GHOST IN THE SHELL kicks off Japan Society's new Monthy Anime series this Friday, April 15th

Japan Society NY
Presents

Ghost in the Shell / Kôkaku Kidôtai
Directed by Mamoru Oshii
With Atsuko Tanaka, Akio Otsuka, and Iemasa Kayumi
DCP, color, in Japanese with English Subtitles
Japan, 1995, 83 minutes

When: Friday, April 15 at 7:00 pm
Where: Japan Society NY
333 East 47th Street, NY, NY
Tickets: $15 / $5 members

Japan Society NY's new Monthly Anime series begins on Friday, April 15 at 7:00 pm with a screening of Mamoru Oshii's cyberpunk hit Ghost in the Shell. The series will explore the widely influential legacy of anime through in-person screenings of classic, underseen and contemporary visions from Japanese animation.

Mamoru Oshii’s groundbreaking classic conjures a startling vision of the future—a new age of global interconnectedness wherein neural pathways and information networks have become inextricably linked. Surveilling the sprawling technopolis of New Port City, Major Motoko Kusanagi, a cyborg officer specializing in cybercrime, hunts down a mysterious entity responsible for a series of ‘ghost-hackings’ that have infiltrated human hosts. Known only as the Puppet Master, the newly-surfaced threat leads Major to uncover a vast conspiracy—prompting her to question her own humanity and purpose of existence. 

Note that while the movie screens at 7:00 pm, there will be a pre-screening party at 6:00 pm with Japanese foods and snacks provided by Kikkoman. The first 10 people who take photos in costume with our supporter banner and tag Japan Society on social media will receive a dual membership to Japan Society.

For the health and safety of Japan Society staff and visitors, all audience members are asked to:

- Wear a mask that covers your nose and mouth at all times. Masks with vents/bandanas are not permitted. Respirator-style masks (N95, KN95, KF94, etc.) are encouraged.

- Bring proof of vaccination and photo ID with you. As of February 1, proof of a booster shot is required for anyone who is eligible, with a 4-week grace period after eligibility.

For more information, please review Japan Society's Visitor Policies and Safety Protocols.

SECTION23 FILMS announces its April 2021 slate of releases

Home video distributor Section23 Films has announced its April slate of releases, which includes Sentai Filmworks action packed series, HERO MASK!, available on Blu-ray April 27th.

Product details in order of release:

Title: ELFEN LIED
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 350 min.
Street Date: 4/6/2021
Format: BD
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $49.98

SYNOPSIS: Critics have described Elfen Lied as "weird," (Anime Planet), "surprisingly sadistic," (Gamers Edge), and "addictive"(Animesou). No wonder, when you consider what makes this series hum! Lucy, a beautiful young mutant, is bred by the military to be the ultimate weapon. Now, with government killers on her trail, the disposition of a five year old, and a hair trigger for ultraviolence, Lucy and her young friends must unravel the dark secret of her legacy before it's too late.


Title: IRON GIRL: FINAL WARS
Published by: Switchblade Pictures
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 90 min.
Street Date: 4/6/2021
Format: BD
Language: Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $19.98

SYNOPSIS: Chris may have survived the Apocalypse, but there are still plenty of threats from the past lurking in the ruins of civilization… and now one of them is actively looking for her! At least, that's how it seems when she encounters Joe, a member of the resistance who is trying to discover why the artificial intelligence known as JUDA has been sending out murderous cyborgs with a certain heroine as their target! Even more unnerving is the fact that a mysterious young girl Sara has been having dreams calling to Chris for help… even though the two of them have never met! And if killer cyborgs alone aren't terrifying enough, JUDA has doubled their lethality by equipping their resurrected warriors with the latest in sword technology in IRON GIRL: FINAL WARS!


Title: SUNDAY WITHOUT GOD
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 325 min.
Street Date: 4/6/2021
Format: BD
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $59.98

SYNOPSIS: In a world abandoned by God, the bodies of the dead will continue to walk unless they are buried by one of the mysterious Gravekeepers. Ai, one of the last children in a world where no more can be born, becomes her small village's Gravekeeper when her mother, the previous Gravekeeper, passes on… but the arrival of a pale gun-wielding stranger destroys her village and what little remained of Ai's old existence. Is this seemingly immortal man possibly an important figure from Ai's past? Uncertain of what else to do, Ai finds herself compelled to set forth on a mission to learn the secrets of this strange world without proper death, unravel the mysteries of her own past, and, hopefully, find a way to put the dead permanently to rest in SUNDAY WITHOUT GOD!


Title: KIDS ON THE SLOPE
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 300 min.
Street Date: 4/13/2021
Format: BD
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $59.98

SYNOPSIS: Kaoru Nishimi has spent his life on the move, always struggling to fit in to new schools and having to push on just when he'd started to set down roots. But when he comes to stay with his extended family in seaside Kyushu, things will be different. Kaoru wanders through high school, meeting friends who change his life forever, and discovers a new kind of music that affects him like nothing ever has before.Ritsuko, the girl whose family owns the music store, and Sentaro, the high school delinquent, both set in motion Kaoru's fascination with this amazing thing called Jazz. Fashions may change and fads come and go, but when you put a couple of musically obsessed teens together and let them follow their muse, magic is sure to happen in THE KIDS ON THE SLOPE!


Title: LAIDBACKERS
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 60 min.
Street Date: 4/13/2021
Format: BD
Language: Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $29.98

SYNOPSIS: A funny thing happened to Kumi when she moved to Kyoto to take over her grandmother's sweet shop. While she does find a store that sells cheap snacks, the supposedly empty adjoining residence is instead inhabited by three other girls: Harami, Mai, and K, plus a dog, who claim to be legendary heroes reincarnated into our world! However, that's not as exciting as it sounds, as the Demon Lord they were seeking never showed up, so they've just been hanging out, waiting for something interesting to happen. That's when ANOTHER cute young girl, Ran, shows up, and it seems that she WAS the Demon Lord, but botched up her own resurrection and now wants to make amends for the things that she did in the past. But in order to do that, she's going to need a little demon-hunting help from the LAIDBACKERS!


Title: KAIJI
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 1250 min.
Street Date: 4/20/2021
Format: BD
Language: Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $99.98

SYNOPSIS: Unemployed degenerate Kaiji Ito spent his time drinking, gambling, and racking up bills, and was sure that his life had hit rock bottom. Then that bottom fell out when Endo the Loan Shark arrived to inform him of a friend's default on a loan that Kaiji foolishly co-signed, making Kaiji responsible for a soul crushing 3,000,000 yen! But there is one possible way out; if Kaiji goes to a secret gambling ship and plays successfully for one night, his debt could be absolved. It's a trick, of course, but what choice does Kaiji have? Trapped into playing a series of increasingly ruthless contests that are hopelessly rigged against the players, Kaiji finds himself a pawn in a competition where the game pieces aren't expected to survive… and the real players are all actively betting against KAIJI!


Title: ASSASSINS PRIDE STEELBOOK
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 300 min.
Street Date: 4/27/2021
Format: BD
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $99.98

SYNOPSIS: Against the savage monsters that lurk outside the glass walls of Flandore, the last remnants of humanity have only one defense: the mana magic wielded only by members of the Noble class. When Melida, heiress to House of Angel, fails to manifest her magic upon reaching majority, the half-vampire Kufa is sent with orders from her own Grandfather to resolve the issue… and if Melida cannot manifest mana, Kufa is to execute her for the crime of impure blood. But when Melida fails the test, Kufa can't bring himself to kill the spirited young woman whose only fault was to have an adulterous mother. And so, instead, he commits the crime of giving Melida some of his own mana. Now, bound by magic and a deadly secret, the two must work together in order to stay alive in ASSASSINS PRIDE!


Title: HERO MASK
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 600 min.
Street Date: 4/27/2021
Format: BD
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $89.98

SYNOPSIS: Are a series of bombings and the murder of a high-ranking government official linked to the actions of the huge international pharmaceutical company LIVE? Ordered to investigate, Detective James Blood of the Special Service of Crime quickly discovers far more than just a conspiracy. There's a new technology on the street: masks as thin as paper that completely alter the appearance of the wearer's face while also granting amazing strength and agility… at the cost of years off their users' lives! Together with assistant attorney/murder witness Sarah Sinclair, Blood must unearth the secrets behind the masks and their connection to LIVE's mysterious founder. But the clock is ticking down and James and Sarah may already be living on borrowed time. Because when the ultimate disguise powers the ultimate human killing machines, death can be lurking anywhere in HERO=MASK!

Section23 Films has announced its May 2020 slate of releases

Home video distributor Section23 Films has announced its May slate of releases which includes Sentai Filmworks griping sports drama, Run with the Wind, available on Blu-ray May 26th with a Limited Edition Premium Box Set to be released soon.

Product details follow, in order of release.

Title: WHY THE HELL ARE YOU HERE, TEACHER!?
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 195 min.
Street Date: 5/5/2020
Format: BD
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $49.98

SYNOPSIS: Kawanuma West may be a public school, but some of its students are about to get private lessons in sex ed courtesy of four very attractive teachers! To be clear, none of our lady educational professionals begin their semesters by writing "get involved with a fortunate male member of my class" in their daily planners… but strange and inexplicable things keep happening to thrust our teacher/pupil combos into sexually charged situations where something's bound to happen! Whether it's falling into water, doors ripping off clothing, or that frequent staple of Japanese school life, the accidental breast/face collision, these poor ladies just can't help it. And what are the guys supposed to do as they're pulled deeper and deeper into titillating TILF traps of epic proportions? It's time to come and learn in WHY THE HELL ARE YOU HERE, TEACHER!?


Title: MAID SAMA
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 665 min.
Street Date: 5/12/2020
Format: BD
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $89.98

SYNOPSIS: Misaki Ayusawa fought hard to earn respect as Seika High's first female student council president, but her personal life has been in shambles since her father left her family deep in debt. To pay off the bills, Misaki's taken a job on the side, but it's one that no one at school can ever find out about. It would just be too humiliating for her classmates to learn that she's secretly a… gasp!... waitress at a maid café! And, of course, when someone does discover her double life, it's the worst possible person: her aloof and much too handsome classmate, Usui Takumi. Can Misaki convince Usui to keep her apron in the closet? And what is his silence going to cost her? Now that her Maid life has been made, there's a Devil to be paid in MAID-SAMA!


Title: VAMPIRE HUNTER D STEELBOOK
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 80 min.
Street Date: 5/12/2020
Format: BD
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $69.98

SYNOPSIS: For 10,000 years, Count Magnus Lee has walked the night, sustained by an unholy thirst for blood and an unending lust for human women. But when he tastes the sweet nectar running through Doris Lang's veins, the Count knows he has found more than his next meal: this is the woman he intends to claim as his next vampire bride. As the daughter of a werewolf hunter, however, Doris Lang is less than willing to step into the thrall of evil. And if she is unable to defend herself from the Count's nightmarish powers, she is fortunate enough to have found someone who can: the Vampire Hunter known as D. But D is no ordinary man, and signing up for his protection may carry a price of its own. Driven by the art of acclaimed designer Yoshitaka Amano (FINAL FANTASY I - VI, the Hugo nominated Neil Gaiman's SANDMAN-THE DREAM HUNTERS), this is the epic animated fantasy that spawned multiple sequels and helped launch the anime revolution. Remastered in high-definition from the original elements and upgraded audio tracks, it's the legendary classic as you've never seen it before in VAMPIRE HUNTER D!


Title: SENRYU GIRL
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 180 min.
Street Date: 5/19/2020
Format: BD
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $49.98

SYNOPSIS: Eiji Busujima was a delinquent in middle school, but now that he's in high school, he's trying to put all that behind him. He's even joined the literature club! Unfortunately, while Eiji's heart might be in the right place, his face didn't get the memo, and if his scowling, slit-like eyes don't scare people away, then his attempts at senryu poetry probably will. But there's one member of the literature club who isn't easily intimidated: Nanako Yukishiro, an odd but cheerful young woman who never speaks and communicates only through senryu poetry! So, when the meddling president of the club decides to encourage a relationship between this strange literary pair, the haiku is sure to fly! The most important words are left unsaid when an ex-delinquent becomes the target of a write-by romance from a SENRYU GIRL!


Title: RUN WITH THE WIND
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 575 min.
Street Date: 5/26/2020
Format: BD
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $89.98

SYNOPSIS: Kakeru Kurahara was a track star in high school, but after losing his money gambling, the only running he's doing is fleeing after shoplifting food. Then Kakeru's escape route crosses paths with Haiji Kiyose, and he gets a chance to change his life's direction. A fourth-year college student, Haiji has dreamed of entering the famous Hakone Ekidan relay marathon, but he's been one runner short of a potential team… until he sees Kakeru blow past him like the wind and knows he's found his critical tenth man. Of course, it won't be easy convincing Kakeru to join, and the rest of the team includes such questionable choices as a chronic smoker and an underweight otaku, but they've all got legs and Haiji will make sure they learn how to use them to RUN WITH THE WIND!

Section23 Films has announced its April 2020 slate of releases

Home video distributor Section23 Films has announced its April slate of releases, featuring the latest installment in BUSHIROAD’s popular multimedia franchise: BanG Dream! 2nd Season.

Product details follow, in order of release.

Title: REVUE STARLIGHT
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 300 min.
Street Date: 4/7/2020
Format: BD
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $69.98

SYNOPSIS: As the 99th graduating class of the Seisho Music Academy prepares for their annual review, "Starlight", aspiring actress Karen Aijo is happy just to have the chance to be in the cast. But when Karen's childhood friend Hikari mysteriously arrives after years abroad, Karen quickly learns that there is more going on at Seisho than the normal drama classes. Following Hikari late one night, Karen discovers an elevator that takes her deep below the Earth, where the secret auditions for the leads in Starlight is underway… a competition that is fought with real weapons as well as song and dance! Goaded by the giraffe in charge of the trials, Karen throws caution to the wind and takes the stage herself… but will she be ready to survive the ultimate contest of drama and skills that is REVUE STARLIGHT?


Title: AO-CHAN CAN'T STUDY
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 180 min.
Street Date: 4/14/2020
Format: BD
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $49.98

SYNOPSIS: Most high school girls would be proud that their father is a famous writer, but Ao Horie's father is an EROTIC writer, a purveyor of pornographic prose. He's authored hundreds of dirty books and it has definitely warped his twisted sensibilities. Since Ao thinks that anyone who learns about her father is going to assume that Ao is at least somewhat like her pornographic papa, Ao's solution is to just not talk to other people, especially boys. All she wants to do is study and get good grades so she can go to a school far away from her family. And that's why Takumi Kajima is driving her crazy! He keeps trying to talk to her, distracting her, and causing her to think about the kind of things she'd rather not think about… which is why, suddenly, AO-CHAN CAN'T STUDY!


Title: CINDERELLA NINE
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 300 min.
Street Date: 4/14/2020
Format: BD
Language: Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $59.98

SYNOPSIS: Since Satogahama High School was an all-girls school until recently, they've never even had a boy’s baseball team. Arihara Tsubasa isn't the kind of girl who waits for boys to lead the way, however, so she makes an unauthorized announcement that the Girls' Baseball Team is seeking members! But that was the easy part! Now she has to find the four other girls required to form a school club, and then four more girls to make a team. At least Arihara's best friend, Tomoe, can fill one position, but then they'll have to get creative. If that means co-opting cheerleaders, student council members, reporters from the school paper and even an archrival from Junior High, then so be it! They're not running away from the ball; they're fielding it and running for home in CINDERELLA NINE!


Title: BANG DREAM! 2ND SEASON
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 325 min.
Street Date: 4/21/2020
Format: BD
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $69.98

SYNOPSIS: It's a new school year and Kasumi, Arisa, Saya, Tae, and Rimi are thrilled to finally be second-year students. Even more exciting than becoming upperclassmen, however, is the fun they have while performing in their band Poppin' Party… until things get out of control when the girls publicly announce that they're going to do their own concert before they've really studied the issue. Suddenly they're committed to doing something that's a lot more difficult than it seemed, and the pressure is doubled since their musical rivals in Roselia, who've also announced a live concert, are way ahead of them in planning! But you can't stop the music, and with a little hard work and help from other groups and some talented newcomers, Poppin' Party fever will soon be popping up all over in BANG DREAM! 2


Title: CLANNAD STEELBOOK
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 1225 min.
Street Date: 4/28/2020
Format: BD
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $149.98

SYNOPSIS: Sometimes all it takes to change your life forever is a chance encounter. Since the death of his mother, Tomoya has distanced himself from his abusive father and seems on a path of self-destruction. Nagisa's poor health has left her a year behind in school, but she longs to restart the now disbanded Drama Club. In an impulsive moment, Tomoya agrees to help her and they soon find themselves joined by others in desperate need of support and emotional healing. Join the Club and meet the ambitious Tomoyo, who dreams of becoming class president; Kotomi, a troubled genius with a secret past; and the mysterious Fuko, whose disassociation with the world is so severe that she seems to be fading away as the sentimental, the surreal and the supernatural merge together in the acclaimed anime classic CLANNAD!


Title: W'Z
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 400 min.
Street Date: 4/28/2020
Format: BD
Language: Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $59.98

SYNOPSIS: Even though he’s only 14, Yukiya wants to become the best online DJ anyone has ever heard. But becoming famous isn’t easy, and it’s made even more difficult by his father’s odd instructions to never touch hands with anyone else. So, while Yukiya spends every moment he can working on music videos, he knows that hard work alone may not be enough to achieve his goals. He needs something else. Something different. And then he finds the Ziggurat. It’s another world, a place that Yukiya can access just by touching hands with another person. Any other person. That’s something that no one else has ever been able to do before. And that ability makes Yukiya an extremely valuable commodity that some people will be willing to do anything to control in W’Z!

SECTION23 FILMS has announced its MARCH 2018 slate of releases

Home video distributor Section23 Films has announced its March slate of releases, which includes Sentai Filmworks’ popular shoujo anime series, CHIHAYAFURU SEASON 2. The Complete Collection will be available on Blu-ray, DVD and a Limited Edition Premium Box Set

Product details follow, in order of release.

Title: GIRLISH NUMBER BLU-RAY
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 300 min.
Street Date: 3/6/2018
Format: BD
Language: Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $59.98

SYNOPSIS: Chitose Karasuma wants to make it big as a voice actor, but while she looks and sounds adorable, she's also self-absorbed, inattentive, selfish, and lazy. However, since her manager is also her big brother, she's still getting bit parts and dreaming of landing the big role that will make her famous. Unfortunately, karma bites Chitose in the worst way possible when her big chance finally arrives, because the producers who've hired her are even more clueless than she is! Now, she's trapped in a nightmare production where nothing goes right, the ratings are in the toilet, and swimsuit photos and live stage shows take priority over making quality programming! Can Chitose and her fellow trapped actresses turn things around and save their careers? Or will they all go down with the sinking ship in GIRLISH NUMBER?


Title: INITIAL D LEGEND 2: RACER
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 60 min.
Street Date: 3/13/2018
Format: COMBO
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $39.98

SYNOPSIS: Sometimes the only thing that beating a champion accomplishes is making you the next target for a long line of challengers, which is why Takumi Fujiwara's defeat of the RedSuns' Keisuke hasn't ended anything. In fact, it's only served to draw the reluctant delivery driver even further into the dangerous world of drift racing. Takumi's fate is sealed when his friend Itsuki accidentally accepts a challenge from Takeshi Nakazato, leader of the Myogi NightKids. Now it's a matter of honor, and Takumi will have to pit his gutter technique against the 4WD skills of a much more experienced driver! The race is on as the legendary street racing series returns in a second explosive new motion picture: NEW THEATRICAL MOVIE INITIAL D LEGEND 2: RACER!


Title: MY TEEN ROMANTIC COMEDY ~ SNAFU COMPLETE BLU-RAY
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 650 min.
Street Date: 3/13/2018
Format: BD
Language: Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $79.98

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: CHIHAYAFURU SEASON 2
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 625 min.
Street Date: 3/20/2018
Format: BD, DVD, COMBO
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $99.98, $79.98, $149.98

SYNOPSIS: Chihaya's determination to become a master karuta player hasn't changed, but as a new semester begins, the team's focus switches to recruiting new members for the club in order to keep their meeting space. Unfortunately, while a number of students initially express interest, few are willing to put forth the effort it takes to play on the level of the existing members. Enter Sumire Hanano, who split with her boyfriend on the first day of school. Now seeking a replacement, she thinks that Taichi might just fill the role nicely… even if it means jumping into a pool with a shark like Chihaya! Now all the cards are on the table… or, in this case, the floor… and the games are really about to start in CHIHAYAFURU season 2!


Title: THE LIFE OF BUDORI GUSUKO BLU-RAY
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 105 min.
Street Date: 3/27/2018
Format: BD
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $29.98

SYNOPSIS: Budori Gusuko's life was wonderful, living in the forest with his father, mother and younger sister. Then, the weather changed, the villagers he knew moved away, and tragedy stole his sister and parents from him. Forced to wander until he found another place to live, he again settled into a peaceful existence… until the weather changed, and it was all taken from him once again. Now, as he's grown older, Budori has found a job with people who study volcanoes, and when the weather starts to change again, Budori must make the biggest decision of his life. From the classic story by Kenji Miyazawa (NIGHT ON THE GALACTIC RAILROAD) comes an all-new animated masterpiece: THE LIFE OF BUDORI GUSUKO!

SECTION23 FILMS announces its FEBRUARY 2018 slate of releases

Home video distributor Section23 Films has announced its February slate of releases, which includes Sentai Filmworks’ otherworldly adventure series, FLIP FLAPPERS! The Complete Collection will be available on Blu-ray and a Limited Edition Premium Box Set.

Product details follow, in order of release.

Title: FOOD WARS! ~ THE SECOND PLATE
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 325 min.
Street Date: 2/13/2018
Format: BD, DVD, COMBO
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $99.98, $79.98, $199.98

SYNOPSIS: At the Tohtsuki Culinary Academy, the first rule is survival of the fittest, and if you don't have what it takes to become a master chef, you need to get out of the kitchen before you get burned. With the wheat of first-year students separated from the chaff, cocky former diner cook Yukihira Soma is one of the handful of kitchen whizzes still standing. As the next round of the Autumn Elections gets underway, can he survive a brutal bento boxing match with the chemistry-obsessed granddaughter of the Academy's director? And which of the other contenders; Megumi, Ryo, Akira, Hisako, Takumi or sinister dark-horse Subaru; will advance to fight for the gold medal? Get ready for another cut-throat season of eat, beat, and defeat in FOOD WARS! THE SECOND PLATE!


Title: GARO: KIBA - THE DARK KNIGHT! BLU-RAY
Published by: Kraken Releasing
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 50 min.
Street Date: 2/20/2018
Format: BD
Language: Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $19.98

SYNOPSIS: He was born the child of a Makai Knight and a Makai Priestess. He trained to become a Makai Knight and fight the nightmarish creatures known as Horrors. Everything changed when the forces of evil intervened and stole everything he loved, the man who was once named Barago turned to a darker path. Learning to hate everything he once cherished, and twisting his oaths and armor to a new, sinister purpose, he makes a monstrous bargain with the ultimate Horror and betrays the Makai Knights! Now, in a spectacular stand-alone side adventure, the dark Genesis of one of GARO's most formidable villains is revealed in GARO: KIBA - THE DARK KNIGHT!


Title: NON NON BIYORI COMPLETE BLU-RAY
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 600 min.
Street Date: 2/20/2018
Format: BD
Language: Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $79.98

SYNOPSIS: When Hotaru moves from Tokyo to a tiny town in the rural countryside, she's in for some serious culture shock: the nearest place that sells comics is 20 minutes away, the nearest video store is ten train stations down the line, and there are only three other girls and one boy in her entire school! Even though everything's so different, there's something about the laid-back atmosphere that makes her feel strangely comfortable. While she'll certainly miss parts of her old life, there's a whole lifetime of experiences waiting to be enjoyed with her new friends Renge, Komari, Natsumi, and Suguru! In the end, it's who you're with, not where you are, that makes a place your home in NON NON BIYORI and NON NON BIYORI REPEAT!


Title: FLIP FLAPPERS! COMPLETE COLLECTION
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 325 min.
Street Date: 2/27/2018
Format: BD, PBS
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $69.98, $149.98

SYNOPSIS: As a middle school student, Cocona has been trying to decide what to do with her life. Magical Girl, however, wasn't a career path that she'd ever considered. When suddenly a strange girl named Papika thrusts her into a secret organization called Flip Flap, Cocona's outlook does a radical flip-flop. Her views start to change when she is dragged into an alternate dimension called Pure Illusion where she's charged with gathering crystal shards and fighting strange creatures. Now, between running missions and facing off against a rival organization, Cocona doesn't have much time to consider alternate career choices. What are these shards, and why is gathering them so important? There's a mystery to be solved and multiple worlds to be saved in FLIP FLAPPERS!

SECTION23 FILMS announces its January 2018 slate of releases

 

Home video distributor Section23 Films has announced its January slate of releases which includes Sentai Filmworks’ premium box set for the “sleeper” comedy, Tanaka-kun is Always Listless, the anime adaptation of the popular web manga by Square Enix.

Product details follow, in order of release.

Title: KISSDUM R - ENGAGE PLANET COMPLETE COLLECTION BLU-RAY
Published by: Maiden Japan
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 650 min.
Street Date: 1/2/2018
Format: BD
Language: Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $89.98

SYNOPSIS: The destruction of a cruise ship leaves thousands dead, but the body count is only beginning. As researchers try to make sense of the strange new fish and insects appearing around the world, scientist Rurika Yuno and the N.I.D.F. attempt to track down the source of the mutation, a mysterious artifact called the Book of The Dead. When the Book is finally located, all Hell breaks loose. Literally. As swarms of hellspawned fireflies and giant unearthly creatures attack mercilessly across the planet, Rurika is forced to use the Book to resurrect her dead lover, fighter pilot Aiba Shu. But can even humanity's last desperate line of defense - the Necrodiver - defeat an ancient evil whose only goal is to exterminate all mankind? The final war has begun in KISSDUM R - ENGAGE PLANET!


Title: NAISHO NO TSUBOMI COMPLETE COLLECTION
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 85 min.
Street Date: 1/9/2018
Format: DVD
Language: Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $19.98

SYNOPSIS: Just as Tsubomi is getting ready to start the fifth grade, everything she thought she knew about her life suddenly starts to change. Not only has her mother just told her that she's about to become a big sister, but Tsubomi's been starting to feel a little strange herself and it seems that there's a lot more to growing up than she thought! Unfortunately, people's bodies don't come with owners' manuals, so Tsubomi will have to rely on advice from her friends at school and most of them don't know any more than she does. (Some of them are even BOYS!) Fortunately, there's that mysterious new transfer student, Saya, who seems to be a bit more knowledgeable, and with some help from Mom, Tsubomi just might make it through adolescence unscathed in NAISHO NO TSUBOMI!


Title: HAIKYU!! SEASON 2
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 625 min.
Street Date: 1/16/2018
Format: BD, DVD, COMBO
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $99.98, $79.98, $199.98

SYNOPSIS: The drama heats up, both on and off the volleyball court, as the rivalry between teammates Shoyo Hinata and Tobio Kageyama continues to develop in new and unexpected ways. After the team's dramatic setback in Inter-High Preliminaries, Karasuno gets the unexpected opportunity to go to a training camp in Tokyo alongside other top schools in the nation... including their rival team, Nekoma! In order to attend, though, the dynamic duo must pass their exams, and getting Hinata and Kageyama through that challenge will be the trial by fire for Hitoka Yachi, who could be joining Kiyoko Shimizu as a team manager. With the eyes of their opponents fixed on their progress, will it be the spark needed to get the team moving in the right direction? Passions burn, and tempers flare as the fuse is lit for HAIKYU!! SEASON 2!


Title: TYPHOON NORUDA BLU-RAY
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 26 min.
Street Date: 1/23/2018
Format: BD
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $19.98

SYNOPSIS: As an unexpected typhoon bears down on a small tropical island, a group of students trapped at school find themselves forced to put aside their personal issues and work together. Not only to save themselves, but possibly the lives of everyone on the planet! Because there's something very strange about this storm, and as the driving rain, hurricane-force winds and multiple lightning strikes threaten to tear their world apart, everything seems to revolve around a mysterious girl who appears as suddenly as the storm itself. Only hours before, Shuichi Azuma and Saijo Kunta were at each other's throats over baseball; now they'll have to join together to unravel the secret of the ultimate rider on the storm in TYPHOON NORUDA!


Title: TANAKA-KUN IS ALWAYS LISTLESS COMPLETE COLLECTION
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 300 min.
Street Date: 1/30/2018
Format: BD, DVD, COMBO
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $69.98, $59.98, $149.98

SYNOPSIS: Tanaka-kun can't help it. Put him someplace nice and warm, and he'll start nodding off, even in class or on the way to school. You would think that this would eat into Tanaka's social life, but, fortunately, our consciousness-challenged protagonist has a guardian angel in the form of his best friend Ota, a gentle giant who (literally) carries Tanaka from place to place. Then there's class-rep Shiraishi, who's convinced that Tanaka's unique perspective lets him see past her beautiful appearance; Miyano, their hyper pint-sized classmate who somehow becomes Tanaka's unwanted apprentice in listlessness; and Echizen, a self-proclaimed delinquent who's determined to fight him. As for Tanaka, being the center of attention is the last place he wants to be, but the world just won't leave him alone in TANAKA-KUN IS ALWAYS LISTLESS.

VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES THE HOME MEDIA RELEASE OF "NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: THE MOVIE - RASENGAN COLLECTION"

© 2002 MASASHI KISHIMOTO /2007 SHIPPUDEN © NMP 2010

Four Acclaimed Full-Length

NARUTO SHIPPUDEN Movies

In New Home Media Release Available

On Blu-Ray For The First Time

VIZ Media delivers action and edge of the seat anime excitement as it announces the home media release of NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: THE MOVIE - RASENGAN COLLECTION on October 3rd.

The new set will be released in 4-disc DVD and Blu-ray editions and contain four complete full-length NARUTO anime feature films - NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: THE MOVIE, NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: THE MOVIE - BONDS, NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: THE MOVIE - THE WILL OF FIRE and NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: THE MOVIE - THE LOST TOWER.

The NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: THE MOVIE - RASENGAN COLLECTION Blu-ray edition will carry an MSRP of $29.98 U.S. / $34.99 CAN. Films are presented in vivid 1080p High Definition with DTS Master Audio 5.1 and 2.0 selections with both Japanese and English dubbed dialogue options. Notable bonus features for the Blu-ray edition include theatrical trailers for all of the films as well as a digital art gallery and a bonus NARUTO animated short.

The NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: THE MOVIE - RASENGAN COLLECTION DVD edition will carry an MSRP of $24.98 U.S. / $39.99 CAN. Films are presented with 16x9 video aspect ratio and audio selections for both Japanese and English dubbed dialogue options. Bonus features on the DVD set will include theatrical trailers, a digital art gallery and a bonus NARUTO animated short.

In NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: THE MOVIE (rated TV-14), a powerful spirit that once threatened to destroy the world is back! Naruto’s mission is to protect a priestess named Shion, which is the only one with the power to seal away the monster. She also has the uncanny ability to predict someone’s fate. Her latest prediction: Naruto will soon die. Naruto’s only hope is to abandon Shion, but that is not the young ninja’s style. He decides to face her fatal prediction head on – and die!

In NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: THE MOVIE - BONDS (rated TV-14), a group of mysterious flying ninja have arrived from overseas to launch a sudden attack against the Hidden Leaf Village, leaving behind a wake of destruction. The group is revealed to be the “Sky Ninja” from the Land of Sky, a nation thought to have been destroyed by the Hidden Leaf Village long ago. To save their village, Naruto and his friends set out to stop this new threat. During the course of the mission, Naruto crosses paths with Sasuke, his friend who has parted ways from the Leaf Village.

In NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: THE MOVIE - THE WILL OF FIRE (rated TV-14), four ninjas with Kekkei Genkai justsu abilities that have been guarding the Hidden Villages of Cloud, Stone, Mist and Sand mysteriously disappear from their respective villages. The Land of Fire comes under suspicion as it is the only country to have suffered no loss. Mounting suspicion among the four countries could potentially set off the 4th Great Ninja War. In the Hidden Leaf Village, Tsunade orders her men to keep strict guard and to try to find out what really happened. At the same time, it turns out that Kakashi has left the village. The bad news deeply disturbs Naruto and his friends.

In NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: THE MOVIE - THE LOST TOWER (rated TV-14), the Rogue Ninja Mukade is about to be caught by Naruto's team when he summons forth the power of the LeyLine - an ancient underground channel of chakra. Naruto gets caught up in the chakra and is sent back in time to the city of Loran, known for its thousand towers. There he encounters the future Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, on a top-secret mission, and the Queen of Loran, Sarah, whose rule is threatened by Mukade. Will Naruto be able to return to his own time, and can a chance encounter in the past save the future?

The NARUTO SHIPPUDEN feature films are based on the acclaimed NARUTO manga and animated series, following Naruto Uzumaki, who wants to be the best ninja in the land. He's done well so far, but Naruto knows he must train harder than ever and leaves his village for intense exercises that will push him to his limits. NARUTO SHIPPUDEN begins two and a half years later, when Naruto returns to find that everyone has been promoted up the ninja ranks – except him. Sakura’s a medic ninja, Gaara’s advanced to Kazekage, and Kakashi…well he remains the same. But pride isn’t necessarily becoming of a ninja, especially when Naruto realizes that Sasuke never returned from his search for Orochimaru. Plus, the mysterious Akatsuki organization is still an ever-present danger. As Naruto finds out more about the Akatsuki’s goals, he realizes that nothing in his universe is as it seems. Naruto is finding that he’s older, but will he also prove wiser and stronger?

VIZ Media is the North American master licensor for NARUTO and distributes the NARUTO and NARUTO SHIPPUDEN anime series and feature films as well as publishes the bestselling NARUTO manga series in print and digital editions.

Additional information on NARUTO and NARUTO SHIPPUDEN is available at VIZ.com/Naruto.

For more information on anime titles available from VIZ Media, visit VIZ.com.

VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES PARTICIPATION AT ANIME WEEKEND ATLANTA 2017

Anime And Manga Fans Invited To Catch Special Panels

On NARUTO And SAILOR MOON Highlighted By Renowned

Japanese And English Voice Cast Members

VIZ Media heads to Atlanta, GA for Anime Weekend Atlanta, one of the southeast region’s largest anime and manga fan conventions, with an impressive array of activities. Highlights at the convention include SAILOR MOON and NARUTO panels with special English and Japanese voice cast appearances followed by signing sessions.

Anime Weekend Atlanta (AWA) 2017 takes place September 28th – October 1st at the Renaissance Waverly Cobb Galleria Center. Details and ticket information on AWA is available at AWA-con.com.

VIZ Media Anime Weekend Atlanta Panels & Special Events Include:

Friday, September 29th

4:15 – 5:15PM VIZ Media Industry Panel , Williams CDF
Join VIZ as they talk about some of your favorite titles like NARUTO, ONE-PUNCH MAN, TOKYO GHOUL, SAILOR MOON, and the recently announced HOMESTUCK! We’ll also be making announcements, showing off exclusive first looks at new titles, and giving away prizes!

Saturday, September 30th

12:30 – 1:30PM Official NARUTO Panel , Williams CDF
Celebrate all things NARUTO! Join us for a fun discussion about the world's most popular ninja with key insights from the Japanese and English anime voice cast members. Notable panelists will include Japanese voice actors Kazuhiko Inoue (Kakashi), Chie Nakamura (Sakura), Nobutoshi Canna (Kabuto) as well as English voice actor Stephanie Sheh (Hinata).

2 – 3PM NARUTO Voice Cast Autograph Session, AWA Official Autograph Area
Don’t miss a special opportunity to meet the Japanese and English NARUTO voice actors in this autograph session. Meet Japanese NARUTO voice actors Kazuhiko Inoue (Kakashi), Chie Nakamura (Sakura), and Nobutoshi Canna (Kabuto).

1:45 – 2:45PM Official SAILOR MOON Panel, Williams Ballroom A&B
Everyone’s favorite Guardian of Love and Justice is back and better than ever! Join the SAILOR MOON team for all the can’t-miss news and updates on the legendary anime series, as well as the all-new SAILOR MOON CRYSTAL. Also participating in the panel will be SAILOR MOON voice actors Stephanie Sheh (Sailor Moon), Cristina Vee (Sailor Mars), Christine Cabanos (Sailor Saturn), and Keith Silverstein (Professor Tomoe).

3:15 – 4:45PM SAILOR MOON Voice Cast Autograph Session, AWA Official Autograph Area
Don’t miss this chance to meet English SAILOR MOON voice actors immediately following the panel. Join Stephanie Sheh (Sailor Moon), Cristina Vee (Sailor Mars), Christine Cabanos (Sailor Saturn), and Keith Silverstein (Professor Tomoe) for this special autograph session.

Anime Weekend Atlanta attendees are also invited to catch convention screenings of an exciting selection of VIZ Media anime series and movies including SAILOR MOON CRYSTAL episodes and a first-time High Definition presentation of NARUTO SHIPPUDEN: THE MOVIE. Check AWA’s screening schedule in the official convention program guide for a complete listing of all VIZ Media anime screenings.

For additional information anime and manga titles distributed and published by VIZ Media, please visit VIZ.com.

‘New Theatrical Movie Initial D Legend 1: Awakening’ Speeds Toward North American Theatrical Run with Debut Screening at LA-AFF

Sentai Filmworks has announced the North American debut screening of New Theatrical Movie Initial D Legend 1: Awakening at the Los Angeles Anime Film Festival (LA-AFF).

The subtitle-only debut screening will take place on Saturday, September 16. 2017 at 4:30 PM PT.

The first in the new Initial D Legend theatrical triology is a bold retelling of the early stages of Shuichi Shigeno’s long-running manga. The film begins with when aspiring racer Koichiro Iketani witnesses an unplanned street duel between Keisuke Takahashi, a member of a rival race team, and a mysterious Toyota Sprinter Trueno AE86. What Koichiro doesn’t know is that the driver is fellow gas station attendant Takumi Fujiwara, who was making a late-night tofu delivery for his father, a legendary Mt. Akina driver himself. Unforeseen events are about to springboard Takumi into the center of the street-racing world, turning the rivalry between Iketani’s Akina Speedsters and Takahashi’s Akagi Red Suns into an all-out street war! The legendary series that introduced the west to the sport of drift racing is reinvented in an all new feature film that’s even faster and more furious than ever before.

Tickets will soon be available via https://www.la-aff.com.

Sentai Filmworks has licensed ‘Action Heroine Cheer Fruits’

Homegrown champions and bitter rivals will clash in Sentai Filmworks’ newest license for the Summer 2017 anime season: Action Heroine Cheer Fruits.

What starts as a project for a small-town festival gains traction when local heroines begin getting scouted for popular TV programs. At the urging of her aunt, a prefectural governor in Hinano City, high school senior Misaki Shirogane signs up to become a "heroine fighter" for her area - but everything changes when she has to save her town’s culture hall, a beloved structure that her grandfather helped build!

The series will be directed by Keizou Kusakawa (Campione!, Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha StrikerS), with series composition by Naruhisa Arakawa (So I Can't Play H) and character designs overseen by Naomi Ide (Problem children are coming from another world, aren't they?, Riddle Story of Devil). The studio helming the project will be diomedea (Squid Girl, Girlish Number, Cute High Earth Defense Club LOVE!).

Action Heroine Cheer Fruits is scheduled for a July 2017 release in Japan. It will soon be available to stream on select digital outlets for the Summer 2017 simulcast season, with a home video release to follow.

Sentai Filmworks adds ‘Hitorijime My Hero’ to its Summer 2017 lineup

Sentai Filmworks will be adding the boy’s love anime Hitorijime My Hero to its Summer 2017 lineup. The anime series, based on Memeko Arii’s manga of the same name, will begin airing in July 2017 in Japan. The series will be available to stream this summer in the U.S. on Anime Strike, the curated on-demand anime subscription from Amazon Channels.

High schooler Masahiro Setagawa is a fairly helpless delinquent, so much so that the neighborhood bullies use him to run their errands. His life changes when he meets high school teacher Kosuke Oshiba, a man whose fighting abilities have earned him a powerful reputation on the streets. Oshiba finds himself with a desire to protect Setagawa, and despite swearing that he’s not interested in men, Setagawa finds himself getting more involved in Oshiba’s affairs…

Yukina Hiiro (Gakuen Heaven) will direct the series, with Yusei Naruse making his debut in TV series composition. Animation Production will be helmed by Encourage Films (Love Rice, Etotama).

Hitorijime My Hero will soon be available to stream on Anime Strike in the U.S., and available in certain countries through select digital outlets for the summer 2017 season, with a home video release to follow.

Section23 Films has announced its September 2017 slate of releases

Home video distributor Section23 Films has announced its September slate of releases; including Sentai Filmworks’ Limited Edition Premium Box Set for the fan favorite, Chihayafuru!

Product details follow, in order of release.

Title: GOOD WITCH OF THE WEST COMPLETE COLLECTION
Published by: Maiden Japan
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 325 min.
Street Date: 9/5/2017
Format: BD, DVD
Language: Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $59.98, $49.98

SYNOPSIS: Firiel's life has always been a little unusual… after all, how many girls are raised by caretakers because their father spends all his time studying in a tower with his apprentice? But when Firiel goes to the Queen's Ball wearing a necklace that belonged to her mother, she makes a shocking discovery: she's a missing member of the royal family and a contender for the throne! Trapped between opposing factions and manipulative parties, Firiel finds her life in danger, and her best hope is to learn the queenly skills her rivals already know. Unfortunately, the place to do that is at the same school her bloodthirsty competition already attends! Things are looking Grimm indeed as the darker side of fairy tales is unleashed in THE GOOD WITCH OF THE WEST!


Title: CHIHAYAFURU SEASON 1
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 625 min.
Street Date: 9/12/2017
Format: BD, DVD COMBO
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $99.98, $79.98, $199.98

SYNOPSIS: Chihaya Ayase was a girl who never seemed to fit in. She never had much in common with the other kids, and her family was so obsessed with her older sister’s modeling career that, sometimes, it was like Chihaya wasn’t even there. Everything changes when transfer student Arata gets Chihaya interested in the world of competitive Karuta, a unique card-based game that requires lightning fast reflexes, an exceptional memory, and a keen ear. Chihaya is a natural, and she has the skills to take her to the very top. Suddenly, Chihaya has found her goal: to become the best player in Japan! It won’t be easy, but when a girl has a dream in her heart, nothing else matters in CHIHAYAFURU!


Title: SEX HYPNOTIST ZERO BLU-RAY
Published by: SoftCel Pictures
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 50 min.
Street Date: 9/12/2017
Format: BD
Language: Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $19.98

SYNOPSIS: If you're a pretty girl and have to go to the school infirmary, you'd better watch out for Dr. Murakoshi Shinta. If that lecherous excuse for a physician is in charge, you might get a very thorough physical "examination" instead of just an aspirin or a bandage! Even if you don't remember anything strange happening, you're still not safe. While Murakoshi may not be a very good doctor, he IS an excellent hypnotist with a knack for putting the female student body under his spell. It'll be up to his various patients to start comparing "Doctor Notes" to see if they can figure out why they've all been feeling so strange lately… and why they all feel so oddly compelled to keep making return visits to SEX HYPNOTIST ZERO!


Title: TAMAKO LOVE STORY
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 85 min.
Street Date: 9/12/2017
Format: COMBO
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $39.98

SYNOPSIS: While everyone else is excited about high school finally coming to an end, Tamako has a sad realization: getting older means losing touch with friends as they drift off to new lives. While Tamako's friends all seem to have big plans and amazing dreams, Tamako's never thought beyond staying right where she is, working in her family's mochi shop. But maybe she won't be as alone as she thinks, because there may be someone who wants to make plans that include Tamako. Time is running out, and as the days count down before he leaves for university, Mochizo Ooji must find a way to overcome his shyness and confess his feelings. As two young people walk alone on diverging paths, what will it take for them to find each other in TAMAKO LOVE STORY?


Title: MATOI THE SACRED SLAYER COMPLETE COLLECTION
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 325 min.
Street Date: 9/19/2017
Format: BD, DVD
Language: Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $59.98, $49.98

SYNOPSIS: Maroi Sumeragi’s mother disappeared 10 years ago, she’s just moved in with her Police officer father, and all she wants is to lead a quiet, normal life. Unfortunately, fate has other plans, and when Matoi’s friend Yuma’s family shrine is attacked, Yuma’s attempts to invoke an old spell goes wrong, transforming Matoi into a super-powered Exorcist! Suddenly Matoi’s in the middle of the battle between good and evil, dealing with secret agencies, keeping her father from finding out about her double life and, worst of all, coping with the fact that when the power in her God Cloak runs out, it leaves her naked, no matter where she is! This is so not cool! She didn’t want the job, but now she’s stuck with it and life is about to get far, far too exciting for MATOI THE SACRED SLAYER!

Section23 Films has announced its August 2017 slate of releases

Home video distributor Section23 Films has announced its August slate of releases, including two Limited Edition Premium Box Sets from Sentai Filmworks, Food Wars! and Ushio & Tora.

Product details follow, in order of release.

Title: HIDAMARI SKETCH: HONEYCOMB COMPLETE COLLECTION BLU-RAY
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 300 min.
Street Date: 8/8/2017
Format: BD
Language: Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $59.98

SYNOPSIS: Studying at the Yamabuki Arts High School has been a dream-come-true for Yuno, and she's learned so much already! Not just from her instructors, but from the friends and neighbors who've become her second family and made the Hidamari Apartments such a safe and nurturing home. But as the day of her "big sisters" Sae and Hiro's graduation draws slowly closer, it's time for Yuno to start seriously taking on the same role for Nazuna, Nori and the other budding young artists who've entered Hidamari's protective cocoon. And it's also time to tackle some really challenging artistic assignments. That doesn't mean there won't still be time for fun with Miyako and all the others, but it's definitely time to pencil in her plans for the future. And sometimes that means putting the art before the course! Prepare to be drawn in once again as the magic that surrounds Hidamari continues in HIDAMARI SKETCH X HONEYCOMB - The COMPLETE COLLECTION!


Title: KING OF BREASTS BLU-RAY
Published by: SoftCel Pictures
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 56 min.
Street Date: 8/8/2017
Format: BD
Language: Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $19.98

SYNOPSIS: Naoya likes breasts. In fact, he's so obsessed with them that he can recognize any breast from just a picture. But while that's an impressive ability, who would expect some mysterious patrons to set up a game where Naoya has to locate five championship breasts from among all the girls in the city? Oh, and to have a lot of sex too. That's exactly what happens when a girl named Nir shows up and gives Naoya the rules and a stack of free sex vouchers. That certainly doesn't suck! Or, actually, with his free vouchers, that's on the table too… With everyone from his teachers to the girl giving out free samples on the corner as possible "game pieces," Naoya's going to have a long, hard and very probing time ahead of him as he seeks to prove that he's the KING OF BREASTS!


Title: FOOD WARS! COMPLETE COLLECTION
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 600 min.
Street Date: 8/15/2017
Format: BD, DVD COMBO
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $99.98, $79.98, $199.98

SYNOPSIS: Ever since he was little, Soma Yukihira's main goals have been to beat his father in a cooking contest and take over the family diner. That's why, when his dad suddenly announces that he's shutting the restaurant down and sending Soma to cooking school, Soma is shocked. However, Tohtsuki Academy is no ordinary cooking school. This elite institution is filled with culinary giants like Erina "God Tongue" Nakiri, who does her best to keep a lowly short-order like Soma from even making it inside the door. However, if the snobs can dish it out, Soma can serve it up, and when he learns that only a handful of the students manage to graduate every year, he swears that the only way he'll leave is as number one in FOOD WARS!


Title: BAKUON!! COMPLETE COLLECTION
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 300 min.
Street Date: 8/22/2017
Format: BD, DVD
Language: Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $59.98, $49.98

SYNOPSIS: Riding a bicycle may be better than walking, but when another girl zips past her on the way to class, Sakura Hane realizes that there's an even better option: motorcycles! Fortunately, Sakura's all-girl school just happens to have a motorcycle club! It only has one member though: the mysterious Raimu Kawasaki, who's never been seen without her face-obscuring helmet. But that changes immediately once Sakura and the girl who passed her, Onsa Amano, sign up and start recruiting! It won't all be easy riding… Sakura still has to earn her license, and there are problems like the club's official status having slipped, and the need to recruit a faculty sponsor. But when the rubber hits the road, those are just little potholes as six student bikers take a ride on the wild side in BAKUON!!


Title: BEYOND THE BOUNDARY –I’LL BE HERE-
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 180 min.
Street Date: 8/22/2017
Format: COMBO
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $49.98

SYNOPSIS: Can anyone outrun their past forever? Mirai Kuriyama's ability to control and manipulate her blood, even to use it as a weapon, has left her an outcast and pariah. But a chance encounter with Akihito Kanbara, whose own lineage is only partially human and allows him to heal from almost any injury, may have finally given her a chance at finding peace. When the cost of that path becomes apparent, will the two of them be willing to pay the price for a true happy ending? Even if it's achieved, how long can it last in a world where Mirai's mere existence is seen as a lethal threat? In two spectacular feature films, the world created in the hit series is taken to its epic, stunning conclusion: BEYOND THE BOUNDARY -I'LL BE HERE-: Past and BEYOND THE BOUNDARY -I'LL BE HERE-: Future!


Title: USHIO & TORA COMPLETE COLLECTION
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 975 min.
Street Date: 8/29/2017
Format: BD, DVD, COMBO
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $129.98, $99.98, $249.98

SYNOPSIS: Ushio always ignored his father's crazy tales about the temple where they live. All that talk of restless souls and vicious monsters are nothing more than stories, right? However, Ushio quickly rethinks his position when he discovers a locked basement with an actual demon pinned to the wall by a spear! The tiger-striped demon threatens to eat Ushio if he doesn't free him, so Ushio naturally chooses to ignore him. However, when the demon's presence starts to attract others, Ushio is forced to remove the spear to save himself. To make a bad situation even worse, freeing the demon, Tora, also bonds Ushio to the cursed Beast Spear, sending him on a journey where unspeakable dangers await. The battle is only beginning for these unlikely partners in the all-new USHIO & TORA!

Adult anime distributor SoftCel Pictures to re-launch in June 2017

Hentai fans rejoice! After 13 long years, adult anime market pioneer SoftCel Pictures is back, shaking up the North American home video scene with a sizzling new slate of Japan’s wildest animated entertainment. With an emerging catalog of uncut, uncensored, and high-definition Blu-rays, SoftCel Picture’s reputation as the premiere distributor of “hentai” animation will be at the forefront as the label re-launches in June 2017.

The revival of SoftCel Pictures is driven by a new mission: to achieve maximum market penetration and bring the finest in animated erotic entertainment directly from Japan to an eager and willing audience; to bring startling Blu-ray level clarity to acts that previously were hidden under sheets and layers of mosaics; and to boldly let anime characters go where they have never gone before!

With fine translations, English-subtitles, and HD materials that allow the viewers to take in every detail, SoftCel will deliver the highest quality in adult animated entertainment, straight from the uncut, uncensored masters. SoftCel Pictures aims to provide a sensual and sense pounding animated experience that exceeds all audience expectations, taking the viewer to dizzying new heights of ecstasy. The only thing not included is ribbing for enhanced viewing pleasure.

Ready to sign up? SoftCel’s first prescription for animated naughtiness begins with the completely shameless (and frequently shameful) doctor-patient exploits of The Patients of Dr. Maro (original Jpanese title: Maro no Kanja wa Ganteki). The Blu-ray, with reversible cover, (Region A) will be available for pre-order through select outlets beginning in February 2017.

As the year continues, the hits will keep coming. SoftCel Pictures’ avalanche of new releases will continue later in the year with a whole slate of new Blu-ray titles, including King of Breasts, Slave Princess, Sex Hypnotist Zero, and The Devil’s Virgins. Fans of explicit Japanese anime can learn more about these exciting new releases and receive forthcoming updates by visiting www.softcelpictures.com.

Sentai Filmworks to dub 7 anime titles

Sentai Filmworks officially announced plans to dub, not one, but seven fan favorite anime titles from the Spring 2015 through Summer 2015 simulcast seasons. The titles were announced during the Sentai Filmworks panel at Anime Expo 2016.

 

Monster Musume: Everyday Life With Monster Girls simulcasted during the Summer 2015 anime season, following the exciting (in more ways than one) exploits of a young man who finds himself housing one beautiful monster girl after another.

 

The Spring 2015 fantasy Is it Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? follows the Hestia Familia’s only adventurer Bell Cranel as he fights monsters in an underground labyrinth.

 

Food Wars! simulcasted during the Spring 2015 and Summer 2015 anime season. This delicious adventure pits Yukihira Soma head-to-head with talented chefs in the world’s most competitive culinary high school.

 

The hit comedy Himouto! Umaru-chan demonstrates that the differences between your “outside face” and “inside face” can be shocking. Umaru is a refined beauty in public and cola-binging, potato-chip-eating otaku at home where she becomes her big brother’s problem.

 

Ushio & Tora is an action-packed shounen anime that ties the fate of a headstrong young boy with the fate of a fearsome yokai trapped by the Legendary Beast Spear. With a common enemy, Ushio and Tora find themselves working together to save the world.

 

GATE follows Yoji Itami through the mysterious gate that appears suddenly in Japan, bringing with it legions of invaders. He’s sent with the JSDF to the “Special Region” where he meets and befriends an elf, a demigoddess, and a mage despite political tensions between the Empire and Japan.  

 

Amagi Brilliant Park is an adventure within the walls of a theme park like no other, where much of a park’s otherworldly staff is nourished by the energy created by humans having fun! Seiya must use his many talents to successfully manage the park before it, and its employees, disappear.

VIZ Media is spotlighting diverse catalog at Licensing Expo 2016

VIZ MEDIA TO SPOTLIGHT A DIVERSE CATALOG

OF ANIMATED ENTERTAINMENT PROPERTIES

AT LICENSING EXPO 2016

GAKKIMALS, ONE-PUNCH MAN, HUNTER X HUNTER,

JOJO’S BIZARRE ADVENTURE, And NARUTO SHIPPUDEN

Among The Popular Anime Titles Available For License

VIZ Media has announced its participation at the upcoming Licensing Expo 2016. Licensing Expo 2016 is the world’s largest and most influential annual licensing industry event and takes place June 21st – 23rd at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV. VIZ Media will be located in Booth #K226.

During the convention, the company will showcase a variety of titles from its extensive catalog of anime properties. VIZ Media is currently developing an original animated series based on the endearing Japanese children’s property, GAKKIMALS, and is also the North American master licensee for the ONE-PUNCH MAN anime series, which is based on the bestselling manga series (also published by VIZ Media) about an average-guy-turned-superhero with an extraordinarily powerful punch!

VIZ Media actively oversees the licensing and development of a comprehensive range of products based on a wide array of celebrated properties across several key consumer categories. The company is the longstanding master licensee for the NARUTO SHIPPUDEN series in North and Latin American. The company further serves as the North American master merchandise licensee for products based on the HUNTER X HUNTER, JOJO’S BIZARRE ADVENTURE and TERRAFORMARS anime series.

Properties VIZ Media will highlight at Licensing Expo 2016 include:

GAKKIMALS
GAKKIMALS combines the evergreen appeal of music and animals into a vibrant environment that inspires early childhood learning. Welcome to the wonderful adventures of the GAKKIMALS, where madcap mash-ups of musical instruments and animals combine to bring happiness and harmony to their fun-filled world. VIZ Media has acquired the production and licensing rights to develop an original animated series based on the original concept created by the Japanese production duo, PecanNuts. The series will be produced under license from ShoPro, a subsidiary of three of Japan's largest publishing houses, Shogakukan Inc., Shueisha Inc. and Hakusensha Inc.

ONE-PUNCH MAN (Rated ‘TV-14’)
In the smash ONE-PUNCH MAN, nothing about Saitama passes the eyeball test when it comes to superheroes, from his lifeless expression to his bald head to his unimpressive physique. However, this average-looking guy has a not-so-average problem – he just can’t seem to find an opponent strong enough to take on! Every time a promising villain appears, he beats the snot out of ’em with one punch! Can Saitama finally find an opponent who can go toe-to-toe with him and give his life some meaning? Or is he doomed to a life of super-powered boredom?

Additional VIZ Media anime properties available for license include:

HUNTER X HUNTER (Rated ‘TV-14’)
Hunters are a special breed, dedicated to tracking down treasures, magical beasts and even other people. But such pursuits require a license, and less than one in a hundred thousand can pass the grueling qualification exam. Those who do pass gain access to restricted areas, amazing stores of information and the right to call themselves “Hunters.” Can Gon, a country boy, follow his father and join their ranks?

VIZ Media’s all new English dubbed HUNTER X HUNTER anime series premiered this year on Adult Swim’s Toonami on April 16th.

JOJO’S BIZARRE ADVENTURE (Rated ‘TV-14’)
The legendary Shonen Jump classic (latest season currently streaming) is a groundbreaking series with multiple story arcs whose creation has already spanned 25 years. It’s famous for outlandish characters, wild humor and frenetic battles. Join the Joestar family as they fight the evil Dio and his legacy across continents and time!

NARUTO SHIPPUDEN (Rated ‘TV-14’)
Created by Masashi Kishimoto, NARUTO was first introduced in Weekly Shonen Jump magazine in Japan in 1999 and quickly became that country’s most popular ninja manga properties. The manga series (rated ‘T’ for Teens, in print and digital editions) and animated counterpart (NARUTO and NARUTO SHIPPUDEN) are some of VIZ Media’s most successful titles and have captivated millions of fans across North America, Europe and South America.

The NARUTO SHIPPUDEN brand continues to grow with new partners and licensed categories, including 3D mugs, bath and household items, high fashion, action figures, auto accessories, electronics and more. NARUTO and NARUTO SHIPPUDEN enjoys widespread popularity internationally and VIZ Media has teamed with a variety of prominent product partners to develop the property into strong multimedia brands for burgeoning international consumer markets.

TERRAFORMARS (Rated ‘TV-14’)
A sci-fi drama set in the far future when humanity seeks to resolve Earth’s growing overpopulation problem by terraforming Mars as their second home! Five hundred years later, the United Nations Aeronautics and Space Administration sends out an expedition team to explore this new world. But an unintended side effect of the terraforming process has unleashed a horror no one could ever have imagined: the planet has become infested with Terraformars, man-sized cockroaches that prey on humans. Now humanity must bring together all its scientific resources and power to counter this monstrous threat, or face total extinction.

For additional information on these as well as other anime and manga titles distributed and published by VIZ Media, please visit www.VIZ.com.

Tubi TV and Sentai Filmworks announce deal for streaming of new and classic anime

TUBI TV AND SENTAI FILMWORKS PARTNER

TO STREAM NEW AND CLASSIC ANIME

Deal brings hundreds of hours of high-quality anime for on demand

streaming across connected TVs, mobile devices, and the web

Tubi TV, streaming the largest library of popular movies and TV series free-to-users, and Sentai Filmworks, a leading global supplier of anime and anime merchandise, recently announced the availability of several popular new Spring anime series which will stream on a nearcast schedule following its Japanese air date. Additionally, several classic hit anime series, including Gatchaman and Clannad, will be available for users to stream in their entirety any time for free. The deal enables Sentai Filmworks’ anime library to stream on Tubi TV on connected platforms including Apple TV, Xbox One & Xbox 360, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, and Samsung televisions - in addition to iOS and Android mobile devices and the web.

The deal includes two Sentai Filmworks titles that will stream two days after airing in Japan (Onigiri and RIN-NE 2), three that will stream via nearcast 15 days after airing in Japan (Bakuon!!, Tanaka-kun Is Always Listless, and Haven’t You Heard? I’m Sakamoto), and one title that will air 31 days after Japan (Flying Witch). In addition, many enduring classic TV series will be available to stream on demand (Angel Beats, Gatchaman, Mezzo, Bodacious Space Pirates, Persona 4: The Animation, Clannad, Clannad After Story, and Dream Eater Merry).

“Sentai Filmworks strives to deliver anime to our fans, wherever they are,” said John Ledford, President and CEO of Sentai Filmworks. “Tubi TV allows us to give our fans more options to watch their favorite shows on multiple platforms.”

“We couldn’t be more excited to have Sentai Filmworks as a content partner in bringing their incredible array of hit anime series to fans for free,” said Farhad Massoudi, CEO, Tubi TV. “Anime is a popular channel on Tubi TV and the addition of these TV series further help us to deliver the best streaming experience for passionate anime fans, wherever and whenever they want.” Tubi TV has partnerships with over 200 diverse content producers, including MGM, Lionsgate, Paramount Pictures, and Starz Digital. Since announcing MGM and Lionsgate’s investment and licensing agreement in November 2015, Tubi TV’s audience has grown over 140% in the last five months and the platform expects to see strong growth continue through 2016 and beyond.

Series Synopsis
Onigiri (two-day nearcast): It’s time to forge alliances between humans, gods, and oni in a high-flying new anime based off the popular MMORPG of the same name. This can’t-miss adventure will take you deep into the world of mystical Japan, where our heroes battle against malevolent dark beings, the Kamikui. Next new episode streaming for free June 9, 2016.

RIN-NE 2 (two-day nearcast – coming soon): Based on the manga by legendary mangaka Rumiko Takahashi (Inuyasha, Ranma 1/2, Maison Ikkoku), RIN-NE 2 picks up where the first season left off with poverty-stricken Rinne Rokudo still desperately trying to make ends meet through a series of (very) odd jobs, including purifying spirits and escorting them to the Wheel of Reincarnation. In between fights with malevolent damashigami, Rinne has to deal with meddling black cats, love struck shinigami girls, and even more romantic misunderstandings with Sakura Mamiya! New episode schedule will be announced soon.

Bakuon!! (15-day nearcast): Moe and motorcycles have never looked better together in this sports comedy about a group of students in the motorcycle club of their all-girls school. When Hane Sakura sees the wild-hearted Onsa Amano riding a motorcycle to school, Sakura is inspired to join the motorcycle club and get her license. However, nothing could have prepared her for the challenges, or the joys, that come with hitting the road on the wings of a real bike! Next new episode streaming for free June 14, 2016.

Tanaka-Kun Is Always Listless (15-day nearcast): Adapted from the popular web manga series published by Square Enix, this unconventional, surrealist comedy follows an exhausted high school boy who, despite multiple attempts from his friends, still manages to spectacularly… sleep. Much to the chagrin of the energetic (at times bossy) Ohta, Tanaka is often found in a blissful state of lethargy, possessing the ability to doze off in any situation, especially in mid-sentence! Next new episode streaming for free June 12, 2016.

Haven’t You Heard? I’m Sakamoto (15-day nearcast): Just who is Sakamoto? He’s enigmatic. He’s clever. He’s dashing. No challenge is too great and no cause is too small for Sakamoto. Girls love him, guys hate him for it, and despite efforts to humiliate him, Sakamoto is flawlessly able to emerge from the fray, even cooler than ever. Who knows what Sakamoto is going to do next? Whatever it is, it will be fabulous! Next new episode streaming for free June 12, 2016.

Flying Witch (31-day nearcast): Based on the manga by Chihiro Ishizuka and serialized in Kodansha’s Bessatsu Shōnen Magazine, Flying Witch follows the adventures of 15-year-old Makoto Kowata, a teen witch whose only talent (currently) is being able to fly. In this supernatural coming-of-age tale, Makoto and her familiar, a black cat named Chito, move in with her second cousins in the beautiful and quaint Aomori Prefecture of northern Japan, where she learns to hone her magical skills. Next new episode streaming for free June 8, 2016.

Angel Beats (catalog): It sucks being dead. It sucks even more to be trapped in a surreal afterlife where you’re caught between the living and the dead – and where a mysterious, violent Angel is trying to pull you over to… somewhere. What do you do? Well, if you’re this group of rough and tumble teens, you grab every weapon you can get your hands on and give Heaven hell! High caliber action and locked-and-loaded comedy meet on a rock and roll battleground in Angel Beats! Streaming 13 episodes now.

Gatchaman (catalog): In the near future, the international community is thrown into chaos by a series of attacks by the evil criminal organization known as Galactor, and the only Science Ninja Team Gatchaman is capable of stopping the threat. Hand-picked by the brilliant scientist Dr. Nambu, the five young members of Gatchaman are ready to face the most nefarious plans of Galactor, and win! Streaming 105 episodes for free now.

Mezzo (catalog): Mikura, Kurokawa, and Harada are the three members of the Danger Service Agency (DSA). Mikaru is the brawns of the group, Harada is the brains, and Kurokowa just a bitter ex-cop that likes to think he’s in charge. They’ll take any job as long as it involves lots of danger and, of course, money. Streaming 13 episodes for free now.

Bodacious Space Pirates (catalog): Marika Kato is a high school girl living a rather ordinary life as a member of the space yacht club. One day she learns of her recently deceased father, Gonzaemon, who is revealed to have been a Space Pirate who performed legal acts of piracy under the letter of marque. In order for her father’s ship, the Bentenmaru, to continue sailing, Marika, Gonzaemon’s direct descendant, is chose to become the ships new captain. Streaming 26 episodes for free now.

Persona 4: The Animation (catalog): Recent transfer student Yu Narukami and his new friends are caught up investigating bizarre murders in a rural Japanese town. They discover a nightmarish world through a portal in TV screens, where they are threatened by vicious monsters called Shadows. Luckily for them, they also discover they can summon powerful beings known as Personas. Streaming 25 episodes for free now.

Clannad (catalog): Tomoya Okazaki is a junior in high school and has had a very rough life. When he was little, his mother died in a car accident which made his father turn to drinking and gambling. Due to his father’s behavior, Tomoya and his father do not get along and Tomoya has become a delinquent. One day Tomoya meets a girl named Nagisa, they start to hang out together and eventually she changes his life. Streaming 24 episodes for free now.

Clannad After Story (catalog): Picking up where the Clannad series left off, Tomoya has confessed his love for Nagisa, taking their relationship to a new level and direction. The second semester starts and Tomoya continues to meet new people, who alter his perspective of family and relationships. As time passes, the path which Tomoya and Nagisa walk is filled with challenges and struggles that will test the strength of their love. Streaming 25 episodes for free now.

Dream Eater Merry (catalog): Yumeji has a unique talent - he can predict his friend’s dreams by reading their auras. But his special ability makes him a target for a sinister force trying to use him to enter the real world. An unlikely ally appears when Merry, a donut-loving dream demon desperate to return to her own world, literally falls into his lap. Streaming 13 episodes for free now.