SciFi Japan
    Source: Shout! Factory Special Thanks to Tom Chen Our friends at Shout! Factory sent over an advance copy of their GAMERA VS ZIGRA/ GAMERA: THE SUPER MONSTER Double Feature Collector’s Edition DVD set, so we`re pleased to give SciFi Japan readers an early look at what`s coming their way on March 15th. The DVD has a suggested retail price of $19.93. Both films are presented in their original widescreen theatrical aspect ratios. The quality of the image and Japanese audio tracks matches the high standards of Shout! Factory`s previous Gamera releases. The English dubs are the same ones used for the original American releases; unfortunately the English audio for GAMERA: THE SUPER MONSTER appears to have been lifted from inferior elements as it is rather muffled. It is also incomplete... the narration switches briefly to Japanese during Barugon`s rampage and is missing the line "The chilling monster

    Source: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, Inc. Press release Official Movie Site: disneypictures/earthsea (US) On March 8th, Studio Ghibli`s TALES FROM EARTHSEA (DVD only) and NAUSICAA OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND (Blu-ray + DVD Combo Pack) will be available to bring home from Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment. Goro Miyazaki`s directorial debut, TALES FROM EARTHSEA (Gedo Senki, 2006), features exquisite hand-drawn animation and the vocal talents of Timothy Dalton, Willem Dafoe, Cheech Marin, and Mariska Hargitay. Bonus material includes a behind-the-scenes look at the studio and Studio Ghibli Trivia Challenge. NAUSICAA OF THE VALLEY OF THE WIND (Kaze no Tani no Naushika, 1984) launched the Academy Award-winning career of famed director Hayao Miyazaki! This stunning animated tale features the voices of Uma Thurman, Shia LeBeouf, and Patrick Stewart. Bonus features include a behind-the-scenes look into the recording booth and the birth story of Studio Ghibli. NAUSICAA

    Source: Third Window Films, TBS Official Movie Site: thirdwindowfilms.com/memories-of-matsuko (UK) Special Thanks to Adam Torel When a bored college student learns that a long lost aunt has been found dead in a park, he begins piecing together her life to see if it had any value. What he finds is a revelation. On February 14th, Third Window Films will release MEMORIES OF MATSUKO (Kiraware Matsuko no Isshoo, 2006) on Blu-ray in the United Kingdom. Talented film director Tetsuya Nakashima (KAMIKAZE GIRLS, CONFESSIONS) wields a host of cinematic tools to make a memorably entertaining and emotionally powerful "fairytale tragedy," weaving together realistic human drama with offbeat comedy and spectacular, Bob Fosse-like production numbers to tell the heartbreaking story of Matsuko Kawajiri, a starry-eyed woman who spends her entire life searching for a worthy "prince" capable of returning her limitless love. After losing her job

    Source: MediaLab press release Official Site: NewPeopleEnt.com Special Thanks to Erik Jansen VIZ Pictures, Inc., the film distributor and producer behind the Japanese pop culture venue in San Francisco known as NEW PEOPLE, has announced that it will now operate as a newly established company, NEW PEOPLE, Inc., to re-brand and create synergy between all corporate divisions. The company’s film distribution and licensing division will now operate as NEW PEOPLE Entertainment. NEW PEOPLE Entertainment is complemented by the launch of another dedicated film and event production division – NEW PEOPLE Productions – that will organize and manage the annual J-Pop Summit Festival as well as future film premieres, live events, and the development of original programming. The J-Pop Summit Festival takes place in San Francisco every summer and has become one of the largest events in the U.S. devoted to Japanese pop culture, film, fashion, food, art,

    Final Two Classic Gamera Movies to be Released March 15th Source: Shout! Factory press release, Golden Media Group, Inc. Special Thanks to Tom Chen, Roy McAree and Richard Noboru Kekahuna The wait is over! On March 15, 2011, Shout! Factory will unleash the final two films in Daiei Motion Picture Company`s illustrious Gamera franchise: GAMERA VS. ZIGRA and GAMERA: THE SUPER MONSTER! Witness twice the excitement as Gamera takes on the malevolent underwater alien creature Zigra and then revisits each of his deadliest foes on by one while trying to save the word! Both films feature newly remastered transfers in their original Japanese language as well as English dubs. Until the partnership of Shout! Factory and Kadokawa Pictures in May 2010, the original Gamera films were woefully underrepresented on DVD in the United States, especially in featuring the authentic original Japanese versions of

    Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases Special Thanks to Jane Lui and Erik Jansen VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media) has announced a trio of new anime DVD releases set for release this week that expand some of the company’s most potent properties including NARUTO SHIPPUDEN, VAMPIRE KNIGHT and POKÉMON. NARUTO SHIPPUDEN BOX SET, Volume 5 Rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens MSRP: $49.95 U.S. / $71.99 CAN Available Now! Naruto is troubled by nightmares after his second failed attempt to bring Sasuke home. Kakashi, recovering in the hospital, suggests a new training regimen for Naruto that puts him in touch with his wind chakra nature. Naruto seeks advice from another wind type, the Leaf Jonin Asuma. Then, when Tsunade sends Team Kakashi on a mission to the Fire Temple, the truth about a shocking event involving Asuma and the Guardian Shinobi Twelve begins to unfold. This latest

    Source: Madman Entertainment Special Thanks to Ben Pollock and Philippa Lamb The Australian distributor Madman Entertainment is releasing the following anime and Asian live action titles on Blu-ray and Region 4 DVD in February, 2011... BIG TITS ZOMBIE Strippers vs the Undead! Meet five bored strippers, working in a quiet club with no customers. One night, they stumble across a secret passageway in their dressing room which leads to The Book of the Dead. They begin reading the incantations out loud and unknowingly unleash hordes of the Undead on to the world! Armed with swords, chainsaws and kick-arse fighting moves - it`s time for the real fun to begin! Based on the manga Big Tits Dragon: Hot Spring Zombie Vs. Stripper 5. Release Date: 02/02/2011 SRP: $29.95 Year Of Production: 2010 Audio tracks: Dolby 5.1, 2.0 Languages: Japanese Genre: Cult Movies, Horror Subtitles: English Runtime: 73.0

    Japanese Academy Award-Winner Coming February 15th Source: FUNimation Entertainment press release Official Site: s-wars.jp (Japan), funimation.com/summer-wars, gkids.tv/summer (US) Special Thanks to Jackie Smith and Manny Alcala From the visionary director of THE GIRL WHO LEAPT THROUGH TIME (2007 Japanese Academy Prize winner, Best Animated Feature) comes the story of an ordinary family going to extraordinary lengths to avert the impending cyber apocalypse! The internationally acclaimed animated sci-fi film SUMMER WARS (Samaa Woozu, 2009) makes its North American home video debut on February 15th. The first pressings of the 2 disc DVD set ($29.98) and Blu-ray edition ($34.98) from FUNimation Entertainment will come with bonus limited edition art cards. Kenji is your typical teenage misfit. He’s good at math, bad with girls, and spends most of his time hanging out in the all-powerful, online community known as OZ. His second life is the only

    NEEDLESS COLLECTION 1 BLU-RAY EDITION Available on February 15th Source: Section23 Films press release Special Thanks to Mike Bailiff Home video distributor Section23 Films has provided details on its February 2011 slate of releases, including the popular series NEEDLESS. The first collection will be released on DVD and Blu-Ray by Section23 client Sentai Filmworks. Product details follow, in order of release... YOU`RE UNDER ARREST: FAST & FURIOUS COMPLETE COLLECTION Published by: Sentai Filmworks Distributed by: Section23 Films Run Time: 650 min. Street Date: 2/1/2011 Format: DVD Language: Japanese with English Subtitles SRP: $59.98 Get ready for non-stop, pedal to the metal action and hijinks galore as Japan`s most irregular team of police officers hits the streets again on an all new tour of duty! As usual, the Bokuto Police station is a magnet for the weird and UN-usual, and that`s about the only rule this duty

    Brand New Anime Series to Begin Simulcasting This Month in North America Source: Sentai Filmworks, Anime Network press releases Official Site: tbs.co.jp/anime/is (Japan) Special Thanks to David Williams and Christian Lopez Sentai Filmworks has announced its acquisition of INFINITE STRATOS (IS, IS< Infinitto Sutoratosu >, 2011), the latest hit anime series from 8-Bit (DURARARA!!, MACROSS FRONTIER). Based on the series of hit novels by Izuru Yumizuru that have already spawned a hit manga and internet radio series, INFINITE STRATOS takes the battle of the sexes to a new level, flipping conventional gender relationships through a maverick series of high speed inverted power rolls over the course of 12 extraordinary episodes. The series debuted on Japanese television this past January 6th, and will begin simulcasting in North America this month on Anime Network Online. 10 years ago, the development of the revolutionary Infinite Stratos powered exoskeleton changed

    Save Over $48 Off the COMPLETE COLLECTION Source: Section23 Films press release Special Thanks to Mike Bailiff The hit anime series CLANNAD: AFTER STORY is being reissued on DVD by Sentai Filmworks with a brand-new English dub. Originally released in a subtitled only format, CLANNAD: AFTER STORY is receiving the dub as part of an agreement in which several affiliated groups have come together to create English language versions for five of Sentai’s most popular titles. In appreciation of those who supported the subtitled only release of these shows, Sentai Filmworks and Section23 Films have set up an “Upgrade” program which will allow owners of the subtitled versions to upgrade their DVDs for the new CLANNAD: AFTER STORY COMPLETE COLLECTION release containing the English dub. Using the order form below, owners of the previous DVDs can save more than $48.00 off the COMPLETE COLLECTION`s suggested retail price of $69.98. This

    A Lavish Retelling of a Classic Tale Source: The Associates press release Official Movie Site: warnerbros.co.jp/tajomaru (Japan) Loosely based on Ryunosuke Akutagawa’s short stories Rashomon and In A Grove (most famously adapted for the screen by Akira Kurosawa in his 1950 masterpiece RASHOMON), TAJOMARU: AVENGING BLADE (??????, Tajomaru, 2009) is an epic tale of greed, betrayal, deceit, tragedy and revenge directed by Hiroyuki Nakano (STEREO FUTURE) and starring Shun Oguri (SUKIYAKI WESTERN DJANGO, CROWS ZERO), Kyosuke Yabe (SAMURAI ZOMBIE) and Hiroyuki Ikeuchi (IP MAN, SPACE BATTLESHIP YAMATO). Set during Japan’s late Muromachi period, TAJOMARU: AVENGING BLADE begins with the story of two brothers, Naomitsu (Shun Oguri) and Nobutsuna Hatakeyama (Hiroyuki Ikeuchi), born into a wealthy and powerful family and both destined for greatness. However, when the father of their lifelong friend and Naomitsu’s love interest Ako (Yuki Shibamoto, I WANT TO BE A

    Anime Series Available January 25, 2011 Source: FUNimation Entertainment Official Site: gantz.net (Japan), funimation.com/gantz (US) Special Thanks to Manny Alcala Life and Death. It`s nothing but a game. He thought he was dead. The last thing Kei remembers is the train running over his own body. But now he is in a room filled with strangers, all resurrected by a strange, featureless black sphere known only as the Gantz. Caught in a strange realm between life and death, Kei and the others must undertake brutal missions that the Gantz assigns. Otherwise, none of them will live long enough to leave the room. Is it a game? A nightmare? All Kei knows is that this reprieve from death may only be temporary. If they fail, they will die again... Excitement

    Twelfth POKÉMON Feature Film Delivers Another Action-Packed Adventure With Ash And His Friends Source: VIZ Media, MediaLab press releases Official Site: www.PokemonArceus.com Special Thanks to Jane Lui and Erik Jansen VIZ Media, LLC has announced the release of POKÉMON: ARCEUS AND THE JEWEL OF LIFE (Gekijoban Poketto Monsuta Daiyamondo & Paru: Arseusu Chuokoku no Jikuu e, 2009) on DVD and in a manga adaption on February 1st (both under the VIZ Kids imprint). The feature film DVD is rated ‘A’ for All Ages with a MSRP of $19.97 U.S. / $28.99 CAN; the manga adaptation is rated ‘A’ for All Ages, with a MSRP of $7.99 U.S. / $9.99 CAN. Long ago, Arceus created the Jewel of Life from fragments of its awesome power. Humans used the Jewel of Life to turn Michina Town from a barren wasteland to a lush and thriving

    Source: FUNimation Entertainment Official Movie Site: kamuigaiden.jp (Japan), funimation.com/kamui (US) Special Thanks to Manny Alcala A SciFi JAPAN EXCLUSIVE Thank you to everyone who entered FUNimation Entertainment and SciFi Japan`s contest for free KAMUI GAIDEN DVDs. The winning entries are: Maurine Starkey Linda Conrad Scott Jones Congratulations to the winners! The DVDs will be shipped in the next week so keep an eye on your mailboxes. Based on the 1964 manga series by Sanpei Shirato, KAMUI GAIDEN is the 17th Century story of the young ninja Kamui. Disillusioned with the laws and principles of his ninja clan, which dictate that he must use his skills to kill others, Kamui chooses to leave his past behind him and go in search of true freedom. But, for a ninja, liberation comes at a price and the only way to escape the bonds of the ninja brotherhood is

    If It Bleeds... Ninjas Can Kill It! Source: The Associates Official Site: Sushi Typhoon Returning from a deadly mission, a band of legendary Iga Ninja warriors see a giant fireball blaze across the sky and crash into the distant forest. Rushing to investigate, they soon find themselves under attack from a pack of brutal and hungry aliens, and that none of their weapons, neither swords nor throwing stars, seem to have any effect on the savage predators. ALIEN VS NINJA (2010), one of the first titles from Nikkatsu`s new genre label Sushi Typhoon, will be released on DVD (Region 2, PAL) and Blu-ray (B/2) in the UK by Revolver Entertainment this February. ALIEN VS NINJA is non-stop martial arts mayhem meets monster mash-up in this fantastic flick packed with fast and furious fights, great gore, hilarious action and incredible stunt work. A new

    Source: Madman Entertainment Special Thanks to Ben Pollock and Philippa Lamb The Australian distributor Madman Entertainment is releasing the following anime and Asian live action titles on Region 4 DVD in January, 2011... YATTERMAN Directed by "Oriental Tarantino" Takashi Miike, YATTERMAN is a spectacular live-action movie based on the popular anime from Japan. Gan and his girlfriend Ai are mild-mannered toy shop owners by day but, when evil lurks, they transform into superheroes Yatterman 1 & 2. With the help of a dog-shaped robot, Yatterwoof, they take on the Doronbow gang, lead by the sexy Lady Doronjo. Together, they must stop the evil gang from finding the four magical skull pieces that will allow them to control the world! Release Date: 1/12/2011 SRP: $29.95 Year Of Production: 2009 Audio tracks: Dolby 5.1, DTS 5.1 Languages: Japanese Genre: Action / Adventure, Cult Movies, Mecha Subtitles: English Runtime:

    Get the New Ninja Adventure for Free, Courtesy of FUNimation and SciFi Japan Source: FUNimation Entertainment Official Movie Site: kamuigaiden.jp (Japan), funimation.com/kamui (US) Special Thanks to Manny Alcala A SciFi JAPAN EXCLUSIVE Another Christmas may have passed, but the gift giving isn`t over yet! SciFi Japan is pleased to present out first contest with FUNimation Entertainment, who have offered our readers a chance to win the new Region 1 DVD of KAMUI GAIDEN, starring Kenichi Matsuyama (DETROIT METAL CITY, DEATH NOTE) and directed by Japanese Academy Award winner Yoichi Sai (BLOOD AND BONES). Based on the 1964 manga series by Sanpei Shirato, KAMUI GAIDEN is the 17th Century story of the young ninja Kamui. Disillusioned with the laws and principles of his ninja clan, which dictate that he must use his skills to kill others, Kamui chooses to leave his past behind him and go

    In the Midst of Disaster, Only One Signal Matters Source: The Associates press release Official Movie Site: 252 (Japan) Inspired by a miraculous real-life rescue event that occurred following the Chuetsu earthquake of 2004 and named after the Tokyo Fire Department code that indicates the discovery of survivors in need of rescue, 252: SIGN OF LIFE (252: Seizonsha Ari, aka 252: SIGNAL OF LIFE, 2008) is an epic, special effects-laden disaster movie that combines the thrills and dramatic heroics of THE TOWERING INFERNO with the elemental spectacle of SINKING OF JAPAN. Giant, baseball-sized hailstones and a devastating tidal wave are merely precursors to the main event, a mega-typhoon that strikes Japan and virtually destroys Tokyo, leaving a handful of survivors trapped in the rapidly flooding and collapsing subway system with their fate of hanging in the balance. Among them is a former Hyper

    Source: Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Official Website: BBCAmericaShop.com Special Thanks to Bridget Groller Thank you to everyone who entered the BBC America Shop 2010 Holiday Sweepstakes from Warner Bros and BBC, and Warner Bros and SciFi Japan`s contest for a free BBC Holiday Prize Pack containing DVD copies of BEING HUMAN, TOP GEAR, DOCTOR WHO, and a UK inspired light switch cover. The winning entry is: Chris Hall Congratulations, Chris! Warner Bros has already shipped your Prize Pack so keep an eye on your mailbox. And SciFi Japan isn`t done with prizes for 2010! We`re currently running a contest for free tickets to the world premiere of GANTZ, and in the next few days will launch a DVD giveaway for KAMUI GAIDEN. So keep checking back with SciFi Japan for more chances to win some cool stuff! About Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group Warner

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