News

Hanabee Announcements and Updates from SMASH 2014

These announcements and updates were made on Saturday the 9th of August during the Hanabee LIVE!! panel at the Sydney Manga and Anime Show 2014;

Anime Announcements

• Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet: DVD and Blu-ray from the 5th of November 2014. Release will have English audio and Japanese audio with English subtitles.
• Otorimonogatari (Monogatari Series Second Season Part 3): Japanese audio with English subtitles combo pack (Blu-ray and DVD) from the 5th of November 2014.
• Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya (Season 1): DVD and Blu-ray from the 34d of December 2014. Release will have English audio and Japanese audio with English subtitles.

Non-Anime Announcements

• RWBY Volume 2: DVD and Blu-ray on 5th of November 2014.
• Red Vs. Blue Season 12: DVD and Blu-ray on 5th of November 2014.

You can also view the announcements on Hanabee's press-release.

Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet

In the distant future, the Galactic Alliance of Humankind is engaged in a perpetual war with the alien species known as the Hideauze. 16-year old Ensign Ledo pilots his AI-automated Machine Caliber known as Chamber but after a failed mission Ledo is knocked into a wormhole and wakes up six months later only to discover himself among human scavengers speaking a unknown language utilising inferior technology. But Ledo's largest shock comes when Chamber informs him the ocean covered planet they have landed on is the legendary lost birthplace of humanity, Earth.

With this project, manga artist Hanaharu Naruko (Shōjo Material, Kamichu!) created his first original character designs for an anime. Gen Urobuchi (Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Fate/Zero) of Nitroplus supervised and wrote the scripts. Taro Iwashiro (Red Cliff, Fullmetal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos, live-action SHINOBI - Heart Under Blade and The Prince of Tennis) scored the music, and Kazuya Murata (Fullmetal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos) directed the series. (Murata and Urobuchi collaborated on the original concept of the anime.) The series ran for 13 episodes with two more OVA episodes included with the Japanese Blu-ray releases.

Crunchyroll streamed the 13-episode anime around the world (including Australia and New Zealand) as it aired and Viz Media licensed the series in July 2013 for North America.

A sequel to Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet was green-lit last year but no further information has been released.

Hanabee's DVD and Blu-ray release of Gargantia on the Verdurous Planet will hit shelves on the 5th of November 2014 and contain English audio and Japanese audio with English subtitles. There is no further information as to the number of episodes to be included on the release or if it will include the two OVA episodes.

Otorimonogatari (Monogatari Series Second Season Part 3)

The next part of Monogatari Series Second Season covers the story "Nadeko Medusa" which focuses on Nadeko Sengoku as she is enlisted by the giant apparition snake, Kuchinawa, to search for his lost body. Of course this involves Koyomi and Shinobu as Nadeko's behavior becomes stranger and stranger.

Akiyuki Shinbo directed the series and acted as series script supervisor along with Fuyashi Tou. Akio Watanabe served as character designer and chief animation director at SHAFT and Satoru Kousaki handled the music. The cast remains unchanged from Bakemonogatari and Nisemonogatari.

The "second season" arc of the Monogatari series is covering the material from five volumes of the original light novel series in two cours or half a year.

The anime premiered in Japan in July 2013 and Daisuki and Crunchyroll streamed the series outside of Japan. Aniplex of America announced in June 2013 that it has acquired the rights to both Nekomonogatari (Black) and Monogatari Series Second Season and they released Nekomonogatari White in June and will follow with Kabukimonogatari in August, Otorimonogatari's release has yet to be revealed.

Monogatari Series Second Season was announced by Hanabee during AVCon 2014 and they released the first part ,Nekomonogatari White, on the 6th of August 2014 that covers the first five episodes collectively known as Tsubasa Tiger. Kabukimonogatari is the second part of Monogatari Series Second Season which covers the Mayoi Jiangshi story-arc and will be released on the 1st of October 2014. This third set, Otorimonogatari, covers Nadeko Medusa and will be released as a Blu-ray / DVD Combo pack with Japanese audio and English subtitles.

Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya

Hiroshi Hiroyama's original Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya manga re-imagines the Fate/stay night character Illyasviel von Einzbern in an alternate universe as a magical girl. Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya ran in Kadokawa Shoten's Comp Ace from 2007-2008. Hiroyama then launched two sequel manga series: Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya Zwei! from 2009-2012 and the most recent, Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya Drei!!, which has been running since 2012.

The first series, Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya, followed Illyasviel von Einzbern as she is forced to become a magical girl and was dragged into a quest to collect the seven class cards alongside the original magical girl and sorceress Rin Tosaka. She's soon joined by Miyu Edelfelt, another girl forced into a similar prediciment with Rin's rival Luvia Edelfelt.

The first season was directed by Shin Oonuma (Baka and Test - Summon the Beasts, Dusk maiden of Amnesia) at SILVER LINK. Kenji Inoue (Baka and Test - Summon the Beasts) supervised the series scripts being written by Hazuki Minase (C³). Nozomi Ushijima (animation director on Baka and Test - Summon the Beasts 2, C³, Dusk maiden of Amnesia episodes) designed the characters, while Tatsuya Katou (Horizon in the Middle of Nowhere, Kämpfer, Medaka Box) scored the music. In addition, Takashi Sakamoto (episode director on Baka and Test - Summon the Beasts 2, C³, Dusk maiden of Amnesia) served as chief director.

Crunchyroll streamed the first season it as it aired in Japan. Sentai Filmworks licensed the series for North America and plans to release it on home video in September.

Hanabee has started streaming the second season (Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya 2wei!) through anime on demand on Hanabee.com.au after it's announcement at AVCon 2014.

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Updates

Gatchaman Crowds

Originally scheduled for release in August, Gatchaman Crowds has been rescheduled to November 5th due to production delays. DVD and Blu-ray will be the complete 12 episode series and include English audio and Japanese audio with English subtitles.

Campione!

The DVD release of Campione! has missing subtitles in the last minute of episode 4. All DVD stock has been corrected but if you encounter this issue please contact Hanabee customer service via [email protected]. The Blu-ray release was not affected.