ACF 1266: Retrospective of 15 animation films from Studio Ghibli coming to IFC Center NY

Kiki's Delivery Service

Studio Ghibli RetrospeciveAll 15 Films from 1984 to 2009

Where: IFC Center, 323 6th Ave, NYC

When: December 16, 2011 - January 12, 2012Multiple Shows Per Day

GKIDS brings a complete retrospective of films from Japan's famed Studio Ghibli animation studio to the IFC Center this winter. Don't miss your chance to see some of the greatest films of all time on new 35mm prints, including the Academy Award-winning Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, Castle in the Sky, Princess Mononoke, Kiki's Delivery Service, and North American Premieres of Only Yesterday and The Ocean Waves.

Films will be presented in both subtitled and English language versions (where available), with subtitled versions playing 6:00 pm and later.

Complete information including lineup, film descriptions and showtimes here.

ACF 1263: Sentai Filmworks acquires rights for GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES

SENTAI FILMWORKS LICENSES

GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES

Sentai Filmworks, with understandable pride, has announced the acquisition of distribution rights for the critically acclaimed animation masterpiece GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES.  The movie is based on the semi-autobiographical retellings of survivor Nosaka Akiyuki and directed by Iaso Takahata (co-founder, with Hayao Miyazaki, of Japan’s legendary Studio Ghibli, the studio that performed the animation duties for the film).

I saw the film years ago on an English language promotional preview DVD from Central Park Media, which has been out of business for a couple of years now. It's a fantastic film, but my opinion is that it's definitely suitable only for children that are at least 10 to 12 years old. The subject matter -- siblings struggling to survive in the horror that was Japan as World War II ended -- is way too serious and disturbing for those younger than that.

Here's what Sentai has to say about their upcoming release:

GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES has been universally hailed as both an artistic and emotional tour de force, with famed critic Roger Ebert calling the feature “An emotional experience so powerful that it forces a rethinking of animation” and stating that “it belongs on any list of the greatest war films ever made.”  Sentai Filmworks is extraordinarily honored to have been given the privilege of handling the digitally restored version of one of the art of animation’s true crowning achievements.

Digital distribution of GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES will begin through many outlets this winter, and a DVD of the digitally restored master will be in stores next year.

Synopsis: As the Empire of the Sun crumbles upon itself and a rain of firebombs falls upon Japan, the final death march of a nation is echoed in millions of smaller tragedies.  This is the story of Seita and his younger sister Setsuko, two children born at the wrong time, in the wrong place, and now cast adrift in a world that lacks not the care to shelter them, but simply the resources.  Forced to fend for themselves in the aftermath of fires that swept entire cities from the face of the earth, their doomed struggle is both a tribute to the human spirit and the stuff of nightmares.  Beautiful, yet at times brutal and horrifying, it is a film that perhaps only the animated medium could render without completely overloading human senses, transforming the fog of war and the screams of the dying into what Ebert calls “visual poetry.”

ACF 1261: Animated thriller LOUPS=GAROUS now on sale

Section23 Films has announcedthe release of the animated thriller LOUPS=GAROUS: The Motion Picture, on both DVD and Blu-Ray.

Title:                 LOUPS=GAROUS

Running Time:   98 min.

Age Rating:       TV 14 (V)

Language:         English & Japanese with English Subtitles

Published by:    Sentai Filmworks

Distributed by:  Section23 Films

Street Date:      11/29/2011

Format:             DVD

SRP:                $29.98

             Title:                LOUPS=GAROUS BLU-RAY EDITION

             Running Time:  98 min.

             Age Rating:      TV 14 (V)

             Language:        English & Japanese with English Subtitles

             Published by:   Sentai Filmworks

             Distributed by: Section23 Films

             Street Date:     11/29/2011

             Format:            BD

             SRP:               $39.98

SYNOPSIS: After a virus claims millions, most live in the safety of a closed-off world, relegating themselves to an on-line existence. But when a young girl decides to brave life outside the virtual world, she finds a group of friends—and a killer. Someone is hunting and violently murdering children. Who? And why? And is she the next target? Get plugged in to this year's most riveting animated thriller, the cyber-shocker Loups=Garous!

ACF 1259: Section23 Films announces its January 2012 slate of releases

Home video distributor Section23 Films has announced its January slate of releases, including THE WORLD GOD ONLY KNOWS, The devilishly fun anime will be released on both DVD & Blu-Ray by Section23 client, Sentai Filmworks.

Product details, in order of release:

AND YET THE TOWN MOVES COMPLETE COLLECTION

Published by:    Sentai Filmworks

Distributed by:  Section23 Films

Run Time:         300 min.

Street Date:      1/3/2012

Format:             DVD

Language:         Japanese with English Subtitles

SRP:                $49.98

SYNOPSIS:  Hotori Arashiyama loves mysteries, but there's one she just can't solve:  Why does the solution to one problem inevitably seem to lead to another?  Like how when Hotori has to start working at the Seaside Maid Café after school to pay off a debt and her friend Toshiko fortunately knows exactly how a Maid Café should be run.  Which is fortunate since Hotori has no clue.  Except that, unfortunately, Toshiko has no interest in working at the café, UNTIL she discovers that Hotori's childhood friend Hiroyuki is a regular.  Which SEEMS fortunate.  Except that Hotori doesn't know that, while Toshiko likes Hiroyuki, Hiroyuki secretly likes Hotori, while Hotori secretly has a crush on…  No, no more spoilers!  But if that's not enough drama, there's work, angst with a certain math teacher, table tennis between her classmates, her younger brother versus the school's bad girl…  And yet, even though everything seems like it's going to crash at any moment, somehow Hotori's life keeps going hilariously forward in AND YET THE TOWN MOVES!   

AKIKAN! COMPLETE COLLECTION

Published by:    Sentai Filmworks

Distributed by:  Section23 Films

Run Time:         350 min.

Street Date:      1/10/2012

Format:             DVD

Language:         Japanese with English Subtitles

SRP:                $49.98

SYNOPSIS:  Hobbies are often a great way of meeting new people, but how could Kakeru Diachi, who collects rare juice cans, have ever suspected that he'd meet a fascinating new girl when he attempted to DRINK her?  Naming her Melon, because she's got great melon… soda, Kakeru quickly learns that she's an Akikan - a beautiful girl who's also a special can created to fight other Akikans in a strange experiment to determine what kind of container is better: steel or aluminum!  Will becoming involved in this ridiculously twisted research project gone amuck complicate Kakeru's life incredibly?  Of course it will, but because Melon's steel body needs carbon dioxide to breathe, he's now stuck with her since she's too CO2 dependent!   And when his wealthy, attractive, best childhood friend Najimi gets HER own aluminum Akikan, the trouble really begins!  For once, it's not what's inside that counts as battling beverage containers run wild in AKIKAN - The Complete Series!  

PRINCESS RESURRECTION COMPLETE COLLECTION

Published by:    Sentai Filmworks

Distributed by:  Section23 Films

Run Time:         650 min.

Street Date:      1/17/2012

Format:             DVD

Language:         English & Japanese with English Subtitles

SRP:                $69.98

SYNOPSIS:  She's a hot Goth vixen with a love-jones for swords, chainsaws and mace balls. And it's a good thing she's handy at using them all because every zombie, vampire, mummy and demon spawn is gunning for her. But weapons aren't the only thing Princess Resurrection has going for her. She's got a team of ass-kicking darksiders right beside her-a pint-sized android maid, a half-werewolf hottie, a sexy high school vampire, a wicked-cute little sister and a young boy she brought back from the dead. Fighting evil was never this sexy. Or this much fun! All new dub featuring the voices of Shelley Calene-Black and Blake Shepard!

THE WORLD GOD ONLY KNOWS COMPLETE COLLECTION

Published by:    Sentai Filmworks

Distributed by:  Section23 Films

Run Time:         300 min.

Street Date:      1/24/2012

Format:             DVD

Language:         English & Japanese with English Subtitles

SRP:                $59.98

SYNOPSIS:  Keima is a dating sim champion. Cute girls are rendered powerless by his irresistible game playing techniques. Too bad things aren't that way in the real world. That is, until his tempting game playing causes a real live-and very bubbly-cute-demon hunter named Elsie to materialize! Now Elsie wants Keima to help her free hot girls from sneaky demons who secretly possess them. Rack up the love points with the devilishly fun anime The World God Only Knows!

THE WORLD GOD ONLY KNOWS COMPLETE COLLECTION BLU-RAY

Published by:    Sentai Filmworks

Distributed by:  Section23 Films

Run Time:         300 min.

Street Date:      1/24/2012

Format:             BD

Language:         English & Japanese with English Subtitles

SRP:                $69.98

SYNOPSIS:  Keima is a dating sim champion. Cute girls are rendered powerless by his irresistible game playing techniques. Too bad things aren't that way in the real world. That is, until his tempting game playing causes a real live-and very bubbly-cute-demon hunter named Elsie to materialize! Now Elsie wants Keima to help her free hot girls from sneaky demons who secretly possess them. Rack up the love points with the devilishly fun anime The World God Only Knows!

EF ~ A TALE OF MEMORIES COMPLETE COLLECTION

Published by:    Sentai Filmworks

Distributed by:  Section23 Films

Run Time:         300 min.

Street Date:      1/31/2012

Format:             DVD

Language:         English & Japanese with English Subtitles

SRP:                $59.98

SYNOPSIS:  One Christmas Eve, Hiro Hirono helps Miyako, the victim of a purse snatching, and discovers that she goes to the same school he does. To the dismay of his childhood friend, Kei, Hiro starts hanging out with Miyako. But Kei is not about to let a new girl in Hiro's life take him away from her, and sets out to prove that she's the only one for him. When Renji Asou meets Chihiro Shindou at an abandoned train station, he doesn't notice anything unusual at first.  But he soon discovers that she suffers from a rare form of amnesia and can only remember things for thirteen hours.  Chihiro dreams of writing a novel, but her amnesia has made it an impossible task.Now, however, Renji is determined to help her fulfill her dream. Emotionally charged, beautifully animated and now available for the first time with an all-star English cast. Don't miss one of anime's masterpieces: ef ~ A Tale of Memories!

EF ~ A TALE OF MEMORIES COMPLETE COLLECTION BLU-RAY

Published by:    Sentai Filmworks

Distributed by:  Section23 Films

Run Time:         300 min.

Street Date:      1/31/2012

Format:             BD

Language:         English & Japanese with English Subtitles

SRP:                $69.98

SYNOPSIS:  One Christmas Eve, Hiro Hirono helps Miyako, the victim of a purse snatching, and discovers that she goes to the same school he does. To the dismay of his childhood friend, Kei, Hiro starts hanging out with Miyako. But Kei is not about to let a new girl in Hiro's life take him away from her, and sets out to prove that she's the only one for him. When Renji Asou meets Chihiro Shindou at an abandoned train station, he doesn't notice anything unusual at first.  But he soon discovers that she suffers from a rare form of amnesia and can only remember things for thirteen hours.  Chihiro dreams of writing a novel, but her amnesia has made it an impossible task.Now, however, Renji is determined to help her fulfill her dream. Emotionally charged, beautifully animated and now available for the first time with an all-star English cast. Don't miss one of anime's masterpieces: ef ~ A Tale of Memories!

ACF 1254: South Korean animation double feature coming to MAD

Aachi and Ssipak + A Coffee Vending Machine and Its Sword

When: Friday, December 2, 2011 at 7:00 pm

Where: The Museum of Arts and Design

2 Columbus Circle, NYC

$10 general / $7 members and students

Purchase tickets here, or call 1.800.838.3006

Aachi and Ssipak

Directed by Jo Beom-jin

With the voices of Yeong Hyeon, Gyu-hwa Lee and Gyu-hyeong Lee

South Korea, 2006, 90 minutes, Digital Projection

Synopsis: In the future, life is literally a pile of feces. With Earth’s resources completely depleted, only human waste is left as a fuel source. Diaper gangs and black markets vie for control of “Juicybars,” highly addictive fruit bars given as compensation for defecation. In this new landscape of limited resources, the anti-heros of Aachi and Ssipak battle against the Diaper Gangs for control over the “Juicybar” supply. Highlighting the originality in story and technical ability found in Korean animation, "Aachi and Ssipak" presents a fresh and original take on the animated feature.

ACF note: Aachi and Ssipak was my personal number one pic as the most extreme, most outrageous Asian film of all time in the special 15th anniversary issue of Asian Cult Cinema magazine (Number 57, First Quarter 2008). It garners a 4 out of 4 star rating, my highest recommendation. Don't miss this screening!

Aachi and Ssipak will be shown with:

A Coffee Vending Machine and Its Sword

2007, Dir. Hyung-Yun Chang

South Korea, 2007, 30 minutes, Digital Projection

Synopsis: After being slain in battle, Jin Yeong-yeong, a swordsman who was called Murimjeilgeom (Best Martial Sword), finds himself reincarnated. This time it's as a coffee vending machine.   After the new steel warrior experiences love-at-first-sight with Hye-mi, a sympathetic girl who enjoys drinking wine. Jin Yeong-yeong must discover his place in the new world he inhabits.

ACF 1253: Holiday manga and anime releases from VIZ KIDS

© 2011 Pokémon. ©1995-2010 Nintendo/Creatures Inc./GAME FREAK inc.
TM, ®, and character names are trademarks of Nintendo.

VIZ Media hasplenty to delight even the youngest manga (graphic novel) and anime fans thisholiday season with a variety of new releases from VIZ KIDS to fill young mindswith wonder and fire imaginations with fun adventures with characters from POKÉMON,MAMESHIBA and THE LEGEND OF ZELDA.

This year, VIZ Media highlights THE LEGEND OF ZELDA Manga Box Set, whichcelebrates the series’ 25th Anniversary and bundles all 10 volumesof the fantasy action manga adventure series based on the hit Nintendo videogame. MAMESHIBA will delight young readers with adorable characters in a winter-themedstory and pop-out play scene. The timeless fun of POKÉMON is alsowell-represented this holiday season with the DVD release of the latest featurefilm, POKÉMON – ZOROARK: MASTER OF ILLUSIONS, as well as a POKÉMON DIAMOND ANDPEARL ADVENTURE! Manga Box Set, and much, much more.

Manga Gift Releases:

THE LEGEND OF ZELDA Manga Box Set · Rated “A” for All Ages · MSRP: $69.99 U.S. / $80.99 CAN · Available Now 

The box set containsall 10 volumes of THE LEGEND OF ZELDA manga series and a collectible poster. THELEGEND OF ZELDA takes place in the mystical land of Hyrule, where threespiritual stones hold the key to the Triforce. Whoever holds them will controlthe world. A boy named Link sets out on a quest to deliver the Emerald, thespiritual stone of the forest, to Zelda, Princess of the land of Hyrule. Thejourney will be long and perilous, and Link will need all his skill and courageto defeat evil. The battle for Hyrule and the Sacred Realm has begun.

Mameshiba ♥ Winter © 2011 VIZ Media, LLC. All rights reserved.
Mameshiba characters licensed from Dentsu Inc. © DENTSU INC. All rights reserved.

MAMESHIBA ♥ WINTER · Rated “A” for All Ages · MSRP: $12.99 U.S. / $14.99 CAN · Available Now 

It's a BEAN! It's a DOG! It's... BOTH?! Not quite one or theother – they're Mameshiba, cutelittle bean dogs with their own personalities and strange facts to share.

When it's cold and snowy,Mameshiba are ready to play! The clever beans are building a snow castle, andyou can join in the fun! With MAMESHIBA♥ WINTER  you can decoratethe snowy scenes with stickers and play around the castle with your very ownMameshiba figures. Plus, keep the beans warm by dressing them up in wintergear

POKÉMON – ZOROARK: MASTER OF ILLUSIONS · Rated “A” for All Ages · MSRP: $7.99 U.S. / $9.99 CAN · Available Now 

Ash and Pikachu travel to CrownCity to watch the Pokémon Baccer World Cup competition, but it’s not all funand games. The powerful Pokémon Zoroark has attacked! Ash and his friends mustsolve an old mystery before they can stop Zoroark and save the people of CrownCity.

POKÉMON BLACK & WHITE, Vol. 4 · Rated “A” for All Ages · MSRP: $4.99 U.S. / $5.99 CAN · Available Now 

Meet Pokémon Trainers Black and White! His entire life, Black has dreamed of winning thePokémon League! Now he embarks on a journey to explore the Unova region andfill a Pokédex for Professor Juniper. White has an exciting career as theTrainer of a talented troupe of performing Pokémon. She dreams of making herTepig Gigi a star! Together,Black and White continue on their journey... What surprising new Pokémon – andpeople – will they meet next?!

© 2008-2010 Pokémon.
©1995-2010 Nintendo/Creatures Inc./GAME FREAK inc.
Pokémon properties are trademarks of Nintendo.
Pokémon D･P POCKET MONSTER DIAMOND PEARL MONOGATARI © 2007 Shigekatsu IHARA/Shogakukan

POKÉMON DIAMOND & PEARL ADVENTURE! Manga Box Set · Rated “A” for All Ages · MSRP: $59.99 U.S. / $67.99 CAN · Available Now! 

Contains all 8 volumes of the POKÉMONDIAMOND & PEARL ADVENTURE! series and a collectible poster. Most kids spendtheir days at school, but not Hareta. Raised in the wild by Pokémon, he canclimb as high as an Aipom, swim as fast as a Magikarp, and even eat bark like aBidoof! Recruited by Professor Rowan, Hareta decides to become aPokémon Trainer. Along with his first Pokémon, Piplup, and his new friendMitsumi, he sets off in search of the legendary Pokémon Dialga. But TeamGalactic is hunting for Dialga too. Can Hareta and Piplup defeat Team Galacticand stop their evil plans?

POKÉMON MAGNET PLAY BOOK · Rated “A” for All Ages · MSRP: $8.99 U.S. / $10.99 CAN · Available Now 

Now children of all ages can have their own adventures in the UnovaRegion! This book includes eightmagnets that can be used in the book or on any other magnet-friendly surface,featuring Oshawott,Snivy, Tepig, Pikachu, Axew, Pansage,Reshiram and Zekrom.

AnimeGift Releases:

© 2011 Pokémon.
© 1997-2010 Nintendo, Creatures, GAME FREAK, TV Tokyo, Shopro, JR Kikaku.
© PIKACHU PROJECT 2010. Pokémon properties are trademarks of Nintendo.
GENEI NO HASHA ZOROARK © 2010 Momota INOUE/Shogakukan

POKÉMON – ZOROARK: MASTER OF ILLUSIONS DVD · Rated “A” for All Ages · MSRP: $19.98 U.S. / CAN · Available Now 

As Ash and hisfriends journey to Crown City to join the crowds watching the Pokémon BaccerWorld Cup, mysterious forces are in motion that could bring untold misfortuneto them all! What secrets does Zorua, a Pokémon they befriend along the way,hide? Why is the powerful Zoroark rampaging through the city, and what does theappearance of the Legendary Pokémon Raikou, Entei, and Suicune mean? All thesequestions and more will be answered in POKÉMON—ZOROARK:MASTER OF ILLUSIONS! 

POKÉMON DP GALACTIC BATTLES DVDGift Set, Vol. 4 · Rated “A” for All Ages · MSRP: $24.92 U.S. / $24.98 CAN · Available November 22nd 

The DVD gift set contains POKÉMON DP GALACTICBATTLES Vols. 7-8! When it comesto Pokémon, the more, the merrier:  two new friends have joined Ash, Dawn,and Brock on their Sinnoh journey!  Together, they’ll chase a rogue Gibleand face off in a tag battle. Before long, however, things take a turn for theworse as Team Galactic and Pokémon Hunter J return with a vengeance. Now TeamGalactic is poised to achieve its ultimate goal: summoning the Legendary Dialgaand Palkia in order to destroy the world! Are Ash and his friends ready to facethe biggest Galactic battle of all?

For moreinformation on these and other titles available from VIZ Media’s VIZ KIDSimprint, please visit www.VIZKids.com or www.VIZ.com.

ACF 1252: New anime releases available for the holidays from VIZ

© LEVEL-5/Team Layton 2009. All Rights Reserved

VIZ Media is offering fans and holidayshoppers a variety of new anime releases of some of the company’s hottestproperties.

Holiday wish lists and shopping guides won’t be complete without BLEACHTHE MOVIE: FADE TO BLACK (also offered in Blu-ray edition), NARUTO SHIPPUDENTHE MOVIE: BONDS (Blu-ray also available), and VAMPIRE KNIGHT GUILTY: THECOMPLETE SERIES, as well as the newest episodic DVD releases for each of thesepopular series. 

Kids and the young at heart can also look forward to VIZ Media’s launchof PROFESSORLAYTON AND THE ETERNAL DIVA, based onthe popular video game, as well as the new POKÉMON – ZOROARK: MASTER OF ILLUSIONS feature film and thelatest Pokemon DP Galactic BattlesGift Set.

© Tite Kubo/Shueisha, TV TOKYO, dentsu, Pierrot © BMP 2008

BLEACH THE MOVIE: FADE TO BLACK·Rated “T” for Teens ·

MSRP: $19.98 for DVD (U.S. / CAN) & $24.98 forBlu-ray (U.S / CAN) · Available Now  

A strange disturbance in the World of the Living sends Ichigo and Kon to the Soul Society, where theSeireitei has been devastated by an explosion of reishi and Rukia is missing.Stranger still, none of the Soul Reapers remember Ichigo, and they think he’sthe one responsible for the destruction. Now on the run, Ichigo is forced into alonely battle in order to find Rukia and stop the real culprits.

BLEACH UNCUT DVD BOX SET, Vol. 11·Rated “T” for Teens · MSRP: $49.95 U.S. / CAN · AvailableDecember 13th   

Ichigo andRukia take responsibility for looking after Rurichiyo, a girl of noble birthwho one day appears in the World of the Living. She and her two bodyguardstransfer into Ichigo’s class at school, and Rukia decides to show her how tohave fun. But the fun stops when first Rurichiyo disappears and then a group ofassassins arrives and challenges Ichigo and friends to a fight.

NARUTO SHIPPUDEN UNCUT DVD BOX SET, Vol. 8 · Rated “T+” for Older Teens · MSRP: $49.95U.S. / $43.24 CAN · Available Now   

Naruto’s new jutsuRasenShuriken is unbelievably powerful—but because of the risks to the user, Tsunadeforbids Naruto to use it! When Jiraiya returns to the village, Naruto seeks hisguidance, and the two head off to a hot springs resort to work on a solution.Meanwhile, Kakashi leads a team in search of Orochimaru’s hideout, and whenNaruto hears about it, he begs to join them. Set includes special "KakashiChronicles" story, featuring a young Kakashi on one of his early missions.

NARUTO SHIPPUDEN THE MOVIE: BONDS·Rated “T+” for Older Teens · MSRP: $19.98 forDVD (U.S. / CAN) & $24.98 for Blu-ray (U.S / CAN)· Available Now   

A group of mysterious flying ninja have arrived from overseas to launcha sudden attack against the Hidden Leaf Village, leaving behind a wake ofdestruction. 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. Tosave their village, Naruto and hisfriends 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 LeafVillage.

© 2011 Pokémon. © 1997-2010 Nintendo, Creatures, GAME FREAK, TV Tokyo, ShoPro, JR Kikaku. © PIKACHU PROJECT 2010.

Pokémon properties are trademarks of Nintendo.

POKEMON – ZOROARK: MASTER OF ILLUSIONS · Rated “A” for All Ages · MSRP: $19.88U.S. / CAN · Available Now   

As Ash and hisfriends journey to Crown City to join the crowds watching the Pokémon BaccerWorld Cup, mysterious forces are in motion that could bring untold misfortuneto them all! What secrets does Zorua, a Pokémon they befriend along the way,hide? Why is the powerful Zoroark rampaging through the city, and what does theappearance of the Legendary Pokémon Raikou, Entei, and Suicune mean? What hasbrought Celebi back to the city at this precise moment in time for the firsttime in 20 years? And what will happen when the paths of all of them cometogether in one time and place?

 

POKEMON DP GALACTIC BATTLES GIFT SET, Vol. 4 · Rated “A” for All Ages · MSRP: $24.97U.S. / $24.98 CAN · Available Now    

When it comes toPokémon, the more, the merrier:  two new friends have joined Ash, Dawn,and Brock on their Sinnoh journey! Together, they’ll chase a rogue Gible andface off in a tag battle. Before long, however, things take a turn for theworse as Team Galactic and Pokémon Hunter J return with a vengeance. Now TeamGalactic is poised to achieve its ultimate goal: summoning the Legendary Dialgaand Palkia in order to destroy the world! Are Ash and his friends ready to facethe biggest Galactic battle of all? Set contains PokÉmon DP Galactic Battles Vols. 7-8.

© 2008 MATSURI HINO, HAKUSENSHA/VAMPIRE KNIGHT PROJECT

VAMPIRE KNIGHT GUILTY: THE COMPLETE SERIES · Rated “T+” for Older Teens · MSRP: $49.95U.S. / $43.24 CAN · Available Now    

Zero is accusedof Shizuka Hio's murder and becomes the target of the Senate. When Kanamerefuses to attest to Zero's innocence, Yuki's loyalties are torn between thetwo. Then Yuki meets a mysterious little boy whose seemingly innocent kiss onthe cheek draws her deeper into the world of vampires. Zero, seeing Yukistruggle to recall her past, tries to help. Do the archives of the Hunter'sSociety headquarters hold the key that will unlock Yuki's memories? Set containsepisodes 1-13, original & uncut.

For more information on VIZMedia anime titles, visit: www.VIZ.com.

ACF 1247: VIZ releases BLEACH THE MOVIE: FADE TO BLACK in multiple formats and downloads

© Tite Kubo/Shueisha, TV TOKYO, dentsu, Pierrot © BMP 2008

VIZ Media has announced the release ofthe latest BLEACH feature film – BLEACH THE MOVIE: FADE TO BLACK. The movie isavailable on DVD and Blu-ray, is rated ’T’ for Teens, and carries an MSRP of$19.98 for DVD (U.S. / CAN) and $24.98 for Blu-ray (U.S / CAN). BLEACH THEMOVIE: FADE TO BLACK offers with both English and Japanese dialogue options aswell as bonus features including production art and the original theatricaltrailers.

The film is also available for Download-to-Own (DTO) for only $9.99 andfor Download-to-Rent (DTR) for only $4.99from digital partners including on iTunes (www.iTunes.com), Amazon Instant Video, and Zune on XboxLive. DTO and DTR availability for PlaystationNetworkis forthcoming,

In this newest supernatural adventure, a strange disturbance in theWorld of the Living sends Ichigo and Kon to the Soul Society, where the Seireitei has beendevastated by an explosion of reishi and Rukia is missing. Stranger still, noneof the Soul Reapers remember Ichigo, and they think he’s the one responsiblefor the destruction. Now on the run, Ichigo is forced into a lonely battle inorder to find Rukia and stop the real culprits!

The BLEACH animated film and TV series arebased on a smash hit manga (graphic novel) series created by Tite Kubo, and follows theadventures of Ichigo, a 15-year old student with the ability to see ghosts.When his family is attacked by a Hollow — a malevolent lost soul – Ichigoencounters Rukia, a Soul Reaper, and inadvertently absorbs her powers. Now,he’s dedicating his life to protecting the innocent and helping tortured soulsfind peace.

BLEACH is a tremendously successful multimediaproperty internationally. The manga has been licensed to more than a dozencountries and has sold over 50 million copies in Japan alone. In North America,the manga has been a sales hit and the popular animated series (both rated 'T'for Teens) is viewed weekly by millions in the United States and Canada. This success has further spawned an array ofrelated video games, apparel, action figures, trading cards and other merchandise.

Formore information on BLEACH, visit www.bleach.viz.com.

ACF 1236: Sentai Filmworks licenses comedy series A-CHANNEL

Sentai Filmworks has announced the acquisition of A-CHANNEL, a cutting edge, slice of life comedy series based on the popular four panel comic by bb Kuroda.  Helming the task of adapting the four panel strip into linear story are director Manabu Ono (Transformers: Cybertron, Dragonaut, Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere,) and lead writer Tatsuhiko Urahata (Strawberry Panic, Murder Princess, Monster).

Animation director and character designer Masakatsu Sasaki (Saki, Erotic Torture Chamber) adapts Kuroda’s designs for the animation medium while music is in the hands of Satoru Kousaki (Lucky Star, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya),

A-CHANNEL will be available digitally through many outlets and on subtitled DVD next February.

Synopsis: Toru and Run have been best friends forever, so when Toru learns that she’s managed to get into the same high school as Run, she runs to tell her… only to find Run in a compromising position with yet another girl, Yuko.  Needless to say, that makes things a bit awkward at school, with Toru fending off those who might be interested in Run while Yuko and their other girlfriend, Nagi, have to deal with Run’s own penchant for drama.

But it’s not all angst all the time, and as the school year progresses the four girls and their many classmates find time to laugh, play and figure out how to handle unexpected problems life likes to throw at them.  Like bugs in the house, accidentally giving each other horrible haircuts, freezing up at karaoke or forgetting to put your underwear on in the morning.   When it comes to learning about the real world, there’s always something ‘educational’ to be found in A-CHANNEL!

ACF 1234: Anime Network to stream UN-GO online starting November 13th

Broadcast and digital distributor Anime Network has announced the acquisition of the all new detective/mystery anime UN-GO, for their streaming service, Anime Network Online.

Director Seiji Mizushima (Eureka Seven, Slayers Next) and studio BONES (No.6, Xam’d: Lost Memories) invite you to witness the never ending struggle of a failed detective and his quirky assistant to unravel mysteries, solve cases, and finally get a little recognition in UN-GO.

Starting on Sunday, November 13th, the series will begin streaming online at 3 PM Eastern with a new episode available every week. Each episode will also be available on the free, ad-supported Hulu service, as well as the Hulu Plus subscription service, within 24 hours. Distribution on additional services and platforms will follow in 2012.

ABOUT THE SERIES:

Shinjurou Yuuki: The Last Great Detective...or the "Defeated Detective", depending on who you ask. With a love of mysteries and a knack for solving them, the young man's prodigious talents have made him the target of some less than savory people in a near future Tokyo. What's worse, his fellow policemen are not even on his side! With only his quirky assistant Inga, Yuuki must evade friend and foe alike in order to finally prove that he's the best in UN-GO!

WHERE:

Anime Network Online: www.theanimenetwork.com
Hulu and Hulu Plus: www.hulu.com/network/anime-network

RELEASE SCHEDULE:

Sundays at 3 PM Eastern, starting November 13th on Anime Network Online; available on Hulu and Hulu Plus within 24-hours.

All 11 episodes will be available to Guest Users.

ACF 1230: UN-GO will soon be available through digital outlets; home video release coming in 2012

Sentai Filmworks has acquired UN-GO (pronounced An Go,) the eagerly awaited new series from Fuji TV’s prestigious noitaminA animation block and mega animation studio BONES.

Loosely inspired by a collection of detective stories by Japanese literary giant Ango Sakaguchi, the all star production transposes the action to a gritty near future, post war Tokyo, and is helmed by director Seiji Mizushima (Full Metal Alchemist, Mobile Suit Gundam 00, Daiguard) with a storyline by his Full Metal Alchemist collaborator Shou Aikawa (Blood Reign: Curse of the Yoma, Martian Sucessor Nadesico, Ghost Slayers Ayashi).

In yet another unique twist, character design duties will be split between illustrator pako (Rental Magika) and Loveless and Earthian manga creator Yun Kouga (Mobile Suit Gundam 00). 

UN-GO will soon be available digitally through many outlets, with a home video release next year on DVD and Blu-Ray

Synopsis: He pursues his job as the ‘Last Great Detective’.  Others call him the ‘Defeated Detective’.  What’s certain is that he’s Shinjurou Yuuki, a young man with a passion for mysteries and a talent for solving them that has made him the target of dark forces now stirring within the sinister underworld of a near future Tokyo.  That could prove lethal, given that not even the other ‘good guys,’ including the police, are exactly on Shinjouro’s side.

Fortunately Yuuki’s not completely on his own, and with the aid of his uniquely talented associate Inga, he’s ready to cut a swath through the veils of secrecy that have been laid before him.  Get ready for mind against matter and a lot of cloak and dagger as the ultimate battle of clue and deduction begins in UN-GO!

ACF 1220: Anime Network to Stream Majikoi ~ Oh! Samurai Girls Online

Anime Network to Stream Majikoi ~ Oh! Samurai Girls Online 

 

Anime Network has announced that they will begin streaming the slapstick comedy Magikoi ~ Oh! Samurai Girls, in Japanese with English subtitles on Anime Network Online. 

 

Adapted from Minato Soft's popular visual novel, directed by Keitaro Motonaga (Akane Iro ni Somaru Saka, School Days,) with story supervision by Katsuhiko Takayama (And yet The Town Moves, e.f. A Tale of Memories,) the 12-episode series centers around a city where samurai ancestry runs deep, a tightly knit group of girls who suddenly find themselves with two new members, and a ton of new problems. 

 

Starting on Friday, November 18, Anime Network will kick off the online release with the first two episodes going live at 12 PM Eastern. A new episode will be available every week there after. Each episode will also be available on the free, ad-supported Hulu service, as well as the Hulu Plus subscription service, within 24 hours. Distribution on additional services and platforms will follow in 2012. 

 

ABOUT THE SERIES 

 

It’s one thing to honor your ancestors and keep old traditions alive, but there IS such a thing as taking it to a ridiculous extreme. In Kawakami City, having a samurai ancestor and enormous ‘fighting spirit’ isn’t just an interesting fact, it’s a huge part of how you end up being ranked on the social totem pole. That, in turn, rolls over into the school curriculum. Fortunately, that’s something the local kids like Yamato Naoe have learned to deal with by forming into small ‘bands,’ (that’s the samurai type, NOT music.) However, while the delicate sexual balance of Yamato’s group seemed fine when there were three girls and four boys, the sudden addition of two MORE girls starts to send everything spinning out of control! Seven’s a band of samurai and nine is a riot as boys, girls and naked blades all come together in Majikoi ~ Oh! Samurai Girls! 

 

WHERE: 

 

Anime Network Online: www.theanimenetwork.com

Hulu and Hulu Plus: www.hulu.com/network/anime-network

RELEASE SCHEDULE:

Fridays at 12 PM Eastern, starting Nov. 18 on Anime Network Online. Available on Hulu and Hulu Plus within 24-hours. 

All 12 episodes will be available to Guest Users.