Monday, April 25, 2011

New License Announcements / Release Updates

There were a couple of new license announcements that came out of Anime Boston and Sakura-Con over the weekend. Here's the roundup:

Sentai Filmworks (Section 23) announced that it acquired the Senkō no Night Raid (Night Raid 1931) anime series, and plan to release it on DVD and BD in August

Bandai announced that it has acquired the Star Driver Kagayaki no Takuto television anime series. This series premiered in Japan last October, and just ended on April 3, so they did not give any time frame for a release. Star Driver is an interesting series because it's impossible to categorize into any single genre, and probably can equally fall under action, comedy, drama, psychological, romance, science fiction, & supernatural.

Funimation announced at Sakura-con that it licensed the first 48 episodes of the Fairy Tail anime series and The Treasure Hunter (Ci Ling) live-action film. Funimation has already started dubbing Fairy Tails and said they indend to release the first 48 episodes on DVD and BD later this year. Funimation also announced that it will simulcast Aria the Scarlet Ammo starting April 26. Justin Rojas of Funimation said that the company is only announcing the simulcasting rights at this time, so it's unclear if they are going to do a DVD/BD release of this series in the future. Funi likes to keep little tid bits like that a secret, even from us.

And finally, Bandai announced over the weekend via their twitter account that the Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya movie will be released this summer on both DVD & BD! Dubbing is currently underway, and the official street date and release details will be announced soon.

Senkō no Night Raid (Night Raid 1931)
The story is set in Shanghai in 1931, when the Imperial Japanese Army has been dispatched to mainland China due to the relatively recent First Sino-Japanese War, Russo-Japanese War, and World War I. In this cosmopolitan city of intrigue, there is a special military spy organization called "Sakurai Kikan" that has since been buried in history.




Star Driver Kagayaki no Takuto
On the remote Southern Cross island, a secret organization named The Glittering Crux plans to reactivate giant mobile suits that have been sealed for ages. Known as cybodies, they can only be controlled by pilots known as star drivers. To unleash their full power, the mysterious group must brake the seals of the four shrine maidens that reside in the isle. Recently arrived outsider, Takuto Tsunashi, vows to stop the Glittering Crux in order to protect Wako Agemaki, girl who saved his life and one of the four maidens. Wako is a lively young lady who has already been betrothed to Sugata Shindou, a rich and talented childhood friend. Despite being very close to Agemaki, Sugata quietly disapproves this engagement since it was forced on to them due to a family tradition. The melancholic couple becomes a radiant trio as Takuto becomes not only their friend, but protector of the seals since he is none other than the Galactic Pretty Boy, gifted star driver of Tauburn, the 22nd cybody.




Fairy Tail
Lucy is a 17-year-old girl, who wants to be a full-fledged mage. One day when visiting Harujion Town, she meets Natsu, a young man who gets sick easily by any type of transportation. But Natsu isnt just any ordinary kid, he's a member of one of the world's most infamous mage guilds: Fairy Tail.


5 comments:

Eric Potter said...

I'd say the biggest news is definitely 'The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya'! It's about time, I'd say. I already read the novel from Yen, but that's just making me all the more excited!

Robert said...

I agree. One of our customers went to Sakura-con and said that Funi's panel was probably the most boring one he had ever sat through. I suppose they are saving the important announcements for the bigger shows this summer.

A. said...

It looks like FUNimation is licensing simulcast rights in part to gauge consumer interest on the home video front more so than before. Not that this really makes significant business sense, in terms of "spend a penny, make a penny," but they're doing more frequently then before.

MARl0 said...

Thank god for The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya on BluRay! Color me excited. I definitely can't wait to finally see that movie.

mikeski said...

Well, since Funi has yet to ship everything they announced as licensed *last* year during Sakura-con/Anime Boston weekend, a lackluster slate this year isn't too surprising. They went relatively nuts last year (to aid Navarre's sale?) and apparently need to catch up.