News

ADV promotes new Acquisitions

ADV Films sent out a press release today prmoting the four new acquisitions they announced at Anime Boston.

While the press release doens't announce any dates for any of the titles, it does give a few ideas about their releases. ADV plans to premiere Azumanga Daioh on The Anime Network (TAN) sometime "later this year", followed by a DVD release.

For the Eva Director's cut, ADV informed ANN that they will be releasing the final six episodes on the DVD. The original four as originally remastered and according to Matt Greenfield, "the two additional episodes will also be tweaked for this release."

Magical Shopping Street Abenobashi will also be premiered on TAN towards the end of 2003 with a DVD only release following next year.

Finally, FF:U is expected to be broadcast on TAN laste this summer, with a home video release by the end of September. ADV doesn't mention DVD in this one case, so it's possible that they will be releasing FF:U on VHS as well as DVD.


Excerpts from Press Release:

"Azumanga Daioh," was produced by GENCO and J.C. Staff, and is based on the manga (serialized in the Japanese magazine Dengeki Daioh) by Kiyohiko Azuma. ADV plans an Anime Network(tm) debut, followed by a DVD-only release for this comedy title.

About "Azumanga Daioh"
"Azumanga Daioh" follows the day-to-day adventures of a comical group of high school girls and their equally eccentric friends and teachers. The manga by Kiyohiko Azuma was published as a series of four-panel strips, much like the traditional comic strips published in American newspapers. To reflect the concept of the manga, each episode of the "Azumanga Daioh," anime consists of several loosely related, character-driven segments, many of which adapt Azuma's original strips.

ADV has not yet announced specific release plans for "Azumanga Daioh," but Ledford (ADV CEO John Ledford) expects the title to debut sometime later this year.

ADV Films today announced formally that the firm will release the Director's Cut of the final six episodes of the enormously influential anime series "Neon Genesis Evangelion." These Director's Cut episodes include additional footage, never before released in the U.S. ADV Films expects to release the Director's Cut in two three-episode DVD volumes; each volume will include both the extended Director's Cut versions and the original versions of the episodes.

ADV Films has not yet announced release dates for "Neon Genesis Evangelion: Director's Cut" (working title only).

ADV Films today formally announced the acquisition of the rights to release the hit 13-episode Japanese animated series "Magical Shopping Street Abenobashi". ADV plans an Anime Network broadcast debut followed by a DVD-only release for the acclaimed title. "Magical Shopping Street Abenobashi" was originally broadcast in Japan in 2002, earning favorable comparisons to such disparate titles as the satirical "Excel Saga" and Hayao Miyazaki's spiritually informed "Spirited Away."

"Magical Shopping Street Abenobashi" was directed by Hiroyuki Yamaga from a script by Satoru Akahori. It was produced by the Japanese animation powerhouses GAINAX and Madhouse.

About "Magical Shopping Street Abenobashi"
While in pursuit of the truth about a bit of minor family intrigue, the two friends Sasshi and Ayumi discover that, courtesy of a cross-shaped layout and a quartet of animal deities (cleverly disguised as signs), their familiar neighborhood shopping district is actually a portal to a series of parallel existences. The two are mistakenly transported to an alternate Abenobashi shopping area, and the series details their efforts to return home, with each episode structured as a side-splitting parody of an specific anime or film genre.

ADV Films has not yet announced specific release dates for the title, but Ledford says he expects an Anime Network broadcast debut toward the end of 2003, with a DVD release in 2004.

ADV Films today announced the acquisition of the rights to release the hit 25-episode anime series "Final Fantasy: Unlimited" on home video. ADV plans an Anime Network(tm) debut followed by a DVD-only release for the fantasy/adventure title, companion to the acclaimed "Final Fantasy" series of role-playing video games.

Chief director for the anime "Final Fantasy: Unlimited" is Mahiro Maeda, one of the most respected anime directors in Japan. Maeda was recently hand-picked by the producers of "The Animatrix," the upcoming anime side project based on the hit "The Matrix" film franchise, to direct two of the animated shorts featured in the project.

"Final Fantasy: Unlimited" is produced by SQUARE, TV Tokyo and Dentsu , with animation produced by Gonzo Digimation.

About "Final Fantasy: Unlimited"
"Final Fantasy: Unlimited" is the story of the warrior Kaze, the enigmatic LiSA and a pair of twin children, Ai and Yuh, who meet them as they search bravely for their missing parents. Taking place in a mysterious world, accessed only by an enchanted subway, "Final Fantasy: Unlimited" is packed with monsters, mystery, intrigue, beautiful animation and a plot that twists and turns and doubles back on itself in the truest anime style.

ADV Films has not yet announced specific release dates for the title, but Ledford says he expects a broadcast debut in late summer and home video release before the end of September 2003.