×
  • remind me tomorrow
  • remind me next week
  • never remind me
Subscribe to the ANN Newsletter • Wake up every Sunday to a curated list of ANN's most interesting posts of the week. read more

ADV Films Announced 'Super Tuesday' July 5

ADV ANNOUNCES ‘SUPER TUESDAY’ JULY 5



New Gantz, Chrono Crusade, My Beautiful Girl Mari

Lead Biggest Tuesday of The Summer



HOUSTON, June 14, 2005 —ADV Films, the number one producer-distributor of anime in North America, will turn the fan community on its head Tuesday July 5, when it releases five of the summer's hottest titles all at once. ADV's Super Tuesday brings new installments in the hit series Gantz, Chrono Crusade, Cromartie High School, and Gravion Zwei, plus the award-winning animated film My Beautiful Girl Mari, just wrapping up its theatrical tour.



Any one of these releases would have made for a notable week in anime. Taken together, they make a 'perfect storm.' Retailers are already bracing themselves for an otaku onslaught.



“A Tuesday like this only comes along every 3-4 years,” according to store owner Jeff Hurtz of Scottsdale, Arizona. “All you can do is prepare as best you can and hope everything turns out alright.” Hurtz conceded that the added expense of extra security and overtime workers was a burden, but seemed upbeat about the prospects for his business. “Sure, the cleanup is a hassle, and I wish the fans wouldn't fight over product. But when the day is done, and you look out on those empty shelves, you can't help but think, 'Ka-ching!'”



“I hate ADV,” says assistant store manager Maurie Byers. “Every time they do this I have to work late. Plus, I'm going to miss another car payment. And why did they have to put Gantz, Chrono, and Cromartie High all on the same week? I already promised my girlfriend we'd pick up My Beautiful Girl Mari. An employee discount only goes so far.”



“It don't know how it happened,” says ADV Senior Vice President – Sales & Marketing Mike Bailiff. “All I know is that we're looking at the biggest Tuesday of the summer, and ADV is leading the way. Again.”





GANTZ: SUDDEN DEATH



Sixth DVD Wraps Up First Season, Sets Stage for Even Greater Spectacle to Come



ADV is pleased to announce the sixth volume in the most notorious series of the year, Gantz: Sudden Death, on sale everywhere Super Tuesday, July 5. Distinguished by cutting edge animation, slick character design, and over-the-top spectacle, Gantz has cut a bloody trail straight to the top of the anime charts. Volume six promises to be the strangest, most captivating installment yet, with three full episodes for a suggested retail price of just $17.98.



Described as “gruesome” (Anime Source), “sadistic” (Anime Daze), and “addictive” (Active Anime), Gantz is one of the top-selling series of 2005. With a new release every month and an unusually low price, the series has developed a following well beyond the anime fan community, with first-month sales on volume three and four exceeding those on the first volume by a significant margin. Retailers have struggled to keep the new disks on the shelf.



Directed by Ichiro Itano and produced by GONZO Digimation (Chrono Crusade, Full Metal Panic!), Gantz is based on the ultra-violent, totally twisted manga series by Hiroya Oku (HEN, Zero One). If anything, the anime series surpasses its source material for sheer spectacle – so much so that it had to be heavily edited for broadcast on Japanese television. ADV Films has restored Gantz to its original, uncut form for its DVD release, bringing fans everywhere to the edge of their seats.



Synopsis: The carnage erupts as the surviving players in the Gantz's twisted game find themselves facing two kinds of aliens! As both novice and experienced players are mercilessly slaughtered, the unarmed and unsuited Kurono's only hope lies in somehow managing to survive until the clock runs out… But how can he manage that when he's trapped inside a whole nest of aliens? The climactic end of the second game brings the sixth volume of GANTZ to a blood-chilling conclusion!



Gantz: Sudden Death (SRP $17.98 DVD) is a DVD-only release including episodes 11 - 13, presented in both English 5.1 and Japanese 2.0 with English subtitles. Extras include the original Japanese TV spots, plus clean opening animation, clean closing animation, and previews of upcoming ADV Films releases.



Limited Collectors Edition Still Available!



The Gantz Collectors Box is still available while supplies last. This special collectors edition contains the first volume of Gantz, plus a stunning custom series art box with full color artwork sized to hold the first seven volumes in the hit series (SRP $27.98).



DVD Product Details



Volume: 6 of 10
Running Time: 75 minutes
Age Rating: TV MA (V, L, S)
CAT: DGZ/006
UPC: 702727116728
Pre-Book Date: 6/7/2005
Street Date: 7/5/2005
Format: DVD
SRP: $29.98



Product specifications and content configuration subject to change.





CHRONO CRUSADE: DEVIL'S ADVOCATE



Exorcise Your Good Taste with Volume Six of the Hot Selling Series



ADV Films is pleased to present the penultimate volume in its ‘nuns with guns’ saga, Chrono Crusade: Devil's Advocate, on sale everywhere Super Tuesday, July 5. The wildly popular series has both the fans and critics cheering. “If a gun-toting nun (armed with sacred ammo) sounds like it might be your idea of fun, Chrono Crusade is definitely worth checking out” (Detroit News).



Chrono Crusade is based on the original manga series by Daisuke Moriyama, a best-seller published here in the States by ADV Manga. Directed by Ichiro Itano (Gantz) and produced by the notorious GONZO Digimation (Full Metal Panic!), Chrono Crusade takes holy orders to new heights of hilarity in this fantasy adventure.



Our heroes are elite exorcists with the Order of the Magdalene, and they're sworn to stop a steady onslaught of demons crossing over to the human world. But Sister Rosette is a klutz, and her partner, Chrono, is a demon himself…



Synopsis: Nothing has prepared Rossette for what happens as the jaws of Aion's trap finally close. Torn apart and tortured, Rosette's dark rite of passage leads her to a place she is unready to go. In the embrace of a demon she must make her decision; to fulfill the destiny which has been preordained. Allies die, friends betray, and the hopes of mankind revolve around a young girl whose strength is at its end. The apocalypse draws nigh…



Chrono Crusade: Devil's Advocate (SRP $29.98 DVD) is a DVD-only release including episodes 19- 20, presented in both English 5.1 and Japanese 2.0 with English subtitles. Extras include a Chrono Crusade Chronicle, Azmaria's Extra Classes, video segments of various production sketches, and an unused on-air opening for Episode 21, plus clean opening animation, clean closing animation, and previews of upcoming ADV Films releases.



Collectors Edition Still Available!



The Chrono Crusade Collectors Box is still available. This special collectors edition contains everything from the first volume of Chrono Crusade, plus a stunning custom series art box with full color artwork sized to hold the entire seven volume series (SRP $39.98).



The Hit Anime Is Also A Best-Selling Manga Series!



ADV Manga publishes the American edition of the ongoing Chrono Crusade manga series, a perennial Top 20 graphic novel. Five volumes have been published to date, including the most recent in June 2005. For more details, visit www.adv-manga.com.



DVD Product Details



Volume: 6 of 7
Running Time: 75 minutes
Age Rating: 15+
CAT: DCHC/006
UPC: 702727083327
Pre-Book Date: 6/7/2005
Street Date: 7/5/2005
Format: DVD
SRP: $29.98



Product specifications and content configuration subject to change.







CROMARTIE HIGH SCHOOL: SAILIN' FOOLS



Third Volume In Japan's #1 Comedy Series



ADV is proud to present the third installment of Japan's #1 Comedy Series, Cromartie High School: Sailin' Fools, which hits store shelves Super Tuesday, July 5.



Described as “hilarious” (Anime Insider), “a winner” (J! Entertainment), and “the sh*t” (Evan Dorkin, Dork), Cromartie High School is a smart, funny, slow-burn comedy that's totally absurd. It's also an early pick as “Best New Release of 2005” (Japan Hero.com).



Based on the award-winning manga series by Eiji Nonaka (published in the US by ADV Manga), Cromartie High School was produced by Production I.G. (Ghost in the Shell) in partnership with TV Tokyo (Final Fantasy: Unlimited). The top rated comedy series inspired a merchandizing craze in Japan, and American anime fans have waited for years to jump on board the Cromartie bandwagon.



Cromartie High serves up plenty of slapstick moments with broad appeal. But Cromartie's core audience is made up of sophisticated fans, who can hang with the offbeat timing and self-referential riffs that turn a goofy laff-fest into a smart meta-comedy. For those in the know, this is the series to watch. “Believe us when we tell you that Cromartie High is one of the best things we've seen in a long time” (Otaku Booty).



Synopsis: It's not easy being a delinquent. Especially if you're trying to survive the tough streets around Cromartie. There are chat room bullies with no manners. Aliens abducting your friends. Vicious biker gangs. And the Boss Championship—a famous cutthroat competition to determine who's the biggest badass around. (Of course, when Kamiyama's running it, it's more like a game show where you have to wear a stupid hat.) But it seems the biggest danger is…love. Yep, that's right, Mechazawa is in love. Luckily this romantic robot has friends like Kamiyama, Hayashida, and Maeda to reprogram him! Wait a minute. Maybe that's not such a good thing after all…



Cromartie High School: Sailin' Fools (SRP $29.98 DVD) is a DVD-only release including episodes 15 - 20 presented in both English 5.1 and Japanese 2.0 with English subtitles. Extras include cultural notes & comments, Japanese DVD commercials, Japanese CD commercials, Japanese PS2 Game commercials, and the original Japanese TV warning, plus clean opening animation, clean closing animation, and previews of upcoming ADV Films releases.



Collectors Edition Available!



The Cromartie High School Collectors Edition is still available. This special collectors edition contains the first DVD of Cromartie High School, a copy of the first book from ADV Manga, plus a stunning custom series art box with full color artwork sized to hold the entire four volume series (SRP $44.98).



The Hit Anime Is Also A Best-Selling Manga Series!



ADV Manga publishes the ongoing Cromartie High School manga series for the North American market. The second volume was just released in June 2005. The Cromartie High School manga not only inspired the hit anime but won the Kodansha Award for Best Manga in 2002. For more details, visit www.adv-manga.com.



DVD Product Details



Volume: 3 of 4
Running Time: 75 minutes
Age Rating: TV 14 (L)
CAT: DCHS/003
UPC: 702727109522
Pre-Book Date: 6/7/2005
Street Date: 7/5/2005
Format: DVD
SRP: $29.98



Product specifications and content configuration subject to change.





MY BEAUTIFUL GIRL, MARI



Grand Prix Winning Anime Finally Comes to DVD



“A+” – Anime on DVD



ADV is pleased to announce the DVD release of My Beautiful Girl, Mari, the prize-winning animated featured film on Super Tuesday, July 5. The film recently completed its US theatrical run to critical acclaim.



A fresh approach to animation comes in the form of this delightful new film from Korea. My Beautiful Girl Mari relates the story of childhood as told through the adult eyes of Nam-Woo. Nam-woo lives in a small seaside village and is suffering because everyone close to him has died, left or is about to leave. One day he discovers a magical marble in a toy store which, when he visits the top of an old abandoned lighthouse, transports him to an enchanted fantasy land where he floats on clouds, rides on the back of fantastic creatures and meets the mysterious, ethereal girl called Mari, who floats tantalizingly just out of his grasp. As an adult, Nam-woo reflects on what kind of impact Mari and her world had on his growth as a human being.



My Beautiful Girl Mari has been screened through numerous film festivals here and abroad, including the 26th Annecy International Animated Film Festival (2002), the world's biggest animation festival, where it was the Grand Prix Winner for “Best Feature.”



My Beautiful Girl Mari (SRP $29.98 DVD) is presented in both English 5.1 and Korean 5.1 with English subtitles.



DVD Product Details



Running Time: 100 minutes
Age Rating: TV G
CAT: DMBG/001
UPC: 702727124129
Pre-Book Date: 6/7/2005
Street Date: 7/5/2005
Format: DVD
SRP: $29.98



Product specifications and content configuration subject to change.





GRAVION ZWEI: HUMANITY'S EDGE



Giant Robots + Pretty Ladies = Titillating Adventure



Towels go flying and karaoke maids abound when the third and final installment of the Gravion saga, Gravion Zwei: Humanity's Edge hits stores Super Tuesday, July 5!



Gravion Zwei is directed by Masami Obari of Bubblegum Crisis fame and produced by the incomparable GONZO Digimation (Chrono Crusade, RahXephon). Gravion Zwei picks up right where the original hit series leaves off – only this time with more fan service! Comedy, adventure, and thrills all come together in this fan-favorite series.



Synopsis: Toga is AWOL. Leele is still recovering from emotional shock. Mizuki and Luna are missing. Ena is dead. Could the situation be any worse? Well, yes, in fact… it can. The Zeravire are intensifying their attack on Earth and the outlook is dire. Hope is renewed when the new mech Sol Gravion shows up, piloted by a mysterious newcomer. But things get dicey when Hugi appears as a giant hologram and threatens to obliterate all life on Earth in 48 hours! Witness the power of the combined forces of Gravion, Sol Gravion and the EFA Gran Troopers when the final battles begin to take place. All the questions will be finally answered in this exciting conclusion!



Gravion Zwei: Humanity's Edge (SRP $29.98 DVD) is a DVD-only release including episodes 9 - 12 presented in both English 5.1 and Japanese 2.0 with English subtitles. Extras include a Gravion Mech Profile & Art Gallery, a video “Eye Catch Gallery,” an episode art gallery, plus an “Inside the Actor's Head” feature, plus clean opening animation, clean closing animation, and previews of upcoming ADV Films releases.



Collector's Edition Still Available!



The first volume of Gravion Zwei is also available as a Collector's Edition, which includes the volume 1 DVD and an attractive custom series art box to house the entire series (SRP $39.98).



DVD Product Details



Volume: 3 of 3
Running Time: 100 minutes
Age Rating: TV MA (V, S, D)
CAT: DGV/006
UPC: 702727064722
Pre-Book Date: 6/7/2005
Street Date: 7/5/2005
Format: DVD
SRP: $29.98



Product specifications and content configuration subject to change.



About ADV Films:

In the 12 years since its inception, ADV Films has become the #1 producer-distributor of Japanese animation (“anime”) for the North American market and has also developed a leadership position in the UK. With best-selling titles such as Neon Genesis Evangelion, RahXephon, Robotech, Full Metal Panic, Hello Kitty and Azumanga Daioh, ADV Films' extensive catalog is fueling the popularity of anime around the globe. ADV Films' library also includes popular live-action science fiction programs such as The Jim Henson Company's Farscape, the nationally syndicated Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda and the Saturn Award-nominated Mutant X.



Parent company, A.D. Vision, Inc., encompasses a multitude of complementary media divisions, spanning publishing, television, licensing and merchandising and continues to expand into new areas. Its Anime Network™ is America's first and only television network dedicated to bringing anime and anime-related programming to consumers nationwide via digital cable 24 hours a day. The company has two publishing arms: Newtype USA, the premier anime and manga monthly magazine, and ADV Manga™, dedicated to publishing graphic novels. Headquartered in Houston, the company has offices in Europe and Japan. For more information, visit www.advfilms.com.

bookmark/share with: short url

Press Release homepage / archives