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MEMORIES OF THE SWORD reviewed; streets today

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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

Memories of the Sword  is a fine swordplay revenge tale that makes its home video debut on Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital HD today, Tuesday, January 12, 2016 from Well Go USA Entertainment. I watched the Blu-ray version.

Directed by PARK Heung-Sik Children of Heaven) the film is set during Goryeo Dynasty (918–1392), when "tea, riots, and swords ruled the land." Hong-yi (KIM Go-eun (Coin Locker Girl, A Muse) is a young woman with a mission, namely to avenge the deaths of her parents years earlier.

Pung-chun, her father, was one of the Three Great Swords who led a revolt on behalf of the people. His sword set goals. The other two leaders were Duk-gi (LEE Byubg-hun, War of the Arrows), whose sword gave protection and helped achieve the goals, and Sul-rang (JEON Do-yeon (Secret Sunshine), whose sword fought injustice. Duk-gi and Sul-rang also were dear lovers.

In a fierce battle, Pang-chun captured LEE Jon-bok, the son of the local governor. When the Three Swords confronted the governor with their petition on behalf of the commoners, an act of betrayal resulted in the death of Pung-chun and his wife, and the apparent death of Hong-yi.

But she survived and was raised in the martial arts by a blind woman who, besides being a master tea brewer, was also a swordmaster. Hong-yi, unable to resist an opportunity to demonstrate her martial prowess, disguises herself as a man and enters a competition. This brings her to the attention of General Yu-baek, formerly known as Duk-gi. He has suspicions about this mysterious warrior, suspicions that threaten to reveal Hong-yi's true identity and prevent her from achieving her goal.

There are several fine action scenes, some of which employ wire-work. At times these approach the graceful elegance of similar wire-work in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and at other times they resemble classical wire-fu from Hong Kong martial arts films of the '60s and '70s.

Disc Specs:
-- Audio Options
   -- Korean 5.1 DTS HDMA
   -- Korean 2.0 Stereo
-- Subtitle Options
   -- English
   -- Off
-- Extras
   -- Trailer
   -- Previews
      -- The Assassin
      -- Assassination
      -- Kundo

AsianCineFest Rating: 3 out of 4 stars, a good, solid swordplay revenge tale with a nice surprise twist at the end.

IP MAN 3 reviewed; opens tomorrow

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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, 105 minutes

Action star Donnie Yen and director Wilson Yip are back with the third -- and last? -- installment of their Ip Man series which began with Ip Man in 2008 which was followd by Ip Man 2 in 2010. The Wing Chun master was also the subject of two films by Herman Yau, The Legend is Born: Ip Man (also 2010) and  Ip Man: The Final Fight (2013) and of Wong Kar-wai's The Grandmaster (also 2013).

Beginning in Hong Kong in 1959, the film finds Ip Man facing two opponents. One is Frankie, a ruthless real estate developer played by Mike Tyson (! More on that later.) He sends his minions to "convince" the principle of the school that Ah Ching, Ip Man's younger son, attends to sell him the property. Led by Ma King Sang (Patrick Tam) they use any and all means to achieve their assignment, including beatings, setting fires and kidnapping children. As a result Ip Man and his students guard the school.

Ip Man's other opponent is Cheung Tin-chi (Zhang Jin), a rickshaw driver whose son also attends Ah Ching's school. Cheung is also an expert in Wing Chun. If I understand the genealogy correctly, his teacher and Ip Man's teacher both studied with the same master. Because of differences in the Wing Chun of their two teachers, Cheung is convinced that his is the true, and therefore superior, Wing Chun as compared with Ip Man/s

There are plenty of fine action scenes, which is what one would expect with Yuen Woo-Ping serving as action director and Donnie Yen and Yuen Shun-Yee serving as action choreographers. We're talking multiple fight scenes of both the one-against-many and one-on-one variety. There is staff fighting, knife fighting and unarmed combat.

So action aficionados need not worry; there's plenty here to keep you happy.


On the other hand, there were several things about the film that didn't work for me. First off, I found Mike Tyson's presence (billed in the credits as a "Special Appearance") a cheap gimmick that suggests how bereft of ideas the filmmakers were. We're talking about the ludicrousness of a black man with a huge facial tattoo as a ruthless real estate developer and promoter of an illegal fight ring in Hong Kong in 1959. Not even his being protected by the other "foreign devils" (i.e., the British) can make this remotely believable.

The second problem is with the two main fights, the first with Ip Man against Tyson, the second with him against Cheung, both end in what I consider a lame and unsatisfying manner, as if the film was promoting political correctness, or maybe that should be "kung-fu correctness."

Lastly, the film does a real number in putting down Bruce Lee. This is not the first time this has happened in a recent Ip Man movie (see Herman Yau's Ip Man: The Final Fight), but it's pretty harsh here. Fortunately Bruce is slightly redeemed by his teaching Ip Man how to dance so he can please his wife, Cheung Wing Sing, again played by actress Lynn Hung.

If it's action you're after, Ip Man 3 will totally satisfy you. Just don't expect to learn much about the real Ip Man.

AsianCineFest Rating: 3.5 out of 4 stars for the action, 2 out of 4 for story.

Ip Man 3 opens tomorrow, Friday, January 22nd. For information about the cities and theaters where it will open on the 22nd and in its subsequent wider roll-out, go to the Ip Man 3 Official Website.

VIZ announces new digital manga update for January 2016

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HONEY © 2012 by Amu Meguro/SHUEISHA Inc.
VIZ MEDIA CELEBRATES 2016 WITH A BRAND NEW
DIGITAL MANGA UPDATE FOR THE NEW YEAR

Open The New Year With Series Launches For HONEY SO SWEET,
SAVING LIFE And KANNAZUKI NO MIKO Along With New Manga
Bundle Selections And Updates To 16 Other Continuing Titles

VIZ Media gives fans and readers a wide range of fresh choices to start 2016 as the company details its digital manga update for January.

New series launches include HONEY SO SWEET, a romantic comedy about an unlikely relationship that blossoms between a pair of seemingly mismatched high school students, along with SAVING LIFE, which tells the story about a young man’s driven determination to stand on his own. The magical-girl-meets-mecha series, KANNAZUKI NO MIKO, also launches in January and rounds out the month’s new series debuts.

Readers are also invited to browse January’s selection of Digital Manga Bundles that offer the opportunity to dive into multiple collected volumes from a wide selection of acclaimed series at special savings over buying the volumes individually. Bundles are available to readers for a limited time exclusively from VIZManga.com and comiXology.

HONEY SO SWEET, Vol. 1 • Rated ‘T’ for Teens •
DIGITAL MSRP: $6.99 (U.S. / CAN) • Available now!
Little did Nao Kogure realize back in middle school that when she left an umbrella and a box of bandages in the rain for injured delinquent Taiga Onise that she would meet him again years later in high school. Nao wants nothing to do with the gruff and frightening Taiga, but he suddenly presents her with a huge bouquet of flowers and asks her to date him – with marriage in mind! Is Taiga really so scary, or is he a sweetheart in disguise?

SAVING LIFE, Vol. 1 • Rated ‘M’ for Mature Readers •
DIGITAL MSRP: $4.99 (U.S. / CAN) • Available January 12th!
Haruhiko was born rich and grew up pampered. But when he can't take any more of his father's tyrannical behavior, he strikes out on his own, determined to make his own way in the world. But going from super-rich to super-poor is tough on any man (let alone one still in high school!), and it's going to take more hard work than Haruhiko imagined just to make ends meet. He's doing his best and trying to keep up his spirits, but living on bean sprouts and bread crusts is enough to get any man down. Fortunately, he's got his sexy classmates and his own personal (and very hot) maid to help him out! (**NOTE: SAVING LIFE is only directly accessible via VIZManga.com and through partner platforms.)

KANNAZUKI NO MIKO, Vol. 1 • Rated ‘M’ for Mature Readers •
DIGITAL MSRP: $4.99 (U.S. / CAN) • Available January 26th!
Shy Himeko adores Chikane, the gorgeous and cool "princess" of their exclusive boarding school. She's been looking forward to their joint sweet sixteen birthday party for weeks. But on that fateful day, a shrine appears in the sky, giant robots ravage the school, and Himeko discovers that she is the reincarnation of the Solar Priestess – and Chikane is the reincarnated Lunar Priestess. As dark secrets unravel, one thing is clear: their lives will never be the same... (**NOTE: KANNAZUKI NO MIKO is only directly accessible via VIZManga.com and through partner platforms.)

January Digital Manga Bundle Promos (Available All Month):

GODCHILD (Entire Series) • $20.00
• Vols. 1-8

KIMI NI TODOKE Bundle I • $40.00
• Vols. 1-10

KIMI NI TODOKE Bundle II (Entire Series) • $77.00
• Vols. 1-22

NURA: RISE OF THE YOKAI CLAN Bundle I • $40.00
• Vols. 1-10

NURA: RISE OF THE YOKAI CLAN Bundle II • $52.50
• Vols. 1-15

NURA: RISE OF THE YOKAI CLAN Bundle III (Entire Series) • $75.00
• Vols. 1-25

Additional digital manga updates for the first-half of December also include new volumes for 16 other continuing VIZ Media series. Notable releases include not-to-be-missed volumes for continuing shojo series including THE DEMON PRINCE OF MOMOCHI HOUSE (Vol. 3), KISS OF THE ROSE PRINCESS (Vol. 8) and NATSUME’S BOOK OF FRIENDS (Vol. 19) as well as the latest additions to ongoing action series including BLUE EXORCIST (Vol. 14), NISEKOI (Vol. 13), TERRA FORMARS (Vol. 10), the digital first TOKYO GHOUL (Vol. 5), TWIN STAR EXORCISTS (Vol. 3), and WORLD TRIGGER (Vol. 8).

The free VIZ Manga App continues to be the top application for reading digital manga and features a massive library of the most popular series in the world. Through the innovative VIZ Manga digital platform registered users are able to use one account to view their purchased manga across more devices than ever. New series and volumes are added every Tuesday. Fans can also find these titles and more for the NOOK, Kindle Fire, and Kobo eReaders, as well as in the ComiXology, iBooks and Google Play Stores.

Most manga volumes are available for purchase and download in the U.S. and Canada within the VIZ Manga application starting from only $4.99 (U.S. / CAN) each. Readers can also explore free Chapter 1 previews of every series. For more information, please visit VIZManga.com or www.VIZ.com/apps.

To learn more about VIZ Manga, please visit www.vizmanga.com.

VIZ Media announces new digital anime update for January 2016

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VIZ MEDIA INVITES FANS TO BEGIN 2016 WITH
ACTION PACKED NEW DIGITAL ANIME CONTENT

Start January With Must-See Episodes For HUNTER X HUNTER,
NARUTO SHIPPUDEN and SAILOR MOON CRYSTAL; Catch
The U.S. Premiere Of The Final Season Of Classic SAILOR MOON

VIZ Media gets 2016 underway with a brand new digital update for its free anime content streaming platform for January.

Throughout this month, audiences are invited to catch newly-added dubbed and subtitled episodes for several hit anime series including SAILOR MOON and SAILOR MOON CRYSTAL, HUNTER X HUNTER, NARUTO SHIPPUDEN and INUYASHA: THE FINAL ACT.

Newly added anime content for January includes:

HUNTER X HUNTER
• Catch the second-half of Season 1 of the supernatural action adventure with the addition of Episodes 14-26, available to stream with newly updated subtitles.
• In the HUNTER X HUNTER anime series, abundant riches, hidden treasures, fearsome monsters, and exotic creatures are scattered around the world... Gon departs on a journey to become a Pro Hunter who risks his life in search of the unknown. Along the way, he meets other applicants for the Hunter exam: Kurapika, Leorio, and Killua. Can Gon pass the rigorous challenges of the Hunter exam and become the best Hunter in the world!? His wild and epic journey is about to begin!!

INUYASHA: THE FINAL ACT
• Dive into the action of the final climactic season of INUYASHA with Episodes 1-26 (subtitled and dubbed) available to stream now.
• Throughout their quest to restore the shattered Shikon Jewel, the half-demon Inuyasha and modern schoolgirl Kagome have never faced an enemy more deadly or more cunning than the demon mastermind Naraku. With the Shikon Jewel nearly whole, the race to collect the remaining shards intensifies and a battle of epic proportions is brewing on the horizon!

NARUTO SHIPPUDEN
• Weekly simulcasts of the latest action packed NARUTO SHIPPUDEN episodes will take place every Thursday throughout January.
• Catch Episode 444 on January 14th, followed by Episode 445 on January 21st, Episode 446 on January 28thth.

ONE-PUNCH MAN
• Watch the entire action-packed subtitled first season (Episodes 1-12), available now!
• 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?

SAILOR MOON
• Don’t miss the newly subtitled North American premiere for SAILOR MOON SAILOR STARS (Season 5). Episode 172 opens Season 5, which is the first time the exciting final story arc of the classic SAILOR MOON series has been available legally in the U.S.
• Catch 2 new SAILOR MOON SAILOR STARS episodes every week, beginning with Episodes 172 and 173, which are available to stream now.
• Catch Episodes 174 and 175 on January 11th, followed by Episodes 176 and 177 on January 18th and Episodes 178 and 179 on January 25th.
• This month, SAILOR MOON Season 2 is also added in its entirety and available to stream on-demand.

SAILOR MOON CRYSTAL
• Enjoy all new English dubbed streams of SAILOR MOON CRYSTAL throughout January with a brand new episode every week.
• SAILOR MOON CRYSTAL Season 1 action continues with Episode 8 available to stream now.
• Catch Episode 9 on January 8th, followed by Episode 10 on January 15th, Episode 11 on January 22nd and Episode 12 on January 29th.

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/.

Courtroom manga drama SCHOOL JUDGMENT: GAKKYU HOTEI coming February 2nd

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GAKKYU HOTEI © 2014 by Nobuaki Enoki, Takeshi Obata/SHUEISHA Inc.
VIZ MEDIA LAUNCHES THE COURTROOM MANGA DRAMA
SCHOOL JUDGMENT: GAKKYU HOTEI

New Thriller By The Artist Of DEATH NOTE And BAKUMAN。
Straight From The Pages Of WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP
Launches In Print And Digitally Next Month!

VIZ Media delivers tense courtroom drama straight from the pages of WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP as it announces the launch of SCHOOL JUDGMENT: GAKKYU HOTEI on February 2nd.

The new series was created by writer Nobuaki Enoki and Takeshi Obata, the famed manga artist who achieved international acclaim for the hit series DEATH NOTE, BAKUMAN。and ALL YOU NEED IS KILL (all published by VIZ Media). SCHOOL JUDGMENT: GAKKYU HOTEI will debut in print under the Shonen Jump imprint and will carry an MSRP of $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN. The series also launches digitally on February 2nd via VIZManga.com and the VIZ Manga App, as well as from the Nook, Kobo, Kindle, iBooks, comiXology, and GooglePlay stores. New volumes will be published three times a year.

SCHOOL JUDGMENT: GAKKYU HOTEI is set at Tenbin Elementary, where there is only one way to settle a dispute – in a court of law! All quarrels bypass the teachers and are settled by some of the best lawyers in the country…who also happen to be elementary school students. In the opening volume of the series, the accused this time is a boy named Tento. His crime? The murder of a beloved member of the classroom! Luckily for him, the state has sent him a defense attorney–Abaku Inugami. But is this wild young lawyer skilled enough to get his client off the hook?

“SCHOOL JUDGMENT was rated as one of the most successful manga series based on reader surveys from WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP’s Jump Start initiative,” says Marlene First, Editor. “Takeshi Obata’s detailed and riveting artwork is the perfect vehicle to bring Nobuaki Enoki’s courtroom drama to life. Don’t miss the launch next month of this new thriller!”

Manga writer Nobuaki Enoki received the Jump Treasure New Cartoonist Prize in April 2009 for his work, Rikuou. SCHOOL JUDGMENT: GAKKYU HOTEI was his first work to be serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump in Japan and it also appears in the digital English edition published by VIZ Media.

Takeshi Obata first achieved international recognition as the artist of the wildly popular Weekly Shonen Jump title, HIKARU NO GO, which won the 2003 Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize: Shinsei "New Hope" Award and the 2000 Shogakukan Manga Award. He went on to illustrate the smash hit supernatural crime thriller, DEATH NOTE, as well as the hugely successful manga BAKUMAN。 and ALL YOU NEED IS KILL.

For additional information on SCHOOL JUDGMENT: GAKKYU HOTEI or other manga titles published by VIZ Media, visit www.VIZ.com.

Knights of Sidonia Season 2: Battle for Planet Nine has been licensed by Sentai Filmworks

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Sentai Filmworks has announced its acquisition of the darkly cerebral science fiction series, Knights of Sidonia Season 2: Battle for Planet Nine. The story continues to follow ace pilot, Nagate Tanikaze, as he spearheads the defense of Sidonia against a terrifying alien threat alongside an unlikely ally, a human-alien hybrid whose voice is strikingly similar to someone he loved and lost. However, Sidonia may be in more danger than anyone realized, as diabolical forces plot not only from without but also within.

Based on the manga by Tsutomu Nihei (Wolverine: Snikt!), this sci-fi anime was directed by first-season co-director Hiroyuki Seshita, with Sadayuki Murai (Bubblegum Crisis: Tokyo 2040, Kino's Journey) returning for series composition and script. The animation was handled by Polygon Pictures.

Knights of Sidonia Season 2: Battle for Planet Nine will be available soon for home video on both Blu-ray and DVD.

Two new POKÉMON home media releases from VIZ Media

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POKÉMON THE SERIES: XY
©2016 Pokémon. ©1997-2015 Nintendo, Creatures, GAME FREAK, TV Tokyo, ShoPro, JR Kikaku. TM, ® Nintendo.
VIZ MEDIA PREVIEWS A PAIR OF NEW POKÉMON
HOME MEDIA RELEASES TO START 2016

POKÉMON THE SERIES: XY Set 2 DVD Available Now And
POKÉMON: THE MOVIES STEELBOOK BLU-RAY COLLECTION
Debuts Next Month

VIZ Media expands its POKÉMON catalog for anime fans as it announces a pair of new home media releases.

Inspired by the latest generation of Pokémon X and Pokémon Y video games, POKÉMON THE SERIES: XY Set 2 is available now on DVD. POKÉMON: THE MOVIES 1-3 STEELBOOK BLU-RAY COLLECTION contains a trio of full-length POKÉMON feature films and will be available February 9th. Both are rated ‘TV-Y7’ for viewers ages 7 and older.

POKÉMON THE SERIES: XY DVD SET 2 • MSRP: $26.95 U.S. / $31.98 CAN • Available Now
In the latest home media set inspired by the new generation of Pokémon X and Pokémon Y video games, Ash Ketchum and his friends venture ever deeper into the Kalos region! Ash takes to the skies in a wing suit in his first aerial battle, and the group explores exciting new areas like the majestic Kalos Canyon, the mysterious Cave of Mirrors, and Professor Sycamore’s Pokémon summer camp. Meanwhile, Miette and Serena’s rivalry over Ash heats up, and Team Rocket flummoxes everyone with clever disguises and Pokémon-nabbing schemes! And of course, everyone’s after the secrets of Mega Evolution—but will anyone get a handle on its consequences? The new set contains 3 discs featuring 24 episodes (25-48), presented with dubbed English dialogue.

POKÉMON: THE MOVES 1-3 Steelbook Blu-ray Collection 
©2015 Pokémon. ©1997 Nintendo, Creatures, GAME FREAK, TV Tokyo, ShoPro, JR Kikaku. ©PIKACHU PROJECT '98. TM, ® and character names are trademarks of Nintendo.

POKÉMON: THE MOVIES 1-3 STEELBOOK BLU-RAY COLLECTION • MSRP: $39.99 U.S. / $46.99 CAN • Available February 9th
A special 3-disc Steelbook set featuring three complete POKÉMON feature films— POKÉMON: THE FIRST MOVIE, POKÉMON THE MOVIE 2000, and POKÉMON 3: THE MOVIE. Films are each presented with dubbed English dialogue.

In POKÉMON: THE FIRST MOVIE, the adventure explodes into action with the debut of Mewtwo, a bio-engineered Pokémon created from the DNA of Mew, the rarest of all Pokémon. After escaping from the lab where it was created, Mewtwo is determined to prove its own superiority. It lures a number of talented Trainers into a Pokémon battle like never before—and of course, Ash and his friends are happy to accept the challenge!

In POKÉMON THE MOVIE 2000, just one person can make a difference… In the Orange Islands far south of Kanto, a Trainer named Lawrence is on a sinister quest: catching the Legendary Pokémon Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres in an attempt to awaken Lugia, guardian of the sea! When Ash and friends arrive, the islanders ask him to gather three elemental orbs from different islands. As the weather across the world goes out of control, it becomes clear that the capture of the legendary trio has thrown the environment out of balance! With Lugia’s help, can Ash find the orbs, restore the balance, and be the “chosen one” that everyone turns to?

In POKÉMON 3: THE MOVIE, a crystal catastrophe is unleashed upon Greenfield, and Ash, Pikachu, and friends must figure out how to undo the damage to the once-beautiful town. But the unthinkable happens when Ash’s mother is kidnapped by the powerful Entei, a Pokémon thought to have existed only in legend. Now Ash must go to her rescue, uncertain of what he’ll uncover when he unlocks the real secret power behind the unbelievable turn of events: a young girl whose dream world is being turned into a nightmarish reality by the mysterious and unstoppable Unown!

POKÉMON is one of the most successful international entertainment franchises of all time. More than 275 million POKÉMON video game titles and over 21.5 billion Pokémon Trading Cards have been sold in more than 74 countries in addition to substantial publishing and merchandise sales. VIZ Media is the official North American distributor for a wide variety of POKÉMON home media releases including animated series and films and also publishes a variety of POKÉMON manga graphic novel series including POKÉMON ADVENTURES X•Y, POKÉMON ADVENTURES, POKÉMON ADVENTURES: DIAMOND AND PEARL, POKÉMON ADVENTURES: HEART/GOLD & SOUL/SILVER, POKÉMON ADVENTURES: BLACK & WHITE. For more information on other POKÉMON manga and anime titles from VIZ Media, visit www.VIZ.com.

Sentai Filmworks has licensed STRAWBERRY MARSHMALLOW

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Sentai Filmworks has announced its acquisition of the 2005 slice-of-life comedy Strawberry Marshmallow. Based on the 2002 manga series written and illustrated by Barasui, Strawberry Marshmallow follows 20-year-old Nobue Itoh as she half-watches, half-instigates the adorable exploits of the elementary school kids Miu, Matsuri, Ana and her own sister, Chika.

The anime series was produced by anime studio Daume (DearS, Please Teacher!), with Takuya Sato (Girls Beyond the Wasteland, Student Council’s Discretion, Steins;Gate) handling both directorial and series composition duties.

Strawberry Marshmallow will soon be released on home video in both dubbed and subtitled formats.

THE ASSASSIN reviewed; debuts on home video today

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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 Assassin, Hou Hsiao-hsien's award winning martial arts themed art house film, debuts today on Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital HD from Well Go USA Entertainment. The film is based on a Tang Dynasty short story by Pei Xing entitled Nie Yinniang (the assassin's name) and earned Hou the Best Director award at last year's Cannes film festival, where it also received the Soundtrack Award for composer Gong Lim, who also contributed to the soundtrack to Hou's Millennium Mambo (2001). At the 2015 Golden Horse Film Festival, The Assassin was nominated in ten categories and received prizes for Best Director, Best Feature Film, Best Cinematography, Best Makeup & Costume Design and Best Sound Effects. It was Taiwan's official entry to the 2015 foreign-language Oscar race, but was not nominated.

I first saw the film last November at the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center of the Film Society of Lincoln Center (where it is still playing) and recently watched the Blu-ray release from Well Go for this review.

Set in the ninth century, the film revolves around Nie Yinniang (Taiwan-born actress Shu Qi, who also starred in Hou's Millennium Mambo and Three Times) , a young woman who was taken from her family when she was ten years old and raised by a nun, Jiaxin, who trained her to be a master assassin who would righteously slay corrupt officials. After a twang of conscience stopped her from completing an assignment, Jiaxin takes Nie Yinniang back to Weibo, the land of her birth, and tasks her with killing Tian Ji'an (Chang Chen, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and The Grandmaster), to whom she was betrothed as a child. Will she complete her assignment or once again question the righteousness of her task?

Hou is not concerned with narrative and hence there is little dialogue. What the director and Mark Lee Ping Bin, Hou's director of photography, have produced in a visually stunning film, that comes close to being pure cinema, that is, a work devoted almost exclusively to the visual. It is pretty much all about the mood produced by lush images. Coherent story-telling is of little or no concern.

The golden-masked warrior (left) and Yinniang

Thus the film is often quite enigmatic. For example, after Nie Yinniang has reveled herself to Tian one night, there is a brief scene -- shot in daylight -- in which a female warrior with a golden mask is seen. One gets the impression that she is in the employ of Tian, but this is only an impression. Later this warrior and Yinniang meet in a forest and engage in combat. Just who this warrior is and why she confronts Yinniang are matters that Hou leaves to the viewers imagination; the film is about showing, not explaining.

Since this is nominally a wuxia ("martial hero" story, some attention must be paid to the fighting scenes. These tend to be brief, explosive bursts of energy that punctuate the slow pace that marks the vast bulk of the film. His actors and actresses are not really trained in the martial arts so extensive, complicated segments were not possible. Consequently the fight scenes tend to be marked by frequent and rapid editing. There is even one confrontation in which Yinniang fights several opponents that has an extensive portion filmed in an extremely long shot shot with much of the action taking place behind the trees seen in the distance!

For this reason, it seems that many viewers -- expecting a martial arts film at least along the lines of Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) or even Wong Kar-wai's The Grandmaster (2013) -- have come away disappointed.

So if you're after a martial arts slug-fest, you'd best look elsewhere.

But if you're in the mood for a visually stunning film that will transport you to an ethereal vision of ancient China, The Assassin will more than satisfy you.

Bonus Features Include:
-- Behind-the-Scenes (four short featurettes)
  --  Nie Yinniang
  -- The Actors: No Rehearsals
  -- The Fights Between Masters
  -- A Time Machine To The Tang Dynasty
-- Trailer

AsianCineFest Rating: 4 out of 4 stars as an art house movie; 2.0 out of 4 as a martial arts film

VIZ Media celebrates the 4th anniversary of Weekly Shonen Jump

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BLACK CLOVER © 2015 by Yuki Tabata/SHUEISHA Inc.
VIZ MEDIA CELEBRATES THE 4th ANNIVERSARY OF
WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP WITH SPECIAL ANNUAL
MEMBERSHIP OFFER AND SWEEPSTAKES

Limited Time Promotion Delivers Special Subscriber Pricing On The
World’s Most Popular Weekly Manga Magazine And The Opportunity
To Win A Wide Variety Of SHONEN JUMP Premiums

VIZ Media marks the 4th anniversary of the official digital English edition of WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP, the world’s most popular weekly manga magazine, with a special subscription offer for readers.

WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP is published digitally every week by VIZ Media and features the latest chapters of a wide variety of serialized fan favorite manga (graphic novel) titles presented in English and released on the same day as the magazine’s general print release in Japan.

For a limited time until January 31st, special 4 Year Anniversary promotional pricing will offer annual WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP memberships for only $19.99 (U.S. / CAN) through shonenjump.viz.com. In addition, fans that subscribe by February 8th will have the opportunity to win a variety of WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP premiums and collectibles including jackets, t-shirts, and more! More information on the sweepstakes is available here: http://bit.ly/1K1rqzx (*Note: this sweepstakes is available only to residents of the U.S. and Canada (excluding Quebec))

WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP annual members receive 48 weekly digital issues as well as special premiums such as Yu-Gi-Oh! Collectable Trading Cards, rare one-shot manga releases, digital-only promotions, and access to additional subscriber-only content including creator interviews and insightful promo videos. Current subscribers can also access their accounts via VIZManga.com, the VIZ Manga App, and shonenjump.viz.com or with the WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP App on iOS and Android devices.

Manga series currently featured in WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP include BLACK CLOVER, BLEACH, BLUE EXORCIST, FOOD WARS!, MY HERO ACADEMIA, NISEKOI, ONE-PUNCH MAN, ONE PIECE, SERAPH OF THE END, TORIKO, WORLD TRIGGER and YU-GI-OH! ARC-V. WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP also regularly gives readers an advance peek at the latest new series debuts in Japan with special JUMP START features.

“WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP is essential reading for manga fans and we invite both new and current readers to take advantage of this special promotion. This is a great opportunity to dive into the latest chapters of some of the hottest series each week and receive a variety of other cool premiums throughout the year!” says Andy Nakatani, Editor in Chief of WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP.

WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP is also available to readers in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa via ShonenJump.VIZ.com and the WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP Newsstand App available for the Apple iPad®, iPhone and iPod touch or the WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP App on the Google Play Store for Android devices. International issues debut each Monday at 10:00am (PST) and monthly subscriptions are available with automatic monthly renewals. Additional information on international subscriptions is available at: http://shonenjump.viz.com/international-wsj-app.

For more information on WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and exclusive subscriber offers, visit shonenjump.viz.com.

For more information on VIZ Media manga titles, visit www.VIZ.com.

Bisco Hatori’s shojo manga BEHIND THE SCENES!! coming February 2nd

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Urakata!! © Bisco Hatori 2015/HAKUSENSHA, Inc.
VIZ MEDIA LAUNCHES BISCO HATORI’S NEW
SHOJO MANGA SERIES BEHIND THE SCENES!!

Comedy Series About A Social Misfit And College Movie Effects
Club Is The Latest From The Acclaimed Creator Of
OURAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB And MILLENNIUM SNOW

VIZ Media proudly brings creator Bisco Hatori’s dramatic new manga (graphic novel) comedy to English readers with the launch of BEHIND THE SCENES!! on February 2nd.

The new shojo series by the famed creator of OURAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB and MILLENNIUM SNOW will be published in print and digital editions under the Shojo Beat imprint. BEHIND THE SCENES!! is rated ‘T’ for Teens, and will carry a print MSRP of $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN. The series also launches digitally on February 2nd via VIZManga.com and the VIZ Manga App, as well as from the Nook, Kobo, Kindle, iBooks, comiXology, and GooglePlay stores. Subsequent volumes of the continuing series will be published in English twice a year.

In BEHIND THE SCENES!!, Ranmaru Kurisu comes from a family of hardy, rough-and-tumble fisherfolk and he sticks out at home like a delicate, artistic sore thumb. It’s given him a raging inferiority complex and a permanently pessimistic outlook. Now that he’s in college, he’s hoping to find a sense of belonging. But after a whole life of being left out, does he even know how to fit in?!

As Volume 1 opens, it’s two months into Ranmaru’s college career, and if he’s learned one thing, it’s that he’s really uncomfortable around other people. But when he stumbles into a zombie mob attack, he’s totally forced out of his comfort zone! Of course it’s just a movie shoot, but when he wakes up from his ignoble faint, he’s been whisked away behind the scenes with the Art Squad! Could this group of weirdos be what Ranmaru’s been looking for all his life?!

“Creator Bisco Hatori continues to demonstrate her skill at capturing all of the complexities, cliques and daily dramas of student life in BEHIND THE SCENES!!,” says Pancha Diaz, Editor. “Ranmaru Kurisu has been a social misfit all of his life but he may have finally found a place to fit in after a chance encounter introduces him to a very unique, and slightly quirky, group of potential new friends.”

Bisco Hatori made her manga debut with Isshun kan no Romance (A Moment of Romance) in LaLa DX magazine. Her first full-fledged series was MILLENNIUM SNOW (published by VIZ Media) and she gained widespread acclaim for the comedy, OURAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB (published by VIZ Media), which became her breakout hit.

For additional information on BEHIND THE SCENES!! or other manga titles published by VIZ Media, please visit www.VIZ.com.

Sentai Filmworks announces its acquisition of Nurse Witch KOMUGI R

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Sentai Filmworks has announced its latest acquisition, Nurse Witch KOMUGI R, as part of its winter 2016 anime lineup. One day, second-year middle school student Komugi Yoshida encounters a wounded, rabbit-like creature named Usa-P. She tends to its injuries, and in return is granted the powers of a "Legendary Girl." Now, in addition to juggling her school duties and her career as a pop idol, Komugi has to take on the role of a magical nurse. Watch the hilarity ensue in this slapstick comedy that throws in more magic and mayhem than this busy girl can handle!

The series will be directed by Keiichiro Kawaguchi (Moetan, Million Doll, Nyan Koi!), with Momoko Murakami in charge of series composition. Original character designs will be provided by Akio Watanabe (The World Only God Knows, Bakemonogatari), with production handled by Tatsunoko Production (Gatchaman Crowds, Gatchaman Crowds Insight).

Nurse Witch KOMUGI R began its Japanese broadcast on January 10, 2016 by Nippon TV. It will soon be available through select digital outlets, with a home video release to follow.

VIZ announces release of NARUTO: SHIKAMARU’S STORY

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NARUTO SHIKAMARU-HIDEN YAMI NO SHIJIMA NI UKABU KUMO © 2015 by Masashi Kishimoto, Takashi Yano/SHUEISHA Inc.
VIZ MEDIA DELIVERS A BRAND NEW NARUTO
NOVEL TO READERS WITH THE DEBUT OF
NARUTO: SHIKAMARU’S STORY

New Novel Is The Second Release In A New Series
Focusing On Key Characters From Masashi Kishimoto’s
Smash Hit Ninja Action Series, NARUTO

VIZ Media delivers the next release in a continuing series of NARUTO prose novels focusing on key characters from the internationally acclaimed ninja action series.

NARUTO: SHIKAMARU’S STORY was written by author Takashi Yano and will be released in print and digitally in early February. The book tells the story of the current head of Team 10 and the Nara Clan and features original cover art by Masashi Kishimoto. Allies and enemies from the famed NARUTO series take center stage in these fast-paced adventures, with each novel focusing on a particular clan mate, ally, team…or villain.

NARUTO: SHIKAMARU’S STORY MSRP: $10.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN / $6.99 Digital • Available February 2nd Two years after the Great Ninja War, Shikamaru spends his days racing around, hands full as one of Konoha’s key protectors. Then, large numbers of ninja from every region are reported missing. Even Sai disappears. And the place where the missing shinobi end up is the mysterious empire, the Land of Silence. As a ninja, as an adult, to protect all that he is responsible for, Shikamaru must do battle with the shadow of a new generation.

Also don’t miss NARUTO: KAKASHI’S STORY, the first book in the series of NARUTO novels, available now in print and also digitally.

Manga author/artist Masashi Kishimoto was born in 1974 in rural Okayama Prefecture, Japan. Like many kids, he was first inspired to become a manga artist in elementary school when he read Dragon Ball. After spending time in art school, he won the Hop Step Award for new manga artists with his story, Karakuri. After considering various genres for his next project, Kishimoto decided on a story steeped in traditional Japanese culture. His first version of NARUTO, drawn in 1997, was a one-shot story about fox spirits; his final version, which debuted in Japan in Weekly Shonen Jump in 1999, quickly became the most popular ninja manga in the world. The series would also spawn multiple anime series, movies, novels, video games and more. Having concluded the series in late 2014, Masashi Kishimoto has kept himself busy this year with the side story, Naruto: The Seventh Hokage and the Scarlet Spring, and writing the story for the latest NARUTO movie, BORUTO: NARUTO THE MOVIE, both of which focus on the title character's son, Boruto.

VIZ Media is the North American master licensor for NARUTO and publishes the bestselling NARUTO manga series in print and digitally and also distributes the NARUTO and NARUTO SHIPPUDEN anime series and feature films. Additional information on NARUTO is available at www.Naruto.com.

THE SWORD OF DOOM at Japan Society next Friday, February 5th

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Japan Society NY
Presents
Tatsuya Nakadai (Sword of Doom © 1966 Toho Co., Ltd.)
The Sword of Doom / Daibosatsu Toge)
Directed by Kihachi Okamoto
With Tatsuya Nakadai, Toshiro Mifune, Michiyo Aratama,
Yuzo Kayama, and Yoko Naito
Japan, 1966, 121 minutes, 35mm, b/w
In Japanese with English subtitles

When: Friday, February 5, 2016 at 7:00 pm
Where: Japan Society 333 East 47th Street, NYC

Director Kihachi Okamoto’s exceptionally dark swordplay classic turns 50 this year. Starring Tatsuya Nakadai as a nihilistic samurai with large, hollow eyes who gradually becomes the embodiment of evil by mercilessly killing everyone in his path, The Sword of Doom abandons the mythos of samurai chivalry in order to explore the extremities of violence and chaos.

Featuring some of Japanese cinema’s most memorable sword fight scenes in extraordinary widescreen black and white photography (including an exceptional nighttime snow battle with Toshiro Mifune), Okamoto’s harsh yet aesthetically beautiful film still has the power to evoke shock and awe.

Toshiro Mifune (Sword of Doom © 1966 Toho Co., Ltd.)

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.

Box Office Policy

Section23 Films has announced its March 2016 slate of releases

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Home video distributor Section23 Films has announced its March slate of releases; including Sentai Filmworks’ latest acquisition, the romantic comedy series Monthly Girls’ Nozaki-kun. Available on DVD, Blu-ray and Limited Edition Premium Box Set.

Product details, in order of release:

Title:                 WIZARD BARRISTERS COMPLETE COLLECTION
Published by:    Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by:  Section23 Films
Run Time:         300 min.
Street Date:      3/1/2016
Format:             DVD, BD
Language:         English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP:                $59.98, $69.98

SYNOPSIS:  When the laws of magic are broken, it's the duty of the Police Department's deadly Section 1 to enforce them.  But, since even craven maven mages and nefarious necromancers have the right to a fair trial, the job of defending them belongs to the Benmashi, the Wizard Barristers!  It's a tricky profession, requiring both arcane ability and a judicious sense of jurisprudence, and at just seventeen, Cecil Sudo is the youngest Benmashi that Butterfly Law has ever employed.  That means a lot of late nights burning the midnight brimstone, summoning up summaries, parsing phrases with paranormal paralegals and cutting deals with opposing counsels from hell.  And when a young Benmashi starts to discover that her own charm may be more magically-based than she realized, there'll be a hex-tra incentive to work wonders outside the courtroom as well!  Every trial is a witch trial as the most enchantingly Adept Attorney ever becomes a Master of the Art of Defensive Spells in WIZARD BARRISTERS!


Title:                 WOLF GIRL & BLACK PRINCE COMPLETE COLLECTION
Published by:    Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by:  Section23 Films
Run Time:         300 min.
Street Date:      3/8/2016
Format:             DVD, BD
Language:         Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP:                $49.98, $59.98

SYNOPSISEveryone knows that lies can come back to bite you, but when Erika makes up a fake boyfriend to impress her new classmates, the results may literally end up hounding her forever!   Yes, it was dumb, but what were the odds that the random guy whose picture she used would turn out to be a student at her own school?  Or that said faux-boyfriend's silence would come with such a horrible price?   Now Erika doesn't just have to run and fetch at Kyoya Sata's command, she has to bark too!  Because he's literally treating her like a dog, and she just has to roll over and take it, or he'll tell everyone the truth!  But that's not the worst part, because even though this wolf in hunk's clothing has Erika collared, she may be starting to have REAL feelings for him anyway!  Is she barking up the wrong tree, or could true love be unleashed in WOLF GIRL & BLACK PRINCE? 


Title:                 THOSE WHO HUNT ELVES COMPLETE COLLECTION
Published by:    Sentai Selects
Distributed by:  Section23 Films
Run Time:         600 min.
Street Date:      3/15/2016
Format:             DVD
Language:         English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP:                $39.98

SYNOPSISTales of traveling to alternate dimensions are fun to watch in the movies, but when you get stuck in one yourself, it's not quite as much fun.  So when strongman Junpei, actress Airi, and teenage gun fanatic Ritsuko find themselves transported to a world populated by elves and other mystical beings, all they want to do is go home.  Unfortunately, after putting their trust in the scatterbrained sorceress Celcia, the spell to send them back to Earth ends up getting scattered to the winds, with different parts attaching themselves to the bodies of Elves all across the planet.  Now the only way to put it back together is to travel around the world, convincing elves to take off all their clothes for a "spell check"!  Fortunately, the team also has access to a T-74 tank, so it's time for the weirdest road trip ever.  Warning!  There are naked elves ahead as the ultimate fanboy fantasy is launched in THOSE WHO HUNT ELVES!


Title:                 WAITING IN THE SUMMER COMPLETE COLLECTION BLU-RAY
Published by:    Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by:  Section23 Films
Run Time:         325 min.
Street Date:      3/15/2016
Format:             BD
Language:         Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP:                $59.98

SYNOPSIS:  When a group of friends decide to make a movie over a long summer holiday, they end up learning a little about filmmaking and a lot more about each other and themselves.  What begins as a simple way to avoid the summer doldrums quickly turns into something much more complex, intimate, and downright revealing.  As the summer heats up, so do the maturing relationships between the young cast members, taking some new, and sometimes unexpected, turns.  Get ready for a whole new look at summer romance as hidden emotions get captured and secrets meant to be kept hidden inside young hearts instead spill off the screen for your viewing pleasure in WAITING IN THE SUMMER!  


Title:                 WHEN THEY CRY SEASON 1
Published by:    Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by:  Section23 Films
Run Time:         650 min.
Street Date:      3/15/2016
Format:             DVD, BD
Language:         English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP:                $49.98, $69.98

SYNOPSIS:  Moving to the picturesque town of Hinamizawa is going to be a big adjustment for Keiichi.  For all its beauty, it's also tiny… so small that there's only one school, one where most of the students have known each other all their lives.  Fortunately, he soon meets four girls… Rena, Mion, Satoko, and Rika, who're willing to let the new guy in town join their afterschool club.  And for a while, things seem wonderful.  Until Keiichi starts discovering strange things, like the project manager for a controversial dam project being found dismembered five years ago.  As he digs deeper, there are whispers and rumors of other murders and disappearances, stories of a town curse, and mysterious rituals.  And then people he knows start to die.  What secrets have the people of Hinamizawa kept hidden from the rest of the world?  And could his new friends somehow be involved?  The shocking answers will be revealed WHEN THEY CRY!
 

Title:                 CELESTIAL METHOD COMPLETE COLLECTION
Published by:    Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by:  Section23 Films
Run Time:         325 min.
Street Date:      3/22/2016
Format:             DVD, BD
Language:         Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP:                $49.98, $59.98

SYNOPSIS:  It's been seven years since Nonoka Komiya last lived in Lake Kiriya City.  However, while she knew that there would be changes in the town, she's still unprepared for what she finds upon her return:  A giant saucer hovers over the entire city, as it has since shortly after she and her family left.  Stranger yet, a girl she doesn't know, Noel, is waiting for her, claiming that they have met before.  Confused, Nonaka tries to focus on reconnecting with her old friends, but odd memories, suppressed in the wake of her mother's death, begin to float to the top of her consciousness.  Can it be that she has met Noel before?  And how does this connect with the appearance of the saucer itself?  To solve the riddle, Nonoka must join with her friends and rediscover the events that occurred before she left Lake Kiriya.  Because there's more than a mystery that must be solved: there's a promise that has to be kept in CELESTIAL METHOD. 


Title:                 MONTHLY GIRLS' NOZAKI-KUN COMPLETE COLLECTION
Published by:    Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by:  Section23 Films
Run Time:         300 min.
Street Date:      3/29/2016
Format:             DVD, BD, COMBO
Language:         English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP:                $59.98, $69.98, $129.98

SYNOPSISYou know how the story goes:  girl crushes on guy, girl confesses feelings to guy, guy mistakes confession for a job application.  Okay, maybe that's not how it usually goes, but that's what happens when Chiyo Sakura finally gets up the nerve to tell her classroom crush Nozaki how she feels.  Since she doesn't know that he's secretly a manga artist who publishes under a female pen name, and he doesn't know that she doesn't know, he misunderstands and offers her a chance to work as his assistant instead of a date!  But while it's not flowers and dancing, it is a chance to get closer to him, so Chiyo gamely accepts.  And when Nozaki realizes how useful Chiyo can be in figuring out what girls find romantic, he'll be spending even more time with her "researching" while remaining completely clueless.  Could Chiyo's romantic frustration possibly get any more drawn out of proportion?  The answer will be profusely illustrated in MONTHLY GIRLS' NOZAKI-KUN!


Title:                 UTAWARERUMONO OVA
Published by:    Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by:  Section23 Films
Run Time:         85 min.
Street Date:      3/29/2016
Format:             DVD, BD
Language:         English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP:                $29.98, $39.98

SYNOPSISYou may have thought the saga of the mysterious masked warrior Hakuoro was over, but the fight for justice and honor never ends.  Even in a world filled with sorcery and epic battles, there's always time for a few adventures on the side!  Journey back to the world of UTAWARERUMONO and discover three amazing new stories:  Can the priestess Urutori find a way to solve the problem of an abandoned infant, or will she end up raising the child herself?  Can healer Eluluu resolve a situation that involves youth potions, some unusually well-intentioned kidnappers, and a very unorthodox romance?  And finally, learn just how much trouble a couple of girls can get into on a simple afternoon fishing trip.  (Because when it involves magic fish, and two of the girls are Touka and Aruruu, the answer is… plenty!)  The tales may be a little shorter, but the fantasy is every bit as fantastic as all the characters you love return in UTAWARERUMONO - THE OVA COLLECTION!


Title:                 VAMPIRE PRINCESS MIYU COMPLETE COLLECTION
Published by:    Maiden Japan
Distributed by:  Section23 Films
Run Time:         650 min.
Street Date:      3/29/2016
Format:             DVD
Language:         English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP:                $49.98

SYNOPSISShe may use the name Miyu Yamano when dealing with mortals, but the truth is that not even Miyu knows who she really is.  What is certain is that she was born of Vampire and Human; the human half granting her the ability to walk by day, while her craving for the blood of the living brands her forever as a creature of the night.  Now, together with her sole companion, the Shinma known as Larva, she exists in the twilight realm where the worlds of light and shadow overlap, trapped in the body of a teenager forever.  Her task:  to serve as Mankind's last defense against the forces of Darkness.  To hunt down those who would seek to harm the human race, and to cast them back into the depths from which they came.  Prepare to stalk the night as the death-dance of undead predator and prey begins in the anime classic VAMPIRE PRINCESS MIYU - THE SERIES!

South Korean rom-com THE BEAUTY INSIDE debuts today on home video

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Well Go USA
Presents
The Beauty Inside / Byuti insaideu
Directed by Jong-Yeol Baek
South Korea, 2015, 127 minutes

A body-hopping romantic comedy that asks the question “where does love begin?”, The Beauty Inside debuts on Blu-ray™, DVD and Digital HD today, Tuesday, February 2nd from Well Go USA Entertainment.

The surprise sleeper hit of Cannes, the film depicts Woo-jin, who, every morning, wakes up in a different body. His age, gender, and nationality may change, but the one constant in his life is Yi-soo - the woman he loves. She knows his secret, and loves him anyway.

With every transformation, Woo-jin has to figure out how to return to his own body and reunite with Yi-soo. First time feature film director Jong-Yeol Baek assembled an all-star cast of talent, including Han Hyo-joo (Masquerade), Park Seo-jun (Chronicles of Evil), Juri Ueno (The Girl in the Sun), Lee Jin-uk (The Target), Kim Joo-hyuck (In Love and War) and Yu Yeon-seok (A Werewolf Boy).

Seijun Suzuki retrospective in L.A. from February 5th to March 13th

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Branded to Kill (1967)

UCLA Film & Television Archive; the Freer and Sackler Galleries, Smithsonian Institution; Japan Foundation; and UCLA Terasaki Center for Japanese Studies present Action, Anarchy, and Audacity: A Seijun Suzuki Retrospective, which will screen Friday, February 5 – Sunday, March 13 at the Billy Wilder Theater in Westwood Village.

This upcoming series provides a rare opportunity to experience the innovative and audacious work of Japanese director Seijun Suzuki onscreen. Devotees of Suzuki’s free-wheeling approach include directors Jim Jarmusch and Quentin Tarantino and influential titles featured in the series will include: Branded to Kill (1967), Tokyo Drifter (1966) and Gate of Flesh (1964).

Full program details can be found at the UCLA Film & Television Archive website.

The series is curated by Tom Vick, the curator of film at the Freer and Sackler Galleries of the Smithsonian Institution, and co-organized with the Japan Foundation. Mr. Vick will appear in person on February 21st and 22nd.

This series previously ran in New York at the Film Society of Lincoln Center from November 6-17, 2015.

VIZ announces digital anime update for February 2016

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VIZ MEDIA CONTINUES WINTER ANIME VIEWING
FUN WITH FEBRUARY DIGITAL CONTENT UPDATE

Don’t Miss Brand New Action And Adventure With Fresh
Episodes Of HUNTER X HUNTER, NARUTO SHIPPUDEN
And SAILOR MOON CRYSTAL; Also Catch The Exclusive
U.S. Premiere Of SAILOR MOON SAILOR STARS

VIZ Media moves into February and continues to heat up the winter season for fans with the latest monthly digital anime content update.

This month, audiences will be treated to the latest NARUTO SHIPPUDEN episodes straight from Japan in (subtitled) weekly simulcasts every Thursday. Also dive into the exclusive U.S. premiere of SAILOR MOON SAILOR STARS (Season 5). This is the first time this final climactic season of the original SAILOR MOON anime series has been officially available in the U.S. Enjoy 2 exciting subtitled episodes every week!

The interstellar SAILOR MOON action continues throughout February with all-new, English dubbed streamed episodes of SAILOR MOON CRYSTAL every week. New dubbed content for the month is complemented by not-to-be-missed episodes for additional hit VIZ Media anime series such as HUNTER X HUNTER and RANMA ½.

New anime content for February includes:

HUNTER X HUNTER
• The supernatural action adventure of HUNTER X HUNTER Season 1 continues in February with Episodes 27-39 available to stream in their entirety featuring brand new subtitles that are true to VIZ Media’s original translations of the manga series by Yoshihiro Togashi.

NARUTO SHIPPUDEN
• The pulse-racing ninja action of NARUTO SHIPPUDEN continues all month with simulcasts every Thursday of the latest episodes straight from Japan.
• Don’t miss the simulcasts of Episode 447 on February 4th, Episode 448 on February 11th, followed by Episode 449 on February 18th, and Episode 450 on February 25th.

RANMA ½
• The hilarious hijinks of the classic anime martial arts adventure, RANMA ½, continues during February with the addition of Season 6, Episodes 116-138, available to stream now in their entirety with dubbed English dialogue!

SAILOR MOON
• Catch the streaming premiere of SAILOR MOON SAILOR STARS (Season 5) with 2 subtitled episodes every Monday.
• Episodes 175 & 176 are available now, followed by Episodes 177 & 178 on February 8th, Episodes 179 & 180 on February 15th and Episodes 181 & 182 on February 22nd.

SAILOR MOON CRYSTAL
• Enjoy the all-new English dubbed streams of SAILOR MOON CRYSTAL throughout February with a brand new episode every Friday.
• SAILOR MOON CRYSTAL Season 1 action continues with Episode 13 FINAL BATTLE - REINCARNATION available to stream beginning February 5th, followed by the beginning of the Black Moon Arc on February 12th!

VIZ Media’s consolidated online destination for FREE streaming anime content in the U.S. has over 4,200 subtitled and English dubbed episodes and movies from more than 37 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.

VIZ announces its digital manga update for February 2016

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GAKKYU HOTEI © 2014 by Nobuaki Enoki, Takeshi Obata/SHUEISHA Inc.
VIZ MEDIA OPENS FEBRUARY WITH
ITS LATEST DIGITAL MANGA UPDATE

New Titles Include NARUTO: SHIKAMARU’S STORY And
SCHOOL JUDGMENT, Along With WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP
Anniversary Promotion And Updates To 17 Other Series

VIZ Media starts February with a new digital manga update that features a wide array of series debuts and new additions to scores of other continuing titles.

New manga series launches for the month include BEHIND THE SCENES!!, the latest romantic shojo comedy by the acclaimed creator of OURAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB. Also debuting in February will be NARUTO: SHIKAMARU’S STORY, the latest release in the series of NARUTO original prose novels. SCHOOL JUDGMENT: GAKKYU HOTEI is the tense new student courtroom drama by the artist behind the bestselling DEATH NOTE manga, while JUDAS rounds out February’s new series launches with its edgy supernatural action saga.

This month, VIZ Media’s WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP marks the 4th anniversary of the magazine’s move to a digital publication. A promotion is underway now and runs until February 8th offering a chance for new & renewing subscribers to win a variety of Shonen Jump products, including jackets, t-shirts and other unique items. Visit http://shonenjump.viz.com/ for more information!

Readers are also invited to browse February’s selection of Digital Manga Bundles that offer the opportunity to dive into multiple collected volumes from a wide selection of acclaimed series at special savings over buying the volumes individually. Bundles are available to readers for a limited time exclusively from VIZManga.com and comiXology.

Urakata!! © Bisco Hatori 2015/HAKUSENSHA, Inc.

BEHIND THE SCENES!!, Vol. 1 • Rated ‘T’ for Teens •
DIGITAL MSRP: $6.99 (U.S. / CAN) • Available Now!
It’s two months into Ranmaru’s college career, and if he’s learned one thing, it’s that he’s really uncomfortable around other people. But when he stumbles into a zombie mob attack, he’s totally forced out of his comfort zone! Of course it’s just a movie shoot, but when he wakes up from his ignoble faint, he’s been whisked away behind the scenes with the Art Squad! Could this group of weirdos be what Ranmaru’s been looking for all his life?!

NARUTO: SHIKAMARU’S STORY • Rated ‘T’ for Teens •
DIGITAL MSRP: $10.99 (U.S. / CAN) • Available Now!
This newest release in the series of NARUTO original prose novels continues the focus on key characters from the bestselling manga series and is complemented by cover art by Masashi Kishimoto. Two years after the Great Ninja War, Shikamaru spends his days racing around, hands full as one of Konoha’s key protectors. Then, large numbers of ninja from every region are reported missing. Even Sai disappears. And the place where the missing shinobi end up is the mysterious empire, the Land of Silence. As a ninja, as an adult, to protect all that he is responsible for, Shikamaru must do battle with the shadow of a new generation.

SCHOOL JUDGMENT: GAKKYU HOTEI, Vol. 1 • Rated ‘T’ for Teens •
DIGITAL MSRP: $6.99 (U.S. / CAN) • Available Now!
At Tenbin Elementary, there is only one way to settle a dispute—in a court of law! All quarrels bypass the teachers and are settled by some of the best lawyers in the country…who also happen to be elementary school students. SCHOOL JUDGMENT is a new series that features story by Nobuaki Enoki, with artwork by Takeshi Obata, the famed artist behind the smash hit manga series DEATH NOTE as well as the hugely successful manga BAKUMAN。and ALL YOU NEED IS KILL (all of which are also published by VIZ Media).

JUDAS, Vol. 1 • Rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens •
DIGITAL MSRP: $4.99 (U.S. / CAN) • Available February 23rd
Judas, cursed for his sins, is the spirit of Death – he is without form, and has enslaved young Eve to carry out the most heinous of acts. Together in spirit and body, they must slay 666 people so that Judas can regain his humanity. Using Eve as his vessel of destruction, Judas' dark, blood-soaked journey will leave a trail of sin, death, and – hopefully for Judas – redemption.

February Digital Manga Bundle Promos (Available All Month):

DEMON LOVE SPELL (Entire Series) • $23.99
• Vols. 1-6

HIKARU NO GO Bundle I • $39.99
• Vols. 1-10

HIKARU NO GO Bundle II • $52.99
• Vols. 1-15 HIKARU NO GO Bundle III (Entire Series) • $68.99
• Vols. 1-23 JIU JIU (Entire Series) • $15.99
• Vols. 1-5 KAZE HIKARU Bundle I • $41.99
• Vols. 1-12 KAZE HIKARU Bundle II (Entire Series) • $69.99
• Vols. 1-23

Additional digital manga updates for February also includes new volumes for 17 other continuing VIZ Media series. Notable releases include not-to-be-missed volumes for ASSASSINATION CLASSROOM (Vol. 8), FOOD WARS! (Vol. 10), MY HERO ACADEMIA (Vol. 3), ONE PIECE (Vol. 77), and ULTRAMAN (Vol. 3) as well as shojo manga additions including MAID-SAMA 2-in-1 omnibus (Vol. 3), QQ SWEEPER (Vol. 2), and SO CUTE IT HURTS (Vol. 5). Also don’t miss the exciting series finales of CHEEKY ANGEL (Vols. 19 & 20), CROWN OF THORNS (Vol. 2), DEADMAN WONDERLAND (Vol. 13) and KANNAZUKI NO MIKO (Vol. 2).

The free VIZ Manga App continues to be the top application for reading digital manga and features a massive library of the most popular series in the world. Through the innovative VIZ Manga digital platform registered users are able to use one account to view their purchased manga across more devices than ever. New series and volumes are added every Tuesday. Fans can also find these titles and more for the NOOK, Kindle Fire, and Kobo eReaders, as well as in the ComiXology, iBooks and Google Play Stores.

Most manga volumes are available for purchase and download in the U.S. and Canada within the VIZ Manga application starting from only $4.99 (U.S. / CAN) each. Readers can also explore free Chapter 1 previews of every series. For more information, visit VIZManga.com or www.VIZ.com/apps.

To learn more about VIZ Manga, visit www.vizmanga.com.

VIZ brings all 10 Naruto titles to the Steam multimedia delivery platform

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THE LAST: NARUTO THE MOVIE
© 2002 MASASHI KISHIMOTO/2007 SHIPPUDEN © NMP 2014
VIZ MEDIA’S NARUTO FEATURE FILM CATALOG TO
HEAT UP STEAM MULTIMEDIA CONTENT PLATFORM

Leading Content Platform - Steam – Offers The Intense Ninja
Action Of All 10 Movies From The NARUTO And
NARUTO SHIPPUDEN Universes For Digital Purchase

VIZ Media brings the action and excitement of NARUTO to Steam, a leading interactive content delivery platform by software company, Valve Corporation.

All 10 full-length feature films from the NARUTO and NARUTO SHIPPUDEN story arcs are available (English dubbed) for purchase and rental on Steam in the U.S. and Canada, including:

NARUTO THE MOVIE: NINJA CLASH IN THE LAND OF SNOW: 
© 2002 MASASHI KISHIMOTO  © NMP 2004

• NARUTO THE MOVIE: NINJA CLASH IN THE LAND OF SNOW
• NARUTO THE MOVIE: LEGEND OF THE STONE GELEL
• NARUTO THE MOVIE: GUARDIANS OF THE CRESCENT MOON KINGDOM
• NARUTO SHIPPUDEN THE MOVIE
• NARUTO SHIPPUDEN THE MOVIE: BONDS
• NARUTO SHIPPUDEN THE MOVIE: THE WILL OF FIRE
• NARUTO SHIPPUDEN THE MOVIE: THE LOST TOWER
• NARUTO SHIPPUDEN THE MOVIE: BLOOD PRISON
• ROAD TO NINJA: NARUTO THE MOVIE
• THE LAST: NARUTO THE MOVIE

For a limited time only, a special promotional price will be available on the movies. Please visit http://store.steampowered.com/ to access these films.

“With its kinetic on-screen action and iconic characters, NARUTO has captivated millions of dedicated gamers and anime fans, and the movies are a wonderful complement to the content Steam offers its substantial user community,” says Brian Ige, Vice President, Animation. “We look forward to the future of this partnership.”

Steam is a leading content platform with thousands of titles and millions of members. Through Steam, fans can easily buy, play, share, modify, and build communities around Valve products as well as titles from other independent studios. Steam is available in 237 countries and 21 different languages. Since March 2015, Steam has also added more than 100 film titles, with more coming soon.

In the NARUTO manga and animated series, Naruto Uzumaki wants to be the best ninja in the land. He's done well so far, but Naruto knows he must train harder than ever and leaves his village for intense exercises that will push him to his limits. NARUTO SHIPPUDEN begins two and a half years later, when Naruto returns to find that everyone has been promoted up the ninja ranks – except him. Sakura’s a medic ninja, Gaara’s advanced to Kazekage, and Kakashi…well he remains the same. But pride isn’t necessarily becoming of a ninja, especially when Naruto realizes that Sasuke never returned from his search for Orochimaru. Plus, the mysterious Akatsuki organization is still an ever-present danger. As Naruto finds out more about the Akatsuki’s goals, he realizes that nothing in his universe is as it seems. Naruto is finding that he’s older, but will he also prove wiser and stronger?

VIZ Media is the North American master licensor for NARUTO and distributes the NARUTO and NARUTO SHIPPUDEN anime series and feature films as well as publishes the bestselling NARUTO manga series in print and digitally.

Additional information on NARUTO and NARUTO SHIPPUDEN is available at www.Naruto.com.

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