Inazuma Eleven anime, subtitled first episode. Spanish distributor Arait Multimedia announced it’s secured broadcasting rights for this program, an anime adaptation of Level-5’s RPG/soccer games, across Europe and parts of Africa. The company sees “big potential” in the license — perhaps that potential will finally turn into a Western localization for the DS releases?

Akihiro Hino, Level-5’s CEO, claims the program could begin airing when the FIFA 2010 World Cup kicks off, adding that an announcement for the (first?) game’s European release will come “when the time is right”, according to a report from Cubed3’s Adam Riley.

I doubt these anime/game localization plans will extend to the States, considering the U.S.’s unappreciation for soccer, but I don’t care! I’ve wanted to play the first game since it originally released in Japan in August 2008, and I’ll gladly import this when/if it hits Europe with an English translation. I hear it’s quite good!

Oh, and Hino also says he wants to bring over all of Level-5’s Atamania titles, such as the Sloane and McHale games. Yes! Just according to keikaku*.

Import: Inazuma Eleven

See also: Inazuma Eleven 2 Japanese trailer, Inazuma Eleven and Professor Layon fanart

[Via NeoGAF]

*Keikaku means plan.

tags / inazuma eleven / anime / level-5 / akihiro hino / arait multimedia / imports / ec