Funimation Announces Baka & Test OVA

The folks at Funimation let us know today that, not satisfied with only two new releases in February, they have decided to add another one.

Now scheduled for February:

Baka and Test OVA DVD/BLURAY Combo Set

The set will street on Feb 19th and carry an MSRP of $34.98.

Media Blasters Changes / Cancelations

Well, we've gotten yet another update from Media Blasters and I wanted to pass it on to everyone. Looks like some of those titles that have been bumping now for several cycles are finally being canceled outright:

Gao-Gai-Gar Complete DVD Boxed Set (Eps #1-49) - CANCELED
Fushigi Yugi, the Mysterious Play OVA DVD Boxed Set - CANCELED
Kite BLURAY (Remastered) - CANCELED
Squid Girl Season 2 Collection #1 DVD - CANCELED

The following titles have had their dates changed:

Queen's Blade/Queens Blade 2 Complete DVD Boxed Set - Nov 13 to Mar 22
Ai no Kusabi (OVA) DVD - Mar 12 to Apr 23

Along with these Anime titles they also canceled 8 previously announced live action releases and postponed 5 others way out into March and April. About 3 weeks ago, along with several previous date changes, we got a confirmation from Media Blasters letting us know that Ah My Buddha, Queens Blade, and Gao-Gai-Gar were 'in replication' and we should expect them by the end of November. So based on that I've been telling everyone these three are just about ready and will be arriving shortly - well, not so much I guess. We did get a shipping confirmation on Ah My Buddha today, but it looks like that's the last new release we'll be getting from them until at least January.

I know a lot of folks have been waiting for some of these, especially Queens Blade. If you have an order in with us that has been holding for any of these and want to make a change, just let us know.

My final thought is that I really wish Sirabella would just own up to what going on there and try to publish a release schedule that reflects the reality of the condition of his company and not just the schedule he 'wishes' they could publish. Look, we know the R1 Anime market is bad and is slowly fading away. The fans know the Anime market is bad. The other studio execs know the Anime market is bad. There is no shame in admitting that and being honest about what you can and can't do. All these announcements, schedulings, changes, and then cancellations are just creating a situation were nothing you say can be relied on. Eventually people will just stop listening.

SHOP EARLY & SAVE BIG! - SAVE 10% THRU NOV 30th!

We're running our best holiday promotions up front this year, and this week if you shop early you can save an additional 10% off any IN STOCK items throughout the store!! This includes sale and out of print items - pretty much EVERYTHING on the store (except for pre-orders).
NO MINIMUM!
To save an additional 10% off ANY in stock order, just use the following coupon code during checkout:

SHOPEARLYSAVEBIG

The more you purchase the more you save, so be sure to take advantage of this great opportunity to load up on some of the Anime stuff you've had your eye on! US customers can combine this offer with our super saver shipping option to save even more on your favorite in stock Anime series, Manga, Figure, or Character Items!

Valid for new orders of IN STOCK items only (no pre-orders please).
Offer expires at midnight EST on November 30th, so don't wait!!

Get Well Cards for Steven Den Beste

Anime blogger Steven Den Beste recently suffered a mild stroke and has been in the hospital, then a physical therapy center for the past few days. Today he made his first post  since it happened and thankfully indicated that his condition is improving and he might be able to go home in a week or two.

I wanted to post to let everyone interested know that since we have Steven's address and an in depth understanding of what type of mail he can and can't receive, anyone wanting to send him a get well card or small gift can feel free to forward it to us at this address:

Robert's Anime Corner
Attn: Steven Den Beste
P.O. Box 4277
Winchester, VA 22604-4277
USA

We'll collect them up and once he's home, we'll make sure they get to him.

Funimation Pushes Is This a Zombie / Index

Funimation just sent over a note to let us know that they are going to have to push Is This A Zombie and Index up a week:

Is This A Zombie? Season 1 DVD Collection (Eps #1-13) (Limited Edition) - Dec 4 to Dec 11
Certain Magical Index Season 1 Part 1 Collection DVD (Eps #1-12) - Dec 11 to Dec 18
Certain Magical Index Season 1 Part 2 Collection DVD (Eps #13-24) - Dec 11 to Dec 18

While we're at it, just FYI - I also wanted to remind everyone that our initial order of the new Black Lagoon Season 1 & 2 Complete DVD/BD Combo Set (Eps #1-24) is now completely sold out. All RACS pre-order customers already have a copy on the way, but the rest of our copies that came in late last week were sold out within 72 hours. Funi is stocked out also, and told us there would probably not be anymore available until around the 1st week of December, so we've put the box back on pre-order status for now.

Animated Short - Paths of Hate

Some of you have probably already seen this, but it was recently made available in full length and is spectacular. The film was created at Poland’s Platige Image, home of Tomek Baginski, Grzegorz Jonkajtys, Michal Socha and, of course, Paths of Hate director Damian Nenow.

It features what is probably one of the best animated aerial war scenes ever made and reminds me of the kind of great stuff that Japanese producers like Production I.G. and Gonzo USED to do - you know, before M.O.E. ran everyone off the railroad tracks.

Now, to start your weekend off with something a little different:



Caution: Stop at 5:40 for the happy ending... You can download the movie in HD here.

Funimation's February 2013 Releases - Now Available for Pre-Order!

Funimation has sent over their February 2013 release schedule, and we now have it up on the store site for pre-order. Here's what's coming:

Casshern Sins Complete Collection DVD Set (Eps #1-24) (S.A.V.E. Ed) - Feb 5
Casshern Sins Complete Collection BLURAY Set (Eps #1-24) (S.A.V.E. Ed) - Feb 5
Toriko Collection Part #2 DVD (Eps #14-26) - Feb 5

I have a feeling that more will be added later on.

Section 23's February 2013 Releases - Now Available for Pre-Order!

Section 23 has sent over their February 2013 release schedule, and we now have it up on the store site for pre-order. Here's what's coming:

Listen to me Girls, I am Your Father! Complete Collection DVD (Eps #1-13) - Feb 5
New Fist of the North Star Complete Collection DVD (Re-Release) - Feb 12
Waiting in the Summer Complete Collection DVD (Eps #1-12) - Feb 12
Kamisama Dolls Complete Collection DVD Set (Eps #1-13) - Feb 19
Kamisama Dolls Complete Collection BLURAY Set (Eps #1-13) - Feb 19
Tegami Bachi - Letter Bee Season 1 Collection 2 DVD (Eps #14-26) - Feb 19
Battle Girls: Time Paradox Complete Collection DVD (Eps #1-13) - Feb 26
Battle Girls: Time Paradox Complete Collection BLURAY (Eps #1-13) - Feb 26
Qwaser of Stigmata Collection 2 DVD (Eps #13-24) - Feb 26

Clearance Figures - Now Marked Down Well Below Cost!

OUR BIG ANIME FIGURE SALE JUST GOT BETTER!

Earlier this year, in order to make room in the warehouse for all the new figurines we had coming this year, we took about 700 figurines (about 2,000 total units) that had been in stock for more than a year and significantly marked them down 20-70% for our figurine clearance event.

Since then that list has been shrinking, and most of what left is down to last 1 or 2 units remaining in stock. We currently have exactly 296 units left (across just about that many SKU's) of these clearance figures and toy items left in stock, and we really want to move the rest out before the holiday rush begins.

To accomplish this we've just finished marking down the remaining items an additional 10-40% off the clearance price. Every item on that list is now well below our original cost and is about as cheap as we can afford to sell it vs. just writing off the remaining inventory.

I'm posting this here to let you know about it first before we advertise the sale a few days from now, so check the list and see if there is anything you might want - everything there is a great deal, and since quantities are so limited I wanted to make sure you had first dibs before folks start coming in from the outside and gobbling the remaining figures up. :-)

Good luck!

Umineko: When They Cry Premium Edition Box Art Posted

NIS has finally gotten their art posted for the upcoming Umineko: When They Cry Premium Edition sets.

Here's what they will look like:

Both sets are due to street on December 4th.

Youmacon 2012

Some video from the Youmacon 2012 show in Detroit this past weekend:


Our friend Sean was on the ground there and said it was a great show!