News
Hanabee Announcements from AVCon 2014
posted on by Jon Hayward
The six titles were announced during the Hanabee Live! panel at AVCon 2014 on Saturday the 19th of July 2014 and posted to their facebook page;
Video on Demand
- Aldnoah.Zero: No start date has been set for streaming.
- Rail Wars!: The series will start streaming from the 21st of July.
- Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya 2wei!: No start date has been set for streaming.
Home Video Release
The following titles will all be released on the 1st of October 2014.
- Valvrave the Liberator: DVD and Blu-ray release, English subtitles with Japanese audio.
- WATAMOTE: DVD and Blu-ray release with both English audio and Japanese audio with English subtitles.
- Kabukimonogatari: DVD / Blu-ray combo pack containing 5 episodes.
Additional
- Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya was announced as part of Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya 2wei! but no further details are currently available.
Aldnoah.Zero
In 1972, the Apollo 17 mission discovered a hypergate to Mars on the surface of the moon. Humanity soon utilises this discover to migrate to Mars and after the settlers discover more advanced technology they found the Vers Empire and claim the planet and it's secrets. Many years later the Vers Empire declared war on Earth but the conflict ended in 1999 when the Moon hypergate was destroyed, shattering the Moon, stranding the remnants of the Vers Empire and forcing both sides into a cease-fire. Now it's 2014 and a attempt on the life of the Princess of Vers leaves the rest of the Empire determined to conquer Earth once and for all.
Gen Urobuchi (Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Fate/Zero, Psycho-Pass, Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet) is writing the series with Fate/Zero director Ei Aoki at A-1 Pictures and TROYCA. Katsuhiko Takayama is in charge of the series scripts. Manga artist Takako Shimura (Wandering Son, Sweet Blue Flowers) provided the original character designs, which Atsuko Matsumoto is adapting for the anime. I-IV and Kenji Teraoka are designing the mecha, and Hiroyuki Sawano is scoring the music. Pop trio Kalafina performs the opening theme song "Heavenly blue."
The series premiered on July 5 on the Tokyo MX TV, BS11, Tochigi TV, Gunma TV stations, as well as on the niconico streaming service in Japan. Aniplex of America is simulcasting the series via Aniplex Channel, Hulu, Crunchyroll, and Daisuki.
If you would like to view character designs, plot synopsis and more please click here.
Rail Wars!
In an alternate reality where Japan did not privatize its national railways, Naoto Takayama is a high school graduate that is looking forward to getting a comfortable job as a train driver for Japanese National Railways. But Naoto is placed as a trainee in the Railways Security Force where he must work alongside Aoi Sakurai, a strong-minded woman with superior shooting and combat skills, Haruka Koumi, a girl with photographic memory born into a high-class family and Shou Iwaizumi who is a passionate muscle-brain. Their job? To protect the passengers and the railway from those who would do it harm.
Yoshifumi Sueda (Haitai Nanafa, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood episode director) is directing the 12 episode anime at animation studio Passione (Haitai Nanafa) with series composition by Masashi Suzuki (The Sacred Blacksmith, Shuffle!). Makoto Uno(Love Hina, The Qwaser of Stigmata) serves as character designer and chief animation director, and Sayaka Koiso serves as chief animation director and sub-character designer. Yuushi Koshida (Kids on the Slope, Last Exile -Fam, The Silver Wing-) is the CGI director, and Yoshiaki Fujisawa (Love Live! School idol project, The Eccentric Family) composes the music. ZAQ performs the ending theme song and Minori Chihara performs the opening theme. Sohgeisha publishes the series under their Sohgeisha Clear Bunko imprint and eight volumes have been published since it's first volume in January 2012.
Anime News Network has a full anime spotlight on Rail Wars! which you can read here.
Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya and Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya 2wei!
Hiroshi Hiroyama's original Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya manga re-imagines the Fate/stay night character Illyasviel von Einzbern in an alternate universe as a magical girl. Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya ran in Kadokawa Shoten's Comp Ace from 2007-2008. Hiroyama then launched two sequel manga series: Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya Zwei! from 2009-2012 and the most recent, Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya Drei!!, which has been running since 2012.
The first series, Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya, followed Illyasviel von Einzbern as she is forced to become a magical girl and was dragged into a quest to collect the seven class cards alongside the original magical girl and sorceress Rin Tosaka. She's soon joined by Miyu Edelfelt, another girl forced into a similar prediciment with Rin's rival Luvia Edelfelt. The second season (Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya 2wei!) follows Illya and Miyu as they're dragged back in to repair the damaged caused and somehow end up creating a dark clone of Illya who is determined to destroy the original.
The first season was directed by Shin Oonuma (Baka and Test - Summon the Beasts, Dusk maiden of Amnesia) at SILVER LINK. Kenji Inoue (Baka and Test - Summon the Beasts) supervised the series scripts being written by Hazuki Minase (C³). Nozomi Ushijima (animation director on Baka and Test - Summon the Beasts 2, C³, Dusk maiden of Amnesia episodes) designed the characters, while Tatsuya Katou (Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere, Kämpfer, Medaka Box) scored the music. In addition, Takashi Sakamoto (episode director on Baka and Test - Summon the Beasts 2, C³, Dusk maiden of Amnesia) served as chief director.
The second season's staff is mostly the same with some slight differences, Shin Oonuma has taken over as Chief Director, Masato Jinbo and Ken Tateishi have stepped up as Director and Art Director respectively and Masanori Tsuchiya has joined the team as Sound Director.
Crunchyroll streamed the first season it as it aired in Japan. Sentai Filmworks licensed the series for North America and plans to release it on home video in September. Crunchyroll has again picked up the second season for streaming
Hanabee announced that the second season (Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya 2wei!) will be available through anime on demand on Hanabee.com.au and that the first season (Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya) will be released at some point, but there is no further information at this stage.
Valvrave the Liberator
The story of Valvrave the Liberator is set the year Shinreki ("True Calendar") 71, when 70% of the human race lives in space due to the development of a space city called "Dyson Sphere." Between two major powers — the Dorrssia Military Pact Federation and the Atlantic Ring United States (ARUS) — there is a small neutral nation called JIOR that has prospered economically. The protagonist Haruto Tokishima (voiced by Ryota Ohsaka), a high school student who lives in JIOR, encounters the mysterious "forbidden" humanoid weapon Valvrave when the Dorrssian army invades.
Kou Matsuo (Kure-nai, Natsuyuki Rendezvous, Rozen Maiden) directed the series at Sunrise. Ichiro Okouchi (Code Geass, Negima!, Guilty Crown) handled the series composition. Manga creator Katsura Hoshino (D.Gray-man) handled the original character designs for the series and Tatsuya Suzuki (Mobile Suit Gundam Battlefield Record: Avant-Title) adapted Hoshino's designs for animation. Makoto Ishiwata (Robotics;Notes, Blassreiter) of Nitroplus, Naohiro Washio (Bodacious Space Pirates, Mobile Suit Gundam 00, Fafner), and Kunio Okawara (Mobile Suit Gundam franchise, Armored Trooper Votoms, Yatterman) were in charge of mechanical design.
The series premiered on MBS's "Animeism" late night block in April 2013 and ran for 12 episodes, it was then followed by a second season of 12 episodes in October 2013. Aniplex of America licensed the series in North America.
Hanabee will release the first season of 12 episodes on DVD and Blu-ray on the 1st of October 2014. The series will come with English subtitles and Japanese audio.
WATAMOTE (No Matter How I Look at It, It's You Guys' Fault I'm Not Popular!)
The slice-of-life gag comedy centers around Tomoko Kuroki, a girl who thought she would be popular when she went to high school. However, she was in for a rude awakening, for cruel reality is not like the otome games (romance games for female players) she played.
Shin Oonuma (Baka and Test - Summon the Beasts, Natsu no Arashi!) directed the anime at animation Studio Silver LINK from scripts by Takao Yoshioka (The Familiar of Zero, High School DxD). Hideki Furukawa (Date A Live, Kannagi: Crazy Shrine Maidens) was the chief animation director and handled the character designs. Satoshi Motoyama was the sound director and Sadesper Record provided the music.
Tanigawa launched the manga in Square Enix's Gangan Online website in 2011, and Square Enix has published six volumes as of March 2014. A four-panel spin-off manga launched in January 2013 and Yen Press has been publishing the original manga in North America.
The series was streamed on Crunchyroll, Sentai Filmworks licensed WATAMOTE in July last year for North America and will release the title in September. MVM licensed the series for the UK in March this year.
Hanabee's release will have all 12 episodes subbed and dubbed on both Blu-ray and DVD from the 1st of October 2014.
Kabukimonogatari (Monogatari Series Second Season Part 2)
Continuing the mis-adventures of ex-vampire Koyomi Araragi and his friends, alive and undead, Kabukimonogatari has Koyomi and Shinobu accidentally traveling in time and undoing the death of Mayoi. This of course creates a dark future where Koyomi and Shinobu must figure out why was Mayoi's death so important and how to get back in time and undo the damage caused.
Akiyuki Shinbo directed the series and acted as series script supervisor along with Fuyashi Tou. Akio Watanabe served as character designer and chief animation director at SHAFT and Satoru Kousaki handled the music. The cast remains unchanged from Bakemonogatari and Nisemonogatari.
The "second season" arc of the Monogatari series is covering the material from five volumes of the original light novel series in two cours or half a year.
The anime premiered in Japan in July 2013 and Daisuki and Crunchyroll streamed the series outside of Japan. Aniplex of America announced in June 2013 that it has acquired the rights to both Nekomonogatari (Black) and Monogatari Series Second Season and they released Nekomonogatari White in June and will follow with Kabukimonogatari in August.
Hanabee will release the first part of Monogatari Series Second Season (Nekomonogatari White) on the 6th of August 2014 as a subtitle only DVD / Blu-ray combo, this will cover the first five episodes collectively known as Tsubasa Tiger. Kabukimonogatari is the second part of Monogatari Series Second Season, it's 5 episodes covers the Mayoi Jiangshi story-arc and will be released as a subtitle only DVD / Blu-ray combo on the 1st of October 2014.
