With Dada Chen at NYAFF 2013

With Dada Chen at NYAFF 2013
With Dada Chen at NYAFF 2013

Thursday, October 31, 2013

ACF 2094: Sentai Filmworks licenses LITTLE BUSTERS! REFRAIN


Lightning strikes twice in Sentai Filmworks’ newest acquisition: Little Busters! Refrain. Yoshiki Yamakawa (Maid Sama, Kill Me Baby) returns to direct this 26 follow up to the original series. Also returning are Haruko Iizuka, character design and Michiru Shimada, series composition.

Synopsis: Riki Naoe and his teammates have finally managed their goal of forming a complete baseball team for the Little Busters. Or have they, in fact re-united one? All along there has been something odd going on, a strange sense of déjà vu, and even as the Little Busters finally join together to become a working whole, the personal mysteries and idiosyncrasies that have permeated the school and games slowly begin to coalesce into something unexpected.

For as the team falls into their roles, the pieces of the puzzle begin to fall into place. And as Riki begins to learn the secrets behind his narcolepsy, a stunning truth is about to be revealed, one that will change everything. Will the game continue into extra innings, or will it end in sudden death? Riki made the team and his teammates came, but the next pitch may throw everyone in Little Busters! Refrain.

Little Busters! Refrain is available now through select digital outlets with a home video release to follow in 2014.

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

ACF 2093: Superhero Action Series ZETMAN Coming November 5th

© Masakazu Katsura / SHUEISHA, ZETMAN Project
VIZ MEDIA RELEASES SUPERHERO ANIME ACTION SERIES
ZETMAN IN UNCUT BLU-RAY AND DVD EDITIONS

A Super-Powered Killer Turns A Boy Into An Unlikely Hero In
A Visceral Sci-Fi Anime Adventure Inspired By The Manga Series
By Acclaimed Creator Masakazu Katsura

VIZ Media expands its substantial anime catalog with the addition of the dark sci-fi action series ZETMAN on November 5th. The 13-episode series is rated ‘TV-MA’ for Mature Audiences and will be offered Uncut in DVD and Blu-ray editions. The DVD MSRP is $44.82 U.S. / $43.24 CAN and Blu-ray MSRP is $54.97 U.S. / $66.15 CAN.

ZETMAN is based on a popular manga (graphic novel) series by Masakazu Katsura, who also created VIDEO GIRL AI (a terrific manga) and I”S (both published in North America by VIZ Media) and was the character designer for the hit anime series, TIGER & BUNNY (also available on Blu-ray and DVD at North American retailers).

Features for the Blu-ray and DVD editions include English dubbed or original Japanese audio selections (with English Subtitles), clean opening and ending segments, the original Japanese broadcast trailer, marathon play option, and an exclusive interview with ZETMAN manga series creator Masakazu Katsura taken during his recent appearance at New York Comic Con.

Jin and Kouga may come from very different walks of life, but both boys are searching for the real meaning of justice and what it means to be a hero! Jin may be poor, but he lives a happy life with his grandfather, until the day tragedy strikes and changes his life forever. Kouga, born into a wealthy family, is in line to inherit his family’s power and fortune. But what is true strength? What does it really mean to be human? Jin and Kouga’s fates intertwine in their struggle to harness the power that lies within each of them!

ZETMAN delivers unique perspectives on being human and a hero and combines expressive characters and a thought-provoking story with plenty of uncut visceral action to make for a fast-paced and thrilling highlight of our winter anime release schedule,” says Charlene Ingram, Senior Marketing Manager, Animation. “With the start of the holiday season, the ZETMAN anime series also makes a cool gift for gritty action anime fans, and we look forward to fans catching all of the action with this new home video DVD and Blu-ray release.”

More information on ZETMAN and other animated titles from VIZ Media is available at www.VIZAnime.com/zetman.

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

ACF 2092: November lineup of BOLLYWOOD HITS ON DEMAND

 Bollywood Hits On Demand celebrates Diwali
with VOD premiere of Grand Masti 

2013 Blockbuster Comedy and dozens of other top titles offered

International Media Distribution (IMD) and Eros International has announced that the Bollywood Hits On Demand lineup for the month of November will include premieres of the blockbuster comedy Grand Masti, the hilarious sequel to the 2004 hit Masti and the action packed Shootout at Wadala based on the true story of the encounter between Mumbai police and the notorious gang leader Manya Surve.  Also included in the lineup is the 2013 thriller Warning and the 2011 hit Desi Boyz. 

Diwali, also known as the festival of lights is the most important holiday of the year for Indian families and takes place on November 3, 2013.

Bollywood Hits On Demand is available via Xfinity TV from Comcast, Cox, Time Warner Cable, Bright House Networks, Verizon FiOS TV, CenturyLink and RCN.  Customers can find it from their TV provider’s Video On Demand menu in the Premium Channels section. 

In celebration of Diwali, Verizon is offering its customers access to a selection of free Bollywood Hits On Demand content for a limited time, now through November 10.  Verizon FiOS TV customers can find the free selections in any of the following VOD sections: 

Free & Premium > Premium Channels > Premium Freeviews > Bollywood Music & Movies

Free & Premium > TV Shows > By Genre > Entertainment >Premium Freeviews > Bollywood Music & Movies

TV Shows > By Genre > Entertainment > Premium Freeviews > Bollywood Music & Movies 

To view the complete SVOD service and to order the Bollywood Hits On Demand monthly subscription package, Verizon FiOS customers can go to Free & Premium > Premium Channels > Bollywood Music & Movies. 

November highlights for Bollywood Hits On Demand include:

Shootout at Wadala 
Available Nov.1 – 28
The epic true story of the explosive face-off between Mumbai police and notorious gang member Manya Surve during a time when gang wars were rife in Bombay.

Desi Boyz 
Available Nov. 8 – Dec. 5
Two friends lose their jobs and become male escorts in order to make ends meet, but have trouble hiding their new jobs from their girlfriends.

Warning 
Available Nov. 15 – Dec. 12
Seven friends stranded in shark infested waters: the lucky ones will die first and the rest will experience the worst nightmares of their lives.

Grand Masti 
Available Nov. 29 – Dec. 26
The Masti boys are back!  Now married and hoping to have a good time at their college reunion, they just can’t seem to stay out of trouble.

Monday, October 28, 2013

ACF 2091: Senti Filmworks licenses MEGANEBU!


WARNING! You may experience a strong urge to check your vision after watching Sentai Filmworks’ newest acquisition: MEGANEBU! This 12 episode series is directed by the up and coming Sobi Yamamoto (This Boy Can Fight Aliens) and features character designs by Atsuko Nakajima (Hakuoki) with series composition by Deco Akao (Mysterious Girlfriend X).

Synopsis: You don’t necessarily have to wear rose-colored glasses to get a better view of the world, you just have to wear glasses! At least, that’s the philosophy of Akira Soma, a high school student who breaks humanity into three kinds of people: those wear glasses, those who don’t and girls. After all, if two heads are better than one, then four eyes are clearly superior to two, right?

And what other modern invention can serve as both medical aid and fashion accessory while keeping the sun out of one’s eyes and making 3D movies 3D? Akira’s focus on eyewear has so framed his thoughts that he’s formed a Glasses Club at Himaraya Third Technical High School and coerced all his glasses-wearing (and ridiculously good looking) friends to join.

Fortunately childhood pal Yukiya, adoring Mitsuki, dreamy Takuma and non-corrective lens wearing Hayato are more than happy to share Akira’s vision of a bespectacled world, even if it sometimes means making a huge spectacle.

You won’t believe what happens next when these sexy techs flex their specs in the series that’s guaranteed to hit the top of the eye charts: MEGANEBU!

MEGANEBU! will be available soon through select digital outlets with a home video release to follow in 2014.

Sunday, October 27, 2013

ACF 2090: Section23 Films announces January 2014 slate of releases

Home video distributor Section23 Films has announced its January slate of releases, including the highly anticipated second release of MEDAKA BOX, which will be available on both DVD & BLU-RAY.

Product details follow, in order of release 

Title:                 UTA NO PRINCE SAMA 1000% SEASON 1
Published by:    Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by:  Section23 Films
Run Time:         325 min.
Street Date:      1/7/2014
Format:             DVD
Language:         Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP:                $49.98

SYNOPSIS:  When Haruka gets the chance to take the entrance exam for Saotome Academy for the Performing Arts, it seems as though she's one step closer to her dream of composing songs for her favorite singer, Hayato.  However, this is no gleeful high school musical experience, and Haruka's hiding a dreadful secret that may silence her musical ambitions forever.  And even if she does get into Saotome, the competition will be more brutal than going on Japan's Top Idol!  That's because, as a writer, Haruka could be paired with any one of six radically different male singers.  Will it be upbeat Otoya, serious Masato, flirtatious Ren, split-personality Natsuki, optimistic Syo, or the unapproachable Tokiya, who's rumored to be Hayato's brother?  And just to make things more complicated and awkward, writers and singers are expressly NOT allowed to get romantically involved!  Can one girl and six handsome young men learn to make beautiful music together in a strictly platonic sense?  They can if the oddball staff of Saotome, most of whom are current and former idols themselves have anything to say about it in Uta no Prince Sama 1000%!


Title:                 UTA NO PRINCE SAMA 1000% SEASON 1 BLU-RAY
Published by:    Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by:  Section23 Films
Run Time:         325 min.
Street Date:      1/7/2014
Format:             BD
Language:         Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP:                $59.98

SYNOPSIS:  When Haruka gets the chance to take the entrance exam for Saotome Academy for the Performing Arts, it seems as though she's one step closer to her dream of composing songs for her favorite singer, Hayato.  However, this is no gleeful high school musical experience, and Haruka's hiding a dreadful secret that may silence her musical ambitions forever.  And even if she does get into Saotome, the competition will be more brutal than going on Japan's Top Idol!  That's because, as a writer, Haruka could be paired with any one of six radically different male singers.  Will it be upbeat Otoya, serious Masato, flirtatious Ren, split-personality Natsuki, optimistic Syo, or the unapproachable Tokiya, who's rumored to be Hayato's brother?  And just to make things more complicated and awkward, writers and singers are expressly NOT allowed to get romantically involved!  Can one girl and six handsome young men learn to make beautiful music together in a strictly platonic sense?  They can if the oddball staff of Saotome, most of whom are current and former idols themselves have anything to say about it in Uta no Prince Sama 1000%!


Title:                 PATLABOR TV COLLECTION 4
Published by:    Maiden Japan
Distributed by:  Section23 Films
Run Time:         300 min.
Street Date:      1/7/2014
Format:             DVD
Language:         English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP:                $59.98

SYNOPSIS: The war on crime and the battle for superior technology collide as Shinohara industries unleashes a rash of new Labor designs and SV2 finds itself stuck in the middle of product evaluation trials.  That would be trying enough at any time, but when the department's already being overwhelmed with handling security for the upcoming Babylon Project Conference, fighting terrorists, insurance investigators and even tracking down monsters in the sewers, it may be the final straw that breaks the Ingram's back.  And if all that wasn't enough pressure, SV2's rivalry with Division One escalates to all out warfare when SV1 gets the first of the latest production models.  The gloves are off and there's a heavy metal smackdown on the horizon as Noa must strap herself into the cockpit once again to prove that her Alphonse is still the undisputed king of robotic law enforcement!  The girl in the iron mech and the heavy hitters of the SV2 take on the jobs no one else is big enough to handle in MOBILE POLICE PATLABOR TV - COLLECTION 4!


Title:                 PATLABOR TV COLLECTION 4 BLU-RAY
Published by:    Maiden Japan
Distributed by:  Section23 Films
Run Time:         300 min.
Street Date:      1/7/2014
Format:             BD
Language:         English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP:                $69.98

SYNOPSIS: The war on crime and the battle for superior technology collide as Shinohara industries unleashes a rash of new Labor designs and SV2 finds itself stuck in the middle of product evaluation trials.  That would be trying enough at any time, but when the department's already being overwhelmed with handling security for the upcoming Babylon Project Conference, fighting terrorists, insurance investigators and even tracking down monsters in the sewers, it may be the final straw that breaks the Ingram's back.  And if all that wasn't enough pressure, SV2's rivalry with Division One escalates to all out warfare when SV1 gets the first of the latest production models.  The gloves are off and there's a heavy metal smackdown on the horizon as Noa must strap herself into the cockpit once again to prove that her Alphonse is still the undisputed king of robotic law enforcement!  The girl in the iron mech and the heavy hitters of the SV2 take on the jobs no one else is big enough to handle in MOBILEPOLICE PAT LABOR TV - COLLECTION 4!


Title:                 TAISHO BASEBALL GIRLS COMPLETE BLU-RAY
Published by:    Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by:  Section23 Films
Run Time:         300 min.
Street Date:      1/14/2014
Format:             BD
Language:         Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP:                $59.98

SYNOPSIS: 1925 - six years since the end of the Great War, four years since women were allowed to join political associations and one year since Emperor Hirohito assumed the throne.  Japan is a nation re-inventing itself in many ways, not the least of which is the introduction of a strange new type of school uniform called the "sailor suit".  And though the game of baseball may be new to Japan, relatively speaking, at least it remains the exclusive realm of men and boys.  But when a local player arrogantly states that girls should become housewives instead of going to school, female teenage firebrands Koume and Akiko respond by forming their own baseball team.  It's shocking.  It's scandalous.  And yet, in a nation in which almost anything seems suddenly possible, it may just be the start of something greater than any nine girls can imagine.  It's not just a game, its history in the making in TAISHO BASEBALL GIRLS - COMPLETE COLLECTION!


Title:                 CASSHAN COMPLETE
Published by:    Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by:  Section23 Films
Run Time:         875 min.
Street Date:      1/21/2014
Format:             DVD
Language:         Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP:                $49.98

SYNOPSIS: When lightning strikes the prototype android BK-1, a new horror is unleashed on the world as the resulting monster Buraiking begins taking over all other robots on Earth, setting them against their creators in a massive orgy of planet-wide destruction!  With humanity helpless in the face of the new Neoroiders and their mechanical armies, mankind's only hope may lie in the hands of Tetsuya Azuma, son of the creator of BK1, who transfers his consciousness into an android body to become a Neoroider himself… the ultimate robot fighter: Casshan!  Now, together with his robot dog Flender and the beautiful Luna Uetsuki, the daughter of another scientist and wielder of the most robot-lethal gun on the planet, Casshan is on a mission to clear his father's name, avenge his mother's death, and save the Earth from the iron clutches of Buraiking!  But things aren't going to be easy, not when you're three against thousands, and Buraiking has some shocking surprises in store that will rip Casshan's world in two!  It's the ultimate blast from the past as the battle for the future pits the good bots against the bad in CASSHAN!


Title:                 CASSHAN COMPLETE BLU-RAY
Published by:    Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by:  Section23 Films
Run Time:         875 min.
Street Date:      1/21/2014
Format:             BD
Language:         Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP:                $59.98

SYNOPSIS: When lightning strikes the prototype android BK-1, a new horror is unleashed on the world as the resulting monster Buraiking begins taking over all other robots on Earth, setting them against their creators in a massive orgy of planet-wide destruction!  With humanity helpless in the face of the new Neoroiders and their mechanical armies, mankind's only hope may lie in the hands of Tetsuya Azuma, son of the creator of BK1, who transfers his consciousness into an android body to become a Neoroider himself… the ultimate robot fighter: Casshan!  Now, together with his robot dog Flender and the beautiful Luna Uetsuki, the daughter of another scientist and wielder of the most robot-lethal gun on the planet, Casshan is on a mission to clear his father's name, avenge his mother's death, and save the Earth from the iron clutches of Buraiking!  But things aren't going to be easy, not when you're three against thousands, and Buraiking has some shocking surprises in store that will rip Casshan's world in two!  It's the ultimate blast from the past as the battle for the future pits the good bots against the bad in CASSHAN!


Title:                 IRON GIRL
Published by:    Switchblade Pictures
Distributed by:  Section23 Films
Run Time:         92 min.
Street Date:      1/21/2014
Format:             DVD
Language:         Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP:                $19.98

SYNOPSIS: In a distant land and an unknown time, a small village is under siege, terrorized by the brutal reign of the bandits known as the Crazy Dogs.  However, the legends of the village speak of an Iron Clad Savior, one who shall come to the aid of the people and liberate them from the forces of evil and oppression.  So when brave young Anne is miraculously rescued from a vicious bandit attack by a superhumanly strong heroine in shining armor, she becomes convinced that this mysterious fighter must be the figure from the prophecy.  However, the woman known only as Iron Girl has been cursed with amnesia, and not even she knows whether she can actually defeat the Crazy Dogs.  Not that the Dogs are about to let any potential threat to their power stay alive.  Prepare for a battle royale as a full frontal assault of female fury tears into the dogs of war in IRON GIRL!


Title:                 MEDAKA BOX ABNORMAL COMPLETE
Published by:    Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by:  Section23 Films
Run Time:         300 min.
Street Date:      1/21/2014
Format:             DVD
Language:         English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP:                $59.98

SYNOPSIS: What started as a simple assistance program has escalated insanely out of control, and now Medaka Kurokami finds herself exposed as something far more than human.  But that's only the beginning of a new series of shocking revelations that lead towards a dark secret plan that not even the unbelievable power of her War God Mode may be able to withstand.  Still, Medaka's proving to be good at thinking outside of the box, and if she needs the full backing of every hidden resource of the Student Council to meet the challenge, then that's what she's going to get.  Even the Abnormal ones!  Get ready for action, violence and gorgeous girls the way only Studio Gainax can make them as the hits, grins, jiggles and girls gone wild enter the berserker stage in the incredible: MEDAKA BOX ABNORMAL!

Title:                 MEDAKA BOX ABNORMAL COMPLETE BLU-RAY
Published by:    Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by:  Section23 Films
Run Time:         300 min.
Street Date:      1/21/2014
Format:             BD
Language:         English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP:                $69.98

SYNOPSIS: What started as a simple assistance program has escalated insanely out of control, and now Medaka Kurokami finds herself exposed as something far more than human.  But that's only the beginning of a new series of shocking revelations that lead towards a dark secret plan that not even the unbelievable power of her War God Mode may be able to withstand.  Still, Medaka's proving to be good at thinking outside of the box, and if she needs the full backing of every hidden resource of the Student Council to meet the challenge, then that's what she's going to get.  Even the Abnormal ones!  Get ready for action, violence and gorgeous girls the way only Studio Gainax can make them as the hits, grins, jiggles and girls gone wild enter the berserker stage in the incredible: MEDAKA BOX ABNORMAL!


Title:                 MARIA HOLIC COMPLETE
Published by:    Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by:  Section23 Films
Run Time:         300 min.
Street Date:      1/28/2014
Format:             DVD
Language:         English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP:                $59.98

SYNOPSIS: It's not easy to find the perfect girl, even when you're the same sex!  Kanako thought attending an all-girls school would be the perfect way to meet the girl of her dreams, but after her hot new roommate turns out to be a guy in drag, and catching the eye of the most popular girl in school only brings down the wrath of all the OTHER similarly obsessed girls, she's not so sure!  Complicate things with a cat-eared dorm leader, her roommate's rude-mannered maid, an identical twin sister (who attends an all-boys school of course) and WAY too many attractive girls of questionable persuasions and the question becomes whether Kanako will die from frustration or nosebleeds!   (Life would be SO much easier if guys didn't literally give her the hives!)  Will Kanako ever find a non-polar opposite of a compatible non-opposing polarity?  Let's just say that the quest for true love will not run straight in Maria Holic - The Complete Collection!


Title:                 MARIA HOLIC COMPLETE BLU-RAY
Published by:    Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by:  Section23 Films
Run Time:         300 min.
Street Date:      1/28/2014
Format:             BD
Language:         English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP:                $69.98

SYNOPSIS: It's not easy to find the perfect girl, even when you're the same sex!  Kanako thought attending an all-girls school would be the perfect way to meet the girl of her dreams, but after her hot new roommate turns out to be a guy in drag, and catching the eye of the most popular girl in school only brings down the wrath of all the OTHER similarly obsessed girls, she's not so sure!  Complicate things with a cat-eared dorm leader, her roommate's rude-mannered maid, an identical twin sister (who attends an all-boys school of course) and WAY too many attractive girls of questionable persuasions and the question becomes whether Kanako will die from frustration or nosebleeds!   (Life would be SO much easier if guys didn't literally give her the hives!)  Will Kanako ever find a non-polar opposite of a compatible non-opposing polarity?  Let's just say that the quest for true love will not run straight in Maria Holic - The Complete Collection!


Title:                 HELLCAGE: INMATE 611 PT. II
Published by:    Switchblade Pictures
Distributed by:  Section23 Films
Run Time:         77 min.
Street Date:      1/28/2014
Format:             DVD
Language:         Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP:                $19.98

SYNOPSIS: It's called the House of Evils, where beasts in human flesh prowl the corridors and the most dangerous residents aren't the luscious inmates, but the predatory guards.  For the crime of assaulting her lover, Saya Mizushima has been sentenced to three years in the most brutal prison facility in Japan.  It wasn't supposed to be a life sentence, but unless the woman now known as Inmate 611 can learn how to hold her own against both the ruthlessness of her fellow inmates and the brutal harassment of the guards, she's got little chance of walking out with both mind and body intact.  Stripped, shackled, but not yet broken, an international chain gang of red hot models and actresses lead by Akira Kiuchi, Harumi Nemoto , Youko Kamon, Yoshimi Asada and Kei Mizutani prepare to march into the flames of the damned in HELLCAGE: INMATE 611 PT. II.

Saturday, October 26, 2013

ACF 2089: VIZ Announces Digital Manga Updates For October

SEIYU KA! © Maki Minami 2009/HAKUSENSHA,Inc.
VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES DIGITAL MANGA UPDATES FOR OCTOBER

Eight New Manga Series Launch This Month Along With
Updates To More Than 35 Additional Ongoing Series

VIZ Media welcomes Fall with a brand new digital manga update that features more than a dozen new titles on VIZManga.com and available for digital download through the VIZ MANGA App for the Apple iPad, iPhone and iPod touch, Android-powered smart phones, and also for NOOK tablets and devices.

New manga series debuting this month from VIZ Media’s Shonen Jump and Shonen Jump Advanced imprints include COWA! (one-shot), MUHYO & ROJI’S BUREAU OF SUPERNATUAL INVESTIGATION, NORA: THE LAST CHRONICLE OF DEVILDOM, and YU-GI-OH! MILLENIUM WORLD. From the Shojo Beat comes AISHITERUZE BABY, BOYS OVER FLOWERS, and VOICE OVER: SEIYU ACADEMY. The first volume of the venerable X also debuts in a 3-in-1 edition.

More than 35 additional acclaimed manga series also have new volume debuts. Don’t miss notable multi-volume weekly updates for acclaimed fan favorites such as CASE CLOSED, THE LAW OF UEKI, SKIP BEAT!, TAIL OF THE MOON, WHISTLE!, YU-GI-OH! DUELIST, and YUYU HAKUSHO.

New Titles Available Now Include:

AISHITERUZE BABY, Vol. 1 · Rated ‘T’ for Teens
Kippei Katakura is a 17-year-old playboy who spends his time chasing girls, careless of their feelings. But when his 5-year-old cousin Yuzuyu comes to live with his family after her mother's sudden disappearance, Kippei is put in charge of taking care of her. As Kippei gets to know Yuzuyu and starts to understand how she feels, he also begins to realize that all girls were like Yuzuyu once...

COWA! © 1997 by BIRD STUDIO/SHUEISHA Inc.

COWA! (One-Shot) · Rated ‘A’ for All Ages
Paifu, a half-vampire half-werekoala, is always getting into trouble with his best buddy, José the Ghost. But when the Monster Flu sweeps through town, the fun and games are over. If the monsters don't get the medicine soon, everyone will die! With all the adults sick, it's up to the kids to save the day!

MUHYO & ROJI’S BUREAU OF SUPERNATUAL INVESTIGATION, Vols. 1-2 ·
Rated ‘T’ for Teens
Are you a victim of unwanted spirit possession? Is there a ghost you need sent up and away...or down to burn for all eternity? If the answer is yes, then you need Muhyo and Roji, experts in magic law. Serving justice to evil spirits is their specialty.

VOICE OVER: SEIYU ACADEMY Vol. 1 · Rated ‘T’ for Teens
Hime Kino’s dream is to one day do voice acting like her hero Sakura Aoyama from the Lovely Blazers anime, and getting accepted to the prestigious Holly Academy’s voice actor department is the first step in the right direction! But Hime’s gruff voice has earned her the scorn of teachers and students alike. Hime will not let that stand unchallenged. She’ll show everyone that she is too a voice acting princess, whether they like it or not!!

X 3-In-1, Vol. 1 · Rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens · $13.99
Their Destiny Was Foreordained… The fate of the world is at stake in this gorgeously illustrated masterwork from the four-woman artistic team CLAMP! Kamui Shiro is a young man who was born with the power to decide the fate of the Earth itself – a destiny he can barely bring himself to believe. But as other players involved in the prophecy begin to gather around him – the "Seven Seals," with the power to protect the Earth, and the ""Seven Harbingers," who are fated to destroy it – he has no choice but to come to terms with his fate.


New Series Launching October 29th:

BOYS OVER FLOWERS, Vols. 1-2 · Rated ‘T’ for Teens
Although Tsukushi Makino is from a poor family, she attends an elite school for the super rich, where her life has become intertwined with the "F4," the ruling boys of the school, in a whirlwind of love and confusion!

NORA: THE LAST CHRONICLE OF DEVILDOM, Vols. 1 · Rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens
Nora, an unruly demon, has defied his superiors one too many times. For the sake of his "education," Nora is sent to live among mortals and enters a bond of servitude with cool-as-ice star student Kazuma Magari. Kazuma is about to learn the ways of the underworld... and Nora will learn more from the "real world" than he ever thought possible!

YU-GI-OH! MILLENNIUM WORLD, Vols. 1-2 · Rated ‘T’ for Teens
The final saga of the YU GI OH! epic! After many deadly duels, Yugi has collected the three Egyptian God Cards, the key to remembering his own past life as an Egyptian pharaoh. When the cards take Yugi's soul back in time, can he defeat the villains of the past and achieve his ultimate destiny?

The free VIZ Manga App continues to be the top application for reading digital manga and features a massive library of the most popular series in the world. Through the innovative VIZ Manga digital platform, registered users are able to use one account to view their purchased manga across more devices than ever.
The platform features a massive library of the most popular manga series in the world, with over 1,500 volumes across more than 160 different series, and new series and volumes added every Tuesday.

All manga volumes are generally available for purchase and download in the U.S. and Canada within the application starting from $6.99 (U.S. / CAN) each and readers can also explore all titles with free Chapter 1 previews of every series. For more information, please visit VIZManga.com or www.VIZ.com/apps.

Download the free VIZ Manga App for your Android and iOS devices at www.VIZ.com/apps.

To learn more about VIZ Manga, visit www.vizmanga.com.

Friday, October 25, 2013

ACF 2088: Sentai Filmworks licenses NON NON BIYORI


You’re never in the middle of nowhere as long as you’re with somebody special in Sentai Filmworks’ newest acquisition: Non Non Biyori. This charming 12 episode series is directed by Shinya Kawamo (Kokoro Connect) and features character designs by Mai Otsuka (Astarotte’s Toy) and series composition by Reiko Yoshida (Girls und Panzer).

Synopsis: When Hotaru Ichijo transfers from a school in Tokyo to the tiny little Asahigaoka Branch School in the rural countryside, she should be experiencing major culture shock. After all, there are only three other girls in the school, and none of them are even in the same grade as her. But she quickly finds herself adjusting to spending her time with first grader Renge and the Koshigaya sisters, Natsumi and Komari, who are in the seventh and eighth grade, respectively.

And the Koshigaya’s older brother, the only male student, isn’t so hard to get along with either. Maybe it doesn’t hurt that Hotaru’s a little mature for her age, but there’s something about the laid back lifestyle that makes her feel right at home and comfortable. Even if it is 20 minutes by bicycle to the only place that sells comics and the video store is ten train stations away. It’s a big change from the big city, but there are still plenty of new adventures to look forward to as Hotaru learns that “home” really is where the heart is in Non Non Biyori.

Non Non Biyori will be available soon through select digital outlets with a home video release to follow in 2014.

Thursday, October 24, 2013

ACF 2087: Three day Korean American Film Festival New York (KAFFNY) begins this afternoon

Still from Seeking Haven, the second film in a double bill being shown tonight

The 7th annual Korean American Film Festival New York (KAFFNY) begins its three day run this afternoon at Village East Cinema. This year the festival is dedicated to the Korean War and North Korea in commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the Korean War Armistice.

Complete information about this year's Korean American Film Festival NY is available at the KAFFNY website.

Most of the offerings are feature length films, but there are also two programs of shorts.


Most of the offerings are feature length films, but there are also two programs of shorts. 

Plus, there will be two special event parties. At 10:00 PM tonight, the Opening Night Party will take place at Fat Buddha. At 11:00 PM on Saturday, the Closing Night Party will be held at Le Midi Bistro.

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

ACF 2086: BEN 10 OMNIVERSE, Vol. 1: GHOST SHIP now available

TM & © Cartoon Network.
VIZ MEDIA’s PERFECT SQUARE IMPRINT DELIVERS NEW
BEN 10 OMNIVERSE
ORIGINAL GRAPHIC NOVEL SERIES IN OCTOBER

Ben Tennyson And Partner Rook Investigate A Distress Call
Aboard A Stranded Spacecraft In A Full-Color Original Adventure
Series Based On The Emmy-Winning Animated Kids Program

VIZ Media takes readers on an action-packed adventure in its new full-color original graphic novel series – BEN 10 OMNIVERSE.

BEN 10 OMNIVERSE, Vol. 1: GHOST SHIP features artwork by Alan Brown with story by Cory Levine and is now available under the company’s Perfect Square imprint. The title is rated ‘A’ for All Ages, and carries an MSRP of $7.99 U.S. / $9.99 CAN. A digital version is also currently available for $4.99 U.S. / CAN from the Perfect Square App, which has titles available for the Apple iPad® and iPad® Mini. The Perfect Square App is available from the iTunes store.

The BEN 10 OMNIVERSE graphic novels are inspired by Cartoon Network’s hit original animated series Ben 10 Omniverse, which is currently airing new episodes on Saturday mornings at 9:30 a.m. (ET/PT). Ben 10 Omniverse is the latest installment of the hit Ben 10 franchise and was developed by Men of Action, a Development/Production House dedicated to writing, conceptualizing, and developing work of exceptional quality, commercial viability, and explosive creativity.

For more than five years, Ben Tennyson has been saving the universe with his Omnitrix, which allows him to use the DNA of aliens to take on heroic new forms. But he’s never encountered a challenge quite like this! Teamed up with a new partner, Rook, who seriously needs to relax, Ben investigates the mysteries of a hidden underground alien city and has to battle a new enemy, Khyber, who has only one thing on his mind: hunting down Ben 10!

In the opening volume of the graphic novel series, Ben and Rook investigate a distress call that lands them on a stranded space ship with a secret... and puts them right where Khyber wants them, trapped with no way out while he and his shape-shifting dog hunt them down. Now Ben’s got to get off an abandoned vehicle that’s falling out of space, save himself and his partner from Khyber’s alien pet (who can turn into the natural enemy of any of Ben’s alien forms!), and figure out the mystery of the “Ghost Ship!”

“It’s truly an honor to welcome these new original BEN 10 OMNIVERSE graphic novels into the Perfect Square print and digital catalog,” says Editor Joel Enos. “The Ben 10 animated series has received international critical acclaim and won three Emmy Awards, and the OMNIVERSE stories build on and expand the mythology of the series in new ways while staying true to the series’ visual art style and tone. Our comics feature original adventures with some surprising cameos from past Ben 10 comics and cartoons, as well as some all-new characters created exclusively for the new Perfect Square corner of the Omniverse!”

BEN 10 OMNIVERSE, Vol. 1: GHOST SHIP artist Alan Brown has a love of comic art and cartoons that led him to a career as a storyboard and concept artist for a busy London agency, working for clients such as Lego and Ford. As a freelance artist and designer he has also created a variety of licensed artwork for Disney, Warner Bros. and the BBC, while continuing to provide comic art for small press and independent comics publishers.

BEN 10 OMNIVERSE, Vol. 1: GHOST SHIP writer Cory Levine is a former editorial staffer for Marvel Comics where he edited hundreds of collected editions of comic books, encyclopedic handbooks, special edition magazines and foreign-licensed comics including the company's well-received line of Soleil graphic album adaptations. In 2010 he founded First Edition Publishing, Inc., an end-to-end publishing solutions firm offering editorial packaging, graphic design and pre-press production services.

VIZ Media’s Perfect Square imprint focuses on delivering original comics, manga (graphic novels) and other children’s books with an emphasis on strong storytelling, eye-popping graphics, empowering themes, and a dash of irreverence, that captures the imagination of a whole new generation.

Additional information on titles published by Perfect Square is available at www.PerfectSquare.com.

For more information on other manga titles from VIZ Media, visit www.VIZ.com.

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

ACF 2085: Free screening of B.E.D.

Korean Cultural Service New York
presents
Korean Movie Night 2013
Series Five:
Remembering Park Cheol Soo: A Korean Filmmaking Legend
 B.E.D.
South Korea, 2012, 90 minutes
When: Tuesday, October 29, 2013 @ 7:00 PM
Doors open: 6:30 PM
Where: Tribeca Cinemas
54 Varick Street, on the corner of Canal Street, NYC
Near the A, C, E @ #1 Canal Street subway stops
Admission: FREE!!!
North American Premiere

In the last film he lived to see released, director Park Cheol Soo explores human obsessive desire for sex. Based on a short novel of the same name, B.E.D. is told through the eyes of the three main characters, whose joy, passion, despair and death overflow into one bed. The man B. has an affair with a bored married woman E., who eventually dumps him. In order to get over E., B. marries D., a divorcee with a small daughter, but still keeps the bed in which he made love with E. His obsession with E. never goes away, as he attempts to get her back.

Monday, October 21, 2013

ACF 2084: Sentai Filmworks licenses TIME BOKAN: ROYAL REVIVAL


Chaos reigns, robot parts rain down and villains are in pain in the wackiest race in the history of anime. But are you fan enough to beat them to the punch-line in Sentai Filmworks’ newest acquisition: Time Bokan: Royal Revival. This classic OVA series is directed by Akira Shigino and features character designs by Yoshitaka Amano (Vampire Hunter D, Amon Saga) with mecha designs by Kunio Okawara (Armored Trooper VOTOMS).

Synopsis: The Japanese public goes crazy when it’s announced that the beloved and long running classic anime Time Bokan will be remade. There’s just one problem: the original show was broken into multiple separate series featuring multiple teams of heroes pitted against multiple teams of almost identical villains, so how to choose which ones will star in the remake?

Unwisely discarding the idea of a public opinion poll, the producers instead insanely opt for a race between the bad guys in their favorite mecha. Which might not be a completely bad idea, except for the fact that they’re all cheaters and saboteurs, and none of them have ever created a mech that didn’t eventually self destruct in an extremely violent fashion!

In a race between these born losers, the only winner is the audience as the villains from Time Bokan, Yatterman, Zenderman, Otasukeman, Yattodetaman, Ippatsuman and Itadakiman compete for the dubious privilege of getting the **** beaten out of them once again! It’s Grand Theft Mecha Vs. Super Moron Kart as the baddies slam, bash and dirty trick each other to the finish in Time Bokan: Royal Revival,

Time Bokan: Royal Revival will be available soon through select digital outlets with a home video release to follow in 2014.