For those who are not already aware, Australia is set to have another anime publisher, Universal Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, whom are set to distribute their first release slate on the 24th April 2013 to retailers around the country. Their first release slate consists of six titles encompassing franchises such as Shakugan no Shana, A Certain Magical Index and Armitage III.
All six titles are set to come as either a DVD set or a DVD+Blu-ray combo set, and will all come in special limited edition collectable packaging as you can see above with the example of Shakugan no Shana. The best way to describe the packing is that they are bookstyle slipcases, which fold out to give you more information on whatever title you are interested in picking up / have purchased.
I look forward to bringing you reviews of all six titles prior to release. You may have already seen one of the six reviews for Shakugan no Shana Season 1, which I encourage you to read HERE.
Curious about the titles? Read below for synopsis and brief information on all the titles. Some or all of them may be available for pre-order through your local retailer of anime:
Shakugan no Shana Season 1
DVD + Blu-ray | $49.95 | Hybrid Dub | 600 Minutes
Based on popular novels of the same name, Shakugan no Shana is a tale of Shana, a fiery huntress whose sole purpose is to fight demon-like beings that consume human lives. To reduce the impact on the human realm, Shana turns the slain into shadows of their former selves. Once the flame that represents their remaining life goes out, they fade from existence.
This should have been Yuji’s fate, but when he discovers he holds a special power that ignites a new-found strength in Shana, they join forces in her ongoing mission to maintain the balance between the ordinary world and the supernatural.
Packed with bonus animated specials, experience their harrowing story as Yuji and Shana work together to fight the Denizens of the Crimson World and learn more about each other and their different worlds.
Shakugan no Shana Season 2 Part 1
DVD + Blu-ray | $49.95 | Hybrid Dub | 290 Minutes
Released as a two-part collectable DVD and Blu-ray™ combo pack, the heated bond between Shana and Yuji is tested as their paranormal adventures continue. The Flame Haze fends off supernatural foes by night, but by day, she contends with a classmate who’s after Yuji’s heart.
Emotions flare as a suspicious transfer student who resembles a recently defeated Denizen clings to Yuji. His training intensifies when they catch wind of a revered warrior in search of her lost lover, who will stop at nothing to extract the power keeping Yuji alive.
Shakugan no Shana Season 2 Part 2
DVD + Blu-ray | $49.95 | Hybrid Dub | 300 Minutes
Shana and Yuji face their greatest foes yet as they battle Denizens who desire the Midnight Lost Child for their own, in part two of the second season of Shakugan no Shana.
Amidst a whirlwind battle with the beautiful Pheles, Flame Haze goes berserk and friends get caught in the chaos. Then, the Bal Masque returns to execute a scheme that could spell the end for Yuji. Discover if a newly found strength gives Yuji and Shana the edge to save themselves and the city from total destruction, or if evil engulfs both his world and hers.
A Certain Magical Index Season 1: Part 1 & Part 2
DVD | $39.95 Each | Hybrid Dub | Approx 284 Minutes Each
Released as a two-part collectable DVD, A Certain Magical Index is set in Academy City, a technologically advanced city located in western Tokyo which studies scientifically advanced superhuman students with powers, and is set in a world where magic is real.
Kamijou Touma is a student living in Academy City and despite not having magic powers, he possesses on his right hand the Imagine Breaker, an ability to negate any power whatsoever. Touma finds a young girl named Index who is trying to run away from Necessarius, a powerful magic organization that she is member of. Blessed with the skill of memorising any sort of information, she holds 103,000 forbidden magical books within her head.
As science and magic cross paths, Touma must face several dangers amid espers and magicians who appear at the exciting scientific town.
Armitage III
DVD | $39.95 | Hybrid Dub
Featuring the voices of Juliette Lewis (Due Date, Natural Born Killers), Keifer Sutherland (Melancholia, The Lost Boys), Elizabeth Berkley (Showgirls, First Wives Club), Bryan Cranston (Argo, Breaking Bad), the Armitage III DVD pack includes episodes 1-4 of the original video animation (OVAs) and feature films Dual Matrix and Poly Matrix.
Armitage is a brash cybernetic cop who sports a racy wardrobe and an attitude to match. Patrolling an unruly metropolis on Mars, Armitage has got a grudge against a society where androids are at the mercy of unsympathetic humans. In the original OVAs and the film Poly Matrix – Armitage risks everything to hunt down a vicious android killer and solve the secret to her existence. The sequel, Dual Matrix, finds Armitage in an over-charged battle to save her loved ones from an obsessive doctor and his deadly Armitage replicas.
Keep an eye out for future titles by the company in the near future, and also keep an eye on The Otaku’s Study over the coming days/weeks for reviews on these titles!
