In Movies Midnight Special has a father and son running from everyone from religious extremists to federal agencies because of the boys special powers. The Criterion Collection is re-releasing a special edition blue ray of the classic European animated feature film Fantastic Planet. In Anime Cross Ange: Rondo of Angel and Dragon, Collection 1 brings the first 12 episodes of the story of the princess turned combat killer who may be on her way back to her former kingdom to serve up a little justice. And that appears to pretty much be it for this week; hopefully we will do better next.
OLDCODEX is one of the bands playing the Anisong World Matsuri in just two weeks, so this seemed like a good time to share some of their music. The first track is Walk, the ending theme from the Anime Kuroko’s Basketball, the second is Aching Horns from the Anime Feature Film High Speed! -Free! Starting Days-, and the third track Feed A isn’t in an Anime, I just like it…
The Anisong World Matsuri takes place July 2nd and 3rd as part of Anime Expo, pretty much North America’s most intense Anime Con. The musical line up is amazing, with 9 artists including:
Eir Aoi (Fate/Zero, Sword Art Online, Kill la Kill, more)
Flow (Naruto, Eureka seveN, more)
JAM Project (MACROSS 7, One Piece, Yu-Gi-Oh!, over 100 more)
Luna Haruna (Sword Art Online I and II, Monogatari, more)
Minami (Haruka Suzumiya, Infinite Stratos, Mobile Suit Gundam Age, more)
OLDCODEX (GODEATER, Free, more)
Sphere (Demon King Daimao, Class of Heroes 2, more)
T.M.Revolution (Rurouni Kenshin, Bleach, Mobile Suit Gundam SEED, more)
Yoko Ishida (Ah! My Goddess, Sailor Moon R, Strike Witches, more)
TV has The X-Files: The Event Series, also called Season 10 coming out this week, the long awaited return to the small screen. Movies bring us London Has Fallen, and while I can’t decide if it belongs in the science fiction or fantasy category I know it has to be in one of them. We also get 10 Cloverfield Lane, which I would have written off as Horror if so many critics hadn’t referred to it as a Sci-Fi Thriller and given it great reviews.
In Anime Sword Art Online: Extra Edition is the four Summer Special episodes that took place between seasons 1 and 2. As with previous disc releases from this title, I feel it is overpriced at $10 per episode when the normal going rate is 1 to 2 dollars per episode. Until someone releases this at a realistic price point I will continue to watch it streaming rather than adding it to my permanent collection.
The genre films this week are animations, with Zootopia being set in an alternate universe filled with anthropomorphic sentient creatures from all animal species. They created some wonderful characters and a great story line, if you missed it when it was in the theaters you should really try to catch it now. The darkly comedic fantasy Anomalisa also hits the shelves, after having been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Film. Not genre but sufficiently strange to merit a mention here, Hail, Caesar! comes to disc this week.
In Anime Mamoru Hosoda’s multiple award winning film The Boy and The Beast is ready to become part of your permanent collection. Yona of the Dawn: Part 1 begins the story when Yona sees her childhood sweetheart murder her father and usurp the throne. Now she is on the run, gathering allies and preparing for the war that will retake the country and make her its rightful new ruler once again. In Gonna be the Twin-Tail!! Complete Collection Soji is a normal high school boy who suddenly has to battle monsters while wearing pigtails. Fairy Tail – Part 20 brings episodes 227 through 239 of the magical combat comedy home, with all the collateral damage its fans could wish for. Medaka Box: Complete Collection puts season 1 and 2 into the same package for the first time. When Medaka became Class President and put out her suggestion box, she was expecting to be faced with simple issues. Instead she finds herself neck deep in a years old mystery and coverup centered on her school. Likewise Berserk: The Golden Age Arc – Movie Collection allows you to get all three of the films in the arc in a single boxed set.
There are a few re-releases worth mentioning this time around. This time, when you pick up Mamoru Hosoda’s award winning The Girl Who Leapt Through Time you can get it in both Blue Ray and Ultraviolet HD streaming formats, neither of which were available previously. Also Lupin the 3rd: Alcatraz Connection, After War Gundam X, and Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ all become available again for the first time in years.
New from Studio Ghibli, The Red Turtle looks to be another amazing animation, full of heart. For once it isn’t a total Studio Ghibli project, but includes the work of the Wild Bunch and a few other production houses. Thanks to Japan Today for the heads up on this one.