AKIRA gets a Blu-ray release, along with the DVD/Blu-ray debut of FUTURAMA: INTO THE WILD GREEN YONDER (the last FUTURAMA title ever?!), along with the first DVD set of Nickelodeon series THE MIGHTY B! plus anime titles KURAU PHANTOM MEMORY and LOVE HINA box sets to DVD and SAMURAI 7 on Blu-ray.
AKIRA on Blu-ray
Bandai Visual Co. has released AKIRA to Blu-ray in the U.S. under the "Honneamise" label. For many fans, AKIRA is the film that introduced the world of anime to the western audience. Directed by Katsuhiro Otomo from his own bestselling manga, it became an international sensation when the film was first released in 1990. Even now, AKIRA stands as a monument of exceptional animation and is certainly one of the most influential anime ever. The 1988 film was re-released to DVD in 2001.
The AKIRA Blu-ray will feature visuals from a new Hi-Def transfer made from original materials and include English and Japanese audio and with optional English and Japanese subtitles. In an industry first, the disc will also contain a 192 KHz 24 bit audio stream.
Special Features Include:
-- Teasers, trailers, TV commercials-- Storyboards-- Special 20-page booklet
FUTURAMA: INTO THE WILD GREEN YONDER on DVD and Blu-ray
In its purported curtain call, Twentieth Century Fox Home Ent. presents the fourth and final feature-length epic of the animated sci-fi comedy FUTURAMA when FUTURAMA: INTO THE WILD GREEN YONDER arrives on DVD and Blu-ray February 24.
Joining the saga this time as guest stars are illusionist Penn Jillette, hip-hop legend Snoop Dogg, talk radio superstar Phil Hendrie, and FAMILY GUY creator Seth MacFarlane. In addition, fans of the series will be thrilled and relieved to finally discover the truth about "Number 9 Man," a deeply mysterious character from the earliest days of the series.
FUTURAMA: INTO THE WILD GREEN YONDER includes bonus features like an audio commentary from Matt Groening, David X. Cohen, John DiMaggio, Maurice LaMarche, writers and animators, a making-of mockumentary, deleted scenes, How to Draw FUTURAMA, "Bender's Movie Theater Etiquette," "Zapp Brannigan's Guide to Making Love at a Woman" and more.
All the other galaxies will be green with envy! In this all-new FUTURAMA extravaganza, mankind stands on the brink of a wondrous new Green Age. But ancient forces of darkness, three years older than time itself, have returned to wreak destruction. Even more shocking: Bender's in love with a married fembot, and Leela's on the run from the law -- Zapp Brannigan's law! Fry is the last hope of the universe... so if you're in the universe, you might want to think about going somewhere else. Could this be the end of the Planet Express crew forever? Say it ain't so, meatbag! Off we go, INTO THE WILD GREEN YONDER!
DVD Special Features Include:
-- Audio Commentary by Matt Groening, David X. Cohen, John DiMaggio, Maurice LaMarche, Michael Rowe, Lee Supercinski, Patric M. Verrone and Peter Avanzino-- Storyboard Animatic: INTO THE WILD GREEN YONDER, Part 1-- Featurette: Matt Groening and David X. Cohen in Space!-- Docudramarama: "How We Make FUTURAMA So Good"-- "Louder! Louder!": The Acting Technique of Penn Jillette-- Golden Stinkers: A Treasury of Deleted Scenes-- How To Draw FUTURAMA In 10 Very Difficult Steps-- 3D Models with Animator Discussion-- Bender's Movie Theater Etiquette-- Zapp Brannigan's Guide to Making Love at a Woman
The FUTURAMA: INTO THE WILD GREEN YONDER Blu-ray Disc will include all of the special features of the standard def version in high definition (except the Storyboard Animatic: INTO THE WILD GREEN YONDER, Part 1 and MATT GROENING AND DAVID X. COHEN IN SPACE! which are presented in standard def) as well as Video Picture-In-Picture commentary by Matt Groening, David X. Cohen, John DiMaggio, Maurice LaMarche, Michael Rowe, Lee Supercinski, Patric M. Verrone and Peter Avanzino.
KURAU PHANTOM MEMORY: Complete Box Set on DVD
From Funimation Productions, her name is Kurau, and in a world of mercenary agents, she's the cream of the elite; a master martial artist and thief so skilled that no secret or objective is beyond her grasp. The greatest secret of all, however, is the one Kurau conceals inside herself: The freak result of a disastrous experiment with a new kind of energy, Kurau's body has been fused with a binary alien life form called the Rynax. Every second Kurau lives is lived twice, one alien sharing her consciousness, the other still waiting to be born... and now none of those lives may last very long! The truth about Kurau has begun to leak out, a worldwide manhunt has been launched and now the ultimate agent is the ultimate target. From the craters of the moon to the most dangerous corners of the Earth, the action explodes at every turn in the acclaimed masterpiece from the creators behind RAHXEPHON and FULL METAL ALCHEMIST: KURAU PHANTOM MEMORY.
THE MIGHTY B!: We Got the Bee on DVD
To be a bee, or to be THE bee: that is the question. But not for Bessie Higgenbottom. This determined, imaginative, and compassionate gal just wants to grow up to be a hero (of the super kind). And for this dedicated member of Honeybee troop #828, that means becoming the mighty bee!
In this buzz-worthy collection of hilarious episodes of THE MIGHTY B! from Nickelodeon Home Ent., get stung by the laughing bee while you catch Bessie rockin' out, goin' overboard on the party circuit, bravin' the great outdoors, and more.
Episode Descriptions:
-- We Got the Bee": When Portia's band doesn't let Bessie join, Bessie starts rockin' to her own beat!-- "So Happy Together": To enter the Honeybee Dog Show and earn the Animal Appreciateion badge, Bessie sets out to find a stray.-- "Sweet Sixteenth": Just the teensiest bit under minimum height to ride The Punisher, Bessie goes to extremes to measure up.-- "Bee My Baby": To dupe Bessie into babysitting, Portia and Gwen tell her about the non-existent Baby Wrangling Badge.-- "Bee Afraid": In her quest for the Happy Camper Badge, Bessie goes, well, you know. But it's scary in the dark. Especially with Portia and Gwen around.-- "Artificial Unintelligence": Will Bessie's entry in the science fair finally win her the Mad Scientist Badge? Or just make other people mad?-- "Bat Mitzvah Crashers": Bessie and Penny love crashing Bat Mitzvahs, then vow to stop when the partying takes a toll. But can they resist crashing "the Bat Mitzvah of the century?"-- "Super Secret Weakness": The Mighty B is sure to find herself in quite a pickle if Bessie doesn't help her 'squash' her only weakness.
Special Features Include:
-- Behind THE MIGHTY B!: Meet the Creators and Cast-- "Bat Mitzvah Crashers" Original Animatic-- "Running with the Rainbow Unicorn" Karaoke Music Video
LOVE HINA: Complete Series Box Set on DVD
From Funimation Productions: Attempting to fulfill a promise to his childhood sweetheart, Keitaro Urashima is determined to enter Tokyo University. After being rejected twice, he decides to leave home and stay at his grandmother's apartment complex to study. But when he arrives, his grandmother is gone and he finds himself under attack by the all-female residents. Will the girls accept him as their new apartment manager? Will his bones ever mend? More importantly, can he concentrate on his studies when he discovers that one of his tenants might be his long lost sweetheart?
SAMURAI 7 Box Set on Blu-ray
From Funimation, SAMURAI 7 is set in a futuristic world that has just seen the end of a massive war, many villages are being terrorized by Nobuseri bandits. The Nobuseri are no normal bandits. They were once men, but during the war they modified themselves with machines to become living weapons and now appear as more machine than man. A group of villagers decide to hire samurai to protect their village. These men of valor are as skilled as they are unique.
Special Features Include:
-- Staff Commentary- Director/Actor Commentary-- Promotional Video-- Textless Opening and Closing Songs-- Trailers
