Industry News: Otakon 2016 Announcements Round-up

While I was away this past weekend the Otakon convention was happening. And a ton of new information went out for a lot of companies. While Anime Expo had huge news, Otakon was fairly strong especially with Discotek Media. Like I've done with the forum post on Anime UK News I'll be going through the announcements in a quick fashion.

Everything is compiled into one post.

Aniplex of America

Aniplex provided only two major updates. Fate/Zero will be back in stock with a new print run of the LE Blu-ray Box Sets. Everything will be the same as before with a date set to October 25th. This is surprising considering it's been out of print for over half a year already. Kizumonogatari Part II: Nekketsu will be released in US theaters in October. An English translated trailer of the main PV is also up (spoilers for Part I). In addition there are no plans to release the Rurouni Kenshin TV series at this point.

Crunchyroll

Only one new update and that's a new simulcast for the Autumn 2016 simulcast season with Nanbaka. Regions are unknown but they have the manga so it's expected to potentially be worldwide outside Asia.

Discotek Media

Discotek went all out with their panel. Heck apparently there's even more titles they haven't yet announced according to Justin Sevakis if I remember right.

Already known titles:

07-Ghost is currently scheduled for November 8th. The series will be released on DVD and only in Japanese with English subtitles.

Black Jack the Movie will be released as a Blu-ray & DVD combo pack sometime this year. This will include the English dub alongside the original Japanese audio.

Darkstalkers OVA will be DVD-only for now.

Hana Yori Dango (TV & Movie set) will be available on DVD for October 25th.

Hi School Seha Girls will include liner notes and 16 minutes of production art available. Getting approvals with SEGA was the reason for its delay. The series will be released as a Blu-ray & DVD combo pack in Japanese with English subtitles only.

The 1997 Jungle Emperor Leo movie will be released as a Blu-ray & DVD combo pack sometime this year. This will include the English dub alongside the original Japanese audio.

Karate Master is currently scheduled for November 8th. The series will be released on DVD and only in Japanese with English subtitles.

Kyousougiga will include both the ONA series and the TV series with its Blu-ray & DVD combo pack release with every redundant frame. The set also includes the broadcast and extended cuts of Episode 5.5 and 10.5 plus a ton of extra features including Japanese commercials, sponsor cards and Textless Opening and Endings. Note that this will be a 1080i release, as Justin and his team tried and failed to set the video to 24p. Due to the production materials, the Blu-ray will have some slight banding. The series will be Japanese with English subtitles only with a release date set between the end of the year to early 2017.

Magic Knight Rayearth has been pushed back due to paperwork issues.

Saint Seiya The Lost Canvas bombed for Discotek. As a result they will not be acquiring any more Saint Seiya titles.

Shining Tears X Wind is currently scheduled for November 8th. The series will be released on DVD and only in Japanese with English subtitles

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Sonic X Seasons 1 & 2 is currently scheduled for November 8th. The series will be released on DVD and only with the 4Kids English dub. The Japanese audio was originally planned but could not be synced with the materials (due to the dub) so it will receive a separate release (like Samurai Pizza Cats did) but only if there's still demand for one.

Star Fleet/X-Bomber (the Japanese puppet show) is due for DVD in 2017. Discotek is looking into what materials they will be receiving.

Discotek's Blu-ray release of Street Fighter II: The Movie will be the best version released so far. The Blu-ray was redone by Justin Sevakis after Kaze fucked up the UK/France version with removing the grain (the grain has been preserved for Discotek's release). Every version is included.. literally: English (US Unrated 5.1, UK Unrated Stereo, PG-13 Rated Stereo, Original Score Stereo) and Japanese (Stereo) plus the Isolated Japanese Score (Stereo). The subtitles are also packed with multiple versions like using either the US or Japanese names, Signs & Japanese Song Subtitles, Signs Subtitles and even be able to turn them all off. Extra features include the PlayStation/Saturn Street Fighter Animated Movie video game cut scenes, Japanese trailers, Merchandise commercials and even extensive Video Liner Notes showing the different cuts between each version. This will be available on October 2016.

Strike the Blood will be available on November 8th. The series will be Japanese with English subtitles only. It's also a Blu-ray & DVD combo pack with the OVAs potentially included.

The last episode of True Tears will be the extended version, which Bandai did not have prior. The Pilot Candidate OVA is also included (also not included on Bandai's set). The series will be released on DVD in Japanese with English subtitles in August.

New announcements!

5 Centimeters per Second will be released on Blu-ray in North America sometime in 2017. The ADV dub is unavailable so the Bang Zoom! dub will be included (the same one also used with Manga UK's DVD release and the Japanese Global Edition Blu-ray set) as well as the original Japanese audio. Justin Sevakis may be authoring this release.

Captain Harlock: Arcadia of my Youth will be coming to Blu-ray only in North America. This will include the English dub from Vengeance of the Space Pirate many years ago as well as the original Japanese audio. The Blu-ray master will be the same as the Japanese version and extras are to be determined (with Japanese trailers confirmed at least).

Charge Man Ken will be released on DVD in 2017 and will be added to streaming soon. Discotek has dubbed this as 'The worst anime ever...or the best?'

Fatal Fury: The Motion Picture will be released on Blu-ray in North America. Extra features will be the same as the DVD version.

Urusei Yatsura 2: Beautiful Dreamer will be released on Blu-ray in North America. This is the second Urusei Yatsura film in the franchise's film series and was directed by Mamoru Oshii. Discotek found the English dub from its original source and have pulled the audio from that for its release. The subtitles will be updated (aka 'given a new coat of polish') compared to the Central Park Media version.

Lupin the Third updates!

Lupin the Third Part 2 series will be released in four box sets. The first two box sets will include all of the episodes that Geneon/Pioneer dubbed and released prior (that's episodes 1-80). The next two box sets will be Japanese audio only but the two Miyazaki episodes (episodes 145 and 155) will include the English dub. Box 1 will be scheduled for December 2016 while the rest are due in 2017. Extra features include the old Adult Swim commercials and liner notes plus more unannounced. Trailer is available on Twitter.

Lupin III: Island of Assassins will be released as a Blu-ray & DVD combo pack in 2017. This is the second Funimation rescue title for Discotek's Lupin catalogue. The English dub will also be included. It will also have remastered video and liner notes.

Lupin III: Operation Return The Treasure will be released on DVD this year. The special will be Japanese with English subtitles only.

The relationship between Crunchyroll and Discotek is still strong. No issues between them.

Funimation

Funimation have unveiled their November 2016 release slate early through their panel. I'll have the full details of each individual set very soon in another post, as we only know the titles and dates.

Already known titles:

Code Geass: Akito the Exiled will be released in North America sometime in early 2017, and D.Gray-man episodes 52-103 will be coming to DVD and receive English dubs.

Overlord and Shinometa will be given English dubs and a limited edition release. Overlord will have exclusive art from the illustrator with artcards while Shinometa has a sock. Both are due for November.

Summer Wars will be the next title in the Hosoda Collection collector's edition Blu-ray & DVD combo pack due this November.

New announcements!

Two Kadokawa Pictures titles have been acquired after once being made available via streaming on Crunchyroll a while back; Good Luck! Ninomiya-kun and Omamori Himari. Both will be released in Japanese with English subtitles and on DVD-only (Blu-rays exist in Japan but are apparently upscales based on an SD source) this November.

Monster Hunter Stories Ride On has been acquired for streaming. This is part of the Fall 2016 simulcast season.

Psychic School Wars has been acquired and scheduled for November as a Blu-ray & DVD combo pack. The film will include the English dub used in the UK & Australian sets as well as the original Japanese audio.

Sword of the Stranger has been rescued and scheduled for November as a Blu-ray & DVD combo pack. The film was once released by Bandai Entertainment and will include the English dub as well as the original Japanese audio.

MangaGamer [Visual Novels]

St. Michael's' A Kiss for the Petals - The New Generation (Sono Hanabira ni Kuchizuke o - Nyuu Jene!) will be translated and released in English on PC. This is the latest instalment in the A Kiss for the Petals franchise.

The popular Rance series is heading to the west! Rance 5D (Rance 5D - Hitoribocchi no Onna no Ko -) and Rance VI (Rance VI - Zeth Houkai -) will be translated and released in English together as a bundle for SRP $34.95 on PC this Winter.

liarsoft's Sona-nyl of the Violet Shadows (Shiei no Sona-Nyl -What a Beautiful Memories-) will be translated and released in English on Steam. This is the predecessor to Gahkthun of the Golden Lighting.

3rdEye's Sorcery Jokers will be translated and released in English on PC. No other details are known.

Rightstuf

Nothing much aside from some fun Gundam news. New Mobile Report Gundam Wing will be released on Blu-ray at some point in 2017, and Turn-A Gundam will be released on Blu-ray in early 2017! Other than that there's more Blu-rays being planned for the catalogue.

Sekai Project [Visual Novels]

inutoneko's Dairy Princess and {uni}'s The Emerald Tablet will be translated and released in English. No other details are known for these titles but both will be on PC.

aiueokompany's Fatal Twelve will be translated and released in English for PC. This is from the same team who worked on Sound of Drop - fall into poison- (Shizuku no Oto), which Sekai Project have also released.

Narcissu 10th Anniversary Anthology will be coming to PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita. The physical copies will be released under Limited Run Games. The remake includes new art, re-recorded voices, and an entirely new scenario.

Sentai Filmworks

Much like Anime Expo this year, not much was announced for Sentai but they mentioned two things. First they have clarified they have all of Legend of the Galactic Heroes (i.e. the 110 episodes + Gaiden series + films). And the second is the unveiling of the Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions! Heart Throb Collector's Edition, which includes similar content to the first season. The CE extras include a booklet, poster, stickers and more. No news on whether a standard edition will be available.

Vertical

A few notes that have provided. Another Gundam title could be released under Vertical in 2017. The Nichijou: My Ordinary Life manga has outsold Gundam the Origin and Chi's Sweet Home. Nisemonogatari novels may receive a slight delay to May/June 2017, it's original release date is slated for April 2017. And the Seven Deadly Sins: The Seven Scars Left Behind novel has been licensed and is currently scheduled for May 2017.

Viz Media

Viz have offered a fair more news on their titles. On the anime side, Hunter x Hunter 2011 and JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Blu-ray sets is expected to begin at the end of the year. And thanks to fan demand, all the movies and OVAs for Ranma 1/2 will be released on Blu-ray in 2017 in special limited edition sets.

On the manga side, The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess manga has been licensed. In addition Viz will also be releasing The Legend of Zelda: Legendary Edition which are two manga in one volumes with new covers, color artwork, and a larger printing format. The sequel to QQ Sweeper, Queen's Quality manga has been licensed, and Sweet Blue Flowers (Aoi Hana) manga has been licensed and released as 2-in-1 omnibus editions with a new translation. Digital Manga had the license prior.