Hello, to the UK Anime News Roundup for February 2017! A big month this month with several new licences and A Silent Voice opening in UK cinemas!

A quick note on the topic of the Naoko Yamada Q&A I was at last month, some of you may recall that I was planning to write about that. Given that the event was covered by the guys over at Sakukablog, and I felt their notes were more accurate than my own, I'm going to pass and recommend that you have a look at their article instead. Have a look over at their site!

If you have an interest in the local anime distribution scene, I'd recommend having a listen to this months UK Anime Network podcast, which guest stars Jeremy Graves from Anime Limited.

Finally, before we get into the news, a quick reminder that A Silent Voice has it's national release this March 15th. Check out tickets at asilentvoice.co.uk. PLease bear in mind that similar to Your Name, the 15th will be the widest release, with other screenings being added afterwards if demand allows. If you want to go, don't hold off on the assumption more tickets may be added, that is not guaranteed at all. Book for the 15th unless extra screenings are already confirmed for your cinema!

If you#ll allow me to self indulge for a moment, I finally caved in and bought my first Japanese merchandise this month, a great set of Shirobako books and replica animation! Shirobako is a great show and if you haven't seen it yet, I'd highly recommend it to just about anyone with an interest in anime!

News

• Anime Limited

  • AL have licensed Martian Successor Nadesico for release in the UK. This will be a Limited Collectors Edition set with the series on Blu-ray, as well as the Prince of Darkness movie and Gekiganger 3 OVA included.
  • The two Tokyo Ghoul OVAs, Jack and Pinto will be released as standard edition DVD and Blu-ray sets in May this year. These are sub-only releases.
  • Full Metal Panic will be reissued in a new Blu-ray collection containing Seasons 1-3 in March. This is a limited print-run of 300 units.
  • AL have secured streaming, home video and theatrical rights for Studio Kharas Dragon Dentist. This is available to watch on Crunchyroll now, and I'd highly recommend it. It's worth noting that AL's licence is the only international streaming deal in place, this isn't licenced anywhere else yet. Dragon Dentist will also air on NHK World next month, available worldwide. NHK World is available on Sky and Virgin Media in the UK, so those of you who love old school broadcasting can take a look. Dragon Dentist will also have a cinema release later this year.
  • Sword of the Stranger has been relicensed for a Collectors Edition Blu-ray in June this year, which will include both dub and sub.
  • Charlotte will be released in the UK as a Collectors Edition Blu-ray/DVD combi set and DVD standard set. Dubbed and subbed. ETA May 29th.
  • The Mobile Suit Gundam Movie Trilogy will be released on Blu-ray for the first time this March. This is a subtitle only release, but will include both 5.1 and 2.0 audio tracks. The 5.1 version has a different soundtrack arrangement than the 2.0, so these will be different audio experiences. This is a limited print run of 500 units, and orders are only through the AL webshop.

• Manga/Animatsu

  • Manga have confirmed Deluxe Edition releases for Is it Wrong to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?, My Love Story!! and Amagi Brilliant Park.
  • Manga will be releasing **Yo-Kai Watch in the UK as a DVD only release in May this year.
  • Samurai Warriors has has been until 10th July and changed to a DVD only release.

• MVM Entertainment

  • MVM will be releasing Amagami SS and Amagami SS on both DVD and Blu-ray this May. Amagami SS will also come with two OVAs included in the set. These are sub-only releases.

• Netflix

  • Netflix have added 4 new episodes of Seven Deadly Sins as well as the series Cyborg 009:Call of Justice.

• STUDIOCANAL

  • Laputa: Castle in the Sky and Spirited Away are being reissued as steelbooks available exclusively through Zavvi.

• Funimation

  • Funimation have UK streaming rights for My Hero Academia Season 2 subbed and dubbed.

Events

• The British Museum will be hosting an exhibition of art by the Japanese artist Hokusai called Beyond the Great Wave from May 25rd to August 13th this year. Half the exhibition will be rotated out for different works about halfway through the exhibition period. Tickets are £12 for adults.

• MCM Liverpool, March 11th - 12th have confirmed that voice actress Trisha Nishimura, who played Mikasa Ackerman in the Attack on Titan dub and Makise Kurisu in Steins;Gate, will be attending as a guest.

Upcoming Cinema Screenings

• A Silent Voice is released into UK cinemas on March 15th. Tickets at asilentvoice.co.uk. We also have a new subtitled trailer made by Anime Limted here.

  FAQ from All the Anime

  What language will the film be screened in?
  In Japanese with English subtitles only. There is currently no English language dub, which is why there are only screenings in Japanese with subtitles.

  I don’t see a screening listed in my area? Will there be one added?
  We’re working closely with our partners to have screenings available in as many locations as possible, however we should stress that ultimately the locations it will be screened in are chosen by the cinemas themselves and not us (Anime Limited / AllTheAnime). So if it is not being listed in your area we encourage to make your cinema aware that you’d really like to see it.

  How long will it be in cinemas for?
  At this stage it’s very difficult to tell. This will depend on the demand to see the film based on how well it performs on 15th March and the select cinemas on 17th March. So if your on the fence about going thinking it might be shown later, we can’t promise that. We strongly encourage you to watch this the first chance you have as it might be your only opportunity to do so.

  Which cinema chains will be showing the film?
  Showcase Cinemas, Picture House, ODEON, VUE, Cineworld and other independent locations in UK & Ireland will be screening the film in various locations.

• Tickets are now on sale for Sword Art Online: The Movie - Ordinal Scale. Currently, Showcase Cinemas have tickets available for screenings on April 19th, as do some branches of Picturehouse. I expect screenings to be added at other cinema chains closer to the time. Further news as we get it from Anime Limited.

• The Barbican in London will be hosting a screening of Satoshi Kons film Paprika on March 29th.

• In This Corner of the World will be released into UK cinemas this June.

• I need your help!! I can't keep track of every cinema that may screen anime by myself. If you know of any other screenings that will be taking place, or if you have a local cinema you can check upcoming listings for, please let me know via PM or the comments. There may well be screenings organised by local independent cinemas that I miss by myself.

Physical Releases in February

This list is not comprehensive!! Dates move around a lot in the anime market. The most reliable source for info is always the distibutor, then the retailer. In the interests of time, my primary source is the UK Anime Network Release Calendar, cross referenced with Amazon/Zavvi for BBFC and episode count info. Date changes may be missed if the UKA calendar has not been updated to reflect them.

If you want to see what's inside a collectors edition before you buy it, you can check the uk-anime.net Youtube, for unboxing videos of most major collectors edition releases, usually around the release date. If they don't have a video for the set you're looking for you may find it useful to check the news section of uk-anime.net or check the distributors website and look through their posts. The relevant sites are blog.alltheanime.com, the Manga UK blog and the MVM facebook page.

Upcoming March Releases

Brothers Conflict - Complete Series Collection
Full Metal Panic! Season 1
Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid
RE-KAN! Complete Series Collection
Fairy Tail - Part 12
Metropolis (Standard Edition)
Mikagura School Suite - Complete Series Collection
Triage X - Complete Series Collection
Busou Shinki: Armored War Goddess - Complete Series Collection
Daimidaler: Prince vs Penguin Empire - Complete Series Collection
Digimon Adventure Tri - Movie 1 - Delayed to 22nd May, thanks to /u/C-MC for the correction!
Ghost in the Shell
Ghost in the Shell Movie Double Pack
Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex: Individual 11
Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex: Solid State Society
Ghost in the Shell Stand Alone Complex: The Laughing Man
Kinmoza! Complete Season 1 Collection
Momotaro, Sacred Sailors
Persona 3 - Movie 3
Shimoneta - Complete Series Collection
Attack on Titan: Junior High Complete Series Collection
Beyond the Boundary the Movie: I'll Be Here - Past Chapter/Future Arc
ERASED - Part 2
Escaflowne Complete Collection DVD
Heavy Object - Season 1 Part 1
Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam - Part 2
Ninja Slayer Complete Series Collection
One Piece Uncut Collection 16
Overlord - Complete Series Collection
Pigtails and other Production I.G shorts - Collector's Edition
Prison School - Complete Series Collection - Delayed to 29th May, thanks to /u/BlindSheeep for the correction!
Serial Experiments Lain - Complete Series Collector's Edition
Snow White with the Red Hair - Complete Season 1 Collection

That's all for this month!! I hope everyone who hasn't been yet enjoys A Silent Voice, and for those of you going again, I hope you like it even more the second time around! Thanks for reading, and as per usual feel free to leave corrections and comments here or on my twitter.