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IP MAN 3 will open January 22, 2016!

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Well Go USA
Presents
Ip Man 3 / Yip Man 3
Directed by Wilson Yip
Starring Donnie Yen and  Mike Tyson
Hong Kong, 2015

Donnie Yen ignites the screen in a return to his iconic role of Ip Man, the real-life Wing Chun Kung Fu master who mentored Bruce Lee. In this explosive third installment of the blockbuster martial arts series, when a band of brutal gangsters led by a crooked property developer (Mike Tyson) make a play to take over the city, Master Ip is forced to take a stand. Fists will fly as some of the most incredible fight scenes ever filmed play out on the big screen in this soon-to-be classic of the genre.


The initial release is planned to include engagements in Los Angeles, Burbank, City of Industry, Irvine, Monterey Park, Orange & Pasadena. Will share further information as it becomes available.

Ip Man 3 Official Website

New digital anime update for December from VIZ

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VIZ MEDIA CONCLUDES 2015 WITH AN ACTION AND
DRAMA-FILLED DIGITAL ANIME UPDATE FOR DECEMBER

Catch HUNTER X HUNTER And Season Finales For K And
ONE-PUNCH MAN, As Well As Simulcasts, Newly-Dubbed
SAILOR MOON CRYSTAL, The Premiere of SAILOR STARS,
And More!

VIZ Media has announced details on a brand new digital update for its anime content streaming platform for December.

This month audiences are invited to catch the exciting streaming premiere of the supernatural action adventure, HUNTER X HUNTER. Season 1, Episodes 1-13 are available to stream in their entirety now and feature new subtitles that are true to VIZ Media’s original translations of the manga series by Yoshihiro Togashi. In HUNTER X HUNTER, Gon is a young boy who dreams of following in his father’s footsteps to become a Hunter. But first he must pass the notoriously difficult and dangerous Hunter Qualification Exam. Throughout his journey, Gon overcomes many obstacles, while making new friends along the way!

Don’t miss hard-hitting new episodes of ONE-PUNCH MAN, simulcast every Sunday. Catch Episodes 10-12 (subtitled) in December with the not-to-be missed explosive Season 1 finale (Episode 12) scheduled to premiere on Sunday, December 20th.

The saga of seven kings and their clansmen reaches a powerful conclusion with the final episodes (Episodes 10-13) of Season 2 of the psychological anime action drama, K: RETURN OF KINGS.

SAILOR MOON CRYSTAL has captivated anime fans and the series continues this month with the English dubbed premiere of Episodes 4-7 of the Dark Kingdom Arc with one new episode added every Friday. New dubbed episodes from the classic SAILOR MOON anime series will continue to debut every Monday throughout December. The classic anime also continues with SAILOR MOON SUPER S (Season 4) Episodes 164-166 set to premiere ahead of the start of the streaming premiere of the never before seen in North America SAILOR MOON SAILOR STARS (Season 5) on Monday, December 14th with Episode 167.

The frenetic ninja action of NARUTO SHIPPUDEN also continues with weekly simulcasts every Thursday during December of streamed installments of the latest episodes straight from Japan. Don’t miss the simulcasts of Episode 439 on December 3rd, Episode 440 on December 10th, followed by Episode 441 on December 17th, Episodes 442 on December 24th and rounded out by Episode 443 on December 31st.

The December 2015 digital anime update is further highlighted by additions to several other top-rated VIZ Media series including:

BLEACH
• Continue the epic supernatural action and drama of BLEACH (dubbed) with the addition of Season 25, Episodes 343-354 (dubbed) available to steam now! BLEACH is also currently available to stream subtitled with Episodes 1-366.

K: RETURN OF KINGS
• Season 2 Episodes 10 will be available to stream (subtitled) on Friday December 4th, with a new episode each week! These episodes join the complete first season, available dubbed or subbed! • With the balance of power between the seven kings shifting once again, Silver King Yashiro Isana finally makes his return to the world, this time to face his destiny head-on.

NARUTO SHIPPUDEN
• Ninja action continues with Season 2 of the NARUTO SHIPPUDEN anime series during December with Episodes 68-72 available to stream December 27th in their entirety with dubbed English dialogue! Get your friends into Naruto Shippuden over the holidays with over 70 episodes streaming from the very start.

 

ONE-PUNCH MAN
• Catch the simulcast premiere of Season 1, Episodes 10 (subtitled) on Sunday December 6th, with a new episode available to stream each week!
• And don’t miss the Season 1 finale (Episode 12) on December 20th
• Saitama is a hero who only became a hero for fun. After three years of “special” training, though, he’s become so strong that he’s practically invincible. In fact, he’s too strong – even his mightiest opponents are taken out with a single punch, and it turns out that being devastatingly powerful is actually kind of a bore. With his passion for being a hero lost along with his hair, yet still faced with new enemies every day, how much longer can he keep it going?

RANMA ½
• The hilarious hijinks of the classic anime martial arts adventure, RANMA ½, continues with the addition of Season 5, Episodes 93-115 available to stream now in their entirety with dubbed English dialogue!

VIZ Media’s consolidated online destination for FREE streaming anime content in the U.S. has over 4,100 subtitled and English dubbed episodes and movies from more than 36 series! VIZ Media’s streaming content also reaches an expansive on-demand U.S.-based audience on Hulu, which enables viewers to watch shows anytime, anywhere across devices including Xbox One, PlayStation®4, Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, and mobile devices. A full list of Hulu -enabled devices can be found at http://www.hulu.com/plus/devices.

Additional information on VIZ Media’s streaming anime is available at: http://www.viz.com/anime/streaming/.

MOJIN: THE LOST LEGEND in Theaters December 18th

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Well Go USA
Presents
Mojin: The Lost Legend
Directed by Wuershan
China, 2015

Some people have a special gift...able to travel between the realms of the Living and the Dead...and Tomb Raiding can mean Big Business.

Welcome to the world of the Mojin.


Based on the fantasy novel Ghost Blows Out the Light by Zhang Muye, Mojin: The Lost Legend (a.k.a. The Ghouls) is directed by Wuershan (Painted Skin: The Resurrection) and stars Shu Qi, Chen Kun, Angelababy, and Huang Bo.

The film pits a trio of legendary grave robbers against scholars, rivals, and the law – until an offer from a mysterious stranger tempts them into one last heist…an adventure that will test their skills, their friendship, and ultimately – their mortal souls.

Mojin: The Lost Legend will open in theaters on December 18th. For showtimes, go to: www.Mojin-Movie.com

Hou Hsiao-hsien's THE ASSASSIN coming to home video January 26

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Well Go USA
Presents
The Assassin / Nie yin niang
Directed by Hou Hsiao-hsien
Taiwan/China/Hong Kong/France, 2015, 105 minutes

The Critically-Acclaimed Martial Arts Drama from
Legendary Director Hou Hsiao-hsien Arrives on
Blu-ray™, DVD & Digital HD January 26

Back with his first film in eight years, award-winning Taiwanese director Hou Hsiao-hsien (Flight of the Red Balloon, Three Times) wowed this year’s Cannes Film Festival (where he won Best Director) with his awe-inspiring The Assassin, debuting on Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital HD January 26 from Well Go USA Entertainment.

Rich with shimmering, breathing texture and punctuated by brief but unforgettable bursts of action, The Assassin is a martial arts film like none other. The visually stunning film blends tragic historical drama with thrilling swordplay and martial arts in this story of an exiled assassin (Shu Qi, Tai Chi Hero, The Transporter) who must choose between love or duty when she receives orders to kill a man (Chang Chen, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and The Grandmaster) from her past. With a Certified Fresh rating of 83% on Rotten Tomatoes, The Assassin also stars Zhou Yun (Let the Bullets Fly) and Tsumabuki Satoshi (The Vancouver Asahi).

In addition to winning Best Director at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival, The Assassin also won the Cannes Soundtrack Award for Composer Giong Lim and was nominated for the prestigious Palme d’Or. At the 2015 Golden Horse Film Festival, the film was nominated in 10 categories, taking home prizes for Best Director, Best Feature Film, Best Cinematography, Best Makeup & Costume Design and Best Sound Effects. The Assassin is Taiwan’s submission for Best Foreign Language Film at the 88th Academy Awards®.

Synopsis:
In 9th-century China, Nie Yinniang is a young woman who was abducted in childhood from a decorated general and raised by a nun who trained her in the martial arts. After 13 years of exile, she is returned to the land of her birth as an exceptional assassin, with orders to kill her betrothed husband-to-be. She must confront her parents, her memories, and her long-repressed feelings in a choice to sacrifice the man she loves or break forever with the sacred way of the righteous assassins.

Bonus Features Include:
- Behind-the-Scenes
-  Nie Yinniang
- The Actors: No Rehearsals
- The Fights Between Masters
- A Time Machine To The Tang Dynasty

VIZ holiday anime gift suggestions

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©Naoko Takeuchi/PNP, Toei Animation
VIZ MEDIA OFFERS ANIME ADVENTURES TO
FANS OF ALL AGES THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

2015 Holiday Anime Gift Selections Include SAILOR MOON
Limited Edition Blu-Ray/DVD Combo Packs, A NARUTO Feature
Film, The Entire RANMA ½ Series In HD And More!

VIZ Media offers fans the opportunity to add anime action to holiday wish lists this year as it highlights a wide array of notable home media release available in Limited Edition Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack, Blu-ray, and Standard DVD editions.

Fans can join the heroic Sailor Guardians for interstellar adventures against the Wicked Dark Kingdom and Black Moon Clan in SAILOR MOON Blu-ray/DVD Combo Packs and Standard DVD releases for Season 1 and the first-half of Season 2 (SAILOR MOON R).

Catch the world’s most popular ninja, Naruto, in a new feature film, available on Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack and Standard DVD editions. THE LAST: NARUTO THE MOVIE is the ultimate story of Naruto as you knew him, the hero who was once an outcast, and the first chapter of the bond that will define his future. NARUTO fans also can add the latest episodic release to their home media collections with NARUTO SHIPPUDEN Uncut DVD Box Set 24.

Also don’t miss the classic gender-bending martial arts action comedy RANMA ½ as the entire series is now presented in 7 collectable limited edition box set editions, available for the first time in full 1080p high-definition resolution, as well as Standard DVD editions.

All-ages viewers are invited to enjoy all the action of the first 3 seasons of POKÉMON as VIZ Media offers special box set editions containing the entire series runs for POKÉMON SEASON 1: INDIGO LEAGUE, POKÉMON: ADVENTURES IN THE ORANGE ISLANDS and POKÉMON: THE JOHTO LEAGUE JOURNEYS.

SAILOR MOON Home Media Releases Available Now:

SAILOR MOON Season 1, Set 1
Limited Edition Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack MSRP: $79.98 U.S. / $93.99 CAN;
Standard DVD MSRP: $44.82 U.S. / $51.99 CAN
SAILOR MOON depicts the adventures of Usagi Tsukino, a cheerful 14-year-old schoolgirl who often finds herself in unwanted trouble. One day, she saves a talking cat named Luna from some mean kids, and her life is changed forever. Luna gives Usagi a magic brooch that transforms her into Sailor Moon, guardian of love and justice! Now Usagi must work with Luna to find the other Sailor Guardians and the Moon Princess, whose Legendary Silver Crystal is Earth’s only hope against the dark forces of the evil Queen Beryl!

The SAILOR MOON Limited Edition Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack features a deluxe, 6-disc collection (3 DVDs & 3 Blu-rays), containing Episodes 1-23, housed in a beautiful shimmery holofoil chipboard box. The set contains an array of exclusive extra features along with an 88-page full-color booklet filled with artwork, character profiles, an episode guide, lyrics, and more!

SAILOR MOON Season 1, Set 2
Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack MSRP: $69.99 U.S. / $81.99 CAN;
Standard DVD MSRP: $44.82 U.S. / $51.99 CAN
The conclusion of SAILOR MOON Season 1 contains Episodes 24-46 of the legendary anime series, along with a variety of bonus material and special premium packaging.

SAILOR MOON R Set 1
Limited Edition Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack MSRP: $79.98 U.S. / $93.99 CAN;
Standard DVD MSRP: $44.82 U.S. / $51.99 CAN
In Season 2, SAILOR MOON R, Usagi and her friends return to their normal lives after their epic battle, but the Sailor Guardians are called back into action when powerful new enemies appear. By the power of the Legendary Silver Crystal, Sailor Moon gains strength with a dazzling new attack and transformation. The coming battle won't be easy, but things get even more complicated when a mysterious pink-haired girl falls form the sky and goes after Mamoru!

The SAILOR MOON R Set 1 Limited Edition Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack contains a deluxe, 6-disc collection (3 DVDs & 3 Blu-rays), packaged in a beautiful reflective chipboard box. The Combo Pack features Episodes 47-68, presented in crisp 1080p video preserving the original 4:3 aspect ratio. The Limited Edition Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack also comes with a 96-page full-color episode guide.

Fans can also look forward to VIZ Media’s home media release of SAILOR MOON R Set 2 on December 29th! Pre-orders for SAILOR MOON R Set 2 are available now from all major online retailers. Fans that pre-order from Rightstuf.com will receive a special character card pack (while supplies last).

© 2002 MASASHI KISHIMOTO/2007 SHIPPUDEN © NMP 2014   

NARUTO Home Media Releases Available Now:

THE LAST: NARUTO THE MOVIE
Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack MSRP: $29.99ea U.S. / $37.48 CAN;
Standard DVD MSRP: $19.98 U.S. / $24.98 CAN
Two years have passed since the fated battle between Naruto and Sasuke in the Village Hidden in the Leaves. A comfortable peace has fallen over the village and the winter festival approaches with a bit more excitement than usual. Seasons of war have transformed Naruto and his friends into elite young warriors, but now they grow into the adults they were meant to be, forming bonds beyond friendship. The Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack also includes an exclusive art gallery and a limited edition full-color booklet. 

NARUTO SHIPPUDEN DVD SET 24 • MSRP: $44.82 U.S. / $51.99 CAN
In the latest NARUTO SHIPPUDEN home media release, Gaara leads the Fourth Company into battle against the previous Kage, including his own father. Meanwhile Naruto and Killer Bee face the reanimated Itachi Uchiha, who recognizes Naruto’s growth as a shinobi and his potential to rescue his brother, Sasuke, from his path of vengeance. Kabuto assumes control of Itachi to use his Mangekyo Sharingan, but Itachi's well of power is not yet drained. Battles rage, and all must face enemies – as well as friends – they never expected to see again! Set features Episodes 297-309 on 2 discs.

RANMA ½ Home Media Releases Available Now:

RANMA ½ Box Sets Vols. 1-7
Limited Edition Blu-ray MSRP: $54.97 U.S. / $63.99 CAN Each;
Standard DVD MSRP: $44.82 U.S. / $51.99 CAN Each
VIZ Media has released the entire gender-bending martial arts action comedy in the original Japanese series order across 7 Limited Edition Blu-ray and Standard Edition DVD Box Sets. RANMA ½ is based on the popular manga series originally created by Rumiko Takahashi. Notable bonus features include fan interviews highlighting the RANMA ½ phenomenon and episode summary booklets with each limited edition set.

POKÉMON Home Media Releases Available Now:

POKÉMON SEASON 1: INDIGO LEAGUE – THE COMPLETE COLLECTION
• DVD MSRP: $54.98 U.S. / $63.99 CAN
Take a trip back to the very beginning, when the adventures were just getting started! In POKÉMON: INDIGO LEAGUE, Ash Ketchum celebrates his tenth birthday and he's ready to do what many 10-year-olds in the Kanto region set out to do - become a Pokémon Trainer! Things don't go exactly the way he planned when he ends up with a Pikachu instead of a different partner Pokémon, and winning Gym Badges turns out to be much tougher than he thought. Luckily, he's got Gym Leaders Brock and Misty at his side, along with a bevy of new Pokémon friends, including Bulbasaur, Squirtle, and Charmander. POKÉMON Season 1: INDIGO LEAGUE - THE COMPLETE COLLECTION contains all 78 episodes (more than 27 hours) of this legendary POKÉMON season on 9 DVDs.

POKÉMON: ADVENTURES IN THE ORANGE ISLANDS – THE COMPLETE COLLECTION • DVD MSRP: $26.95 U.S. / $31.98 CAN
After a stop in Pallet Town, Ash, Misty and Brock set out to find a rare and mysterious Pokéball for Professor Oak. Their quest leads them to the Orange Islands, where Ash decides to battle in the Orange League Tournament. With new friends to meet, new Pokémon to discover, and tough new trainers to challenge them, the adventures never end for Ash and his friends! Set features 34 episodes on 3 discs.

POKÉMON: THE JOHTO LEAGUE JOURNEYS
• DVD MSRP: $44.82 U.S. / $51.99 CAN
In POKÉMON: THE JOHTO LEAGUE JOURNEYS, upon returning to Pallet Town, Ash and Misty reunite with Brock and set out on the next stage of their Pokémon journey – the Johto region! Though he still has an errand to run for Professor Oak, Ash jumps with both feet into the Johto League, taking on a couple of Gym Leaders and adding Pokémon like Totodile and Chikorita to his team. The set features the complete 41-episode series on 4 discs.

For more information on other anime titles from VIZ Media, visit www.VIZ.com.

NY theatrical premiere of Mizoguchi's THE STORY OF THE LAST CHRYSANTHEMUM on Dec. 25th

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Kakuko Mori as Otoku and Shotaro Hanayagi as Kikunosuke Onoe
The Story of the Last Chrysanthemum
Directed By Kenji Mizoguchi
Japan, 1939, 145 minutes
Japanese with English subtitles
B&W, 1.37:1, DCP
New digital restoration

Widely regarded as director Kenji Mizoguchi’s first masterpiece, The Story of the Last Chrysanthemum will make its New York theatrical premiere in a two-week exclusive engagement beginning Friday, December 25, 2015 in a new restoration at the Film Society of Lincoln Center’s Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center.

The film is Mizoguchi’s hauntingly beautiful adaptation of a popular novel by Shofu Muramatsu. Shotaro Hanayagi stars as Kikunosuke Onoe, a young actor and the adopted son of a Kabuki star in late-19th-century Tokyo. Failing to meet the standards set by his father, Onoe estranges himself from his family by entering into a relationship with Otoku (Kakuko Mori), his newborn brother’s nurse who makes agonizing self-sacrifices to advance her beloved Onoe’s career.

Mizoguchi thoughtfully conveys a culture’s social limitations and repressive gender roles while maintaining a pitch-perfect balance of tragedy and romance. With its flowing camera movements, delicate long takes, and measured choreography of actors, this masterpiece is marked by splendorous interplay of movement and space, and is a poignant tale of conflict between generations and, most primarily, of female sacrifice.

The Story of the Last Chrysanthemum premiered at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival in a new digital restoration made from a 4K film transfer by Shochiku and presented by Janus Films. The Film Society of Lincoln Center is doing a great service in hosting this long-overdue revival of one of Mizoguchi’s defining achievements, never before released in New York.

THE ART OF MAGIC: THE GATHERING—ZENDIKAR set to debut on January 5, 2016

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© 2015 Wizards.

VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES THE RELEASE OF
THE ART OF MAGIC: THE GATHERING—ZENDIKAR

The Imaginative And Deadly World From Magic: The Gathering’s Latest
Battle For Zendikar Game Set Depicted In Beautiful Full Color Illustrations

VIZ Media takes fans and players of Wizards of the Coast’s Magic: The Gathering® on a fantastic journey to the exotic world of Zendikar in the gorgeously illustrated release of THE ART OF MAGIC: THE GATHERING—ZENDIKAR.

Set to debut on January 5th, 2016, THE ART OF MAGIC: THE GATHERING—ZENDIKAR is a hefty 240-page book that features full color illustrations from some of Magic's best artists, such as Aleksi Briclot and Adam Paquette, as well as in-depth lore written by bestselling author James Wyatt. THE ART OF MAGIC: THE GATHERING—ZENDIKAR will be available in print from VIZ Media’s Perfect Square imprint and will carry an MSRP of $39.99 U.S. / $45.99 CAN.

A first of its kind! This massive hardcover art book features incredible images depicting the award-winning art of Magic: The Gathering®. Explore the tumultuous world of Zendikar, a land fraught with perils, and join the fight for survival as the fragments of civilization confront the unnatural Eldrazi. Follow in the footsteps of heroic Planeswalkers as they combine their unique talents, forming the Gatewatch to overcome the greatest threats the Multiverse has ever known. The secrets of Zendikar—its peoples, continents, and creatures—are ready for fans to discover!

“Magic players and fans of fantasy art will love the breathtaking art and detailed lore that celebrates the rich and imaginative geography and inhabitants of Zendikar,” says Beth Kawasaki, Senior Editorial Director. “The new release is also an ideal complement to the Battle for Zendikar game set and will give players greater insight and background about this strange and often deadly world.”

Throughout its 22-year history, Magic: The Gathering has visited many richly imaginative worlds through card sets and stories. In the game’s newest release, Battle for Zendikar (www.BattleForZendikar.com), Magic returns to the fan-favorite world of Zendikar, where united tribes of elves, vampires, and humans battle the monstrous Eldrazi across strange floating ruins and beautiful landscapes.

Developed and published by Wizards of the Coast, a subsidiary of Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ:HAS), Magic: The Gathering is a massively popular strategy game, with more than 20 million players and fans worldwide. In this innovative card game, players build personalized decks using cards they have collected from booster packs and by trading with friends. Magic offers a robust gaming experience for its community of passionate fans through face-to-face play events and social gatherings in more than 7,000 hobby game stores around the world, complemented by its Magic Duels and Magic Online digital games. For more information, visit MagicTheGathering.com.

For additional information on THE ART OF MAGIC: THE GATHERING – ZENDIKAR or other titles published by VIZ Media, visit www.VIZ.com.

MOJIN: THE LOST LEGEND reviewed; opens in North American theaters today, Friday, December 18th

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Well Go USA
Presents
Mojin: The Lost Legend
Directed by Wuershan
China, 2015

Mojin: The Lost Legend (a.k.a. The Ghouls) is a supernatural fantasy action adventure film from  China that opens today, Friday, December 18th, in roughly twenty major cities in the United States and Canada. (For cities, theaters and showtimes, go to: www.Mojin-Movie.com.)


Directed by Wuershan (Painted Skin: The Resurrection), the film centers on the exploits of three tomb raiders: Shirley Yang (the always watchable Shu Qi, The Assassin), Hu Bayi (Chen Kun, Snowgirl and the Dark Crystal), and Wang Kai Xuan (Huang Bo, Lost in Thailand). It also features Angelababy (the stage name of Angela Yeung WIng, Tai Chi Zero and Tai Chi Hero) as Ding Sitian.

Seeing the Twin Towers was unexpected, but appropriate for the film's time frame

In 1988, after one of their capers turns out badly, the Shirley, Hu and Wang retire from tomb raiding and flee to New Yo0rk City. As a New Yorker who was present when the 9/11 terrorist attacks took place, I was briefly taken out of the movie when, at about eight and a half minutes into it, there was a view from Brooklyn looking across the East River with the Twin Towers in the background. I forgot the time period being depicted for a moment, and only later realized that it was necessary because a significant flashback occurs roughly twenty years earlier, during Mao's Cultural Revolution.

Shirley leads Hu (behind her right arm), Wang (behind her left shoulder) and others in the quest for the Equinox Flower

Ms. Ying Caihong, the President of Global Mining Company  and leader of the Global Holy Disciplinary Institution, a strange cult, seeks the Equinox Flower, which is said to only exist at the limbo of Yin and Yang and which is believed to connect the living and the dead, to open the gate to the underworld and bring the dead back to life. When Wang decides to go back to China to locate it for her, Shirley and Hu follow.

Corporate and cult leader Ying Caihong (in white) with her followers

There are vast sets and loads of adrenaline pumping action. CGI is employed rather extensively, but it's of a very high quality. There's also some very fine make-up work done on one of the characters.

One of the film's vast sets

I came to think of Mojin: The Lost Legend as a Chinese blending of the Tomb Raider (Angelina Jolie2001 and 2003) and The Mummy  (Brendan Fraser, 1999, 2001, and 2008) series. All-in-all, it was a very enjoyable watch.

AsianCineFest Rating: 3 out of 4 stars; recommended

Section23 Films announces its February 2016 slate of releases

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Home video distributor Section23 Films has announced its February slate of releases; including Sentai Filmworks’ smash hit, the supernatural action series Akame ga Kill. Available on DVD, Blu-ray and Premium Box Set.

Product details, in order of release:

Title:                 BLADE DANCE OF THE ELEMENTALERS COMPLETE COLLECTION
Published by:    Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by:  Section23 Films
Run Time:         300 min.
Street Date:      2/2/2016
Format:             DVD, BD
Language:         Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP:                $49.98, $59.98

SYNOPSIS:  To enroll at Areisha Spirit Academy, where young priestesses learn how to form contracts with Spirits, the ideal prospective student has always been pure, chaste, and of a superior lineage.  And female, of course, since only one man has ever made a Spirit contract and HE was the Demon King.  So when Kamito Kazehaya arrives at the Headmistress' request, the entire Academy is understandably thrown into chaos and confusion.  Because not only is Kamito very obviously a guy, but he also managed to form a Spirit contract in the short time it took him to walk through the woods surrounding the Academy!  How is this even possible?  And what other secrets might the new enrollee have hidden?  The unexpected intrusion of something male is certain to work the female student body into a tizzy as the answers are revealed in BLADE DANCE OF THE ELEMENTALERS!


Title:                 FROM THE NEW WORLD COMPLETE COLLECTION
Published by:    Sentai Selects
Distributed by:  Section23 Films
Run Time:         625 min.
Street Date:      2/2/2016
Format:             DVD, BD
Language:         English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP:                $79.98, $99.98

SYNOPSISSaki and her friends Satoru, Maria, Mamoru, and Shun have lived their entire lives in what seems to be a perfect utopia: a world where almost all technology has been rendered irrelevant by "Juryoku," the psychic ability to materialize anything one desires.  But when Saki discovers a long-lost artifact from the past, the façade of their world is shattered and the cracks that split the foundation of their reality threaten to swallow them whole!  Faced with a bloody secret history of how their world really came to be and thrust into a nightmarish new paradigm, Saki and her companions are confronted with dangers they never knew existed and a series of choices that may change the fate of every intelligent creature on the planet - human and otherwise!  Because when your whole world is a lie, the truth can be the deadliest weapon of all in FROM THE NEW WORLD!


Title:                 AKAME GA KILL COLLECTION 1
Published by:    Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by:  Section23 Films
Run Time:         300 min.
Street Date:      2/9/2016
Format:             DVD, BD, COMBO
Language:         English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP:                $59.98, $69.98, $129.98

SYNOPSISWhen he set off for the Capital, all Tatsumi wanted was a way to make money.  Instead, he finds himself rescued from a fate worse than death by a group of assassins known as Night Raid, and thrust into the middle of a bloody revolution.  On the one side: Prime Minister Honest, his secret police, elite squad of assassins, and the armies of the Empire.  On the other: Night Raid and a handful of rebels desperate to overthrow the brutal regime of Honest's puppet emperor.  Leveling the playing field:  the Imperial Arms, a legendary set of unstoppable weapons created in the distant past.  But to use an Imperial Arm is practically a death sentence, for only a select few can even survive using them… and when two Arms go against each other, only the user of one is likely to survive in AKAME GA KILL!


Title:                 SHIROBAKO COLLECTION 1
Published by:    Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by:  Section23 Films
Run Time:         300 min.
Street Date:      2/9/2016
Format:             DVD, BD
Language:         Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP:                $49.98, $59.98

SYNOPSIS:  After making an animated film together in high school, Aoi and her friends Shizuka, Ema, Misa, and Midori made a promise to each other:  to all get jobs in the anime industry and someday work together again.  Two years later, Aoi is learning that working as a production assistant at a small animation studio is far more demanding than she ever imagined, and Shizuka's aspiring career as a voice actor involves more time waiting tables than recording.  Meanwhile, Ema's slowly making a name for herself as a key animator, Misa's moved from 2D to 3D and now works in computer graphics, and screenwriting hopeful Midori is lagging furthest behind, still looking for her first big break.  But are they ready to give up on their dreams just yet?  No way!  Because while anime may come from inspiration, in the end it's the ones who're willing to put in the perspiration that make their dreams real in SHIROBAKO!  


Title:                 FATE / KALEID LINER PRISMA ILLYA 2WE!
Published by:    Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by:  Section23 Films
Run Time:         250 min.
Street Date:      2/16/2016
Format:             DVD, BD
Language:         English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP:                $59.98, $69.98

SYNOPSIS:  With great powers come great responsibilities, and that includes cleaning up the aftermath of your previous adventures.  Which means that, instead of getting a break after saving the world, newly changed magical girls Illya and Miyu have to help deal with the side-effects caused by the sealing of the Ley Cards.  Still, that shouldn't be too hard, right?  Wrong!  Not only are the ley lines failing, but to make matters worse, Illya somehow ends up with a magical clone… and that sinister clone has plans of her own!  Worse yet, since the "dark" version of herself is drawing its power from the same source as our heroine, Illya's own powers are being reduced proportionately.  These are definitely not the kind of problems that the average girl should have to deal with.  It's double the trouble as Illya's split personalities face off and the personal conflicts get physical in Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya 2Wei!



Title:                 SPACE BROTHERS COLLECTION 7
Published by:    Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by:  Section23 Films
Run Time:         300 min.
Street Date:      2/16/2016
Format:             DVD, BD
Language:         Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP:                $49.98, $59.98

SYNOPSIS:  Whether in the planning rooms for lunar missions or the claustrophobic steel confines of an undersea laboratory, the one thing that every astronaut must learn to deal with is pressure.  But as deadly as the blowout of a pressurized cabin may be, the peer pressure that weighs on brothers Mutta  and Hibito may be even more crippling.  As Mutta prepares to journey to the bottom of the deep blue sea for NEEMO training, Hibito's path descends to even lower depths as his inability to recover sends him into a downward emotional spiral.  Will a trip to Russia be the cure for Hibito's malaise?  Or, having once reached the stars, will he now end up forever grounded by NASA and JAXA?  Yet even as one rising star falters, a second prepares for his ascent to the heavens as Mutta's quest to reach space advances to the next level in the seventh spellbinding collection of SPACE BROTHERS!


Title:                 INDIAN SUMMER COMPLETE COLLECTION
Published by:    Sentai Selects
Distributed by:  Section23 Films
Run Time:         75 min.
Street Date:      2/23/2016
Format:             DVD
Language:         Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP:                $19.98

SYNOPSISShe's the perfect girl, and you can do ANYTHING you want with her!  That's what the company MAIDWORKS promises, and boy, do they deliver!  Unfortunately for android maid Yui, her new owner is an otaku who's slipped way past the boundaries of normal anime fandom and into something that's better described as abnormally fanatic.  So instead of cooking, cleaning, and the other… er… duties expected of an android, Yui's main task will be to parade about in an ever-changing variety of anime and maid costumes while the deranged Takaya indulges in his even more deranged fantasies!  And since Yui's one of those rare androids with self-awareness, this isn't just embarrassing, it's downright humiliating!  And things only get weirder as other MAIDWORKS models arrive, each designed to cater to another facet of otaku-dom!   Get ready for nosebleeds, tentacles, and panty-shots galore in the ecchi-est, letch-iest, comedy sketch-iest OAV series ever maid, INDIAN SUMMER!


Title:                 PHOTO KANO COMPLETE COLLECTION BLU-RAY
Published by:    Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by:  Section23 Films
Run Time:         325 min.
Street Date:      2/23/2016
Format:             BD
Language:         Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP:                $59.98

SYNOPSISKazuya Maeda felt almost invisible during his first year of high school, and even his best friend from childhood, Nimi, seemed more difficult to approach as she matured from just another kid to a… gulp…  teenage girl. However, this year, Kazuya has a plan to change his image, and it's all centered around the big, new girl-magnet hanging in front of him: the digital SLR he just received from his dad! But is a camera really all it takes to make talking to girls a snap? Well, at least with digital there aren't many negatives, and if Kazuya can just stay focused and hit all the right angles, who knows what might develop?  Find out if the girls really do go for the guy with the biggest lens as Kazuya zooms his way to the top of the spread in PHOTO KANO!

THE GATE OF HELL at Japan Society this coming Friday, January 8th

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Japan Society NY
Presents
Gate of Hell © Kadokawa Corporation
The Gate of Hell / Jigokumon
Directed by Teinosuke Kinugasa
With Kazuo Hasegawa, Machiko Kyo, Isao Yamagata,
Yataro Kurokawa, and Kotaro Bando
Japan, 1953, 89 minutes, Blu-ray, color
In Japanese with English subtitles

When: Friday, January 8, 2016 at 7:00 pm
Where: Japan Society 333 East 47th Street, NYC

January 1, 2016 marks what would have been Teinosuke Kinugasa’s 120th birthday. In order to ring in the new year and pay tribute to the pioneering Japanese director Japan Society NY will screen his landmark jidaigeki about an imperial soldier (Kazuo Hasegawa) whose increasing obsession with a married lady-in-waiting (Machiko Kyo) eventually leads to tragedy. An early triumph of color cinematography that dazzled international audiences upon its release (recently restored to its original brilliance), The Gate of Hell won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival and Oscars for Best Foreign Language Film and Best Costume Design.

Tickets
$12/$9 seniors & students/$5 Japan Society members

Part of Monthly Classics
Year-round screenings of beloved classics, hidden gems and recent discoveries of Japanese cinema on the first Friday of every month.

Home video debut of MEMORIES OF THE SWORD on January 12, 2016

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Well Go USA
Presents
Memories of the Sword / Hyeomnyeo: Kar-ui gi-eok
Directed by PARK Heung-Sik
South Korea, 2015, 120 minutes

From PARK Heung-Sik, the director of Children of Heaven, and starring LEE Byung-hun (G.I. Joe: Retaliation, I Saw the Devil), the lavish epic Memories of the Sword will debut on Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital HD on Tuesday, January 12, 2016 from Well Go USA Entertainment. The action-packed film blends tragic historical drama with thrilling swordplay and martial arts. Memories of the Sword also stars JEON Do-yeon (Secret Sunshine and Jibeuro Ganeun Gil/Way Back Home), KIM Go-eun (Coin Locker Girl), and LEE Kyeong-yeong (War of the Arrows).

Synopsis:
As the greed and excess of a corrupt Monarchy threatens to destroy the once-glorious Goryeo Dynasty, three legendary warriors lead a revolt to overthrow the empire and save its people. But when deceit and betrayal costs the life of a master swordsman, a plot for justice and revenge is set into motion, raging for decades between the two survivors.

Look for a full review here at AsianCineFest on, or just before, the January 12th release date.

Sentai Filmworks has licensed TONARI NO SEKI-KUN: THE MASTER OF KILLING TIME

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Sentai Filmworks has announced its latest acquisition, Tonari no Seki-kun: The Master of Killing Time. The series was directed by Yuji Muto, with character design by Masae Otake. Shinji Kawai (STUDIO UNI) acted as Art Director.

During class, a schoolboy named Seki-kun is always creating things to entertain himself. All he cares for is creating things with an artist’s level of perfectionism and a craftsman’s attention to detail. Real dominos, shogi with original rules, a flip book with sounds…

Even Yokoi-san, who sits next to Seki-kun, always gets sucked into watching his games!

Based on the unique original work by Takuma Morishige – Japan’s one-and-only manga about not paying attention in class – this anime is about the silent battles the two have practically all the time. Please look forward to seeing the games Seki-kun breathes life into and seeing Yokoi-san’s reactions!  

Tonari no Seki-kun: The Master of Killing Time will be available on select digital outlets with a home video release to follow.

Sentai Filmworks announces acquisition of UNDEFEATED BAHAMUT CHRONICLE

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Sentai Filmworks has announced its latest acquisition, Undefeated Bahamut Chronicle as part of its Winter 2016 anime season lineup. Based off the original light novel by Senri Akatsuki and illustrated by Kasuga Ayumu, this series follows a young man named Lux, the former prince of Arcadia. After an accident in the bathing area lands Lux in hot water with the kingdom’s new princess, Liseshart, he finds himself forced into a duel that pits mechanical weapons against each other. Little does he know what else lies in wait when he has to join the school that trains the wielders of these ancient weapons.

Animation production will be handled by Lerche (Re: Hamatora, Monster Musume: Everyday Life With Monster Girls) with Masaomi Ando (School-Live!) taking the helm as Series Director. The role of Chief Animation Director will be shared by Mayuka Itou and Keiko Kurosawa, the latter of which is also responsible for Character Design. Yuuko Kakihara (Fairy Musketeers, Persona 4: The Animation, Heaven’s Lost Property) is in charge of series composition, and music is handled by Akito Matsuda (The Kawai Complex Guide to Manors and Hostel Behavior, Sound! Euphonium).

Undefeated Bahamut Chronicle is scheduled for a January 2016 release and will soon be available through select digital outlets with a home video release to follow.

Sentai Filmworks has acquired YAMISHIBAI: JAPANESE GHOST STORIES

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Sentai Filmworks has announced its latest acquisition, Yamishibai: Japanese Ghost Stories. This anthology breathes new life into the horror anime genre. Utilizing the nearly lost picture card "kamishibai" storytelling method of Showa-era Japan, Yamishibai: Japanese Ghost Stories turns everyday urban legends into the stuff of nightmares. It began airing late nights in the summer of 2013, but by the summer of 2014, it had attracted masters of the J-horror genre as guest directors, with its second season introducing even more terror and invoking its own sort of urban legends.

Tomoya Takashima directed the first season, while ILCA handled general direction for the second, with the aid of horror masters Takashi Shimizu, Noboru Iguchi and Shoichiro Masumoto. Hiromu Kumamoto was in charge of scripting for season one, and worked alongside Brazily Ann Yamada for season two. Animation production was handled by ILCA.

is currently available on Crunchyroll and will soon be available on additional digital outlets, with a home video release to follow.

Sentai Filmworks has announced its acquisition of "Norn9"

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Sentai Filmworks has announced its latest acquisition, Norn9, as part of the winter 2016 anime season lineup. Based on the visual novel of the same name, the story follows a 12-year-old boy named Sorata Suzuhara who finds himself transported to an alternate time, and possibly a different world. Aboard the Norn, a giant spherical ship that acts as a miniature city, Sorata joins three girls and nine young men on a journey toward an unknown destination...

The series will be directed by Takao Abo and produced by Mitsutoshi Ogura, with series composition by Natsuko Takahashi. Character designs will be provided by Yukari Takeuchi, who will also serve as director of animation along with Tomoko Sato. Production will be handled by Kinema Citrus.

Norn9 is scheduled for a January 2016 broadcast in Japan. It will soon be available through select digital outlets, with a home video release to follow.

Sentai Filmworks has acquired PHANTASY STAR ONLINE 2: THE ANIMATION

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Sentai Filmworks has announced its latest acquisition, Phantasy Star Online 2: The Animation, as part of the winter 2016 anime season lineup. Based on the hit MMORPG, this action-adventure series follows Itsuki Tachibana, a player of Phantasy Star Online 2, and the challenges he faces both in and outside of the game.

The series will be directed by Keiichiro Kawaguchi, with Mitsutaka Hirota handling both scripting and series composition. Character designs will be provided by Minoko Takasu, with animation produced by TELECOM ANIMATION FILM (Ramen Fighter Miki, Lupin III - The Italian Adventure (2015), Sengoku Basara: Judge End).

Phantasy Star Online 2: The Animation is scheduled for a January 2016 broadcast in Japan. It will soon be available through select digital outlets, with a home video release to follow.

Sentai Filmworks has acquired "Girls Beyond the Wasteland”

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Sentai Filmworks has announced its latest acquisition, Girls Beyond the Wasteland, as part of the winter 2016 anime season lineup. Based on the upcoming visual novel adapted by Romeo Tanaka and with character designs by Matsuryu, this anime will follow the exploits of lackadaisical high-school student Buntaro Hojo as he ventures into the realm of dating game development.

The series will be directed by Takuya Sato (Steins;Gate), with series composition by Yuniko Ayana. Character designs for the animation will be provided by Takayuki Noguchi, and production will be handled by Project No.9.

Girls Beyond the Wasteland is scheduled for a January 2016 broadcast in Japan. It will soon be available through select digital outlets, with a home video release to follow.

"Undefeated Bahamut Chronicle” to Simulcast Exclusively on Hulu

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Sentai Filmworks has announced an agreement with Hulu for exclusive simulcasting of Undefeated Bahamut Chronicle. Episodes will be available to stream through Hulu’s No Commercial and Limited Commercials subscription plans.

Each episode of will stream exclusively on Hulu during the first week of simulcast with select episodes available to stream on the free hulu.com one week later. Simulcasting is slated to begin January 11, 2016.

THE ART OF MAGIC: THE GATHERING – INNISTRAD art book coming next summer

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WIZARDS OF THE COAST AND VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCE A SECOND
MAGIC: THE GATHERING ART BOOK -
THE ART OF MAGIC: THE GATHERING – INNISTRAD

VIZ Media and Wizards of the Coast have jointly announced the expansion of the Magic: The Gathering® publishing catalog with the addition of a second art book to the collection. Set for release in Summer 2016, THE ART OF MAGIC: THE GATHERING – INNISTRAD will feature full color illustrations showcasing the mysteries of Innistrad – its peoples, provinces, and monsters.

In THE ART OF MAGIC: THE GATHERING – INNISTRAD, terror falls from the skies on blood-spattered wings and nameless horrors lurk in the shadows. These pages, lavishly illustrated with the award-winning art of Magic: The Gathering, are your entry into a world beset by terrible evils on all sides and betrayed by the hope it held most dear. Tread lightly as you follow the heroic Planeswalkers of the Gatewatch as they investigate these dark mysteries.

THE ART OF MAGIC: THE GATHERING – INNISTRAD edition joins THE ART OF MAGIC: THE GATHERING – ZENDIKAR, a previously announced art book set to debut in January 2016 from VIZ Media that will feature images from popular strategy card game Magic: The Gathering. The 240-page book will feature full color illustrations from some of Magic's best artists, such as Aleksi Briclot and Adam Paquette, as well as in-depth lore written by best-selling author James Wyatt.

Throughout its 22-year history, Magic: The Gathering has visited many richly imaginative worlds through card sets and stories. In its newest set, Battle for Zendikar (www.BattleForZendikar.com), Magic returns to the fan-favorite world of Zendikar, where united tribes of elves, vampires, and humans battle the monstrous Eldrazi across strange floating ruins and beautiful landscapes. The Battle for Zendikar card set launched October 2, 2015.

“Innistrad is a favorite plane of Magic fans,” said Elaine Chase, Senior Director of Global Brand Strategy and Marketing for Magic: The Gathering. “We are thrilled to be able to help fans and players explore it in a whole new way through this beautifully illustrated second art book, The Art of Magic: The Gathering – Innistrad.”

“We are very excited to work with the Wizards of the Coast team to release another exceptional art book,” says Beth Kawasaki, Senior Editorial Director, VIZ Media. “THE ART OF MAGIC: THE GATHERING – INNISTRAD is a wonderful companion to the THE ART OF MAGIC: THE GATHERING – ZENDIKAR, which debuts early next year. We look forward to Magic fans and players exploring all of the exotic characters, worlds and monsters in these collectible new editions.”
THE ART OF MAGIC: THE GATHERING – INNISTRAD will be available at Amazon.com and other retail and hobby gaming stores worldwide Summer 2016.

Haikasoru imprint acquires Miyuki Miyabe’s THE GATE OF SORROWS

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VIZ MEDIA’S HAIKASORU LITERARY IMPRINT ANNOUNCES
ACQUISITION OF MIYUKI MIYABE’S DARK FANTASY NOVEL
THE GATE OF SORROWS

Award Winning Celebrated Author Of BRAVE STORY And
ICO: CASTLE IN THE MIST Returns With A Captivating
Supernatural Crime Thriller Set To Debut
In Print And Digitally Next Summer

VIZ Media’s literary imprint has announced the acquisition of the North American publishing rights to Japanese author Miyuki Miyabe’s fantastic dark fantasy, THE GATE OF SORROWS. The novel is Miyabe’s eighth and will be released by Haikasoru in both print and digital editions in the Summer of 2016.

Miyuki Miyabe is a popular and widely acclaimed author who has published works across a variety of genres ranging from sci-fi, historical fiction and mystery to young adult thrillers and social commentary. The Haikasoru imprint has released several of Miyabe’s works including BRAVE STORY, THE BOOK OF HEROES, ICO: CASTLE IN THE MIST, and APPARITIONS: GHOSTS OF OLD EDO. THE GATE OF SORROWS is a sequel to THE BOOK OF HEROES but can be read as a standalone work that features the same setting but an entirely new cast of characters.

In THE GATE OF SORROWS, a series of murders shocks Tokyo’s Shinjuku ward, but Shigenori, a retired police detective, is instead obsessed with a gargoyle that seems to move. College freshman Kotaro launches a web-based investigation of the killer, and comes to find that answers may lie within an abandoned building in the center of Japan’s busiest neighborhood, and beyond the gate of sorrows. In this New Adult sequel to Miyabe’s The Book of Heroes, you will meet monsters from other worlds and ordinary horrors that surpass even supernatural threats.

“Miyuki Miyabe's newest work is a captivating novel that bridges the gap between the author’s young adult works such as BRAVE STORY and THE BOOK OF HEROES and her popular mainstream thrillers,” says Masumi Washington, Haikasoru’s Editor-in-Chief. “We look forward to announcing additional information about this 2016 release and to new and veteran Haikasoru readers discovering this exciting new work by one of Japan’s most celebrated contemporary authors.”

Author Miyuki Miyabe's first novel was published in 1987, and since then she has become one of Japan's most popular and best-selling authors. In 2007, Miyabe's novel, BRAVE STORY (also published North America by Haikasoru), notably won the Batchelder Award for Best Children's Book in Translation from the American Library Association. Her fantasy novels ICO: CASTLE IN THE MIST and BRAVE STORY are also available from VIZ Media’s Haikasoru imprint. APPARITIONS: THE GHOSTS OF OLD EDO is her newest book to be translated into English.

For more information on THE GATE OF SORROWS, other Miyuki Miyabe releases and the Haikasoru imprint, please visit www.haikasoru.com.

For more information on other titles available from VIZ Media, visit www.VIZ.com.
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