a Romeo & Juliet romance between the leaders of two mutant ninja clans.  Set in the early seventeenth Century, Basilisk can also be seen as a variation of the martial arts 'tournament' genre since ten representatives from two ninja clans (each of which supports a different son of the powerful Tokugawa clan for the position of shogun) fight to the death.

The Basilisk series just debuted on Japanese TV this spring, further evidence that the gap between an anime's appearance in Japan and its U.S. debut is shrinking.  Del Rey has acquired the rights to the Basilisk manga, but has not announced any publication date.