Out This Week: Weathering With You, El Hazard, Sword Art Online Alicization and More
We are back after our seasonal break, back bringing you the latest animation releases. January is generally a quieter time for big new releases, but there is no shortage of new animation this year. Highlights for US readers include the 4K release of Makoto Shinkai's Weathering With You the latest volume of One Piece and season 2 of My Next Life As A Villainess. Reissues include 80s classic Vampire Hunter D, The Devil Is A Part-Timer and classic iseaki series El Hazard. In the UK, releases include Sword Art Online Alicization: War Of Underworld, the latest instalment in the fan-favourite franchise and family animation feature The Addams Family 2.
Don't miss this week's packed deals section, which this week includes a selection of GKIDS Films best releases for bargain prices.
All Information and Prices Provided are Correct at publication time to the best of our knowledge but are subject to change at any time. Affiliate links used where available- making a purchase through these links may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.
US Releases For January 4, 2022
Aesthetica Of A Rogue Hero Complete Series | Essentials (Funimation, TV-MA)"After saving a fairy-tale kingdom, Akatsuki returns to the real world with
his prize—Miu, the busty daughter of the defeated Demon King. It’s one hell of
a happy ending until they’re forced to enroll at a school for magic users.
There, Akatsuki can’t keep his hands off the girls, Miu’s constantly
ballooning measurements make her a walking wardrobe malfunction, and it seems
like someone is always plotting against them."
💿 FORMATS: Blu-Ray+Digital
Canaan Complete Collection (Sentai Filmworks, TV-14) "Secrets from
your past can kill you, even if you can't remember them. Photographer Maria
Osawa has been in Shanghai less than a day, covering an Anti-Terrorist
Conference, when she's attacked by masked assassins. Rescue comes in the form
of Canaan, a mysterious girl Maria once met before an experimental cure for a
deadly bio-weapon erased part of her memory. A soldier for hire, Canaan's
formidable martial arts skills are augmented with the gift of synesthesia,
seeing emotions as colors, and her presence in Shanghai is no coincidence.
She's hunting a former comrade who brutally betrayed her, and the path leads
to the conference and the lethal Ua virus, which mutates a few survivors,
giving them strange abilities. Thrown together, the two women must face an
army of terrorists and monster assassins while hunting their enemy… the
assassin Canaan once called her sister…!"
💿 FORMATS: Blu-Ray
The Devil Is A Part-Timer Season 1 | Classics
(Funimation, TV-14) "Foiled by a hero when he’s inches away from
conquering the world, the devil finds himself in modern-day Tokyo. With no
real-world skills to speak of, the devil is forced to make ends meet flipping
burgers at a fast food joint! To stall any further plans of world domination,
the hero tracks the devil’s trail and takes on the lowly tasks of a
telemarketer."
💿 FORMATS: Blu-Ray+Digital
My Next Life As A Vilianess: All Routes Lead To Doom! (Sentai Filmworks,
TV-14) "Some people may treat life like a game, but when young noblewoman Catarina
Claes accidentally bumps her head, she has a horrifying revelation. In a
previous life, she was an avid otaku and game player, and the life Catarina is
living is that of the villainess of the game FORTUNE LOVER… a character doomed
to be either killed or exiled no matter how the game is played! Forewarned and
forearmed with the multiple plots of the game in mind, Catarina sets out to
re-code her fate. Can she not do what she would have done, befriend people
she'd never befriend, and change her entire outlook on life? And will even
that be enough to roleplay her way out of her destiny? She's literally in the
game of her life in MY NEXT LIFE AS A VILLAINESS: ALL ROUTES LEAD TO DOOM!"'
💿 FORMATS: Blu-Ray
One Piece Season 11 | Voyage 6 (Funimation, TV-14) "The
battle in the Birdcage rages on, and the scattered targets face their fates.
Usopp has one shot to snipe Sugar from afar. Sabo and Fujitora’s fight heats
up. Kyros defends Rebecca against her mother’s murderer, Diamante. Luffy and
Law reach the top of the royal palace to take on Doflamingo, where he reveals
his true identity—and Law reveals the legacy of Corazon."
💿 FORMATS: Blu-Ray+DVD
Weathering With You 4K Edition (GKIDS Films/Shout Factory, PG-13) "High
school freshman Hodaka Morishima leaves his home on an isolated island and
moves to Tokyo, but he quickly finds himself in financial trouble. Living his
days in isolation, he eventually lands a job as a writer for a shady occult
magazine. Then one day in an alley, Hodaka meets a young girl named Hina
Amano, bright and strong-willed, who possesses a strange and wonderful
ability: the power to stop the rain and clear the sky."
💿 FORMATS: 4K+Blu-Ray
UK releases For January 10, 2022
The Addams Family 2 (Universal Pictures, PG) "Everyone's favourite
spooky family is back in the animated comedy sequel, The Addams Family 2. In
this all new movie we find Morticia and Gomez distraught that their children
are growing up, skipping family dinners, and totally consumed with "scream
time." To reclaim their bond they decide to cram Wednesday, Pugsley, Uncle
Fester and the crew into their haunted camper and hit the road for one last
miserable family vacation. Their adventure across America takes them out of
their element and into hilarious run-ins with their iconic cousin, It, as
well as many new kooky characters. What could possibly go wrong?"
💿 FORMATS: Blu-Ray, DVD, Digital
God Eater Complete Collection (MVM, 15)" Humanity's survival is at threat with their newest enemy known as Aragami, the "Mad Gods". These fearsome creatures consume everything within their path and are completely immune against conventional weapons. The only means they have to combat these monsters are known as "God Eaters", humans who have been specifically engineered to fight as living weapons. Can humanity reclaim their top position on the food chain or will they crumble under these monsters in God Eater?"
💿 FORMATS: Blu-Ray
Megalo Box (Anime Ltd, 15) "Bored, resigned, and unfulfilled, a young man
with neither name nor past survives by fighting in underground matches of a
sport called “Megalobox,” a form of boxing that utilizes powered
exoskeletons. Calling himself JNK. DOG, he feels trapped in a world of
crime, poverty, and ecological collapse. All that changes when he has a
chance encounter with Yuri, the reigning king of Megalobox. Now, obsessed
with proving himself, JNK. DOG becomes a man driven to do whatever it takes
to fight his way to the top of the rankings and take on the champion."
💿 FORMATS: Blu-Ray
Silver Spoon Seasons 1 & 2 Complete Collection (Anime Ltd, 12) "The only
reason why Yugo Hachiken decided to attend the Oezo Agricultural High School
(a.k.a Ezono) was simply because the school had a dormitory. Entering Ezono
was a way for Yugo to run away from the stifling academic pressures in the
city, however, it didn’t take long for him to realize that life is not that
simple.Yugo is soon forced to face more hurdles in his new environment
surrounded by all the farm animals and the magnificent Mother Nature. He
also begins feeling a different kind of pressure as he deals with his
classmates who, unlike him, all have a clear view of what they want for
their futures. Even so, as Yugo overcomes one challenge after another at
Ezono and deepens his bonds with his classmates, he begins to grow stronger
both physically and mentally. This is a coming-of age story filled with
sweat, tears, and literally a lot of dirt!"
💿 FORMATS: Blu-Ray
Sword Art Online Alicization: War Of Underworld Part 1 (Anime Ltd, 15) "The
final load test… The war between the Human Empire and the Dark Territory has
engulfed Underworld entirely. The battle has shifted course with the Dark
Territory army led by Gabriel, who seeks to capture Alice, the Priestess of
Light, in their fight against Asuna and the Human Empire forces fighting to
save Underworld.As Kirito’s consciousness remains buried in a deep sleep,
Gabriel, standing in as the Dark God Vecta, has recruited thousands of
American players to log in to the Underworld to annihilate the Human Empire
forces. In this great war, the stakes are not only the Underworld’s
continued existence, but also the bottom-up artificial intelligence, the
ultimate AI, and even the very future of mankind! Though he has yet to
awaken, only one man holds the fate of this world: the Black Swordsman."
💿 FORMATS: Blu-Ray LE
US Releases For January 11, 2022
A3! Season Autumn and Winter (Funimation, TV-PG) "Mankai Company is a
far cry from its glory days as an all-male theater. With only one member left
and debt collectors at the door, it’s no wonder Izumi Tachibana finds herself
in over her head when she boldly confronts the Yakuza’s loan sharks, promising
to bring her father’s theater back into the spotlight. She might be able to
recruit enough talent, but can they bloom into the actors she needs?"
💿 FORMATS: Blu-Ray+Digital
Ane Log: Complete Collection (Sentai Filmworks, TV-MA) "When
Moyako and Akira were little, he promised that someday he would marry her.
Which sounds sweet, but since he's her younger brother, it's never going to
happen. Except now they're both in their teens and Moyako still can't get that
memory out of her head. Was he serious? Does he still feel that way? And with
that idea stuck in her brain, she keeps thinking that she hears hints of it in
everything that he says and does. Or is she imagining it? Of course, it's her
duty to proactively discourage that sort of thinking on his part, right?
Unfortunately, the results always seem to end up making HER look like the
pervert, not him! And that's not fair since he's the one with the problem… or
are the issues really just in HER mind alone?"
💿 FORMATS: Blu-Ray
El-Hazard: The Alternative World (Right Stuf, 14+) " A new
Priestess of Water has arrived! Her name is Qawool Towles, and though she's
only 17, everyone (except for Shayla-Shayla) welcomes her with open arms. But
during her initiation ceremony, a mysterious entity named Arjah appears and
transports them all to an alternate world! Now, Makoto and the others are
stranded all over again in a strange new kingdom called Creteria. It's a
bleak, industrial realm ruled by a despot named Dall. If they ever want to
make it back to El-Hazard, they'll have to figure out the secret behind an
ancient artifact called the Spring of Life. And they'd better do it fast,
because the spring seems to be dying..."
💿 FORMATS: Blu-Ray
💿 FORMATS: Blu-Ray+DVD+Digital
Pokémon Journeys: The Journey Starts Today (Viz Media, 7+ )
"etting out to explore the world of Pokémon, Ash Ketchum and his partner
Pikachu team up with their new friend Goh to research Pokémon for the
Cerise Laboratory in Vermilion City! Along the way, they encounter the
Legendary Pokémon Lugia, witness the astonishing Dynamax phenomenon in
the Galar region, and make lots of new Pokémon friends, including a
fired-up first partner for Goh. And when Ash sees Galar’s Champion Leon
competing in the Pokémon World Coronation Series, our hero is inspired
to take on a brand-new goal that’ll have him battling hard to make his
way to the top!
💿 FORMATS: DVD
Strike Witches- The Road To Berlin (Funimation, TV-14) "They’re
back! And with Shizuka Hattori, a dutiful new member of the 501st
Fighter Wing girls in tow, the Strike Witches have never been more ready
to win the war on Neuroi once and for all. Will the girls prevail in the
epic battle to reclaim Berlin, or is humanity doomed? Get ready for a
battle that will knock your socks (or pants) right off!"
💿 FORMATS: Blu-Ray+Digital
Vampire Hunter D (Sentai Filmworks, TV-MA) "10,000 years in the
future, the world has become a very different place; monsters roam the
land freely, and people, although equiped with high tech weapons and
cybernetic horses, live a humble life more suited to centuries past. The
story focuses on a small hamlet plagued by monster attacks and living
under the shadow of rule by Count Magnus Lee, a powerful vampire lord
who has ruled the land for thousands of years. When a young girl is
bitten by the Count and chosen as his current plaything, she seeks out
help of a quiet wandering stranger, D. It so happens that D is one of
the world`s best vampire hunters, and he takes it upon himself to cut
through Magnus Lee`s many minions, and put an end to the Count`s rule."
💿 FORMATS: Blu-Ray
Upcoming Releases
All Release dates are subject to change. Listed Dates are for US release unless stated otherwise. Digital releases may be earlier.
The Spine Of Night (Image Entertainment) Blu-Ray Feb 1
Encanto (Disney) 4k, Blu-Ray, DVD Feb 7 [UK]
Catwoman: Hunted (WB) 4K, Blu-Ray Feb 8
Howl's Moving Castle Limited Edition (StudioCanal) Blu-Ray Feb 14 [UK]
Nausicaa Of The Valley Of The Wind Limited Edition (StudioCanal) Blu-Ray Feb 14 [UK]
Encanto (Disney) 4K, Bklu-Ray, DVD
Yasha-Hime: Half Demon Princess (Viz) Blu-Ray Feb 15
The Batman: Complete Series [2004-2008] (WB) March 1
Flee (Decal) Blu Ray March 1
Adventure Time: Distant Lands (WB) Blu-Ray March 1
Sing 2 (Universal) Blu-Ray, DVD March 22
This Week's Best Deals
All prices are subject to change and do not include postage or
delivery costs.
This week's RighStuf Promotion is on GKIDS SDhout Factory and NIS
America Titles, and includes some must-have titles. Prices valid
until January 15.
A Letter To Momo (Blu
Ray) $24.99
$17.49
Another Day Of Life (Blu-Ray) $26.98 $18.89
Box Trolls (Blu-Ray)
$22.98 $16.09
Cartoon Saloon's Irish Folklore Trilogy
(Blu-Ray)
$79.98 $63.98
Coraline (Blu-Ray) $22.98 $16.09
From Up On Poppy Hill Steelbook
(Blu-Ray)
$26.98 $18.89
Future Boy Conan (Blu-Ray)
$44.98 $35.98
Gravity Falls Box Set
(Blu-ray) $99.99
$64.99
Kubo and The Two Strings (Blu-Ray) $22.98 $16.09
Millenium Actress (Blu-Ray) $26.98 $18.89
Millenium Actress Steelbook
(Blu-ray)
$29.98 $20.99
Neon genesis Evangelion
(Blu-Ray)
$59.98 $38.99
Neon Genesis Evangelion Limited edition
(Blu-ray) $219.99
$159.98
My Neighbour Totoro (Blu-Ray) $26.98 $18.89
ParaNorman (Blu-Ray) $22.98 $16.09
The Boxtrolls £4.23
Incredibles 2 £3.00
The LEGO Batman Movie £2.50
The LEGO Ninjago Movie £3.21
The LEGO Movie 2 £3.43
Mooominvalley Season 1 £13.60
Rick and Morty Season 1 £12.99
Rick and Morty Season 2 £9.99
Rick and Morty Season 3 £9.99
Rick and Morty Season 4 £9.99
Earwig and The Witch $26.98 $8.50
Howl's Moving Castle $29.98 $12.50
Kiki's Delivery Service $29.98 $12.88
Neon Genesis Evangelion $59.98 $33.48
Promare $24.97 $12.72
