Source: Sentai Filmworks press releases Special Thanks to Christian Lopez and Ashley Johnson Sentai Filmworks has announced several new anime series licensed for streaming and home video in North America...
I COULDN’T BECOME A HERO SO I RELUCTANTLY DECIDED TO GET A JOB (?????????????????????????, Yuusha ni Narenakatta Ore wa Shibushibu Sh?shoku o Ketsui Shimashita, 2013) Official Site: yu-sibu.com (Japan) It’s out of the battlefield and into the fire as a would-be hero becomes a retail warrior in I COULDN’T BECOME A HERO SO I RELUCTANTLY DECIDED TO GET A JOB. This comedic action series is directed by Kinji Yoshimoto (Genshiken 2, Unbreakable Machine-Doll) with series composition by Masashi Suzuki (The Ambition of Oda Nobuna, Rail Wars!), sound direction by Yasushi Nagura (The Future Diary, Wagnaria!! Season 2) and animation production by asread (Minamni-ke: Okaeri, Shuffle!). Raul Chaser never wanted to work in retail, but when the war against the Demons ended unexpectedly, the Hero Training Program he was in shut down. But although combat-trained Raul may feel out of place dealing with customers in a department store instead of dealing out death with hardened steel, his newest co-worker’s culture shock is even worse. Because while Fino Bloodstone is ready, eager and willing to please, she’s also the daughter of the now deceased Demon King! So not only are her social skills a little challenged, but it’s going to be up to Raul and the staff to teach her the finer points of the human concept of a “pleasant shopping experience”, as well as when it’s proper to wear what kind of clothes and whose bed you can sleep in. And they’ll have to do it quick, because there’s a sinister major retail chain moving into the area with plans for global domination. Their job isn’t to do or die, it’s to make the customers buy, buy, buy when the ultimate swords, sorcery and sales counter attack ensues in I COULDN’T BECOME A HERO SO I RELUCTANTLY DECIDED TO GET A JOB! I COULDN’T BECOME A HERO SO I RELUCTANTLY DECIDED TO GET A JOB will be available soon through select digital outlets with a home video release to follow.
SABAGEBU! - SURVIVAL GAME CLUB! - (?????!, 2014) Official Site: sabagebu.com (Japan) Surviving your first day at a new school is tough, but dodging bullets from the barrels of pistol packing, gun crazy girls will be even tougher in SABAGEBU! - SURVIVAL GAME CLUB! -. This action comedy series is directed by Masahiko Ohta (Yuruyuri – Happy go Lily, Love Lab) with series composition by Takashi Aoshima (Kotoura-san, Minami-ke), character design by Masashi Kudo (Maoyu, Samurai Flamenco) and animation production by Pierrot Plus (Tegami Bachi: Letter Bee, Beelzebub). Life can be hard... especially when it’s your first day at a new school. Will people like you? What do you wear? It’s all up in the air and expectations are high to make the right choices. Above all, you certainly don’t want it to be boring and monotonous. And that’s exactly where we find transfer student, Momoka Sonokawa. To make matters worse, she gets harassed on the train on her way to school. So, imagine Momoka’s delight when a dashing senior from Aogiri High unexpectedly saves her from the throes of a creepy old man. Her hero has brains, brawn and a Beretta! This, at least, makes the sting of being forced to join the school’s Survival Game Club all the more easy when her hero fatefully turns out to be Miou Ootori, its President! What might sound senseless, impractical, and a little insane compared to the “normal clubs” also sounds like an exhilarating romp as these babes with bullets learn rappelling and paramilitary training in what could be called Survival of the Misses! Prep yourselves as Momoka Sonokawa must learn the beauty of battle from a bevy of beauties as action and shoujo collide as the girls of Aogiri High School come out with guns blazing in SABAGEBU! - SURVIVAL GAME CLUB! - SABAGEBU! - SURVIVAL GAME CLUB! - will be available soon through select digital outlets with a home video release to follow.
RAIL WARS! (RAIL WARS! -?????????-, RAIL WARS! -Nihon Kuni Yuu Tetsudookooan-tai-, 2014) Official Site: tbs.co.jp/anime/railwars (Japan) A new recruit will learn the ropes on the field when his new job goes seriously off track in RAIL WARS! This comedy action series is directed by Yoshifumi Sueda (Knights of Sidonia, Pocket Monster XY) with series composition by Masashi Suzuki (Hayate the combat butler! Cuties, The Ambition of Oda Nobuna), art direction by Yukihiro Watanabe (Love Live! School Idol Project, A-Channel) and animation production by Passione ( Haitai Nanaha, Little Battlers eXperience W). In a world parallel to our own, Japan’s national train system is united under the illustrious Japanese National Railways. High schooler Naoto Takayama is one of many who dreams of someday becoming a driver at the JNR. When Naoto manages to snag a job as a trainee for the Railways Security Force, he thinks he’s finally on the fast-track to success. However, Naoto’s expectations are quickly derailed when he finds that he has trouble telling who’s crazier- his coworkers or the criminals he’s supposed to catch! But when RJ, a shadowy group with sinister motives, appears to seize control of the JNR, it’s up to Naoto and his motley crew to get things back on track. Will Naoto and the rest of the Railways Security Force be able to pull the brakes on RJ’s scheme, or will it be the end of the line not only for their team, but the entire JNR as well? RAIL WARS! will be available soon through select digital outlets with a home video release to follow.
INVADERS OF THE ROKUJYOMA!? (?????????, Rokujooma no Shinryaku-sha!?, 2014) Official Site: corona106.tv (Japan) Suspiciously cheap rent will come with a major caveat or two as one crazy neighbor after another stakes their claim in INVADERS OF THE ROKUJYOMA!? This romantic comedy series is directed by Shin Oonuma (Pani Poni Dash!, Kokoro Connect) with series composition Shogo Yasukawa (Hyperdimension Neptunia, Persona – Trinity Soul), character design by Hideki Furukawa (WATAMOTE, Date A Live) and animation production by SILVER LINK (Fate/Kaleid liner Prisma Illya, Non Non Biyori). When high schooler Koutaro Satomi stumbles upon a suspiciously cheap apartment, he thinks he’s found quite the sweet deal. Although it’s a little small, the great location and low rent more than make up for it. But Koutaro’s bargain soon turns out to be more than he’s bargained for when he discovers that his apartment is haunted by an adorable girl ghost! This sweet-faced specter wants him out, and a battle of the wills quickly ensues. But just when Koutaro thinks he’s gained the upper hand, he’s interrupted by the arrival of even more unwanted houseguests who turn his home into a battlefield. Will Koutaro be able to take back control of his apartment, or will these strange new females stage a hostile takeover? What’s certain is Koutaro’s life is about to give a brand new meaning to the phrase “if it’s too good to be true, then it DEFINITELY is!” INVADERS OF THE ROKUJYOMA!? will be available soon through select digital outlets with a home video release to follow.
GLASSLIP (??????, Gurasurippu, 2014) Official Site: glasslip.jp (Japan) At the cusp of a new beginning, a group of friends will come together to shape each other’s lives in GLASSLIP. This romantic comedy series is directed by Junji Nishimura (Ranma ½, Windy Tales) with music by Akito Matsuda (Dog & Scissors, The Kawai Complex to Manors and Hostel Behavior), art direction by Toshie Honda (Another, Tari, Tari) and animation production by P.A. Works (Angel Beats!, CANAAN). Senior year is a tumultuous time in every student’s life, filled with tearful ends, and fresh beginnings. With their final year of high school underway, small-town girl Toko Fukami and her friends are about to be thrown into the real world. Where most graduates are ready to leave their lives behind and blaze their own trails, Toko has always had just one dream: to take over her family-run glassmaking business. But the arrival of unusual transfer student Kakeru Okikura shatters Toko’s formerly rose-colored life, when he begins to claim that he can hear a voice that predicts the future. And this voice has led him to none other than Toko! Kakeru’s arrival will not only change Toko’s life, but the lives of her friends as well, and something once broken, can never be perfect again. GLASSLIP will be available soon through select digital outlets with a home video release to follow.
BLUE SPRING RIDE (??????, Aoharaido, 2014) Official Site: aoha-anime.com (Japan) A girl can wear many masks, but the depths of her heart are not so easily hidden in BLUE SPRING RIDE. This romantic drama series is directed by Ai Yoshimura (My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU, Daily Lives of High School Boys), with series composition by Tomoko Konparu (Kamigami no Asobi, Sunday Without God), art direction by Yuji Kaneko (Little Witch Academia, Seny?) and animation production by Production I.G (Another, Broken Blade). Meek middle school student Yoshioka Futaba has always had a complicated relationship with boys. Considering them loud and violent, Futaba avoids them at all costs. But when the gentle Tanaka catches her eye, Futaba finds herself quickly falling in love. However, a misunderstanding causes Futaba’s first love to be quickly crushed. Before Futaba can clear the air, Tanaka disappears from school, and it seems that Futaba’s chance has slipped through her fingers for good. Now in her first year of high school, Futaba is looking to start off with a clean slate by undergoing a major personality makeover. Once cute and timid, Futaba now actively makes herself as unattractive as possible in an effort to avoid being ostracized by her female peers once again. But a run-in with a familiar face brings up old memories and the chance to right past wrongs. Second chances don’t come often, but will Futaba be able to get her feelings across once and for all? BLUE SPRING RIDE will be available soon through select digital outlets with a home video release to follow.
ARGEVOLLEN (????? ????????, Shirogane no Ishi Argevollen, 2014) Official Site: argevollen.com (Japan) With the might of an entire country behind him, one man will discover the strength to turn the tides of war in ARGEVOLLEN. This sci-fi mecha action series is directed by Atsushi Ootsuki (Motto To Love Ru, Wagnaria!! Season 2) with series composition by Tatsuo Sato (Bodacious Space Pirates, Basquatch!), sound direction by Jin Aketagawa (AKB0048, No Game, No Life) and animation production by XEBEC (Broken Blade, Fafner). It is said that war does not determine who is right – only who is left. The countries of Arandas and Ingelmia have been long embroiled in battle, with countless soldiers on each side falling in the line of duty. The sounds of bombs and gunfire have become background noise to day-to-day life, and it seems as if peace will never come. Adding to the terror are monstrous machines piloted by ruthless, battle-hardened soldiers. Destruction and devastation seem to be inevitable, unless, of course, Susumu Tokimune, the justice-seeking pilot of the ARGEVOLLEN, has anything to say about it. After Susumu and his comrades in arms save a girl named Jamie Hazaford from an enemy attack, they find themselves more determined than ever to turn the tides. But will determination and teamwork be enough? And even with the troops coming together to fight for a common goal, is hope still lost? ARGEVOLLEN will be available soon through select digital outlets with a home video release to follow.
AKAME GA KILL! (??????!, Akame ga Kiru!, 2014) Official Site: akame.tv (Japan) Weapons of war will clash in a bid to end an empire’s corruption in AKAME GA KILL! This supernatural action series is directed by Tomoki Kobayashi (Amagami SS+, Rozen Maiden), with series composition by Makoto Uezu (Humanity Has Declined, Devil Survivor 2), art direction by Yoshito Takamine (SoniAni – Super Sonico the Animation, Jormungand) and animation production by WHITE FOX (Is the order a rabbit?, Steins;Gate). Tatsumi, an eager young fighter who dreams of glory, arrives in the Imperial Capital in hopes of earning money for his impoverished village. His dreams are soon squashed when his attempts at recruitment are turned down, and his money is stolen by a curvaceous con woman. While stranded in the streets, Tatsumi attracts the attention of a wealthy family that offers to take him in. Just when it seems like things are back on track, Tatsumi’s would-be benefactors are attacked by a group of ruthless killers known as Night Raid. But the brutal assault reveals a darker truth that stretches all the way to the top, for beneath the thin veneer of the Capital lies a teeming hive of corruption that engulfs the whole city. With nowhere else to turn, Tatsumi joins the Night Raid to help put a stop to the wicked ways of the Capital once and for all. AKAME GA KILL! will be available soon through select digital outlets with a home video release to follow.
CHAIKA -THE COFFIN PRINCESS- (???????, Hitsugi no Chaika, 2014) Official Site: chaika-anime.jp (Japan) If you’ve ever wondered where all cute girls keep their huge guns, you’re about to find out in CHAIKA -THE COFFIN PRINCESS-. From original creator Ichiro Sakaki (Outbreak Company), this fantasy action adventure series is directed by Soichi Masui (Scrapped Princess, RahXephon) with series composition by Toko Machida (Allison & Lillia, Lucky Star), character design by Nobuhiro Arai (From the New World, Waiting in the Summer) and animation production by BONES (Captain Earth, No. 6). The horrors of war still haunt 20-year-old retired soldier Toru Acura. Disillusioned and unemployed, Toru spends his days loafing around without purpose, and struggles to adjust to a life without combat. However, his younger sister, Akari, is fed up with being the sole breadwinner, and this time she’s dead serious. Faced with the ultimatum of finding a source of income or meeting the business end of Akari’s spiked hammer, Toru is reluctantly forced out of the house to find a either a job or a gravesite. Instead, Toru runs smack dab into the mysterious Chaika Trabant, a 14-year-old girl from a faraway land with interesting taste in accessories. On her back is a massive coffin almost as large as the secret she carries, and although she may be small this girl packs a big punch. For Chaika is not just a stray traveler- she’s a sniper rifle-toting sorceress who’s a hell of a shot! Their chance encounter sets forth a series of events that will not only force them to confront their pasts, but will forever change their futures in COFFIN PRINCESS CHAIKA! CHAIKA -THE COFFIN PRINCESS- will be available soon through select digital outlets with a home video release to follow.
MY MENTAL CHOICES ARE COMPLETELY INTERFERING WITH MY SCHOOL ROMANTIC COMEDY! (?????????????????????????, Ore no Noonai Sentakushi ga, Gakuen Love Come o Zenryoku de Jama Shiteiru, 2013) Official Site: noucome.jp (Japan) The choices we make in life define who we are, but for poor Amakusa, his choices are forced on him and come with a world of troubles in MY MENTAL CHOICES ARE COMPLETELY INTERFERING WITH MY SCHOOL ROMANTIC COMEDY! This twisted comedy slice of life series is directed by Takayuki Inagaki (Desert Punk, Rosario + Vampire) with animation direction by Hiroyuki Saita (Campione!, Squid Girl), sound direction by Takayuki Yamaguchi (Another, Girls und Panzer) and animation production by Diomedea (Gingitsune, Polyphonica Crimson S). Due to a strange curse called Absolute Choice, Kanade Amakusa’s life has turned into a “choose your own adventure game” from hell. Series of options that seem designed to cause him the maximum possible duress and/or public embarrassment randomly appear in front of him, and if he doesn’t choose one he suffers agonizing pain. Needless to say, his resulting bizarre behavior has already branded him as one of his school’s five worst social misfits, and things get even weirder when he chooses one of the strangest options yet: “Have a beautiful girl fall from the sky.” Because not only does the adorable Chocolat drop on him like a bag of bricks, but she seems to have been sent to help remove the curse! Only she can’t remember how because she has amnesia. But it has something to do with missions he has to perform, and if he fails to achieve the objective of any of them, he’ll be stuck with the curse for life! Prepare for the ultimate multiple-choice test, where even the best answers are usually horrifically wrong, as Kanade attempts to survive MY MENTAL CHOICES ARE COMPLETELY INTERFERING WITH MY SCHOOL ROMANTIC COMEDY! MY MENTAL CHOICES ARE COMPLETELY INTERFERING WITH MY SCHOOL ROMANTIC COMEDY! will be available soon through select digital outlets with a home video release to follow.
SAMURAI JAM -BAKUMATSU ROCK- (??Rock, Bakumatsu Rock, 2014) Official Site: bakumatsu.marv.jp (Japan) A new band of heroes will pick, shred and light fire to the threads of history for love, peace and rock n’ roll inSAMURAI JAM -BAKUMATSU ROCK-. This otherworldly rock comedy series is directed by Itsuro Kawasaki (Listen to Me, Girls. I Am Your Father!, Arc the Lad) with series composition by Mitsutaka Hirota (The Prince of Tennis II, X-Men), art direction by Tsutomu Nishikura (Gunslinger Girl: Il Teatrino, Inazuma Eleven) and animation production by Studio DEEN (Sakura Trick, Fate/stay night). There was once a period in history where military government established by Tokugawa Ieyasu with his assumption of the title of Shogun ruled over Japan and its people for hundreds of years. Right around the middle of the 19th century, the dark overlords of the Late Tokugawa Shogunate ruled Japan with an iron fist. Because of this, the top idols in Shinsengumi are ordered to sing only Heaven`s Songs to brainwash and subjugate the masses, making writing or singing any songs besides Heaven`s Songs a capital offense. Enter: Sakamoto Ryoma and his Masters of the martial art OF ROCK! They must take charge as they change the old ways of a grumpy old guard while singing for what is just. While these warriors may not carry swords, they do happen to shred with an axe of the amplified sort! Get ready for a blitz of glitz and guitars as blissful cool guys sing their way into the hearts of beloved fans. Because nothing can beat the power combo of beautiful boys and rock. Join in on the revolution as Sakamoto Ryoma and his samurai rock assassins assault the status quo by bringing rock-n-roll to the people in Bakumatsu Rock! SAMURAI JAM -BAKUMATSU ROCK- will be available soon through select digital outlets with a home video release to follow.
BLADEDANCE OF THE ELEMENTALERS (???????, Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance, 2014) Official Site: bladedance.tv (Japan) All the elements will come together to create the perfect storm for one lucky lecher as he finds himself magically surrounded by the fairer sex in BLADEDANCE OF THE ELEMENTALERS. This action fantasy series is directed by Tetsuya Yanagisawa (Destiny of the Shrine Maidens, High School DxD) with series composition by Takao Yoshioka (Demon King Daimao, Elfen Lied), character design by Maki Fujii (Seraphim Call, Shattered Angels) and animation production by TNK (School Days, Cosplay Complex). The prestigious Areishia Spirit Academy has trained generation after generation of pure maidens in the art of spirit contracting. At this esteemed school, young ladies of noble birth gather to receive an education reserved for the most elite of students, and fulfill their dreams of earning the coveted position of elementalist. But this society of young elite ladies is soon turned on its head by the arrival of Kamito Kazehaya, an unintentional pervert who stumbles upon academy student Claire in the middle of her own very sacred, very nude, spirit contracting ritual! Not only does Kamito get an eyeful, but an earful as well when he finds out that he’s unintentionally stolen the spirit Claire was trying to contract, leading to a very startling revelation: not only is Kamito an elementalist, but he’s the only male elementalist in the world! Now, forced to enroll in the all-girl Areishia Academy, Kamito’s about to learn more than he bargained for about magic and the opposite sex. And with this many ladies around, things are sure to get feisty! BLADEDANCE OF THE ELEMENTALERS will be available soon through select digital outlets with a home video release to follow.
About Sentai Filmworks
Sentai Filmworks celebrates its 5th Anniversary as one of the fastest-growing anime companies in North America, producing hit series like PERSONA 4, GIRLS UND PANZER, DEVIL SURVIVOR 2, BODACIOUS SPACE PIRATES, MAJESTIC PRINCE and HIGH SCHOOL OF THE DEAD as well as high profile theatrical films such as GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES, K-ON! and APPLESEED. Sentai Filmworks’ programs are distributed through Ingram Entertainment, Diamond Comic Distributors, Section23Films and Waxworks through retailers Amazon, Best Buy, Fry’s, FYE, Hastings, Sam Goody, Suncoast, The Right Stuf, Wal-Mart and other good and fine stores. Digital product offerings may be found at iTunes, Hulu, Netflix, Amazon, Zune Marketplace, Anime Network, Playstation Network, Android Market and YouTube.