Anime Limited News: Lupin Part IV, Re:ZERO, Sword Art Online -Ordinal Scale-, OOP Stock Updates & More!
Two weeks ago we covered the latest news on Anime Limited’s titles including Love Live! Sunshine!! and since then a couple big hitters cropped up from the distributor themselves. Here’s the quick TL;DR on all of the news revealed throughout the past few weeks.
Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- Part 1
A brand new Re:ZERO update has arrived for the UK! That’s right the distributor is planning on releasing the series around the same time as the US Funimation version. They also unveiled the final artwork.
The part 1 collector’s edition Blu-ray will include episodes 1-12 across 2 discs housed in a rigid box with digipack, and a 52-page booklet covering the characters, key animation and background artwork of the first two arcs in the anime. For those wondering, don’t worry both Ram & Rem are featured on the back cover of the rigid box.
The SRP will be £59.99 while the Standard edition DVD will also be released at SRP £29.99. Audio options include English & Japanese with English subtitles. The series will be available starting 25th June 2018.
Lupin the Third Part IV
It’s been two months since we saw some updates on the fourth main series of Lupin the Third and now the distributor have finally revealed some exciting news on the franchise. Lupin the Third Part IV will be here much sooner than you think, and with some clarifications to detail.
First up let’s talk about the complete series collector’s edition Blu-ray which includes all 24 episodes plus 2 OVAs housed in a rigid box with digipack, and a 60-page artbook covering the characters, props, backgrounds and concept art of the anime.
The SRP will be £69.99. This will be available starting 28th May 2018. Now for the important part: This collector’s edition release will be the Original Japanese Version i.e. Japanese audio with English subtitles only.
The reason for this is because TMS (the original licensor) released the series in Italy first as it was co-funded in that region, hence the anime’s setting, and the Japanese broadcast aired later on which used slightly different material (different opening video & soundtrack). In addition Discotek and the returning cast of Lupin the Third Part II’s English dub were given the Italian masters as part of their contract for the Part IV English dub which meant that having both audio options on one format was not possible.
The good news is that the English ‘Italian/Toonami Broadcast’ Version will be released in the UK, however it will be available as a standard Blu-ray complete series collection exclusively on Shop AllTheAnime at an unknown date. This is because there’s apparently more demand for the original Japanese audio than the English dub. Folks who purchase the Original Japanese Version’s Collector’s Edition on Shop AllTheAnime or at Anime Limited’s booth in conventions will be able to order the English Version at a discounted price of £10 – this offer will not be available for any of the OJV stock used at other retailers.
In addition the series will be released exclusively on Blu-ray. That means no DVD.
Sword Art Online the Movie -Ordinal Scale-
The feature length movie will soon be available for home video here in the UK. They also unveiled the final artwork.
The collector’s edition Blu-ray & DVD combo pack will include the feature-length movie on each format housed in a rigid box with digipack, 5 artcards and a 60-page booklet covering a breakdown of the Sword Art Online story so far, info about the new technology that sits at the heart of Ordinal Scale‘s story, character and setting information/artwork, in-depth character profiles, and a comprehensive gallery of illustrations used to promote the film in Japan and beyond.
The SRP will be £34.99 while the Standard edition Blu-ray & DVD will also be released at SRP £19.99 & £17.99 respectively. Audio options include English & Japanese with English subtitles. The film will be available starting 28th May 2018.
ERASED Part 2
The show may have been ERASED from our memories but the second half of the series will soon be released. The distributor revealed the inside contents of the collector’s edition release.
Like Part 1, Part 2 will be released as a collector’s edition Blu-ray & DVD combo pack also. The set includes episodes 7-12 on a disc per format housed in a rigid box with digipack and a 40-page booklet covering the second half of the character files, Revival Chronology, ERASED Key Animation Selection, and an interview with the director of the series Tomohiko Ito.
The SRP will be £39.99 while the Standard edition DVD will also be released at SRP £29.99. Audio options include English & Japanese with English subtitles. The series will be available starting 25th June 2018.
Mind Game
Last year we saw the cult classic Studio 4C film be released in a special crowdfunding campaign on Blu-ray. And now Anime Limited will be bringing the film to the UK.
There won’t be any special releases planned (as the Japanese crowdfunded release takes care of that, like Mai Mai Miracle) so it will be a standard Blu-ray only release. The SRP will be £19.99. Audio options include Japanese with English subtitles. The film will be available starting 30th April 2018.
Kiss Him, Not Me!
Also receiving a release not long after the US Funimation version is Kiss Him, Not Me! which will be available very soon (in fact it’s available now if you order on Shop AllTheAnime).
Like Castle Town Dandelion, there won’t be any special editions planned so it will be released as a complete series on standard Blu-ray and DVD. The SRP for Blu-ray will be £34.99 while the DVD is £29.99. Audio options include English & Japanese with English subtitles. The series will be available starting 30th April 2018.
Wolf’s Rain
We mentioned that the distributor would be releasing the series on an Ultimate Edition release, but there’s another release planned for folks who simply want the show.
The complete series standard Blu-ray will include all 26 episodes plus 4 OVAs. There won’t be a DVD release of this series. The SRP will be £39.99. Audio options include English & Japanese with English subtitles. The series will be available starting 25th June 2018.
BBFC Updates
We have our next batch of anime receiving ratings by the British Board of Film Classification in recent weeks. Here are the results:
Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion I – Initiation
12A (for theatrical) – Moderate violence, bloody images, nudity
Fairy Tail: Dragon Cry
15 (for home video) – Brief sexual threat
Hyouka Part 2
PG – Mild bad language, sex references
Kiss Him, Not Me!
12 – Moderate sex references, violence
Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms
15 (for theatrical) – Strong violence
Mind Game
15 – Very strong language, violence, sex references, sexual violence
The Night is Short, Walk on Girl
15 (for home video) – Strong sex references
Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- Part 1
15 – Strong bloody violence
Rokka – Braves of the Six Flowers
15 – Strong bloody violence
Next Going Out of Print title: Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam Part 1 (1000 Print Edition) Blu-ray
Next title to join the ‘Going Out of Print’ banner is the first print edition of Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam Part 1. The February 2017 release won’t be around for long, but there will be a standard Blu-ray available that omits the rigid box once all stock are gone.
The set features the first 25 episodes of the series housed in a rigid box with a standard Blu-ray case. Audio options include English & Japanese with English subtitles. You can order the release over on Shop AllTheAnime.
Now Officially Out of Print: Sword of the Stranger Collector’s Edition Combo Pack
Well that sold out a lot faster than we were expecting. Sword of the Stranger’s collector’s edition release has officially sold out on Shop AllTheAnime, which means the stock left on other retailers are the last ones left. If you want it, get it quick!
The set features the film on both Blu-ray & DVD housed in a rigid box with a digipack and 40-page booklet. The on-disc content from the previous Beez release are all intact and any errors from that release have been corrected in the Anime Limited version. Audio options include English & Japanese with English subtitles.
Spring 2018 License: Full Metal Panic! Invisible Victory
The fourth series of Full Metal Panic! has finally arrived and the distributor announced its acquisition which includes home video. The series will be simulcasting on Crunchyroll in Japanese audio with English subtitles every Friday at 2:00pm BST.
Spring 2018 License: PERSONA5 The Animation
Wake up, get up, get out there. Anime Limited have acquired the home video rights to the anime adaptation of PERSONA5. The series will be simulcasting on Crunchyroll in Japanese audio with English subtitles every Saturday at 6:00pm BST.
And that is the latest round-up for the time being. Stay tuned for the next time we receive any new information on future Anime Limited releases!
