Industry News: Sentai Filmworks January 2018 Release Slate

Just a couple days ago Sentai Filmworks announced they will be phasing out DVDs starting 2019 (more info on that in this blogpost) so we have 12 months left for those starting with the January 2018 slate. Bloody hell it's 2018 already.

The January release slate includes:

- 2 limited edition titles

- 2 catalog titles

- 1 DVD only title

January 2nd:

Kissdum R: Engage Planet: Complete Collection

Blu-ray - Japanese - $89.98

Region: Geolocked to United States ~ Publisher: Bandai Visual?

Extras: Clean Opening Animations (x11), Clean Closing Animations (x10), Japanese Commercials (x10), Japanese Promos (x11), Clean Opening Animations (On Air Version x1), Clean Closing Animations (On Air Version x3); Clean OVA Closing Animation

January 9th:

Naisho no Tsubomi: Complete Collection

DVD - Japanese - $24.98

Region: 1 ~ Publisher: Happinet Pictures?

Extras: Clean Closing Animations (x3)

January 16th:

Haikyu!!: Season 2 Collection (Limited Edition)

Combo Pack - English & Japanese - $199.98

Region: Geolocked to United States & 1 ~ Publisher: TOHO Animation

Extras: Clean Opening Animation (x2), Clean Closing Animation (x2), Japanese Commercials (x9), Japanese Promo Videos (x4)

Extras (LE Exclusive): 186-page Hardcover Booklet, 4 Artcards, Karasuno Token, Set of 9 Chibi Bird Pins, and 9 Character Trading Cards.

Haikyu!!: Season 2 Collection (Standard Edition)

Blu-ray - English & Japanese - $99.98

Region: Geolocked to United States ~ Publisher: TOHO Animation

Extras: Clean Opening Animation (x2), Clean Closing Animation (x2), Japanese Commercials (x9), Japanese Promo Videos (x4)

Haikyu!!: Season 2 Collection (Standard Edition)

DVD - English & Japanese - $79.98

Region: 1 ~ Publisher: TOHO Animation

Extras: Clean Opening Animation (x2), Clean Closing Animation (x2), Japanese Commercials (x9), Japanese Promo Videos (x4)

January 23rd:

Typhoon Noruda

Blu-ray - English & Japanese - $19.98

Region: Geolocked to United States ~ Publisher: Fuji Creative Corporation

Extras: "Control Bear WONDER GARDEN" Short Animation Film, Talk Event, Zadankai Interviews, Japanese Trailers

January 30th:

Tanaka-kun is Always Listless: Complete Collection (Limited Edition)

Combo Pack - English & Japanese - $149.98

Region: Geolocked to United States & 1 ~ Publisher: Bandai Visual

Extras: Clean Opening Animation, Clean Closing Animation, Japanese Promo Videos (x2), Shorts (x7 - Dubbed)

Extras (LE Exclusive): Soundtrack (27 tracks), 68-page Hardcover Booklet, Art Cards, Poster, Sleep Mask, Door Hanger

Tanaka-kun is Always Listless: Complete Collection (Standard Edition)

Blu-ray - English & Japanese - $69.98

Region: Geolocked to United States ~ Publisher: Bandai Visual

Extras: Clean Opening Animation, Clean Closing Animation, Japanese Promo Videos (x2), Shorts (x7 - Dubbed)

Tanaka-kun is Always Listless: Complete Collection (Standard Edition)

DVD - English & Japanese - $59.98

Region: 1 ~ Publisher: Bandai Visual

Extras: Clean Opening Animation, Clean Closing Animation, Japanese Promo Videos (x2), Shorts (x7 - Dubbed)

Grav's Thoughts:

So we have 5 titles incoming for the month of January.

Catalogue:

Kissdum R: Engage Planet (from 2007)

Naisho no Tsubomi (from 2008)

Summer 2015:

Typhoon Noruda

Autumn 2015:

Haikyu!! Second Season

Spring 2016:

Tanaka-kun is Always Listless

Before I type up my thoughts on this slate there's something worth mentioning. Sentai Filmworks announced that they plan to phase out DVDs in 2019. What this means is that they will be focusing on Blu-ray only from there on out with no plans for any DVD version unless there aren't any Blu-ray masters released in Japan. So basically titles like Grimoire of Zero and Made in Abyss will be Blu-ray only (if they don't get released until after 2018) while catalog titles like a couple from the Sunrise deal will be available on DVD. This is honestly a good thing because virtually everyone has access to Blu-ray now and DVDs are a bit pointless except for titles that have a terrible Blu-ray transfer. Apparently this will affect the UK publishers a lot, most notably Manga Animatsu and perhaps MVM, but for now we just have to wait and see what happens next.

Anywho onto the slate. Haikyu!! Second Season finally gets released and as expected it also earns itself a limited edition release. I do wonder if these will sell out considering there was enough demand for a dub but I guess we'll jus have to wait on that as well. Tanaka-kun also got the limited edition treatment which is no surprise as it's also performed well streaming-wise in the states apparently (there was a lot of cheers during the Sentai panels).

Catalog-wise we see Typhoon Noruda finally get a release as well as an English dub, it also comes with a short film called Wonder Garden. I heard about Typhoon Noruda years before Sentai acquired it thanks to the music video done by Galileo Galilei so I'm interested in checking out this OVA film.

Also coming out are two catalogue titles from a decade ago; Kissdum R: Engage Planet (for the Maiden Japan label) and Naisho no Tsubomi. The former is a 2-cour series and given the info specs it seems to be 27 episodes total instead of 26 due to the OVA. The latter is a short OVA series that's only on DVD.

That's it for the start of 2018 for Sentai Filmworks. We have now completed all of the titles from the Autumn 2015 and Spring 2016 seasons. Next up is Food Wars! The Second Plate as the sole title from the Summer 2016 season and then we go straight to the 7 shows in the Autumn 2016 season.

Completely Forgotten:

Phi-Brain [Season 3]

Tribe Cool Crew

Summer 2016:

Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma: The Second Plate (Dub confirmed)

Autumn 2016:

ClassicaLoid

Flip Flappers (Dub confirmed)

Girlish Number

Haikyu!! Third Season (Dub confirmed)

Long Riders

Magic of Stella

Uta no☆Prince-sama♪ Legend Star

Winter 2017:

BanG Dream!

Urara Meirocho

Spring 2017:

Anonymous Noise

Armed Girl's Machiavellism

Atom: The Beginning

Frame Arms Girl

Grimoire of Zero

Kabukibu!

Rin-ne [Season 3]

Sagrada Reset

Sword Oratoria: Is it Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? On the Side

Summer 2017:

Action Heroine Cheer Fruits

Battle Girl High School

Hitorijime My Hero

Love & Lies

Made in Abyss

Princess Principal

Vatican Miracle Examiner

Catalogue titles:

Chihayafuru 2 (Dub confirmed)

Legend of the Galactic Heroes

Legend of the Galactic Heroes Gaiden

Legend of the Galactic Heroes Movies

New Initial D the Movie Legend Movies 2 & 3 (Dub confirmed)

No Game No Life Zero (Dub confirmed)

Catalogue titles (Sunrise deal):

Argentosoma

Betterman

Brain Powered

Infinite Ryvius

Kurokami: The Animation

Overman King Gainer

s-CRY-ed

Sacred Seven

The Girl Who Leapt Through Space

Z-MIND

Zegapain