S23/Sentai Filmworks/Switchblade Pictures/Maiden Japan , etc PR, News, And Announcements - 2012/2014

[quote=psychopuppet]
Nadia is a good show for a good chunk of it and the dub for its time was great.[/quote]

I see that it is a Monster Island dub. I am scared now as I found that Dai-Guard was the exception, not the rule, for those dubs.

That’s a huge swath of suck.

I’m surprised to hear something about Upotte. I’d almost forgotten about it. I was starting to take their silence on the show as a sign that they were going to sub-only it. Glad that bullet was dodged.

Also, concering Nadia.

@ ANIMAINE

https://twitter.com/rootsofjustice/status/399212453537796097

[quote=“celestial_being”]
I’m surprised to hear something about Upotte. I’d almost forgotten about it. I was starting to take their silence on the show as a sign that they were going to sub-only it. Glad that bullet was dodged.[/quote]

Upotte!! is Kadokowa show. Long periods of silence are to be expected, especially when bluray is in the cards. They demand longer than normal delays between the US and Japanese releases and have forced companies like Funimation to delay or cancel several bluray releases.

Per PR:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

[size=16]MAIDEN JAPAN ANNOUNCES LICENSE OF “MYSELF; YOURSELF”[/size]

HOUSTON, November 14, 2013 — You can never go home again. Or can you? Find out in Maiden Japan’s latest acquisition: Myself; Yourself. This 13 episode series about the long journey home is directed by QZo (A Bridge to the Starry Skies) and features character designs by Tomoya Hiratsuka (Shin Koihime Muso) and series composition by Go Zappa (NAKAIMO ~ My Little Sister is Among Them!).

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

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

About Maiden Japan
Maiden Japan is a new and upcoming distributor of Japanese animation in North America, with a rapidly growing roster of new and classic titles that includes such hot releases as TOKYO MAGNITUDE 8.0, VAMPIRE PRINCESS MIYU TV, BLACK MAGIC M-66 and PATLABOR. A sister company to live action Shock film specialist Switchblade Pictures (ATTACK GIRLS SWIM TEAM VS. THE UNDEAD, ZOMBIE HUNTER RIKA, SULTRY ASSASSIN: NINJA BRAINWASH), Maiden Japan’s programs can be found on home video distributed by Ingram Entertainment, Baker & Taylor, Section23Films, The Right Stuf and other good and fine distributors. Digital product offerings may be found at iTunes, Hulu, Netflix, Amazon, Zune Marketplace, Anime Network, Playstation Network and YouTube.

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

Per PR:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

[size=16]SWITCHBLADE PICTURES SAYS “BANG! BANG! YOU’RE UNDEAD!” WITH GIRLS, GANGSTERS AND ZOMBIES![/size]

HOUSTON, November 15, 2013 — It would have been the perfect crime except for those darn meddling zombies! That’s the plot in a nutshell as Switchblade Pictures delves once again into Japan’s unique take on the walking dead phenomenon and unleashes GIRLS, GANGSTERS AND ZOMBIES! Proving that there are no genres that can’t be combined by determined filmmakers, GIRLS, GANGSTERS AND ZOMBIES leads off with an already solid exploitation mix of cops, robbers and pushing the “R” sex barrier before literally stopping dead in its tracks and mutating into horror with a lethal case of corpse-us interruptus. Written and directed by Masahiro Assou, the gruesome zombie buffet stars popular adult video actress and model Laura Aoyama as the prime morsel, providing ample flesh, in every sense of the word, for a toothsome supporting cast that features Ichiro Nishikoshi, Yu Minami, Ryuhei Kawana and Ken-ichi Takada.

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

GIRLS, GANGSTERS AND ZOMBIES will be released on DVD, in Japanese with English subtitles on March 25, 2014.

About Switchblade Pictures
With a growing roster of international exploitation films, Switchblade Pictures is dedicated to bringing the wildest and most unique entertainment programming to North America. Titles currently in release include the zombie cult phenomenons ATTACK GIRLS SWIM TEAM VS. THE UNDEAD and ZOMBIE HUNTER RIKA, the SULTRY ASSASSIN period epics APHRODISIAC KILL and NINJA BRAINWASH, and the outrageous DEKOTORA series of Japanese lady trucker films that launches in December 2013 with the high-balling saga of BIG BAD MAMA-SAN.

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

Per PR:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
[size=16]SENTAI FILMWORKS LICENSES “FAMILIAR OF ZERO SEASON 1”[/size]

HOUSTON, December 19, 2013 — What do you get when you add a mage who’s a zero to the unlikeliest of heroes? Trouble with a capital “T” in Sentai Filmworks’ newest acquisition: Familiar of Zero Season 1. This 13 episode fantasy is directed by Yoshiaki Iwasaki (Best Student Council) and features character designs by Masahiro Fujii (Dream Eater Merry) with scripts and series composition by Takao Yoshioka (Demon King Daimao) and music by Shinkichi Mitsumune (Rozen Maiden).

Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière’s name is so long and her spell-casting skills are so poor that everyone at the Tristain Academy of Magic just calls her “Louise the Zero”. Louise’s humiliation only increases during an important second year test, where the other students summon up dragons and other mythological creatures as their familiars, and she inexplicably summons Hiraga Saito, a totally normal teenager from Tokyo. Now she’s stuck with him and Saito’s stuck with the lousy life of being a familiar. Except, maybe there’s more going on than meets the eye, because Saito’s not prepared to accept the social inequities that Louise and other aristocrats consider the status quo, and he may not be quite as normal as everyone thinks. And the reason Louise is so bad at magic might just be that she hasn’t figured out what she’s good at yet. In fact, they might even have the makings of a great team. If they can learn to stand each other first, that is! Will familiarity breed contempt? Will combining two negatives result in a positive? The answer will be spelled out, enchantment by enchantment, in FAMILIAR OF ZERO!

Familiar of Zero Season 1 will be available soon through select digital outlets and on bilingual DVD & BD.

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, Suncoast, The Right Stuf, Wal-Mart and other good and fine stores. Digital product offerings may be found at Amazon, Anime Network, Crunchyroll, Google Play, Hulu, iTunes, Netflix, PlayStation Network, Rovi, Samsung, Vudu, XBOX Marketplace and YouTube.

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2013-12-30/section23-films-offers-english-dub-upgrades-for-select-titles
[size=20]Section23 Films Offers English Dub Upgrades For Select Titles[/size]
posted on 2013-12-30 18:15 EST

Upgrades for Maria Holic, Maria Holic Alive, Mayo Chiki!, Nyan Koi!, Special A, MM!

Section 23 Films announced Monday that owners of the Maria Holic Complete Collection, Maria Holic Alive Complete Collection, Mayo Chiki! Complete Collection, Nyan Koi! Complete Collection, MM! Complete Collection, and Special A Complete Collection can upgrade to a version with an English dub. Right Stuf noted that Section 23 Films will also accept Special A collections 1 and 2 instead of the Complete Collection.

To complete these offers, download and print the appropriate forms from the Right Stuf website and send in the required materials: DVDs, cases, and payment. Complete instructions can be found on the form itself.

This program is only available through Right Stuf and to those with shipping addresses in the United States and Canada.

Those wishing to upgrade should expect a processing time of three to four weeks.

The expiration dates for the offers are as follows:
• Maria Holic Complete Collection (Offer Expires 9/30/2014)
• Maria Holic Alive Complete Collection (Offer Expires 7/31/2014)
• Mayo Chiki! Complete Collection (Offer Expires 2/28/2015) - NOTE, the dub upgrade isn’t expected until August 2014.
• Nyan Koi! Complete Collection (Offer Expires 7/31/2014)
• Special A Complete Collection (Offer Expires 7/31/2014)
• MM! Complete Collection (Offer Expires 8/31/2014)[/size]

Sentai Filmworks had not previously announced that Mayo Chiki! would be getting an English dub.

Per PR:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
[size=16]SENTAI FILMWORKS LICENSES “HOZUKI NO REITETSU”.[/size]

HOUSTON, January 2, 2014 - It’s a hell of a dirty job, but some demon’s got to do it in Sentai Filmworks’ latest acquisition, Hozuki no Reitetsu. This 13 episode underworld comedy is directed by Hiro Kaburaki (Kimi ni Todoke, My Little Monster), with character design by Hirotaka Kato (Eyeshield 21, Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s), series composition by Midori Goto (Loups-Garous) and Animation Production by WIT Studio (Attack on Titan).

There are hard jobs and jobs that seem outright impossible, but in the end, the most difficult job in all creation probably belongs to Hozuki, Deputy Chief to the Great King Enma. Because the Great King spends all his time sitting in judgment on the recently deceased, it’s up Hozuki to keep the dark half of the afterlife running smoothly, which would be hellishly complicated even if Hell wasn’t constantly short on good help. Fortunately, Hozuki’s not the typical bureaucratic hothead you’d expect to find heading a department of infernal affairs. Fiendishly clever and determined enough to dedicate multiple lifetimes to a task (though not necessarily his OWN lifetimes), he’ll get the job done even if it means breaking a few unbreakable rules and running rings around Hell’s normal operating procedures. As for patience… well, Hell hasn’t frozen over quite yet, so the verdict’s still out on that, but he doesn’t suffer fools lightly, let alone damned fools. After all, that Highway to Hell isn’t going to get paved with just good intentions, so if someone has to suffer for all eternity, Hozuki’s damned sure that it’s not going to be himself in HOZUKI NO REITETSU!

Hozuki no Reitetsu will be available soon through select digital outlets with a home video release to follow.

About Sentai Filmworks
Sentai Filmworks is 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, Suncoast, The Right Stuf, Wal-Mart and other good and fine stores. Digital product offerings may be found at Amazon, Anime Network, Crunchyroll, Google Play, Hulu, iTunes, Netflix, PlayStation Network, Rovi, Samsung, Vudu, XBOX Marketplace and YouTube.

Per PR:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
[size=16]SENTAI FILMWORKS LICENSES “ENGAGED TO THE UNIDENTIFIED”[/size]

HOUSTON, January 3, 2014 — Sentai Filmworks is proud to announce its newest acquisition: Engaged to the Unidentified. This 12 episode series about the suddenly atypical life of a very typical teenager is directed by Yoshiyuki Fujiwara (GJ Club) and features character designs by Ai Kikuchi (Rainbow – Nisha Rokubo no Shichinin) with series composition by Fumihiko Shimo (Clannad), music by Jun Ichikawa (C3) and sound direction by Kazuzou Hamano (Shin Koihime Muso: Otome Tairan).

Meet Kobeni, your typical, completely normal high school girl. She’s good at cooking, poor at sports and lives with her freewheeling mother and her older, eccentric sister, Benio. The only thing unusual about Kobeni is that she can’t remember her childhood due to an accident when she was small. But everything changes on her 16th birthday with the arrival of a fiancé she didn’t even know she had! Hakuya, a quiet, pokerfaced boy, and his little sister Mashiro are moving in and Kobeni’s normal life is over. Mashiro’s intent on making her the perfect wife for Hakuya; Benio, is intent on Mashiro; and Kobeni? Well, she’s more than a little confused, but struggling to build a good relationship with Hakuya. But since he’s moved in, Kobeni’s memory is beginning to return, and she’s becoming increasingly convinced that Hakuya isn’t even human, but a dog that saved her life the day of the accident. Is Hakuya really a dog? Or is he something else? Will Kobeni ever discover the truth about her fiancé? Or her sister’s proclivities? Find out in Engaged to the Unidentified!

Engaged to the Unidentified will be available soon through select digital outlets with a home video release to follow in 2014.

About Sentai Filmworks
Sentai Filmworks is 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, Suncoast, The Right Stuf, Wal-Mart and other good and fine stores. Digital product offerings may be found at Amazon, Anime Network, Crunchyroll, Google Play, Hulu, iTunes, Netflix, PlayStation Network, Rovi, Samsung, Vudu, XBOX Marketplace and YouTube.

Per PR:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
[size=16]SENTAI FILMWORKS LICENSES “MAGICAL WARFARE”[/size]

HOUSTON, January 20, 2014 – Powerful magicians run rampant in the streets, and one more is about to enter the fray in Sentai Filmworks’ latest acquisition, Magical Warfare. This 12 episode magical action series is directed by Yuzo Sato (Hunter x Hunter: Phantom Rouge, Kaiji)) with series composition by Kazuyuki Fudeyasu (Miss Monochrome, Princess Resurrection), art direction by Jirou Kouno (Phi Brain, Amnesia) and animation production by the iconic Madhouse Studios (High School of the Dead, Ninja Scroll).

The last few years haven’t been easy for Takeshi Nanase. His parents are remote and distant, his little brother seems to despise him and even his relationship with Kurumi, his so-called girlfriend, isn’t exactly romantic in nature. In fact, for two years the only real high point in Takeshi’s existence has been studying the Japanese sword-fighting technique of Kendo, and that’s unlikely to be something that will have any practical application in the real world. Or so he thinks until he discovers an unconscious girl in an unknown uniform in the school hallway. Rushing the damsel in distress to the infirmary, he suddenly finds himself being held first at gunpoint and then in the middle of a battle as he attempts to defend the girl, Mui Aiba, from a group of teenagers using what appears to be magic! But as shocking as learning that magic is real may be, what’s even more stunning is the revelation that Takeshi’s been changed into a magician himself! Okay, so maybe those sword lessons are going to be relevant after all! When the worlds of the mystical and the mundane collide, anything can happen in MAGICAL WARFARE!

Magical Warfare will be available soon through select digital outlets with a home video release to follow.

About Sentai Filmworks
Sentai Filmworks is 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, Suncoast, The Right Stuf, Wal-Mart and other good and fine stores. Digital product offerings may be found at Amazon, Anime Network, Crunchyroll, Google Play, Hulu, iTunes, Netflix, PlayStation Network, Rovi, Samsung, Vudu, XBOX Marketplace and YouTube.

Per PR:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
[size=16]KRAKEN RELEASING LICENSES “GODZILLA ® VS. HEDORAH™”, “EBIRAH™, HORROR OF THE DEEP” & “GODZILLA® VS.GIGAN™”[/size]

January 21, 2014 - 1967 may have been the Summer of Love, but 2014 will be the Summer of Godzilla®, and Kraken Releasing is spreading the kaiju (giant monster) goodness with the first U.S. Blu-ray release of three classic films featuring the world’s most famous giant reptile. Also available on DVD, and including both the English dubbed and original Japanese versions with English subtitles, these are three of the big G’s wildest adventures ever and showcase why, sixty years after his atomic birth at Japan’s Toho Studios, Godzilla® is still one of the biggest names in the entertainment industry!

The fun begins as 1971’s Godzilla® vs. Hedorah™, released theatrically in the U.S in 1972 as Godzilla® vs. the Smog Monster, pits Godzilla® against the forces of pollution in the form of a constantly mutating, acid-spewing behemoth from outer space. With eye-popping 1970’s “mod” costumes, hairstyles and psychedelic visuals that include conventional cel animation alongside the special effects by Teruyoshi Nakano, Godzilla® vs. Hedoarh™ director Yoshimitsu Banno’s ecologically focused take on the world’s greatest monster is easily one of the most unique films in the series and required viewing for any giant monster fan or cult film enthusiast.

What happens when three major movie monsters slam dance in the South Seas? The answer is 1966’s Ebirah™, Horror of the Deep, originally released in the U.S. in 1968 under the title Godzilla® Vs. The Sea Monster. Pairing Godzilla® and another of Toho’s most popular kaiju, the giant moth Mothra™, against a wide variety of adversaries, including the titular sea monster, giant birds and a mysterious terrorist organization, the wet and wild widescreen spectacular was directed by Jun Fukuda.

Finally, 1972’s Godzilla® vs. Gigan™ ups the giant monster ante once again with a series of tag team battles featuring four classic kaiju. Released theatrically in the United States in 1977 as Godzilla® on Monster Island and again directed by Jun Fukuda with special effects by Teruyoshi Nakano, the film unites Godzilla® and spiny ally Anguirus™ against two of the series’ most popular opponents: the three headed monster King Ghidorah™ and the new alien cyborg Gigan™.

About Kraken Releasing: KRAKEN RELEASING is a new international video distribution label specializing in Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror genre entertainment for mainstream audiences. Together with sister labels MAIDEN JAPAN (TOKYO MAGNITUDE 8.0, PAT LABOR, ROYAL SPACE FORCE) and SWITCHBLADE PICTURES (BIG BAD MAMA-SAN, ATTACK GIRLS SWIM TEAM VS. THE UNDEAD) Kraken’s goal is to bring the best filmed entertainment from around the world to our customers.

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

Per PR:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

[size=16]SENTAI FILMWORKS LICENSES “Soni-Ani: SUPER SONICO THE ANIMATION”[/size]

HOUSTON, January 21, 2014 – Worlds collide as an iconic Nitroplus mascot gets her day in the sun in Sentai Filmworks’ latest acquisition, Soni-Ani: SUPER SONICO THE ANIMATION. This 12 episode romp in girl band wonderland is directed by Kenichi Kawamura (Rozen Maiden, Ninja Scroll), with scripts by Yousuke Kuroda (S-CRY-ed, BTOOOM!), art direction by Yoshito Takamine (Gurren Lagann, Broken Blade) and animation production by WHITE FOX (Persona 4, The World God Only Knows).

When Sonico wakes up every morning she sees big things on the horizon, but when she gets up gravity takes hold and she can focus on what’s directly ahead of her for the day. And that’s a good thing, because Sonico is more than just an attractive girl with a really huge set of… er… headphones. She’s also an incredibly busy young woman who somehow juggles modeling and working at her grandmother’s bar while attending college AND performing lead vocals and playing the guitar in the all girl band Fastest Speed In Space. How she manages to squeeze it all in is as big a mystery as how she manages to squeeze into some of her outfits or paint her toenails without falling over, but somehow she always stays balanced and abreast of the situation. Well, most of the time, anyway, and when her workload does get a little top heavy, she can count on her fellow musicians Suzu and Furi for a little stabilizing influence. Get ready for the bounciest adventure ever as this three girl band shakes, rattles, rolls and takes Tokyo by storm in Soni-Ani:: SUPER SONICO THE ANIMATION!

Soni-Ani: SUPER SONICO THE ANIMATION 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, Suncoast, The Right Stuf, Wal-Mart and other good and fine stores. Digital product offerings may be found at Amazon, Anime Network, Crunchyroll, Google Play, Hulu, iTunes, Netflix, PlayStation Network, Rovi, Samsung, Vudu, XBOX Marketplace and YouTube.

ooh…out of today’s announcements, the most interesting one was the Godzilla BD movies, but more specifically the new label: Kraken Releasing.

This part caught my eye:

So does this mean some of the ‘bigger’ movies will come our way: Gatchaman, Kenshin, Patlabor…or any of the other anime based live action movies out there?

Now that would be sweet… :slight_smile:

Per PR:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
[size=16]SENTAI FILMWORKS LICENSES “WIZARD BARRISTERS”[/size]

HOUSTON, January 22, 2014 – Time to bring out the smoking gun and work some serious courtroom magic in Sentai Filmworks’ latest acquisition, Wizard Barristers. This 12 episode supernatural action thriller is directed by Yasuomi Umetsu (Mezzo DSA, Galilei Donna), with scripts by Michiko Itou (HENNEKO, Day Break Illusion) and animation production by Studio ARMS (Elfen Lied, Queen’s Blade: Rebellion).

When the laws of magic are broken, someone’s got to enforce them, and that duty falls to the deadly men and women of the Police Department’s Section 1. However, even the most malevolent mage has a right to a fair trial, and defending those craven mavens and nefarious necromancers in court is the job of the Benmashi, the Wizard Barristers. It’s a tricky profession, requiring both arcane ability and a judicious sense of jurisprudence, and at just 17, Cecil Sudo is not only the youngest Benmashi at the Butterfly Law Offices, she’s the youngest one ever! That won’t stop her in her duty to defend the alleged adepts and prestidigitating perps, but it’s going to mean long hours burning the midnight brimstone, summoning up summaries, parsing phrases with paranormal paralegals and cutting deals with opposing counsels from hell. And when a young Benmashi starts to discover that her OWN potential to charm is more magical than she realized, there’ll be hex-tra incentive to start working wonders outside the courtroom as well as in it! Prepare to be beguiled as the most enchantingly Adept Attorney ever makes her case in WIZARD BARRISTERS!

Wizard Barristers will be available soon through select digital outlets with a home video release to follow.

About Sentai Filmworks
Sentai Filmworks is 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, Suncoast, The Right Stuf, Wal-Mart and other good and fine stores. Digital product offerings may be found at Amazon, Anime Network, Crunchyroll, Google Play, Hulu, iTunes, Netflix, PlayStation Network, Rovi, Samsung, Vudu, XBOX Marketplace and YouTube.

Per PR:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
[size=16]SENTAI FILMWORKS LICENSES “SAKURA TRICK”[/size]

HOUSTON, January 23, 2014 – An unforgettable, life changing moment is sealed with a simple kiss in Sentai Filmworks’ latest acquisition, Sakura Trick. This romantic slice-of-life comedy from original creator Tachi is directed by Kenichi Ishikura (ef: tale of melodies, Hidamari Sketch) with music by Ryosuke Nakanishi (Majikoi – Oh! Samurai Girls, Kuroko’s Basketball), character designs by Kyuta Sakai (Humanity has Declined, Strawberry Marshmallow) and animation production by Studio DEEN (Fate/stay night, Rozen Maiden – Zurückspulen).

Haruka and Yu have always sat next to each other and they’ve been best friends forever… well, since they were just girls in junior high anyway. But on their first day of Senior high, they’re stunned to learn that the new seating plan has them on opposite sides of the classroom! And since everyone knows that long distance relationships don’t work unless the parties involved put extra effort into it, they decide they need to do something extra special to make their friendship “different.” However, deciding to kiss each other awakens a whole new level of feelings, and it doesn’t help that some of their classmates seem to be ‘involved” in similar circumstances. So what’s a girl to do when her best girl friend is suddenly seeming more like a girlfriend? It’s a life lesson that the school curriculum isn’t normally prepared to teach, except maybe in French class, but our two young heroines are about to get a private education you’ll never forget! Come learn about the bird and the… er… birds, as two young girls learn to deal with the pros and cons of intramural osculation in SAKURA TRICK!

Sakura Trick will be available soon through select digital outlets with a home video release to follow.

About Sentai Filmworks
Sentai Filmworks is 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, Suncoast, The Right Stuf, Wal-Mart and other good and fine stores. Digital product offerings may be found at Amazon, Anime Network, Crunchyroll, Google Play, Hulu, iTunes, Netflix, PlayStation Network, Rovi, Samsung, Vudu, XBOX Marketplace and YouTube.

Per PR:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
[size=16]SENTAI FILMWORKS LICENSES “NOBUNAGA THE FOOL”[/size]

HOUSTON, January 24, 2014 – History’s greatest figures take up arms in a war for the ages in Sentai Filmworks’ latest acquisition, Nobunaga the Fool. This 24 episode sci-fi fantasy epic is directed by Eiichi Sato (Slayers Next, AD Police) with series composition by Shoji Kawamori (Macross Zero, Aquarion), original character designs by Yone Kazuki (Hakuoki, Hiiro no Kakera) and animation production by Satelight (AKB0048, Bodacious Space Pirates).

It was once said that time and tide will wait for no man, but that was before the legendary heroine Jeanne d’Arc had a vision of a Deliverer – a champion who could save the future of the planets connected by the Dragon Stream. Now the fate of two worlds hangs in the balance as, at the order of King Arthur and in the company of Leonardo da Vinci, Jeanne travels from the West to the East in search of their long awaited savior. But will Nobunaga Oda be the kind of man they are expecting? Or will history’s greatest heroes find themselves choosing not a liberator, but a destroyer? Or is Nobunaga’s role that of the Fool from a deck of Tarot, the wild card whose purpose is to invoke change, at whatever cost? Expect the unexpected as super-technology and giant robots collide with samurai warriors and a pantheon of characters drawn from across history wage the ultimate battle against the forces of Chaos in NOBUNAGA THE FOOL!

Nobunaga the Fool will be available soon through select digital outlets with a home video release to follow.

About Sentai Filmworks
Sentai Filmworks is 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, Suncoast, The Right Stuf, Wal-Mart and other good and fine stores. Digital product offerings may be found at Amazon, Anime Network, Crunchyroll, Google Play, Hulu, iTunes, Netflix, PlayStation Network, Rovi, Samsung, Vudu, XBOX Marketplace and YouTube.

Per PR:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
[size=16]SENTAI FILMWORKS LICENSES “LOVE, CHUNIBYO AND OTHER DELUSIONS! -HEART THROB-”[/size]

HOUSTON, February 4, 2014 - The Chuni-versal language of love is about to get re-written in Sentai Filmworks’ latest acquisition, Love, Chunibyo and Other Delusions! -Heart Throb-. This direct follow up to the wildly popular first season is directed by Tatsuya Ishihara (CLANNAD, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya), with series composition by Jukki Hanada (Rozen Maiden series, Special A), art direction by Mutsuo Shinohara (CLANNAD~After Story~, Kanon) and animation production by acclaimed Kyoto Animation (K-ON!, Beyond the Boundary).

Yuta Togashi thought he had problems dealing with one delusional girlfriend in the person of Rikka Takanashi, but now things are about to go totally insane as his FORMER “one true soul mate” from when he was a chuni himself returns… with a vengeance! So how bad is Satone Shichimiya’s re-entry into Yuta’s Chuni-verse likely to be? Let’s just say that she’s so epically off the deep end of the Chuni-scale that she prefers to use the name Sophia Ring SP Saturn VII and that she’ll joyfully tear Yuta’s real world to pieces in order to get him back in her imaginary one! Some girls just want to have fun and some want to break down the walls between their boyfriends and themselves, but when a girl’s idea of fun is breaking down the wall between their presumed boyfriend and reality, retreating into a fantasy world might just be Yuta’s best option. Especially since Satone knows where ALL the skeletons from his past are buried. Toss Rikka’s equally delusional friend Dekomori into the mix and girl crazy takes on a whole new meaning in LOVE, CHUNIBYO AND OTHER DELUSIONS! -HEART THROB-!

Love, Chunibyo and Other Delusions! -Heart Throb- will be available soon through select digital outlets with a home video release to follow.

About Sentai Filmworks
Sentai Filmworks is 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, Suncoast, The Right Stuf, Wal-Mart and other good and fine stores. Digital product offerings may be found at Amazon, Anime Network, Crunchyroll, Google Play, Hulu, iTunes, Netflix, PlayStation Network, Rovi, Samsung, Vudu, XBOX Marketplace and YouTube.

Per PR:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
[size=16]SENTAI FILMWORKS LICENSES “MAOYU – ARCHENEMY & HERO”[/size]

HOUSTON, February 25, 2014 – Even a guy named Hero will need a little help to save the world in Sentai Filmworks’ latest acquisition, Maoyu – Archenemy & Hero. This romantic underworld comedy from the mind of Mamare Touno (LOG HORIZON) is directed by Takeo Takahashi (So I Can’t Play H, Spice and Wolf) with series composition by Naruhisa Arakawa (Outbreak Company, UPOTTE!!), music by Takeshi Hama (Kobato), and animation production by Arms Corporation (SAMURAI GIRLS, Wizard Barristers).

Names can be deceiving, something the warrior known as Hero quickly discovers when he storms the castle of the dread Demon King that mankind has fought for 15 years. For one thing, the “King” turns out to be a Queen! Even more shocking, though, is that she’s been waiting for him with a very unexpected proposal. It would be bad for BOTH sides if the war was to end immediately, she points out, as without a common enemy, the individual factions of the winning side are certain to turn on each other in a new series of civil wars. However, she has a plan to end the wars, bring democracy and advanced knowledge to the humans, and ensure lasting prosperity for both sides, no matter who “wins.” But to accomplish this, she needs a collaborator on the human side, and she’s chosen Hero as the one partner she can trust! Is it a deal with the devil, or mankind’s only hope for lasting peace? The traditional rules of Swords and Sorcery are completely rewritten as the “good guy” and the “bad girl” join forces to save the world in MAOYU – ARCHENEMY & HERO!

Maoyu – Archenemy & Hero will be available soon through select digital outlets with a home video release to follow.

About Sentai Filmworks
Sentai Filmworks is 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 Super D, Diamond Comic Distributors, Section23Films and Waxworks through retailers Amazon, Best Buy, Fry’s, FYE, Hastings, Suncoast, The Right Stuf, Wal-Mart and other good and fine stores. Digital product offerings may be found at Amazon, Anime Network, Crunchyroll, Google Play, Hulu, iTunes, Netflix, PlayStation Network, Rovi, Samsung, Vudu, XBOX Marketplace and YouTube.

Per PR:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
[size=16]SENTAI FILMWORKS LICENSES “SHORT PEACE”[/size]

HOUSTON, February 28, 2014 – Sentai Filmworks is honored to announce its newest acquisition: Short Peace. Curated by the legendary Katsuhiro Otomo (Akira, Steamboy), Short Peace is an omnibus collection of four anime shorts, including the 86th Academy Award® nominated Best Animated Short Film Possessions, directed by Shuhei Morita (Coicent, Freedom). Short Peace is the first film release in over nine years from Otomo, whose long list of prestigious accolades includes a Purple Medal of Honor from the Japanese government, Career Achievement honors at the Annie Awards, and an induction into the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards Hall of Fame.

Short Peace will have a nationwide theatrical release via Eleven Arts. It will also be available soon through select digital outlets and on bilingual Blu-ray & DVD.

ACADEMY AWARD(S)®, OSCAR(S)®, and OSCAR® statuette design mark are the registered trademarks and service marks, and the OSCAR® statuette the copyrighted property, of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

About Sentai Filmworks
Sentai Filmworks is 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’ Blu-ray and DVD products are distributed through Super D, Section23Films, Waxworks and through finer retailers including Amazon.com, Best Buy, Fry’s, FYE, Hastings, Suncoast, The Right Stuf, and Wal-Mart. Sentai Filmworks’ digital programming is available through Amazon.com, Anime Network, Crunchyroll, Google Play, Hulu, iTunes, Netflix, PlayStation Network, Rovi, Samsung, Vudu, XBOX Live, and YouTube.

ANN doesn’t list this “short peace” as already having a dub so is that a good sign that Sentai is dubbing this one itself and soon (if not already)? A Sentai title with a nationwide theatrical release sounds somewhat intriguing.

That said, I notice that Coicent is listed as a reference and that movie wasn’t anything to write home about…