Bandai News from Fanime Con

Bandai confirmed at this weekend’s Fanime convention that they will be bringing the fan favorite romantic comedy TV series Love Hina to American audiences, but even a tentative release date will probably be at least a year away. Bandai intends to concentrate on Gundam this year, thereby delaying the release of other back-catalog titles to DVD. Other new titles in the works for eventual DVD release include Fancy La-La, Betterman, Z-Mind, Saber Marionette J to X and “Pilot Candidates.” While Pilot Candidates will premier on the Cartoon Network soon, no DVD release has been scheduled yet. Bandai executives are considering an alternate title sequence and reversible cover for the DVD release that would use the original westernized Japanese title, CAndidate for Goddess. Markets outside the US will get the Bandai translation of Megami Kohousei with its original Candidate for Goddess name. The title “Pilot Candidate” is exclusive to America.

Jin-Roh will premier theatrically in the US on May 28th in Long Beach, California. Mamoru Oshii, possibly along with anime/Oshii fan celebrities such as James Cameron. The film will begin its limited theatrical release in New York and Seattle in late June and may expand to a wider release if the initial screenings are successful. For more information, visit the official Jin-Roh homepage.

A Cowboy Bebop DVD boxed set is in the works, but no there are no plans for any other Anime Village series to be released in DVD boxed set format. It has yet to be decided if the Cowboy Bebop DVD boxed set will include any bonus premiums such as toys, posters or an additional disc, but any premium items will be exclusive to the boxed set. No upgrade for fans that already own the individual discs in planned.

Source: Anime on DVD