After much teasing with random hints, Madman Entertainment today at 12PM began unveiling their new acquisitions which will be available as simulcast this year or early-next year, and/or released hopefully in the new year sometime. I was glad that I could guess a few of them correctly, however there are still some I was hoping for which were not… but I digress, here is the list alongside a blurb and information on distribution channels. Synopsis and information sourced from the Madman Entertainment official announcement and MyAnimeList
Persona 4: The Animation
Persona 4 takes place in a rural town named Inaba. There have been mysterious murders occurring whenever there was fog after heavy rain. There were also rumors about a channel on television airing only at midnight called Mayonaka TV, during which it is said that one can see his/her “other half” when staring at the TV screen. After hearing about a recent unsolved murder which occurred during the fog, the characters—Narukami, Chie, and Yosuke—discuss how each of them had attempted to watch the mysterious TV channel and witnessed the murder victim. The protagonist later realizes that during midnight when the channel is on, his body can phase into his television set as a gateway to enter another world infested with shadows.
After discovering this, they all decide to explore. When first completely entering the world, dazed and confused, Narukami meets Teddie. Mayonaka TV and the town murders seem to have a connection. The murder victims may be merely victims of Mayonaka TV. Everyone decides that they will together try to solve the mysterious murders by exploring the hidden world of Mayonaka TV.
Persona 4: The Animation has been announced for online streaming (Possibly simulcasting) shortly, however no date has been announced on when there will be a DVD and/or Blu-ray release in the future (But there will be one of course).
Heaven’s Lost Property + Heaven’s Lost Property: Forte
(Japanese title: Sora no Otoshimono)
Season One
Sakurai Tomoki has been having the same strange dream since he was a child and would wake up in tears. Sugata, an upperclassmen at his school, believes the dream to be of the new continent. Later that night, while waiting under the cherry trees for Sugata and his childhood friend, Sohara, an angel comes flying down and his peaceful life changes from then on.
Season Two
Sakurai Tomoki has settled into his life with the two angeloids, Ikaros and Nymph, and is enjoying himself immensely. However, he keeps having weird dreams and asks all of his friends to help him investigate the cause. Nymph conjures up a device that enables people, but not angeloids, to enter other people’s dreams. The device malfunctions at first but eventually they get to what was supposed to be Tomoki’s dream but discover that something is very wrong with it. Later, a meteor comes crashing down from the skies at the site of the large cherry blossom tree where Tomoki first discovered Ikaros. An extremely well endowed blonde angeloid with a huge sword emerges from the meteor and sets off in search of Tomoki!
Season one will be available in March 2012 on DVD, Blu-ray and Digital Release. The second season (Forte) currently has no official release date, but of course will be after the Season One release.
The Future Diary
(Japanese Title: Mirai Nikki)
This psychological thriller, based on the manga written and illustrated by Sakae Esuno, is about Yuki, a loner who’s not very good with people. He prefers to write a diary on his cell phone and talk to his imaginary friend, Deus Ex Machina – The God of Time and Space. However, Yuki soon learns that Deus is more than a figment of his imagination when he makes Yuki participate in a battle royale with eleven others. The contestants are given special diaries that can predict the future, each diary possessing unique features that give it both advantages and disadvantages. Within the next 90 days, the contestants must try to survive until there is only one left standing. The winner will become the new God of Time and Space.
The Future Diary will be receiving an online streaming release shortly, and a DVD and/or Blu-ray release at a later date.
Coicent + Five Numbers! (Double Pack)
(Japanese Titles: Koi☆Sento + Norageki!)
Coicent
It’s a quick time jump to the 26th century where a school trip to a rebuilt 21st century city turns into a wild adventure for teenaged Shinichi. While chasing a talking deer that steals his bag, he runs into a strange girl trying to elude even stranger pursuers, and then things get really wild. It’s a mad dash through a city of the past as two young people discover a chance at a new future.
Five Numbers!
The story takes place in a isolated prison. A pleasant young man, a sexy woman, an ex-soldier middle aged man, a hacker girl, a mysterious old man and a cat are confined there. One day, they get freed after a blackout. Strangely, all the prison guards have disappeared and they cannot find the exit. Suddenly an extraordinary event occurs in response to the old man’s weird behavior.
This double-pack is slated for release in April 2012.
Maken-ki! Battling Venus
The famous Tenpi Gakuen: a slightly unconventional school where the lessons are held using mysterious pieces of equipment called “Maken”, which enhance a kind of energy within their users called “Element”. The protagonist, Takeru Ohyama enrolls at the school, which has just become coed, with his mind filled with simple thoughts of flowery paradise blooming with girls, only to find himself overwhelmed by the battling bevy of Maken-wielding beauties he encounters…
And what’s more, he somehow finds himself living with three beautiful girls, his childhood friend, Haruko Amaya, his self-proclaimed fiancée, Inaho Kushiya, and the mysterious Kodama Himegami, in a new life that turns his expectations completely upside-down. In the midst of all, on Haruko’s recommendation, Takeru joins the “Maken-ki”, a special group of individuals who have the responsibility to resolve incidents and trouble at the school. Busy with both love and battles, the course for Takeru’s life at the school is far from the set in stone…
No information on online or physical distribution is available, with the site simply mentioning: “More info coming soon!”
Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Beloved family, good friends, laughter and tears – these things make up the ordinary life of Kaname Madoka, a second year student of Mitakihara City Middle School. One night, Madoka dreams of a mysterious dark haired girl struggling against a terrible evil; the next morning she discovers that the girl, Akemi Homura, has transferred into her class. This encounter will lead to an incident which will alter Madoka’s fate forever.
No doubt one of the most requested series for them to acquire. You will have to unfortunately wait until April 2012 to be able to purchase this from stores, and will be spread across three volumes.
