Source: Shout! Factory, MPRM Communications press releases Official Movie Site: sector7movie.blogspot.com (US), 2011sector7.co.kr (Korea) Special Thanks to Leif Helland Korea’s first 3D sci-fi thriller, SECTOR 7 (7??, Chil gwanggu, 2011), is now available from retailers across North America on DVD (SRP: $19.99) and Blu-ray (SRP: $29.97). Released by Shout! Factory, the Blu-ray includes the movie in both high-definition 3D and high-definition 2D. Both the Blu-ray and DVD editions boast English and Korean audio tracks, English subtitles, a "Making Of" featurette and the theatrical trailer. About Shout! Factory Shout! Factory is a diversified entertainment company devoted to producing, uncovering and revitalizing the very best of pop culture. Founders Richard Foos, Bob Emmer and Garson Foos have spent their careers sharing their music, television and film faves with discerning consumers the world over. Shout! Factory’s DVD
Key art for ONE PIECE SEASON 4. Image courtesy of FUNimation Entertainment. © Eiichiro Oda/Shueisha, Toei Animation
Source: FUNimation Entertainment Official Site: toei-anim.co.jp/onep (Japan), onepieceofficial.com (US) Special Thanks to Tim Baxter In August, FUNimation Entertainment will release two new DVD collections of the long-running anime series ONE PIECE (?????, Wan Piisu)... ONE PIECE SEASON 4 VOYAGE 1 Monkey D. Luffy refuses to let anyone or anything stand in the way of his quest to become King of All Pirates. With a course charted for the treacherous waters of the Grand Line, this is one captain who`ll never drop anchor until he`s claimed the greatest treasure on earth: the legendary One Piece! Along for the ride are his loyal crewmates, a wonderfully-bizarre collection of outcasts and misfits from the far corners of the world. Each member has their own special talent, and they`ll utilize their skills to help Luffy achieve his dream! Together, the rubberman and his crew can conquer any challenge and defeat
Packaging for the FREEZING Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack. © 2011 limdallyoung/ kimkwanghyun/ artlimmediaCo., Ltd./ KTC
The Dress Code is About to Be Violated Source: FUNimation Entertainment press release Official Site: freezing.tv (Japan), funimation.com/freezing (US) Special Thanks to Tim Baxter The masters of action-oriented fan service who brought you IKKI TOUSEN are back with a brutally busty bloodletting that Anime New Networks calls "lewd and sadistic!" The complete series of FREEZING (??????, Furiijingu, 2011) will be released in Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack on August 28th by FUNimation Entertainment. Eager to follow in the footsteps of his fallen sister, Kazuya enrolls at West Genetics Academy, a training facility for buxom heroes known as Pandoras. These courageous schoolgirls are genetically enhanced with enough sex appeal to cripple a man -- and the superhuman strength to slaughter aliens by the dozen. Kazuya`s role is that of Limiter, a Pandora`s battle partner, and he quickly sets his sights on the most feared beauty in school, Satellizer el
SHANGRI-LA: Part One Limited Edition artbox and Part 2 cover. © 2008 Eiichi Ikegami/ Kadokawa Shoten/ Shangri-La Partners
Source: FUNimation Entertainment press release Official Site: mxtv.co.jp/shangrila (Japan), funimation.com/shangri-la (US) Special Thanks to Tim Baxter On August 21st, FUNimation Entertainment will release the complete anime series SHANGRI-LA (?????·?, Shanguri-Ra, 2009), split between two DVD sets. Based on the novel written by Eiichi Ikegami and illustrated by Kenichi Yoshida, SHANGRI-LA was produced by Gonzo (LAST EXILE, HELLSING, AFRO SAMURAI), directed by Makoto Bessho (AH! MY GODDESS: THE MOVIE, ARMITAGE III: DUAL MATRIX) and had character designs by Range Murata (THE ANIMATRIX, LAST EXILE). In the distant future, earthquakes and the effects of global warming have splintered Japanese society. Some struggle hand-to-mouth in the jungle-tangled ruins of civilization. Some live comfortably within the closed-off city of Atlas. Others lurk online, anonymously hacking the global economy. As nature grows more violent and the divide between classes expands, one spirited girl, Kuniko, must face her destiny and lead her people
A man-eating monster is on the prowl the Korean 3D monster movie SECTOR 7, coming to DVD and Blu-ray from Shout! Factory. © 2011 JK Film / CJ Entertainment.
3D Monster Attacks in Korean Sci-Fi Box Office Smash Source: Shout! Factory, MPRM Communications press releases Official Movie Site: sector7movie.blogspot.com (US), 2011sector7.co.kr (Korea) Special Thanks to Leif Helland A SCIFI JAPAN EXCLUSIVE Thank you to everyone who entered Shout! Factory and SciFi Japan`s SECTOR 7 Blu-ray contest. The randomly drawn winners are: Oliver Young Linda Conrad Lauren Jameson Anthony Badger Mark Lape Congratulations to the winners! Each of you will receive one (1) SECTOR 7 Blu-ray. Your prizes have already shipped so keep an eye on your mailboxes. Starring popular international female action star Ha Ji-Won and directed by Kim Ji-Hoon, SECTOR 7 delivers blockbuster home entertainment, boasting fierce action, daring stunts and spectacular CG and 3D technology. Hae-jun (Ha Ji-Won) is working as a marine equipment manager on the Eclipse, an old oil prospecting platform stationed at Sector 7, the mining
Cover art for TRANSFORMERS PRIME- ONE SHALL STAND. Photo courtesy of Shout! Factory. © 2012 Hasbro, Inc.
7-Part Story Arc Seamlessly Edited Together in this Special Presentation Source: Shout! Factory press release Special Thanks to Tom Chen This summer, get ready for a special presentation of TRANSFORMERS PRIME for home entertainment. On July 31, 2012, Shout! Factory, in collaboration with Hasbro Studios, will debut TRANSFORMERS PRIME – ONE SHALL STAND DVD, featuring the compelling story behind the most iconic Autobot ever, Optimus Prime, and an epic tale of deception, sacrifice, loyalty and triumph. Produced by Hasbro Studios, ONE SHALL STAND highlights the story that spanned the first two seasons of the acclaimed CGI animated series TRANSFORMERS PRIME, which currently airs on The Hub television network in the U.S and Teletoons in Canada. This action-packed story arc is edited together in a seamless, riveting special presentation for this home entertainment release. Packed with exciting bonus content, TRANSFORMERS PRIME – ONE SHALL STAND DVD delivers
Photo courtesy of Section23 Films.
PERSONA 4 Available on September 18th Source: Section23 Films press release Special Thanks to Mike Bailiff Home video distributor Section23 Films today announced its September slate of releases; including the red-hot new series PERSONA 4 the Animation. Based on the hit game franchise, PERSONA 4 will be released on DVD & BLU-RAY by Section23 client, Sentai Filmworks. Product details follow, in order of release... INTRIGUE IN THE BAKUMATSU ~ IROHANIHOHETO COLLECTION 1 Published by: Sentai Filmworks Distributed by: Section23 Films Run Time: 325 min. Street Date: 9/4/2012 Format: DVD Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles SRP: $59.98 INTRIGUE IN THE BAKUMATSU ~ IROHANIHOHETO COLLECTION 1 BLU-RAY Published by: Sentai Filmworks Distributed by: Section23 Films Run Time: 325 min. Street Date: 9/4/2012 Format: Blu-ray Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles SRP: $69.98 In the final years of the Bakumatsu, wandering mercenary Yojiro Akizuki travels
Detective Re-l Mayer hunts an unknown menace in the anime series ERGO PROXY. © manglobe / Geneon / Geneon (USA) / WOWOW
Source: FUNimation Entertainment press release Official Site: ergoproxy.com (Japan), funimation.com/ergo-proxy (US) Special Thanks to Tim Baxter On August 28th, FUNimation Entertainment will release ERGO PROXY: THE COMPLETE SERIES on DVD as part of their "Anime Classics" series. The DVD set contains episodes 1-23 of the sci-fi anime ERGO PROXY (????????, Erugo Purakushii, 2006), produced by Manglobe (DEADMAN WONDERLAND) and directed by Shuko Murase (SAMURAI CHAMPLOO, the MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM franchise). The domed city of Romdo is an impenetrable would-be utopia where humans and robots coexist, and everything is under complete government control -- or so it appears. While working on a mysterious murder case, Re-l Mayer, a female detective from the Civilian Intelligence Office, receives a foreboding message that something is going to "awaken." That night, she`s attacked by a deformed super-being... What was this unidentified monster that attacked her, and who was
DVD cover art for THE GREAT KILLING. Photo courtesy of AnimEigo, Inc. © 1964 Toei Co., Ltd.
Source: AnimEigo, Inc. A handful of men vs. an Army... but this handful is quite a handful! THE GREAT KILLING (???, Daisatsujin, 1964) is being released on DVD in North America on July 3rd by AnimEigo, Inc. The second film in director Eiichi Kudo`s famed "Samurai Revolution Trilogy" (which also include THIRTEEN ASSASSINS and 11 SAMURAI), THE GREAT KILLING launched a new style of samurai movies focusing on realism, long hand-held camera sequences, and group battles. A Shogunate Elder connives to rule Japan by making his puppet, the Shogun`s brother Tsunashige, the next Shogun. The best strategist in Japan, Yamaga, leads a plot to stop the Elder, but his cabal is betrayed and most of the conspirators are captured and tortured. Now Yamaga and his few remaining swordsmen must battle through hundreds of guards in order to kill Tsunashige. He will need all of his wits
Packaging for ARMITAGE III: THE COMPLETE SAGA on DVD. © AIC • Pioneer LDC, Inc.
Source: FUNimation Entertainment press release Official Site: funimation.com/armitage-iii (US) Special Thanks to Tim Baxter On July 24th, FUNimation Entertainment will release ARMITAGE III: THE COMPLETE SAGA on DVD as part of their "Anime Classics" series. The set includes ARMITAGE III OVA episodes 1-4 (??????????? Amiteeji za Saado, 1995) and the movies ARMITAGE III: POLY MATRIX (??????????? POLY-MATRIX, 1997) and ARMITAGE III: DUAL MATRIX (??????????? DUAL-MATRIX, 2002). Finally the original cyberpunk classic is available in one comprehensive collection. One of the first productions to enlist famous American actors such as Kiefer Sutherland (24), award-winning Bryan Cranston (BREAKING BAD), and Juliette Lewis (NATURAL BORN KILLERS), and created by a team of anime masterminds -- including writers Akinori Endo (BATTLE ANGEL) and Chiaki Konaka (SERIAL EXPERIMENTS: LAIN, HELLSING) -- ARMITAGE III: THE COMPLETE SAGA is a must-have for anime and sci-fi devotees. Armitage is a brash cybernetic cop who
Packaging for the Blu-ray and DVD editions of MY WAY, the WWII epic from the director of TAE GUK GI: THE BROTHERHOOD OF WAR. Photos courtesy of Well Go USA. © 2011 CJ E&M Pictures
Jang Dong-Gun, Joe Odagiri and Fan Bingbing Star in Director Kang Je-Gyu’s Critically-Acclaimed World War II Epic Source: Well Go USA, MPRM Communications Official Movie Site: myway-movie.co.kr (Korea), wellgousa.com/my-way (US) Special Thanks to Leif Helland The critically-acclaimed, powerful war film MY WAY (????, Mai Wei, 2011), Korea’s most expensive film to date, debuts on Blu-ray and DVD July 24th from Well Go USA Entertainment. Jang Dong-Gun (THE WARRIOR`S WAY, TAE GUK GI: THE BROTHERHOOD OF WAR), Joe Odagiri (SHINOBI, BRIGHT FUTURE) and Fan Bingbing (SHAOLIN, BODYGUARDS & ASSASSINS) star in Director Kang Je-Gyu’s (TAE GUK GI: THE BROTHERHOOD OF WAR) story of two rival Olympic marathon runners who fight for Japan at the start of World War II. Captured by the Soviets and Germans, they eventually escape and meet on the beaches of Normandy in 1944. Bonus features include a new optional English language dub and behind-the-scenes
Sentai Filmworks has acquired North American rights to the anime feature film CHILDREN WHO CHASE LOST VOICES. © Makoto Shinkai/CMMMY
Source: Sentai Filmworks press release Official Movie Site: hoshi-o-kodomo.jp (Japan) Special Thanks to David Williams Sentai Filmworks is extraordinarily proud to announce the forthcoming release of the year’s most eagerly awaited animated feature, CHILDREN WHO CHASE LOST VOICES (???????, Hoshi o Ou Kodomo, 2011)! The latest brainchild of writer/producer/director Makoto Shinkai, the pioneering creator who first turned the Japanese animation industry on its head by producing the hit VOICES OF A DISTANT STAR almost single handedly using his own personal computer, CHILDREN will be Shinkai’s longest and most complex film to date and promises to further continue the director’s evolution as one of the most important emerging talents in the animation industry. Joining Shinkai once again are some of his most trusted collaborators, including composer TENMON, who has created the score to every Shinkai film since the director’s first short, SHE AND HER
Packaging for FRACTALE: THE COMPLETE SERIES. © Fractale Committee
Source: FUNimation Entertainment press release Official Site: fractale-anime.com (Japan), funimation.com/fractale (US) Special Thanks to Tim Baxter From A-1 Pictures -- the studio behind BLACK BUTLER and FAIRY TAIL -- soars a sci-fi adventure sure to make you ponder how much control you really have over your own future. The anime series FRACTALE (?????, Furakutaru, 2011) will be available in a Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack from FUNimation Entertainment on July 17th. In a near-perfect society, humans enjoy virtually anything their heart desires by simply staying connected to Fractale -- a centuries-old technology on the verge of collapse. One day, Clain, a teenage boy who collects antique electronics, saves a girl on the run from dangerous pursuers. She disappears in the night, leaving only a pendant full of data behind. Suddenly Clain`s quiet life turns to chaos when he`s caught between the religious order determined to save Fractale, and
DVD cover art for BUTTERFLY SWORDS. Photo courtesy of Well Go USA. © Chang-Hong Channel Film & Video Co.
All-Star Cast Includes Martial Arts Superstars Donnie Yen, Michelle Yeoh and Tony Leung Source: Well Go USA, MPRM Communications Special Thanks to Leif Helland Honk Kong’s number one action star Donnie Yen (IP MAN, IP MAN 2) headlines an all-star cast in BUTTERFLY SWORDS (??????, Xin liu xing hu die jian, 1993), on DVD July 10th from Well Go USA Entertainment. Donnie Yen, Michelle Yeoh (CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON, KUNG FU 2) and Tony Leung (HERO, INFERNAL AFFAIRS) combine amazing martial arts with high flying wire work as members of an elite group of assassins loyal to the king. When a group of Rebels threaten to take down the empire, they must infiltrate the organization in order to stop them. The bonus features includes brand new English subtitles. Siblings who are also assassins infiltrate a group of rebels to prevent them from overthrowing the king’s empire.
An enduring franchise began in 1979 with the first MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM anime series. Image courtesy of Madman Entertainment. © Sotsu, Sunrise
Author: Andrew Nguyen Source: Bandai Entertainment, Madman Entertainment Official Site: gundam.jp (Japan), gundamofficial.com (US) During the 1970s, most Japanese animation that dealt with giant robots (also called mecha) was mainly of the super-robot/superhero variety. However, in April 1979 -- almost two years after the release of STAR WARS in the US -- a veteran Japanese animation director by the name of Yoshiyuki Tomino created, with assistance from the Japanese animation studio Sunrise, a new show called MOBILE SUIT GUNDAM (????????, Kidoo Senshi Gundamu). Two other principal players in the show’s production were character designer Yoshikazu Yasuhiko and mechanical designer Kunio Okawara. At first, it seemed that GUNDAM would follow the standard format of most mecha shows at the time, but differences in comparison to its predecessors were soon apparent. Chief amongst them were the giant robots being actual military weapons of war. In
Packaging for the Blu-ray and DVD editions of WIND BLAST. Photos courtesy of Well Go USA. © 2010 Beijing Buyilehu Film and Culture Ltd.
National Wushu Fighting Champion Wu Jing Stars in a Martial Arts Western on Steroids Source: Well Go USA, MPRM Communications Official Movie Site: xifenglie.ent.sina.com (China) Special Thanks to Leif Helland Director Gao Qunshu follows up his breakout hit THE MESSAGE with the action-packed martial arts western WIND BLAST (???, Xi Feng Lie, 2010), debuting on Blu-ray and DVD July 3rd from Well Go USA Entertainment. Starring national wushu fighting champion Wu Jing (KILL ZONE, LEGENDARY ASSASSIN), newcomer Zhang Li, Yihong Duan (THE MESSAGE, HOT SUMMER DAYS), and Francis Ng (EXILED, INFERNAL AFFAIRS II), this fast paced, shoot-em up western follows a group of elite policemen on the trail of a hitman and his pregnant girlfriend as they try to elude two hired killers sent by his former employer to silence them. Bonus features include a making of featurette, behind the scenes footage and trailers. Cold blooded killer
Cover art for HETALIA WORLD SERIES 2: SEASON 4. Image courtesy of FUNimation Entertainment. © 2010 Hidekaz Himaruya, Gentosha Comics/ Hetalia Project
Source: FUNimation Entertainment press release Official Site: hetalia.com (Japan), funimation.com/hetalia (US) Special Thanks to Tim Baxter HETALIA WORLD SERIES 2: SEASON 4 on DVD will be released on Region 1 DVD by FUNimation Entertainment on July 3rd. The 2-Disc set contains episodes 25-54 of HETALIA WORLD SERIES (???? World Series, 2010). HETALIA WORLD SERIES 2: SEASON 4 will also be available in a limited edition with an orange bandana featuring the entire main cast. The awesome international incidents never stop in HETALIA WORLD SERIES! All your fave Allied and Axis boys are back, and they`ve brought a bunch of new guys to the party. You like to party, right? Duh. Feel the tension build as Prussia plots an invasion of Austria`s happy little place. Try on a codpiece! Share in Spain`s pain as he does his best to look after little Romano. Run with stampeding kittens!
Shout! Factory`s POWER RANGERS: SEASONS ONE – SEVEN collection will be released July 30th. © Power Rangers LLC.
Super-Charge Your POWER RANGERS Collection Source: Shout! Factory, Click Communications, Time Life press releases Official Site: PowerRangersonDVD.com Special Thanks to Tom Chen, Scott Neumyer and Ryan Clark In a move to provide avid collectors of all things POWER RANGERS with an exclusive first-to-own experience, fans now have the opportunity to purchase box sets through a Time Life direct-response television and online campaign. Shout! Factory, in collaboration with Saban Brands, has teamed up with Time Life to make a 40-DVD collection of POWER RANGERS: SEASONS ONE – SEVEN directly available to fans. Fans can pre-order now at PowerRangersonDVD.com or at 1-800-826-8545. The collections will be available beginning July 30, 2012 through Time Life’s direct-response, on-air TV campaign, as well as online. The POWER RANGERS: SEASONS ONE – SEVEN collection will include 338 episodes of for the list price of $219.95. The set starts off
Something lurks aboard an oil rig in the Korean 3D monster movie SECTOR 7. © 2011 JK Film / CJ Entertainment.
3D Monster Attacks in Korean Sci-Fi Box Office Smash Source: Shout! Factory, MPRM Communications press releases Official Movie Site: sector7movie.blogspot.com (US), 2011sector7.co.kr (Korea) Special Thanks to Leif Helland A SCIFI JAPAN EXCLUSIVE On June 26th, Korea’s first 3D sci-fi thriller SECTOR 7 (7??, Chil gwanggu, 2011) will be released on DVD and Blu-ray in North America by Shout! Factory. To celebrate the new release, Shout! Factory is giving SciFi Japan readers a chance to win a free copy of the Blu-ray edition. Starring popular international female action star Ha Ji-Won and directed by Kim Ji-Hoon, SECTOR 7 delivers blockbuster home entertainment, boasting fierce action, daring stunts and spectacular CG and 3D technology. Hae-jun (Ha Ji-Won) is working as a marine equipment manager on the Eclipse, an old oil prospecting platform stationed at Sector 7, the mining area in the vast open sea
We have the winners for Section23 and SciFi Japan`s PLANZET Blu-ray giveaway! © 2010 Jun Awazu/Media Factory/CoMix Wave Films
Source: Section23 Films Official Movie Site: planzet.jp (Japan) Special Thanks to Mike Bailiff A SCIFI JAPAN EXCLUSIVE Thank you to everyone who entered Section23 Films and SciFi Japan`s PLANZET Blu-ray contest. The randomly drawn winners are: Matt Barker Greg Nyman Timothy Padgett Kevin Rose Thomas Nelson Congratulations to the winners! Each of you will receive one (1) PLANZET Blu-ray. The prizes will ship soon so keep an eye on your mailboxes. PLANZET is now available from retailers across North America on DVD (SRP: $29.98) and Blu-ray (SRP: $39.98). Both editions present the feature film (running time: 53 minutes) in 16:9 anamorphic widescreen, with English and Japanese audio tracks as well as English Subtitles. Extras include interviews with director Jun Awazu and voice actors Mamoru Miyano and Kaori Ishihara, animatic comparison, audio commentary with Awazu and voice actor Takeshi Maeda, Japanese trailers, and