Industry News: Sentai Filmworks January 2017 Release Slate

It seems I was right about Sentai providing less titles per month, as January has only a couple. But we do have 1 Premium release... I'm speechless.

Here's the January 2017 line-up.

We have a couple of titles this month, so here's a quick tally:
 - 1 Premium Edition box set
 - 4 new releases
 - 2 subtitled only releases
 - 2 English dubbed releases
 - 1 re-release (as a complete collection)

January 3rd

The World God Only Knows: Ultimate Collection [Seasons 1, 2, 3 & OVAs]
Region: US|1
Publisher: NBC Universal Entertainment Japan
Format: Blu-ray & DVD (sold separately)
Languages: English & Japanese (w/English subs)
Price (SRP): $99.98 (Blu-ray) and $79.98 (DVD)
Price (Rightstuf): $64.99 (Blu-ray) and $51.99 (DVD)

Extras:
Japanese Promos, Music Videos, Clean Opening Animation, Clean Closing Animation (TBC)

January 10th

Beautiful Bones -Sakurako's Investigation-: Complete Collection
Region: US|1
Publisher: Kadokawa Pictures
Format: Blu-ray & DVD (sold separately)
Languages: Japanese (w/English subs)
Price (SRP): $59.98 (Blu-ray) and $49.98 (DVD)
Price (Rightstuf): $38.99 (Blu-ray) and $32.49 (DVD)

Extras:
Clean Opening Animation, Clean Closing Animation (TBC)

January 24th

Infinite Stratos 2: Complete Collection (Premium Box Set)
Region: US
Publisher: Tokyo Broadcasting System
Format: Blu-ray
Languages: English & Japanese (w/English subs)
Price (SRP): $219.98
Price (Rightstuf): $142.99

Extras (On-Disc):
Episode 1 Special Extended Edition, One Summer's Memories OVA, World Purge OVA, Infinite Wedding Audio Drama, Clean Opening Animation

Extras (Physical):
Chipboard Artbox, Booklet with Translation Insert, Packaging being modelled similarly to the BD-Box (TBC)

Triage X: Complete Collection
Region: US|1
Publisher: Kadokawa Pictures
Format: Blu-ray & DVD (sold separately)
Languages: Japanese (w/English subs)
Price (SRP): $59.98 (Blu-ray) and $49.98 (DVD)
Price (Rightstuf): $38.99 (Blu-ray) and $32.49 (DVD)

Extras:
Episode 11 OVA, Interview with Kenji Akabane & Yuri Kondo, Japanes Promos, Clean Opening Animation, Clean Closing Animation (TBC)

January 31st

Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya 2wei Herz!: Complete Collection
Region: US|1
Publisher: Kadokawa Pictures
Format: Blu-ray & DVD (sold separately)
Languages: English & Japanese (w/English subs)
Price (SRP): $69.98 (Blu-ray) and $59.98 (DVD)
Price (Rightstuf): $45.49 (Blu-ray) and $38.99 (DVD)

Extras:
Herz! Shorts (all 5); Japanese Promos, Commercials & Commentaries; Clean Opening Animation, Clean Closing Animation (TBC)

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Yep that's it. Just five titles.

Now let's get the point. Oh wow TBS you are seriously going there. Now I understand the fact that reverse importation can be a big issue but isn't this going too far? Like seriously an SRP of $220 is pushing it. Now after looking further into this I'm going to assume they're replicating the Japanese Blu-ray Disc Box so if that's the case then I understand the high SRP (in case you didn't know, the BD-Box came out on June 30th 2016). On the other hand all of the on-disc content is there including the OVAs and even the 30 minute audio drama. A standard DVD version is still available for those who only want the DVD release (but only has the main series).

Other than The World God Only Knows, we have three new additions to the line-up. There's Triage X from the Spring 2015 season, Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya 2wei Herz! from the Summer 2015 season, and there's Beautiful Bones -Sakurako’s Investigation- from the Autumn/Fall 2015 season. It seems Sentai is slowly putting out their latest titles but I have an idea on why this is the case. There is a possibility that they're withholding Is It Wrong To Try To Pick Up Girls In A Dungeon? and Monster Musume: Everyday Life With Monster Girls due to the recent OVA releases that are due in November/December 2016, and perhaps are working on trying to include them for their release. Heck I think these two titles in particular are Collector's Edition worthy if you ask me. As for the other dubbed titles, they may be spreading them out across Q1/Q2 2017 due to the lack of new licenses from the current seasons. Sentai have been acquiring catalogue titles like Chihayafuru and they still have some backlog left including The Legend of the Galactic Heroes so there's still enough for the distributor to keep carrying on for the time being.

That's it for this line-up. I expect the premium edition of My Love Story!! will turn up at some point this Q1 unless they are savouring it for unknown reasons.