Section23 Films has announced its November 2019 slate of releases

Home video distributor Section23 Films has announced its November slate of releases featuring the exciting third season of Haikyu!! from Sentai Filmworks, which will be available on DVD & BD November 26th with a Limited Edition Premium Box Set later this year.

Product details in order of release:

Title: MY TEEN ROMANTIC COMEDY ~ SNAFU
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 675 min.
Street Date: 11/5/2019
Format: BD
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $89.98

SYNOPSIS: When Hachiman Hikigaya, who has no friends and believes that anyone who likes high school is either deluded or a liar, is coerced into joining the "Services Club" run by Yukino Yukinoshita, who's smart, attractive and considers everyone to be her complete inferior, it's a catastrophe just waiting to happen. But it's not until the THIRD ingredient… Yui Yuigahama, who's cute, bright, cheerful, and needs help baking cookies… is added to the combustible mix that the sparks really start to fly. Is this a recipe for romance or a prelude to a nuclear meltdown? Get ready for rom-com gone totally wrong as the barrage a trois of the Service Club is unleashed on an unsuspecting student body in MY TEEN ROMANTIC COMEDY ~ SNAFU and MY TEEN ROMANTIC COMEDY ~ SNAFU TOO!


Title: NATSU NO ARASHI
Published by: Maiden Japan
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 325 min.
Street Date: 11/12/2019
Format: BD
Language: Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $59.98

SYNOPSIS: Sometimes when you meet someone, you just know they're going to be interesting, but when 13-year-old Yasaka Hajime meets an older girl while staying at his grandfather's house for summer vacation, he has no idea how much she's about to change his life! To begin with, while Arashi may only look a few years older than Yasaka, she's actually closer in age to his granddad! How is that possible? It seems that Arashi's not exactly human anymore, and besides being a ghost from 1945, she has an important mission that revolves around her ability to travel in time! Since Arashi can only travel temporally if she's accompanied by a living being from her current present, guess who's about to become her partner in paradoxity? It's time for everything to go a little crazy in NATSU NO ARASHI!


Title: HIDAMARI SKETCH PICTURE PERFECT COLLECTION
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 1450 min.
Street Date: 11/19/2019
Format: BD
Language: Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $99.98

SYNOPSIS: Yuno has dreamed of attending Yamabuki Arts High School for years, but while it's an incredible opportunity, it also means moving away from her home and family. Fortunately, her new neighbors at the eclectic Hidamari (Sunshine) Apartments, most of whom are fellow students, will be there to help her through the transition! Soon Yuno's not only no longer feeling homesick, but she's gained a second family in second-year students Hiro and Sae, who do their best to play the role of older sisters, and her hyperactive new best friend and classmate Miyako. Add in a cosplay-obsessed homeroom teacher, her rather masculine landlady and all of the other odd denizens who inhabit Yuno's new world and there's always something fun and interesting going when new friends get creative in HIDAMARI SKETCH PICTURE PERFECT COLLECTION!


Title: HAIKYU!! SEASON 3
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 250 min.
Street Date: 11/26/2019
Format: BD, DVD
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $69.98, $59.98

SYNOPSIS: The Miyagi Prefecture Representative for the Spring High School National Volleyball Championship continues as the Karasuno team advances to take on the undefeated prefecture champions, Shiratorizawa Academy High School. This is the strongest opponent Karasuno has ever faced, and the deck is stacked against them with an extra ace in the form Wakatoshi Ushijima, a powerful wing spiker who's already played with the National Team! If they want to win, Hinata, Kageyama and the rest of the Crows will have to learn an entirely new playing style in order to counter Ushijima and his seemingly unstoppable spike… and that's just the first lesson the Shiratorizawa veterans have in store for the Crows. The game is on as the players hit the court in the third pulse-pounding season of HAIKYU!!

Section23 Films has announced its October 2019 slate of releases

Home video distributor Section23 Films has announced its October slate of releases featuring Sentai Filmworks’ feature-length film, based on the hugely popular franchise known to insiders as DanMachi, IS IT WRONG TO PICK UP GIRLS IN A DUNGEON? ARROW OF THE ORION! Available on Blu-ray and DVD!

Product details in order of release:

Title: JOSHIRAKU
Published by: Maiden Japan
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 325 min.
Street Date: 10/1/2019
Format: BD
Language: Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $59.98

SYNOPSIS: Marii, Kigurumi, Tetora, Gankyo and Kukuru are five young women with completely different interests and personalities, but there's one thing that they all share: performing Rakugo, a unique form of Japanese comic theater in which a single artist sits in front of an audience and tells an entire story, portraying multiple characters solely through changes of voice and minimal movements. It's a challenging art but all five of our heroines are determined to become the best they can… and in the meantime, they find themselves hanging out together, both at the Rakugo theaters and around town. They also have a shared acquaintance, a mysterious stranger who's always wearing a wrestling mask! What's that about? To find out, pull up a seat and watch as our heroines put on the best show in town in JOSHIRAKU!


Title: MR. TONEGAWA: MIDDLE MANAGEMENT BLUES
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 600 min.
Street Date: 10/15/2019
Format: BD
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $89.98

SYNOPSIS: Nobody knows what it's like to be the bad man… except the bad man's right-hand man, who has to take the boss' deranged ideas and turn them into functioning plans. So, when the sadistic president of the Teiai Group decides he's bored with the routine leg breaking and widow/orphan evicting, he assigns the task of coming up with something "special" to his ruthless Number Two, Yukio Tonegawa. But how do you amuse someone who destroys a dozen lives before breakfast? There's a huge pool of potential victims in the form of TFO's swollen roster of defaulting borrowers, but if Tonegawa and his team of nearly identical men in black look-alikes can't create a "game of death" that tickles the boss' demented funny bones, they may end up playing the game themselves in MR. TONEGAWA: MIDDLE MANAGEMENT BLUES!


Title: IS IT WRONG TO PICK UP GIRLS IN A DUNGEON? ARROW OF THE ORION
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 82 min.
Street Date: 10/22/2019
Format: BD, DVD
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $39.98, $29.98

SYNOPSIS: Living above the legendary dungeons of Orario ought to be enough danger for anyone, and in his short time as a member of the goddess Hestia's familia, Bell Cranel has experienced more perils and pitfalls than most. So, when Bell unexpectedly wins a free trip, is it too much to hope that he might have actually won a real vacation? Of course it is! Inexplicably chosen as the champion of Hestia's friend, the goddess Artemis, Bell quickly finds himself up to his neck in ruins and monsters as yet another epic quest begins. And where Bell goes, can the ever-jealous Hestia be far behind? Explore the world of DanMachi like never before as all of your favorite characters return in Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?: Arrow of the Orion!


Title: KASE-SAN AND MORNING GLORIES
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 60 min.
Street Date: 10/22/2019
Format: BD
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $29.98

SYNOPSIS: A relationship is like a garden. It's hard, really hard, to plant the initial seeds. Once you've gone through the agonizing process of wondering if the other person even likes you, fought the fear that telling her could destroy everything, and made your confession, the most difficult part begins. Because you have to keep nurturing this wonderful new feeling to keep it growing. Not just in your own heart, but in hers. And since even the most beautiful rose can cut you to the bone with its thorns, who can you talk to for advice? Especially when you're both girls in high school? For shy Yamada and boyish Kase, time is running out. High school is coming to an end and they must make a choice: stay together and let their love grow, or separate and let it die in KASE-SAN AND MORNING GLORIES.


Title: YUMEIRO PATISSIERE
Published by: Maiden Japan
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 1575 min.
Street Date: 10/29/2019
Format: BD
Language: Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $49.98

SYNOPSIS: Everyone's good at something, but after years of being overshadowed by her sister's musical skills, Ichigo Amano's main talent seems to be making cake disappear into her tummy. Then the famous pastry chef Henri Lucas discovers that Ichigo has a truly exceptional sense of taste and makes her the sweetest offer ever: to study at a prestigious culinary school that specializes in desserts! It sounds like a dream come true, but Ichigo has a lot to learn and becoming a pâtissière won't be as easy as pie. Fortunately, three handsome fellow students are there to help and things really get cooking when the school's magical Sweet Spirits join in! Has Ichigo bitten off more than she can chew or is her baking star about to rise? Find out in the sweet and frothy confection that is YUMEIRO PATISSIERE!

Maiden Japan licenses anime "reality" series HINAKO

It’s been said that if a film or television genre exists, someone in Japan has probably made an anime about it. As proof of this theorem, MAIDEN JAPAN submits HINAKO, Japan’s first interactive anime reality and exercise video series! Which may sound strange at first, but transforming robots, collecting virtual pets and dancing with video games were once all considered odd ideas as well, and look how that turned out.

Beginning with TRAINING WITH HINAKO, the surprise hit that topped Amazon Japan’s and other internet retail sales charts for two consecutive weeks, HINAKO’s videos focus on a ‘self aware’ anime heroine who constantly stops to chat about her feelings with the audience. Of course, the fact that Hinako tends to be continuously bouncing up and down exercising or stretching, and that her videos’ scene order can be rearranged to create different scenarios, might be as responsible for her success in Japan as the innovative format. But whatever the case, HINAKO’s producers were quick to serve Hinako’s legion of fans with two more interactive video experiences, SLEEPING WITH HINAKO and BATHING WITH HINAKO, all three of which will be packaged together for Maiden Japan’s U.S. home video release.

Hinako used to be a normal girl, but then she became an anime character! Now she does things like play the heroine’s best friend, but unlike most people in anime, Hinako is completely aware that she’s being watched by an unseen audience! So, if she’s doing something and thinks of something to say, she’ll just say it to the people she can’t see. Or CAN she see them? The most self-aware anime character ever invites you to peek behind the screen and experience Training, Bathing and even Sleeping in the intimate interactive life of HINAKO!

Section23 Films announces its February 2015 slate of releases

Home video distributor Section23 Films has announced its February 2015 slate of releases, including the hit space adventure series Space Brothers which will be released on both DVD & Blu-ray.

Product details follow, in order of release.

Title: GOLDEN TIME COLLECTION 2
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 300 min.
Street Date: 2/3/2015
Format: DVD, BD
Language: Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $49.98, $59.98

SYNOPSIS: Adjusting to college life is hard enough for most students, but ever since Banri Tada lost all his memories he's literally being haunted by the spirit of the person he was before the accident. And now that the Banri-that-is has fallen in love with Koko instead of Linda, the girl his old self was in love with, the ghost of the Banri-that-was is stepping up its efforts to sabotage his new relationship with every power at its disposal. Which means since past-Banri can sometimes take over present-Banri's body, the entire life new-Banri has built is now in imminent danger of being blown away like a house of cards in a whirlwind. And that doesn't even take into account Linda and Koko's feelings, let alone those of Banri's friend, Mitsuo, who Koko was formerly in love with, but who now has a thing for Linda- at least, when he isn't crushing on Chinami. And if that sounds confusing, it's nothing compared to how Banri feels as his old memories begin to resurface and the ultimate battle of Man Vs. Himself escalates in GOLDEN TIME - COLLECTION 2!


Title: LEVIATHAN ~ THE LAST DEFENSE
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 325 min.
Street Date: 2/3/2015
Format: DVD, BD
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $59.98, $69.98
SYNOPSIS: The land of Aquafall is a paradise, where life in all forms flourishes in peace and abundance. But when meteors rain down, each impact spawns hideous monsters sent by an enemy that wants to claim the green world for its own! Fortunately, the fairy Syrup is on guard and knows exactly what to do, and recruits an extraordinary team of young women to form the Aquafall Defenders. There's the incredibly strong Jormungand, the fire-conjuring Bahamut, and the water-bending Leviathan. Unfortunately none of them are ideal warrior material, and Syrup will have her work cut out for her when it comes to teaching them to work together. Even if they manage to survive and unite as a team, can three lone girls really turn the tide of an alien invasion? Well, it might help that they've all got a little bit of Dragon in them! The scales of fate will turn as the future of Aquafall hangs in the balance in LEVIATHAN ~ THE LAST DEFENSE!


Title: ENGAGED TO THE UNIDENTIFIED
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 300 min.
Street Date: 2/10/2015
Format: DVD, BD
Language: Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $49.98, $59.98

SYNOPSIS: Not every girl gets what she wants on her 16th birthday, but Kobeni's gift is something she never saw coming: an arranged marriage! Thanks to her late grandfather, Kobeni's been engaged to a total stranger since childhood, and even though she's supposedly met him she doesn't remember a single thing about him. Even weirder is that both her Mom and creepily over-doting sister, Benio, seem completely unsurprised when the groom-to-be, Hakuya, and his younger sister, Mashiro, show up on the family's doorstep to move in with them! But it's not until they start attending Kobeni's school that things take an even stranger turn after she starts to pick up some very… unusual vibes from her potential future family. From Mashiro's obsession with aliens and UMAs (Unidentified Mysterious Animals), to Hakuya's disconcerting lack of emotion, there's something very off about them that Kobeni can't quite put her finger on. What has her grandfather gotten her into? And how does this relate to the strange gap in Kobeni's memory? From weird science to the supernatural, almost anything can happen when you're ENGAGED TO THE UNIDENTIFIED!


Title: REIDEEN COLLECTION 2
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 325 min.
Street Date: 2/10/2015
Format: DVD
Language: Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $49.98

SYNOPSIS: As the attacks by the Mechanical Beasts continue to escalate, and Earth's defenders struggle to develop new technology capable of stopping them, the mystery surrounding our planet's greatest protector only deepens. After all, if a weapon is only as dangerous as the being who wields it, why has the robot-like goliath known as Reideen chosen a high school student like Junki Saiga to be its pilot? What is Reideen's real purpose here on Earth? Is it our last line of defense in this war, or could it actually be the cause of it? And how many weapons and capabilities does it possess that have yet to be seen? Solving these riddles could be the key to saving everything, but the clock is running down for the Vigilant Corps. The enemy is no longer content to simply attack from space-they're here, infiltrating our cities, and they already know who the pilot of Reideen is. As Junki and Hoshikawa find themselves the targets of both human and alien covert action, the battle for the fate of our world expands to an even wider front in REIDEEN - COLLECTION TWO!

Title: HOZUKI'S COOLHEADEDNESS
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 325 min.
Street Date: 2/17/2015
Format: DVD, BD
Language: Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $49.98, $59.98

SYNOPSIS: There are hard jobs, there are jobs that seem outright impossible, but in the end, the most difficult job in all creation probably belongs to Hozuki, Hell’s hardest working bureaucrat. That’s because Hozuki is Deputy Chief to Enma, the King of Hell. Enma spends all his time sitting in judgment of the recently deceased, so it’s up to Hozuki to keep the dark half of the afterlife running smoothly. And that would be hellishly complicated even if Hell wasn’t constantly short on good help. Fortunately, Hozuki’s not the typical bureaucratic hothead you’d expect to find heading a department of infernal affairs. Fiendishly clever and determined enough to dedicate multiple lifetimes to a task (though not necessarily his OWN lifetimes), he’ll get the job done even if it means breaking a few unbreakable rules and running circles around Hell’s normal operating procedures. As for patience… well, Hell hasn’t frozen over quite yet, so the verdict’s still out on that, but he doesn’t suffer fools lightly, let alone damned fools. After all, that Highway to Hell isn’t going to get paved with just good intentions, so if someone has to suffer for all eternity, Hozuki’s damned sure that it’s not going to be himself in HOZUKI’S COOLHEADEDNESS!


Title: PATLABOR: THE NEW FILES
Published by: Maiden Japan
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 400 min.
Street Date: 2/17/2015
Format: DVD, BD
Language: Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $49.98, $59.98

SYNOPSIS: Every cop has a story to tell, but not all of them are safe to show on television. That's especially true in the crazed world of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police's Special Vehicle Section, because when you toss giant robots into the mix almost anything can happen. A teddy bear holding people hostage and a search for albino alligators may just be typical days on the job, but what about an undercover mission into a public bathhouse looking for suspicious moles? Or what happens when the only place where you and your coworker can wait out a typhoon is a room in one of Japan's notorious "Love Hotels"? And then there's that drunken weekend at the hot springs and the infamous "underwear incident." But not every story has a humorous edge, and what begins as a battle for corporate survival turns into a mêlée in the streets as the makers of the deadly Griffin return for the ultimate exercise in urban combat! It's the wildest set of adventures yet as Noa Izumi and the men and women of the SV2 reveal the stories that couldn't be told before in MOBILE POLICE PATLABOR - THE NEW FILES!


Title: DIABOLIK LOVERS BLU-RAY
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 180 min.
Street Date: 2/24/2015
Format: BD
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $39.98

SYNOPSIS: Yui Komori has spent her life sheltered by the Church and the man she thinks of as her father, but now she's going to a new home and there's a very different kind of family waiting for her. To her dismay, she discovers that she'll be living with six very attractive young men, and not a single one is human! But if trying to keep an entire brood of vampires at fangs' length wasn't stressful enough, there are even more sinister forces at work, threatening not only Yui's life, but her very soul. Drawn into her wildest fantasies, or perhaps her most salacious nightmares, one thing is certain: Yui's life will never be the same once she meets the DIABOLIK LOVERS!


Title: SPACE BROTHERS COLLECTION 1 
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 325 min.
Street Date: 2/24/2015
Format: DVD, BD
Language: Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $49.98, $59.98

SYNOPSIS: Mutta's life has hit rock bottom. He's been fired, blackballed from his profession and even had to move back in with his parents. Meanwhile, the career of Mutta's brother, Hibito, has taken off like a rocket as he trains for the job Mutta once dreamed of: becoming an astronaut. But is it ever too late to go after your dreams? Through a little coercing and a bit of covert activity, Mutta's family and friends can get his resume on the right desk, but from that point on it'll be up to Mutta himself. Does he have what it takes to turn his life around and put his footprint on the moon? The first step on the highway to the stars is always the hardest, and in a job where crash and burn isn't just a euphemism, it'll be the biggest risk Mutta's ever taken. But with the right support team, maybe he'll find what he needs to rekindle the spark inside him and light the biggest candle of them all! Get ready to blast off into the most magnificent tomorrow ever in SPACE BROTHERS - COLLECTION 1!


Title: LOVE, CHUNIBYO & OTHER DELUSIONS COLLECTOR'S 
 Published by: Sentai Filmworks Distributed by: Section23 Films
 Run Time: 325 min.
 Street Date: 2/24/2015
 Format: Combo - DVD/BD
 Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
 SRP: $129.98

SYNOPSIS: Yuta has a problem. As one of the thousands of Japanese students afflicted with “chunibyo,” a state where they’re so desperate to stand out that they've literally convinced themselves that they have secret knowledge and hidden powers, Yuta spent most of his middle school years living in a complete fantasy world. But that’s not his major problem now, as with a lot of work and effort, he’s finally managing to overcome his delusions to the point where he thinks he’s ready to start high school with all his cards in order. No, his BIG problem is the girl he first encounters climbing on his balcony. Because it seems that his own efforts to rid himself of his chunibyo have attracted the attentions of another sufferer, and SHE’s decided that this makes him her soul mate. And since Rikka’s just moved in upstairs, now he’s being sucked into HER fantasy world! Can a formerly wild and crazy guy handle being the focus of a completely delusional girl? Or will his own chunibyo return with a vengeance? Either way, the phrase “madly in love” is bound to get redefined in LOVE, CHUNIBYO & OTHER DELUSIONS!

ACF 2038: Section23 Films announces March 2014 slate of releases

MARDOCK SCRAMBLE THIRD EXHAUST

Available on March 25th

Home video distributor Section23 Films has announced its March slate of releases; including the highly anticipated third release of the spectacular trilogy Mardock Scramble, which will be available on both DVD & BLU-RAY.

Product details follow, in order of release.

Title:                 MYSELF; YOURSELF COMPLETE COLLECTION
Published by:    Maiden Japan
Distributed by:  Section23 Films
Run Time:         325 min.
Street Date:      3/4/2014
Format:             DVD
Language:         Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP:                 $49.98

SYNOPSIS:  Before his family left the town of Sakuranomori, Sana Hidaka said farewell to his five best friends, thinking that he would never see them again.  Five years later, however, he finds himself returning to Sakuranomori to finish high school while living alone in an apartment owned by his parents.  Can the threads of friendship severed by time be mended?  Will his friends even recognize him?  Or have the changes in their lives as they've grown from children to teenagers made them into different people, pushing them even further apart?  For Sana and his best bud Syusuke, it will be strange enough.  But with Nanaka, Aoi and Syusuke's twin Syuri all being girls, things are going to get even more complex.  That's to say nothing of the sometimes shocking secrets that his four friends know through having lived them, and that Sana will only discover in crossing the minefield of lost years.  What once was can never be exactly as it was in treasured memories, but what could be may become even more precious as life moves inexorably forward.  The past becomes the future as the flames of friendship rekindle in MYSELF; YOURSELF.


Title:                 NADIA, SECRET OF BLUE WATER COMPLETE COLLECTION
Published by:    Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by:  Section23 Films
Run Time:         975 min.
Street Date:      3/4/2014
Format:             DVD
Language:         English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP:                 $79.98

SYNOPSIS:  The World's Fair, Paris, 1889: a young inventor crosses paths with an enigmatic girl and her pet lion.  Suddenly they find themselves pursued by villainous trio intent upon stealing the magical Blue Water.  Thus begins an epic adventure inspired by Jules Verne's masterpiece 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.  Join Nadia and Jean as they travel the high seas in search of Nadia's homeland and her past, their only clue the mysterious jewel Nadia wears.  Can they unravel the Secret of the Blue Water before it is too late?  Discover Nadia, Secret of Blue Water, the animated series beloved by millions, and find out for yourself!


Title:                 NADIA, SECRET OF BLUE WATER COMPLETE COLLECTION BLU-RAY
Published by:    Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by:  Section23 Films
Run Time:         975 min.
Street Date:      3/4/2014
Format:             BD
Language:         English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP:                 $99.98

SYNOPSIS: The World's Fair, Paris, 1889: a young inventor crosses paths with an enigmatic girl and her pet lion.  Suddenly they find themselves pursued by villainous trio intent upon stealing the magical Blue Water.  Thus begins an epic adventure inspired by Jules Verne's masterpiece 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.  Join Nadia and Jean as they travel the high seas in search of Nadia's homeland and her past, their only clue the mysterious jewel Nadia wears.  Can they unravel the Secret of the Blue Water before it is too late?  Discover Nadia, Secret of Blue Water, the animated series beloved by millions, and find out for yourself!


Title:                 THE PET GIRL OF SAKURASOU 2
Published by:    Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by:  Section23 Films
Run Time:         300 min.
Street Date:      3/11/2014
Format:             DVD
Language:         Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP:                 $49.98

SYNOPSIS: The care and feeding of a pet girl is something only those with the most dogged determination should attempt, but Sorata Kanda never really had a choice in the matter.  Tasked with keeping the acclaimed but highly dysfunctional and unfocused artist Mashiro Shiina from forgetting to eat, brush her hair or wear clothes, it's been a long, slow battle to get to the point where he's reached a general understanding of her extreme quirks.  Which doesn't mean that Mashiro doesn't still walk out of the dorm half-naked. It's just that Sorata now understands that it's going to happen.  Unfortunately, the whys, wherefores and how-to's of comprehending the opposite sex aren't going so well on other fronts.  Misaki's attempts to escalate her campaign to win Jin's affections takes a disastrous turn, and Nanami's going to have to learn to come to terms with her feelings for Sorata while adjusting to the third wheel that is Mashiro.  And then there's still Sorata's "problem" of picking up cats that he's not supposed to keep.  Attentions stray, passions play and sanity frays as the housebreaking continues in the second insane volume of The Pet Girl of Sakurasou!


Title:                 THE PET GIRL OF SAKURASOU 2 BLU-RAY
Published by:    Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by:  Section23 Films
Run Time:         300 min.
Street Date:      3/11/2014
Format:             BD
Language:         Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP:                 $59.98

SYNOPSIS: The care and feeding of a pet girl is something only those with the most dogged determination should attempt, but Sorata Kanda never really had a choice in the matter.  Tasked with keeping the acclaimed but highly dysfunctional and unfocused artist Mashiro Shiina from forgetting to eat, brush her hair or wear clothes, it's been a long, slow battle to get to the point where he's reached a general understanding of her extreme quirks.  Which doesn't mean that Mashiro doesn't still walk out of the dorm half-naked. It's just that Sorata now understands that it's going to happen.  Unfortunately, the whys, wherefores and how-to's of comprehending the opposite sex aren't going so well on other fronts.  Misaki's attempts to escalate her campaign to win Jin's affections takes a disastrous turn, and Nanami's going to have to learn to come to terms with her feelings for Sorata while adjusting to the third wheel that is Mashiro.  And then there's still Sorata's "problem" of picking up cats that he's not supposed to keep.  Attentions stray, passions play and sanity frays as the housebreaking continues in the second insane volume of The Pet Girl of Sakurasou!


Title:                 TO LOVE RU SEASON 1 BLU-RAY
Published by:    Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by:  Section23 Films
Run Time:         650 min.
Street Date:      3/18/2014
Format:             BD
Language:         Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP:                 $89.98

SYNOPSIS: They say that the bathroom is the most dangerous room in the house, but when a beautiful, naked alien princess teleports into Rito Yuki's bathtub, it's a definite case of rub-a-dub-DOOM!  Having no idea that the planet Develuke even exists, Rito is completely unaware that touching a girl's breasts there is how they propose marriage.  Consequently, due to some slippery tile and some extra-prominent female appendages, Rito's suddenly on his way to being a member of the royal family.  Unfortunately, as hot as Lala is, this is one royal family no one wants to become a part of given that her father, King Develuke, bears a suspicious resemblance to the devil!  And then there's the little issue of the very nice human girl that Rito's already interested in, who's probably not going to be too understanding of his sudden involvement in intergalactic affairs.  Will Rito become the next king of the galaxy?  Will he learn the secret of the Big Bang?  Find out in To Love Ru


Title:                 UPOTTE! COMPLETE COLLETION
Published by:    Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by:  Section23 Films
Run Time:         250 min.
Street Date:      3/18/2014
Format:             DVD
Language:         English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP:                 $59.98

SYNOPSIS: Kiss kiss, bang bang!  The arms race takes on a startling new development when the arms come with heads, legs and very feminine bodies attached!  Yes, at Seishou Academy every girl is literally a lethal weapon, and they're all gunning for the top shot at getting their own personal serviceman!  Needless to say, it's going to be difficult for newly recruited human instructor Genkoku to adjust to working with a living arsenal of high caliber cuties with tricky names like FNC (Funko,) M 16A4 (Ichiroku,)  L85A1 (Eru,) and SG 550 (Shigu,).  Especially since many have hair triggers and there's no bulletproof vest that can stop a really determined co-ed!  He'll have to rewrite the operator's manual on student/teacher relationships, and pray that his job description won't include having to field strip and reassemble one of his cadets in the dark.  But unfortunately (for him,) FNC's already thinking about becoming HIS personal weapon, and she usually gets what she aims for!  Get ready for explosive situations, amour piercing rounds, cheap shots galore and one VERY shell-shocked homeroom instructor in UPOTTE!


Title:                 UPOTTE! COMPLETE COLLECTION BLU-RAY
Published by:    Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by:  Section23 Films
Run Time:         250 min.
Street Date:      3/18/2014
Format:             BD
Language:         English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP:                 $69.98

SYNOPSIS: Kiss kiss, bang bang!  The arms race takes on a startling new development when the arms come with heads, legs and very feminine bodies attached!  Yes, at Seishou Academy every girl is literally a lethal weapon, and they're all gunning for the top shot at getting their own personal serviceman!  Needless to say, it's going to be difficult for newly recruited human instructor Genkoku to adjust to working with a living arsenal of high caliber cuties with tricky names like FNC (Funko,) M 16A4 (Ichiroku,)  L85A1 (Eru,) and SG 550 (Shigu,).  Especially since many have hair triggers and there's no bulletproof vest that can stop a really determined co-ed!  He'll have to rewrite the operator's manual on student/teacher relationships, and pray that his job description won't include having to field strip and reassemble one of his cadets in the dark.  But unfortunately (for him,) FNC's already thinking about becoming HIS personal weapon, and she usually gets what she aims for!  Get ready for explosive situations, amour piercing rounds, cheap shots galore and one VERY shell-shocked homeroom instructor in UPOTTE!


Title:                 GIRLS, GANGSTERS & ZOMBIES
Published by:    Switchblade Pictures
Distributed by:  Section23 Films
Run Time:         77 min.
Street Date:      3/25/2014
Format:             DVD
Language:         Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP:                 $19.98

SYNOPSIS: Being a gangster is a dangerous profession, and even when you've escaped the scene of your crime, you need a place to hide out.  Someplace out in the middle of nowhere where you can hide with your loot without worrying about running into another living soul.  Unfortunately, living souls aren't the problem gorgeous mob girl Maki runs into when she and her boyfriend Akio double cross his bosses.  Oh, their triple crossing partners don't make things easy, but the Maki's real dilemma begins when their hideout turns out to be infested with the walking undead!  And while cops and other gangsters die when you shoot them, zombies just look at handguns and laugh.  Well, they would laugh if they had any vocal chords left in their rotted throats and any brains in their heads.  But while they can't fix the vocal chords, they certainly know where brains (and other yummy body parts) are on the menu!  A getaway for the weekend becomes a flesh feast of bloody horror and the dish of the day is gangsters on the run with a side of mob moll ala mode in GIRLS, GANGSTERS AND ZOMBIES!


Title:                 MARDOCK SCRAMBLE THIRD EXHAUST
Published by:    Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by:  Section23 Films
Run Time:         69 min.
Street Date:      3/25/2014
Format:             DVD
Language:         English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP:                 $29.98

SYNOPSIS: Rune Balot’s struggle to bring the man who killed her to justice continues amid the world of high-stakes gambling and glamour at the Eggnog Blue Casino.  The odds are stacked heavily in the house’s favor and even with the aid of Dr. Easter and Oeufcoque, a universal item capable of turning into anything and everything, Rune’s chances of winning are slim.  But winning the golden chips containing Shell Septinos’ memories is only the next step on a long and treacherous road.  She’ll still have to live long enough to bring those memories before the court, and even that isn’t the end of the journey.  Rune’s search for answers to the questions that haunt comes to a shattering climax in the exhaustive third volume of Mardock Scramble!


Title:                 MARDOCK SCRAMBLE THIRD EXHAUST
Published by:    Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by:  Section23 Films
Run Time:         69 min.
Street Date:      3/25/2014
Format:             BD
Language:         English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP:                 $39.98

SYNOPSIS: Rune Balot’s struggle to bring the man who killed her to justice continues amid the world of high-stakes gambling and glamour at the Eggnog Blue Casino.  The odds are stacked heavily in the house’s favor and even with the aid of Dr. Easter and Oeufcoque, a universal item capable of turning into anything and everything, Rune’s chances of winning are slim.  But winning the golden chips containing Shell Septinos’ memories is only the next step on a long and treacherous road.  She’ll still have to live long enough to bring those memories before the court, and even that isn’t the end of the journey.  Rune’s search for answers to the questions that haunt comes to a shattering climax in the exhaustive third volume of Mardock Scramble!


Title:                 MARIA HOLIC ALIVE! COMPLETE COLLECTION
Published by:    Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by:  Section23 Films
Run Time:         300 min.
Street Date:      3/25/2014
Format:             DVD
Language:         English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP:                 $59.98

SYNOPSIS: Some things never change: Ame no Kisaki, that famous and exclusive boarding school, STILL doesn't accept boys, and Kanako, Kisaki's most romantically unfortunate student, STILL doesn't accept them either.  (They give her the hives.  Literally.)  Sadly, that means that Kanako's STILL trying to connect with ANYONE of the same sex, and having the usual horrid luck.  She's STILL in imminent peril of dying from the constant nosebleeds she gets from being over stimulated by the presence of her fellow classmates.  And she's STILL forced to endure the tragedy of sharing a room with the school's most beautiful girl who is, of course, STILL a guy in drag.  Poor Kanako!  She came hoping to find love and happiness, and all she's found is misery, frustration and a level of desperation so great that she'll even take a chance on a sleepover in a dorm filled with deathtraps.  But what YOU'LL find is non-stop hilarity as the girl least likely to succeed refuses to give up, even if it kills her (and it probably will).  Kanako's quest for love continues in MARIA HOLIC ALIVE! With an all new English dub featuring Jessica Calvello (Saori, Girls und Panzer) & Monica Rial (Nagase, Kokoro Connect)


Title:                 MARIA HOLIC ALIVE! COMPLETE COLLECTION BLU-RAY
Published by:    Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by:  Section23 Films
Run Time:         300 min.
Street Date:      3/25/2014
Format:             BD
Language:         English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP:                 $69.98

SYNOPSIS: Some things never change: Ame no Kisaki, that famous and exclusive boarding school, STILL doesn't accept boys, and Kanako, Kisaki's most romantically unfortunate student, STILL doesn't accept them either.  (They give her the hives.  Literally.)  Sadly, that means that Kanako's STILL trying to connect with ANYONE of the same sex, and having the usual horrid luck.  She's STILL in imminent peril of dying from the constant nosebleeds she gets from being over stimulated by the presence of her fellow classmates.  And she's STILL forced to endure the tragedy of sharing a room with the school's most beautiful girl who is, of course, STILL a guy in drag.  Poor Kanako!  She came hoping to find love and happiness, and all she's found is misery, frustration and a level of desperation so great that she'll even take a chance on a sleepover in a dorm filled with deathtraps.  But what YOU'LL find is non-stop hilarity as the girl least likely to succeed refuses to give up, even if it kills her (and it probably will).  Kanako's quest for love continues in MARIA HOLIC ALIVE! With an all new English dub featuring Jessica Calvello (Saori, Girls und Panzer) & Monica Rial (Nagase, Kokoro Connect)

ACF 2014: Maiden Japan licenses MYSELF;YOURSELF

You can never go home again. Or can you? Find out in Maiden Japan’s latest acquisition: Myself; Yourself. This 13 episode series about the long journey home is directed by QZo (A Bridge to the Starry Skies) and features character designs by Tomoya Hiratsuka (Shin Koihime Muso) and series composition by Go Zappa (NAKAIMO ~ My Little Sister is Among Them!).

Synopsis: Before his family left the town of Sakuranomori, Sana Hidaka said farewell to his best friends, thinking that he would never see them again. Five years later, however, he finds himself returning to Sakuranomori to finish high school while living alone in an apartment owned by his parents. Can the threads of friendship severed by time be mended? Will his friends even recognize him? Or have the changes in their lives as they’ve grown from children to teenagers made them into different people, pushing them even further apart?

For Sana and his best bud Syusuke, it will be strange enough. But with Nanaka, Aoi and Syusuke’s twin Syuri all being girls, things are going to get even more complex. That’s to say nothing of the sometimes shocking secrets that his four friends know through having lived them, and that Sana will only discover in crossing the minefield of lost years. What once was can never be exactly as it was in treasured memories, but what could be may become even more precious as life moves inexorably forward. The past becomes the future as the flames of friendship rekindle in Myself; Yourself.

Maiden Japan will be distributing Myself; Yourself in conjunction with home video distributor Section 23 (Clannad, High School of the Dead, Appleseed) on subtitled DVD and in digital formats.

ACF 1943: Maiden Japan announces acquisition of ROYAL SPACE FORCE : THE WINGS OF HONNEAMISE

Maiden Japan is proud to announce their latest acquisition: Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honneamise, the movie that Roger Ebert called “…one of the most ambitious of all anime productions…”! This legendary film catapulted Studio Gainax to the fore as one of Japan’s premiere production houses and features direction and screenplay by Hiroyuki Yamaga (Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi, Mahoromatic Automatic Maiden) and character designs by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto (Nadia, Secret of Blue Water, Neon Genesis Evangelion).

Maiden Japan will be distributing Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honneamise in conjunction with home video distributor Section 23 (Clannad, High School of the Dead, Appleseed,) on bilingual DVD & BD and in digital formats.

Synopsis: In a world eerily similar to our own, war between the Kingdom of Honneamise and its archrival, The Republic, seems inevitable. But even as the two nations’ rapidly evolving technology creates new ways to wage greater and more deadly forms of warfare, a small group seeks to use those same advances to propel mankind forward into the future and into space in their world’s first manned spaceflight program.

For astronaut candidate Shirotsugh Lhadatt, it’s not just a journey beyond the reach of the atmosphere, but a personal odyssey as he grows from an aimless young man into a leader willing to put everything on the line in order to move the human race forward and away from the brink of Armageddon.

Staggering animation, brilliant storytelling and a scope that goes beyond epic combine to produce an emotional powerhouse that will send your spirit flying towards the stars with Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honneamise.

ACF 1879: Maiden Japan licenses NEW DOMINION TANK POLICE

Want the biggest bang for your buck in law enforcement? Check out Maiden Japan’s latest acquisition: the action-packed New Dominion Tank Police! Based on classic manga by Masamune Shirow (GHOST IN THE SHELL, APPLESEED) this six episode series features character designs by Noboru Furuse (Initial D) and music by Yoichiro Yoshikawa (Kyo Kara Maoh!).

Maiden Japan will be distributing New Dominion Tank Police in conjunction with home video distributor Section 23 (Clannad, High School of the Dead, Appleseed,) on bilingual English DVD and in digital formats.

Synopsis: When tanks are outlawed, only outlaws will have tanks. Or at least, that’s what Mayor Weatherby of New Port seems to be forgetting in his efforts to ban certain forms of weapons, including those used by tank-driving policewoman Leona Ozaki and her partner Al. Granted, the city’s Tank Police DO seem to cause a lot of collateral damage, but New Port’s a dangerous place. Especially with the felonious and partially feline Puma sisters back on the prowl, and the Dai Nippon Geiken Corporation is building even more nefarious devices of evil intent that are finding their way into the hands of local terrorists.

Unfortunately for DNGC, they may be connected to the murder of Leona’s former partner, and once this hard-headed heroine sinks her treads into a case, there’s no backing up! And as for the Pumas? It’s going to be like cats and police dogs, but there are few problems that a little carefully applied mobile artillery can’t cure! There’s no place to hide, from the good guys OR the bad guys, as law and order meets chaos theory in NEW DOMINION TANK POLICE.

ACF 1849: Maiden Japan licenses MOBILE POLICE PATLABOR TV

Maiden Japan has announced its acquisition of the legendary series Mobile Police Patlabor TV. This 47 episode series features direction by Naoyuki Yoshinaga (Maison Ikkoku, Irresponsible Captain Tylor) with character designs by Akemi Takada (Kimagure Orange Road, Urusei Yatsura), mechanical designs by Yoshinori Sayama (RahXephon, Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counter Attack) and Yutaka Izubuchi (Gasaraki, Toward the Terra) and music by Kenji Kawai (Vampire Princesss Miyu, Sorcerer Hunters).

Maiden Japan will be distributing Mobile Police Patlabor TV in conjunction with home video distributor Section23 (Clannad, High School of the Dead, Appleseed) on bilingual BD & DVD (July 16th) and in digital formats. 

Synopsis: Giant Robots, sociopaths, madmen waving guns: these aren’t just the problems the Mobile Police have to deal with every day, these ARE the Mobile Police! But in a world where giant robots called Labors are frequently used for criminal purposes, the boys and girls in blue have to face things that are even bigger and scarier! So when police cadet Noa Izumi comes in to take a pilot aptitude test and instead initiates a high speed chase after a stolen Police Labor, it’s clear that she’s got exactly the right combination of guts, brains and just plain crazy that the Second Special Vehicles Division desperately needs.

But fitting into the frequently insane lifestyle of SV2 won’t be easy. She’ll have rivals for the pilot seat of the mech that’s stolen Noa’s heart, and her patrol duties will include herding whales, exorcising hauntings and fighting rogue military units on top of the usual terrorists. On the other hand, she gets to carry the biggest handgun EVER. The wheels of justice keep turning (or, in this case, running on giant metal legs,) as SV2 hits the street in Mobile Police Patlabor TV.

ACF 1847: Maiden Japan announces acquisition of RUIN EXPLORERS

Maiden Japan has announced its acquisition of Ruin Explorers,  a tale of dungeons, dangers and dysfunctional damsels.  This four episode OVA series features direction and screenplay by Takeshi Mori (Gunsmith Cats, Vandread) with character designs by Toshihisa Kaiya and music by Masamichi Amano (Princess Nine, Giant Robo). 

Maiden Japan will be distributing Ruin Explorers in conjunction with home video distributor Section23 (Clannad, High School of the Dead, Appleseed,) on bilingual DVD (July 2nd) and in digital formats.

Synopsis: Ancient curses, enchanted artifacts and plain old fashioned dungeon diving: that’s what Fam and Ihrie do for a living - whenever these lovely young ladies can get someone to pay them for it, that is.  As two highly trained magic users with slightly faulty spelling abilities (Fam can’t do anything destructive and Ihrie keeps turning into a mouse,) they’re off on a quest for the “Ultimate Power.”  All they have to do is find three artifacts: the Proof Of Royalty, the Sword of Sargus and the Mirror of Truth.  So how hard can it be?

Unfortunately, Sorceress Rasha and her muscle-headed partner Migel are on the same quest, as are the mysterious Prince Lyle, the anything for a buck merchant Galuff with his dog Gil, and the sinister magician Rugudurol!  And to make this epic odyssey even more odd and complex, it’s not really clear as to exactly which ones are the bad guys!  Hold onto your talismans and amulets, because the road to high adventure is about to have a multi-mage pileup, and the fate of all humanity may just be in the hands of two underpaid young women trying to make a living as RUIN EXPLORERS!

ACF 1838: Maiden Japan to distribute BLACK MAGIC M-66 this summer

(Note: this image is from the slipcase of my English dubbed VHS tape, not the upcoming release.)

Maiden Japan has announced its acquisition of the classic OVA Black Magic M-66.  Co-directed by legendary manga master Masamune Shirow (GHOST IN THE SHELL, APPLESEED) and visionary director Hiroyuki Kitakubo (JO JO’s BIZZARRE ADVENTURE, GOLDENBOY,) this fast-paced, action-packed show features sound direction by Yasunori Honda (GREEN LEDGEND RAN, DRAGON HALF) and music by Seiyo Katayanagi.

Maiden Japan will be distributing Black Magic M-66 in conjunction with home video distributor Section23 (Clannad, High School of the Dead, Appleseed) on English subtitled DVD (July 9th) and in digital formats.

Synopsis: When two malfunctioning combat androids are accidentally unleashed on a “Terminate at All Costs” mission against the unsuspecting granddaughter of their creator, an entire city becomes the battleground and not even the military may be able to stop them!  The girl’s only hope: Sybil, a freelance journalist who’s out to get the scoop of her life, if she can somehow keep both herself and her subject alive long enough to file a report.

But first, she has to remember to put her clothes on!  It’s a tour de force of violence and mayhem on an epic scale as two damsels in distress and two deranged battle robots face off, girl vs. mecha style, in the all-time anime classic Black Magic M-66.

ACF 1812: MOMO, GIRL GOD OF DEATH ~ BALLAD OF A SHINIGAMI

Maiden Japan has announced its acquisition of the OVA series Momo, Girl God of Death ~ Ballad of a Shinigami.  This six episode drama is directed by Tomomi Mochizuki (Princess Nine, Here’s Greenwood) with series composition by Reiko Yoshida (Kaleido Star, Angelic Layer), character designs by Hiroyuki Horiuchi (Polyphonica, Tenchi Universe), and music by Moka (Elfen Lied, Trouble Chocolate).

Maiden Japan will be distributing Momo, Girl God of Death ~  Ballad of a Shinigami in conjunction with home video distributor Section 23 Films (Clannad, High School of the Dead, Appleseed) with the entire series to be released in bilingual English DVD and digital formats.

Synopsis: Dressed all in white with scythe in hand, she is one of the spirits entrusted with guiding the souls of the no longer living to the other side.  But unlike other shinigami who approach their grim duty with detachment or even malevolence, Momo chooses to open her heart to those about to cross over.  Nor are solace and sympathy the only gifts she offers.  For if the need is great enough, she may allow a last visit, a message to loved ones or even a chance to make amends.  But how far can even the most well meaning shinigami bend the rules of life and death before she, herself, is called to task?

Momo and her flying cat Daniel may soon learn the answer as they find themselves continually becoming involved in the world of the living, even as they attempt to deal with the not always willing souls in the process of departing it.  Grave consequences may lie ahead, but heavenly rewards are just as certainly guaranteed when life, death and what happens in between all come together in Momo, Girl God of Death ~ Ballad of a Shinigami.

ACF 1787: Maiden Japan acquires LOVE ♥ LOVE?

Maiden Japan has announced its acquisition of Love ♥ Love? In this romantic comedy the writer isn’t just flirting with danger, he’s being written into a corner!. This 13 episode series is directed by Takeo Takahashi (Rozen Maiden) and features character design by Miwa Oshima (Koihime Muso) and music by Toshihiko Sahashi (Steel Angel Kurumi).

Love ♥ Love? is the 3rd and final story in a trilogy of series, the first of which is Cosmopolitan Prayers (Cosplayers), and the second part is Smash Hits. These were initially on the air in Japan the first half of 2004 and called the "Metamorphosis Trilogy".

Maiden Japan will be distributing Love ♥ Love? in conjunction with home video distributor Section 23 (Clannad, High School of the Dead, Appleseed) with the entire series to be released on subtitled DVD and in digital formats.

Synopsis: It’s said that Heaven and Hell can be the same place, depending upon your situation, and Naoto Ooizumi is learning that lesson the hard way. At only 17 years old, he’s working on the set of Cosmopolitan Prayers (CosPrayers for short,) one of the hottest TV soaps on the air, and the girl of his dreams, Natsumi Magami, is playing the lead. The problem: as much as he wants to start a relationship with her, he keeps getting romantically intercepted by the OTHER cute girls in the show. It’s not like they’re just trying to stop a Naoto/Natsumi hook up. They seem to be actively “interested” in the cute young man who’s running the behind the scenes production camera!

But that’s not the biggest twist, because unknown to anyone except the show’s producer, Ooizumi ISN’T just a camera operator, he’s also the show’s WRITER! So what do you do when you’re able to put any words you want in the mouth of the girl you love, but you’re contractually obligated to put similar things between the lips of the girls that love you? The pros and cons abound as romance goes wildly off script in Love ♥ Love?!

ACF 1775: Maiden Japan announces acquisition of PATLABOR

Maiden Japan has announced its acquisition of the classic police action-comedy PATLABOR. The original 7 episode OVA series is directed by Mamoru Oshii (Ghost in the Shell) with scripts by Kazunori Ito (Dirty Pair), character designs by Akemi Takada (Kimagure Orange Road), mechanical designs by Yutaka Izubuchi (Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack) and music by Kenji Kawai (Vampire Princess Miyu).

Maiden Japan will be distributing PATLABOR in conjunction with home video distributor Section 23 (Clannad, High School of the Dead, Appleseed,) with the original OVA series to be released in bilingual English DVD, BD and digital formats.

Synopsis: Drunk drivers are bad, but put a drunk driver in a giant robot called a Labor and you’ve got a disaster waiting to happen. And when REAL criminals get their hands on those same giant robots, the cops need giant robots of their own just to maintain the status quo, right? Well, in any case, that’s the logic behind the development of the Patlabor program and special Labor Crime units like Japan’s Section 2. But what logic fails to take into account is where to find police officers who’re equally conversant with both robots and the regulations? And THAT’s where the motley crew of Section 2, Division 2 comes in!

With ridiculously perky tomboy Noa Izumi and gun-happy madman Isao Ohta as primary Labor pilots and the impossibly laid back Captain Goto in what passes for command, SV2 is ready to hit the streets with their twenty ton feet! But will they be taking a byte out of crime or have they bitten off more than they can chew? The law of the land and the laws of robotics are about to collide in MOBILE POLICE PATLABOR.

ACF 1758: Maiden Japan licenses TOKYO MAGNITUDE 8.0

Maiden Japan has announced its acquisition of the compelling animated drama Tokyo Magnitude 8.0. Based on extensive research into the potential effects of a massive earthquake, Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 is an 11 episode study into human courage and the will to survive which originally debured in Fuji TV’s powerhouse anime block “noitaminA”. Direction is by Masaki Tachibana (.hack//Quantum) with series composition by Natsuko Takahashi (07-Ghost), character designs by Atsuko Nozaki (The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky), sound direction by Kazuya Tanaka (High School of the Dead) and music by Ko Otani (Hakuoki).

Maiden Japan will be distributing Tokyo Magnitude 8.0 in conjunction with home video distributor Section 23 (Clannad, High School of the Dead, Appleseed,) with the entire series to be released in bilingual English DVD, BD and digital formats on April 2nd 2013.

Synopsis: The devastation is unleashed in the span of seconds. Yielding to centuries of unrelenting pressure, an ancient rift in the Earth gives way and a force equivalent to over a thousand atomic bombs erupts beneath the feet of the citizens of the world’s largest mega-cities! For the people of the greater Tokyo area, the results are catastrophic as even “earthquake-proof” buildings sway like weeds in the wind, gas mains rip open in gouts of flame and huge sections of the city’s vital infrastructure are torn into shreds.

For sister and brother Mirai and Yuki who were caught in the earthquake while in Odaiba during summer holiday, it’s the start of a desperate journey back to their parent’s home in Setagaya. For motorcycle courier Mari, it means an equally frantic battle towards Sangenjaya and her own daughter and mother.

Joining together in an epic odyssey through the mangled streets, these three must brave impossible obstacles and endure unspeakable hardships and heartbreak, with no way of knowing if their loved ones are even still alive. But they’ve no other choice! In the aftermath of nature’s fury, only the strongest of will and most courageous of heart can hope to survive in TOKYO MAGNITUDE 8.0.

ACF 1748: Maiden Japan has acquired VAMPIRE PRINCESS MIYU

Maiden Japan has announced its acquisition of the hit animated series Vampire Princess Miyu. Based on the manga of the same name by creators Narumi Kakinouchi and Toshiki Hirano, Vampire Princess Miyu is a classic tale of horror presented in 26 episodes.  Direction is by Toshiki Hirano (Devil Lady, Godannar), with character designs by Megumi Kadonosono (Rayearth OVA, Kiddy Grade), sound direction by Yasunori Honda (Himawari, Black Lagoon) and music by Kenji Kawai (Blue Seed, Towanoquon).

Maiden Japan will be distributing Vampire Princess Miyu in conjunction with home video distributor Section 23 (Clannad, High School of the Dead, Appleseed,) with the entire series to be released in both bilingual English DVD and digital formats.

Synopsis: Born of Vampire and Human, doomed to remain trapped in the body of a teenager forever, she is the Chosen One: Mankind’s last defense against the forces of Darkness.  With her once greatest foe, the Shinma named Larva, as her sole companion, she stands eternally poised at the bridge between two worlds.  She is charged with the duty of tracking down supernatural beings who seek to harm the human race and banishing them back to the dark realms from whence they came.

But this ultimate hunter is a creature of the Night herself, and though her human half gives her the ability to walk by day, she still needs the blood of the living in order to survive.  And though she may use the name Miyu Yamano when dealing with mere mortals, since the loss of her human memories she is increasingly drawn back towards the Darkness, even as those on the other side prepare to target her!  Get ready to hunt the night as the death-dance of undead predator and prey unleashes true Hell on Earth in VAMPIRE PRINCESS MIYU!

ACF 1313: Maiden Japan licenses POLYPHONICA CRIMSON S

Entertainment label Maiden Japan has announced the license of the action comedy series POLYPHONICA CRIMSON S.  Although based on the same light novel series as a previous POLYPHONICA series created by Ichiro Sakaki (released in North America by Sentai Filmworks), CRIMSON S is a newer and completely different series, set at a much earlier timeframe in the franchise chronology.

Director Toshimasa Suzuki (HEROIC AGE) heads the all new creative team, while composition of the series is in the capable hands of Kenichi Kanemaki (PRETEAR, HELL GIRL).

POLYPHONICA CRIMSON S will soon be available through many digital outlets, with a home video release on subtitled DVD in spring 2012.

Synopsis: To bring law and order you need police, to make music you need musicians, and to make the former using the latter, you need a Dantist!  Ever since he was visited by a mysterious spirit as a boy, Phoron’s wanted to become one of the elite battle bards who watch over the continent of Polyphonica.  Yet even though he’s mastered the basic skills for singing the Commandia spells and operating a One-Man Orchestra, he’s been unable to summon the required spirit companion because of a promise he made to that first spirit: to sing only for her.

But that silence is shattered and Phoron’s musical meanderings are over when his supernatural partner suddenly returns, intent on finalizing the ’contract’ they made twelve years ago!  Which would be great except for one thing: she’s not just any spirit, but the dreaded Corticarte, the Crimson Annihilator!  But what the heck, sometimes you just have to grit your teeth and duet!  Get ready for a musical partnership with more than its share of discord and a distinctly martial beat in POLYPHONICA CRIMSON S.

ACF 1094: Maiden Japan to distribute Naohito Takahashi's "RAY"

Entertainment label Maiden Japan today announced its acquisition of RAY, the 13 episode anime series based on the original manga by Akihito Yoshitomi (Blue Drop, Eat Man.) Directed by Naohito Takahashi (Berserk, Steel Angel Kurumi,) RAY also references the classic Osamu Tezuka (Astroboy, Kimba the White Lion) series Black Jack and follows the lead of that series in examining the complex ethical conflicts brought on by modern medical science, with a particular focus on the black market for human organs.

Maiden Japan will be distributing RAY in conjunction with home video distributor Section23 (Clannad, High School of the Dead, Appleseed,) with the entire series to be released in both English Subtitled DVD and Digital Formats.

Synopsis:

If you have enough money, you can buy anything. So why wait for an organ you need to become available? Raised to be harvested for parts, Ray had already lost her eyes when renegade surgeon Black Jack rescued her. Now, ten years later, she has grown up to be a surgeon herself. And thanks to the unique artificial eyes she received as replacements, she has with a reputation for performing incredible medical operations that no one else could even attempt. But unknown to any but a select few, her surgical endeavors are only part of a greater mission: to discover what happened the other children she was raised with, and to find the men who stole the eyes she was born with and to bring them to justice. Vengeance wields a scalpel and sees with X-ray eyes in RAY – THE COMPLETE COLLECTION!

About Maiden Japan:

Maiden Japan is the exciting new anime label whose first release was the fan originated, cult-hit Papillon Rose. With the sci-fi/detective thriller Glass Maiden, Maiden Japan launched a new series of animated thrillers that will continue over the upcoming months. Keep your eyes ready for further announcements, coming soon!

About Section23 Films:

Section23 Films provides home video marketing and distribution services for a variety of companies, including Sentai Filmworks, Switchblade Pictures, Maiden Japan and AEsir Holdings. With its special focus on genre entertainment, Section23 Films distributes some of the very best anime, martial arts, and horror titles on the market today.

ACF 1051: Maiden Japan announces license of Glass Maiden

Maiden Japan has announced its acquisition of Glass Maiden, the 12 episode science fiction/detective anime series directed by Mitsuko Kase (SaiKano, MS Gundam 08th Team: Miller’s Report) with character designs by Hisashi Kagawa (SaiKano, Pokemon 3).

Created specifically for broadcast, Glass Maiden fuses elements from a wide variety of genres as a small detective agency finds itself aiding a series of intelligent weapons built into feminine forms fight for their independence against a force that intends to enslave them.

Maiden Japan will be distributing Glass Maiden in conjunction with home video distributor Section23 Films (Clannad, High School of the Dead, Appleseed,) with the entire series to be released in both English Subtitled DVD and Digital Formats.

Synopsis:
Shu’s a detective, the brooding, enigmatic type with an eye for the ladies. Together with his kid brother Akira, and ‘the girls’ Manami and Ayaka, he runs an investigative agency that takes on odd cases. But when the oddest case of all comes through: a ‘package’ intended for ‘delivery,’ it turns out to be a lot more trouble than expected.

Shu’s always considered himself a quick study (he can see through most lies in a second), but when he goes head on with a girl who doesn’t even know who she is, he’ll be seeing through more than he ever imagined seeing through. Unfortunately, there are other people who want Sara back and they know a lot more about who, and what, she actually is than she does!

Old fashioned detective work meets the latest in modern weapons technology as sci-fi meets private eye in Glass Maiden!

About Maiden Japan:
Maiden Japan a new anime label whose first release was the fan originated, cult-hit Papillon Rose. With the sci-fi/detective thriller Glass Maiden, Maiden Japan launches a new series of animated thrillers that will continue over the upcoming months. Check here at AsianCineFest for their future announcements.