Section23 Films Announces April 2010 Slate

AN Shows
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Per PR:

http://img39.imageshack.us/img39/7195/featuredrotationapril20.jpg

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
[size=16]SECTION23 FILMS ANNOUNCES APRIL SLATE[/size]

Gintama Available for the First Time on DVD

HOUSTON, January 21, 2009 – Home video distributor Section23 Films today announced its April slate of DVD releases, including the first set of Japan’s long-running hit anime series Gintama from Section23 client Sentai Filmworks. Sentai will also issue three other anime series sets in April, including Hidamari Sketch x 365, Living for the Day After Tomorrow, and Le Portrait de Petite Cossette. Switchblade Pictures, another Section23 client, has two “live-action” DVD releases straight from Japan, including Space Ranger Complete Collection and the sexy sci-fi shoot 'em up Venus Ranger.

Product details follow, in order of release
Coming April 2009

Title: HIDAMARI SKETCH X 365 COMPLETE COLLECTION
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 400 min.
Street Date: 4/6/2010
Format: DVD
SRP: $39.98

SYNOPSIS: You didn’t think Yuno’s story was over, did you? Of course it isn’t, but if you’ve seen the first series of Hidamari Sketch, you should know not to expect the “A happens after B after C” pattern of the rest of the world. In fact, instead of just taking place after Yuno’s first year at Yamabuki High, X365 continues the saga on both sides, around and in-between, filling in the details in an ever-expanding collage that’s both avant-garde and slice of life! And if the format’s not completely unexpected, we guarantee that some of the things that you never knew about before WILL be!

Title: LIVING FOR THE DAY AFTER TOMORROW COMPLETE COLLECTION
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 300 min.
Street Date: 4/13/2010
Format: DVD
SRP: $39.98

SYNOPSIS: There are far worse things than having to deal with your ex-boyfriend’s little sister or your older brother’s ex-girlfriend. But that’s something Karada Iokawa and Shoko Nogami have to learn the hard way when a magic wishing stone inexplicably grants Karada’s wish to be older. And does it by stealing the years from Shoko! Now Shoko, who’s already graduated and studied overseas, is Karada’s age, just about to enter junior high school. Meanwhile Karada must suddenly face the real facts about what being grown up entails. And just to make a bizarre situation even more awkward, there’s the issue of how to handle their existing romantic interests!

Title: SPACE RANGER COMPLETE COLLECTION
Published by: Switchblade Pictures
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 120 min.
Street Date: 4/13/2010
Format: DVD
SRP: $19.98

SYNOPSIS: With the power of the Treasure Sword at his command, the King of Valhalla has maintained peace and prosperity across the universe. But when the sword goes missing it’s up to three magnificent female warriors - Sting Blue, Orna Black and Caliban Red - to set forth on a mission and recover it before the forces of darkness can steal it for their own! Unfortunately, while the warriors are magnificent, they really don’t get along well and foolishly divide their forces, even as the nefarious Dron Brothers of the Dark Planet close in on the sword itself! Now, in a horribly backwards part of the galaxy, on an insignificant world known as Earth, the fate of all creation will be determined in a knock down, hand to hand battle to the finish!

Title: LE PORTRAIT DE PETITE COSSETTE
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 120 min.
Street Date: 4/20/2010
Format: DVD
SRP: $19.98

SYNOPSIS: What happens when the face you see in a reflection isn’t your own? That’s the shock that awaits Eiri Kurahashi when he sees the living image of Cossette d’Auvergne in a glass in his uncle’s antique shop. Infatuated, he becomes possessed and mysteriously makes contact with the beautiful young aristocrat, only to learn that she was murdered 250 years earlier. Now, her soul trapped inside the goblet, she can only be set free if someone is willing to pay for the sins of her murderer, the artist Marcelo… who may very well have been reincarnated as Eiri! As shadowy forces surround Eiri, his love for Cossette drives him down a tortuous path of self-destruction, while those who love him in the real world can only watch in horror!

Title: GINTAMA COLLECTION 1
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 325 min.
Street Date: 4/27/2010
Format: DVD
SRP: $39.98

SYNOPSIS: Life isn’t easy in feudal Japan… especially since the aliens landed and conquered everything! Oh sure, the new health care is great, but the public ban on the use of swords has left a lot of defeated samurai with a difficult career choice! This is especially true if they’re not particularly inclined towards holding a day job, which is why Gintoki Sakata’s opted for the freelance route, taking any job that’s offered to him as long as the money’s right. Unfortunately, in a brave new world filled with stray bug-eyed montsters, upwardly mobile Yakuza and overly ambitious E.T. entrepreneurs, those jobs usually don’t pay as well as they should for the pain, suffering and indignities endured!

Title: VENUS RANGER
Published by: Switchblade Pictures
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 95 min.
Street Date: 3/30/2010
Format: DVD
SRP: $19.98

SYNOPSIS: When four beautiful girls sneak into the hideout of a shadowing organization, they suddenly find themselves being drafted as holy warriors in the ancient war of good versus evil! On the side of darkness is the Golden Venus, on the side of light, the Mysterious Silver! Scheming beastly goddesses, massive girl on girl battles and an epic spin on the entire powered ranger genre propel the V-Forces through an epic tribute to classic Japanese live action entertainment! No punches are pulled! All breasts are mostly real!

About Section23 Films
Section23 Films provides home video marketing and distribution services for a variety of companies, including Sentai Filmworks, Switchblade Pictures, 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.

RightStuf Links
Gin Tama DVD Collection 1 (S)
Hidamari Sketch x 365 DVD Complete Collection (S) (Season 2)
Living for the Day After Tomorrow (Asatte no Houkou) DVD Complete Collection (S)
Le Portrait de Petite Cossette DVD (Hyb)
Space Ranger DVD (S) LiveAction
Venus Ranger DVD (S) LiveAction

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Well some people will be happy they finally will be about to get Gintama plus its nice to see Hidamari Sketch X 365. Also nice to see Le Portrait de Petit Cossette rescued good title with a great dub. Not sure if I will be getting Living for the Day After Tomorrow (what a mouthful) or the Switchblade titles ,but will if I have the money be getting Gintama and Hidamari Sketch X 365.

Really was hoping for something else. Something with Giant or Super Robots.

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Gintama: dub or no dub? Could this be the series that they finally go ahead and dub?

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[quote=ZakuAce]
Gintama: dub or no dub? Could this be the series that they finally go ahead and dub?[/quote]

No idea to they get listed at Rightstuf. Dragoon may be able to shed more light as I am not sure if that extra info is in the press release.

5

I just urinated myself. Gintama is a MUST buy.

THANK YOU SENTAI.THANK YOU SENTAI.THANK YOU SENTAI.THANK YOU SENTAI.THANK YOU SENTAI.THANK YOU SENTAI.THANK YOU SENTAI.THANK YOU SENTAI.THANK YOU SENTAI.THANK YOU SENTAI.THANK YOU SENTAI.THANK YOU SENTAI.THANK YOU SENTAI.THANK YOU SENTAI.THANK YOU SENTAI.

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Gintama is a huge Shonen Jump property. Everyone expected it to go to Viz… Kudos to Sentai and Section23 for getting this marquee title and for diversifying. I’ve been criticizing they need to diversify and get more of the male group in the last few months. Great pick up, on paper - now to see if it actually gets sales support as a sub-only release. Who knows this might be one of their titles they might dub down the line.

Hidamari and Living for the Day After are excellent pick ups. These will sell well to Sentai’s base, and so far is getting them a lot of points with the otakus who never thought Living would come out here - seems like it’s a quality pick up.

Cossette is a great title to add to their catalog in terms of value.

Nice diverse picks… :slight_smile:

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::Passes out from shock of section 23 getting Gintama::
Okay Now I wonder how many episodes they got? Wow just surprised as it almost 200 episodes in japan. Just when you think S23 can’t surprise me they do. This is good pick up and one that could work for them a long while if sales are there.

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I’m facepalming at most of ANN’s reactions to Gintama :S

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Section23 informed Mania that they have several seasons of Gintama!

Yay!

Zaku, There’s like 3-5 people who are like that and they constantly post the same crap. It’s one thing to want a dub, I want one too, but those same people over and over again are tiring and laughably clueless about how the industry and finance work. -_- It’s on every sub-only release announcement for the last year now… Over and over. They think that the 3-5 of them who constantly complain, will get companies to notice them or change course.

That is one problem with Sentai landing such a huge title like Gintama though… people have high expectations. This series just can’t get a dub without a solid a TV deal though, way too expensive of a production… Here’s to hoping somehow Syfy or Adult Swim give this a look!

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I’m glad my question got answered in a way about what they have gintama. I’m not a sticker on dubs as I use to be seems these pains over at ANN are. One poster actually hoped S23 went out business. ::Shakes head:: I’m just glad it’s on dvd dub or sub. No more worry about freezing player or freezing browser or commercials.

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[quote=Supermutant]
I’m glad my question got answered in a way about what they have gintama. I’m not a sticker on dubs as I use to be seems these pains over at ANN are. One poster actually hoped S23 went out business. ::Shakes head:: I’m just glad it’s on dvd dub or sub. No more worry about freezing player or freezing browser or commercials.[/quote]

Those were the same people claiming that they didn’t need to pay for a dub when they wouldn’t watch it. They can go to hell because Gintama is licensed FINALLY. Nothing they say can stop this breathe of fresh air in R1.

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I was talking in general people there and mentioning the ones complaining over there. If you don’t want to watch a dvd with dub and not with sub then don’t buy. Do what I did don’t buy them but then you miss out on good stuff but disparage the company and just do watch the dvds with dub and subs.

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Yeah, unfortunately the devaluation of anime (due to streaming, free everything, illegal) has helped create a spoiled market where some fans have impossible expectations and demands. Here’s to hoping for fans continuing to support this entertainment medium and the industry. :slight_smile:

What a huge day for Sentai to get on the map with a monster title. :slight_smile:

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I for one was completely shocked to see Sentai land Gintama. I kept expecting it to got to Viz or Funimation. Glad to see they can still land a large property though. Too bad they couldn’t get a TV deal with, as this would have fit great on Adult Swim. Sub or dub, I will still be buying.

Living For The Day After Tomorrow is another definite buy. It is JC Staff after all!

I’m not surprised to see them pick up HidamariX365. Sentai has been great about finishing shows they start, much better than just about anyone in R1 right now. I’m really hoping they keep up the trend.

I won’t be grabbing Petite Cosette, as I wasn’t a fan of that one.

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If Gintama doesn’t get a dub nothing will, here is a long running shonen that is a great pickup for Sentai and they can use it as a centerpiece.

Asatte no Houkou, oh wow, I never thought I would see that, that has me more excited than Gintama.

With the Crunchyroll shows coming, is Natsume Yuujinchou more than a pipe dream.

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[quote=mitamaking]
If Gintama doesn’t get a dub nothing will, [/quote]

I don’t know about that. There have been many series that should have been really successful in R1 that were dubbed and ultimately flopped, or failed to live up to sales expectations, even with TV airings.

Sentai could just be testing the waters and seeing how the first few sets sell, and then make further licensing and dubbing decisions based on those. Going back and dubbing a series later is not without precedent. ADV originally started out as a sub only company, before creating their own dubs. Media Blasters has also begun releasing dubbed versions of shows they had originally done sub only. Anything is really possible these days.

But for me, a dub is luxury. These are foreign art, and they were originally made in Japanese. I have no right to automatically expect everything to be in English. If it gets a dub, great. If not, I will still be buying. And there is something to be said for enjoying a show in it’s native language, and the way it was MEANT to be seen…

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Agreed Cody.

If even Naruto and Bleach for a while in jeopardy for several months, it’s clear that dubs are not a given anymore and shouldn’t be expected. Gintama is a monster title, on paper, but as we all know, that doesn’t necessarily translate to sales or profit - especially when you consider Gintama has a lot of episodes to dub. You can’t release something dub for 26-52 eps then just switch to sub-only for this kind of title. So unless there is a TV deal that will help pay for it long term, it is what it is. However they can always dub it in the future if it does well, vs the reverse. It’s all about risk evaluation.

In that sense it’s easier to make a profit from a shorter ep. series (limits production costs) as long as it sells to the base and if it’s a hot otaku title.

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Hope they put Gintama on TAN. Been wanting to see this since they ran it in Shonen Jump US.

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[quote=dragonrider_cody]

[quote=mitamaking]
If Gintama doesn’t get a dub nothing will, [/quote]

But for me, a dub is luxury. These are foreign art, and they were originally made in Japanese. I have no right to automatically expect everything to be in English.[/quote]

This is the most sense I have read all day concerning dubs.

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RightStuf Links
Gin Tama DVD Collection 1 (S)
Hidamari Sketch x 365 DVD Complete Collection (S) (Season 2)
Living for the Day After Tomorrow (Asatte no Houkou) DVD Complete Collection (S)
Le Portrait de Petite Cossette DVD (Hyb)
Space Ranger DVD (S) LiveAction
Venus Ranger DVD (S) LiveAction

Added links to Rightstuf on the first post. Also confirms sub only for all.