Pioneer Announcements from AX

At this weekend’s Anime Expo, Pioneer has so far confirmed:

Pioneer owns the English language distribution rights to the Ah! My Goddess movie and 48 episode SD Ah! My Goddess TV series. Current plans call for a DVD release of the movie later this year. The A!MG movie DVD release will be presented in widescreen and include one episode of the TV series as a bonus feature.

Pioneer will be releasing the 13 episode sci-fi/action/comedy TV series Vandread early next year. They have the option on the currently in production second season.

The 13 episode NieA_7 and 11 episode Hand Maid May will be released on 4 DVDs each. The 24 episode Gate Keepers will be released on 8 DVDs and include bonus alternate opening animation sequences.

The 13 episode Soul Taker TV series, which is currently coming to its conclusion on Japanese television, will be released in the US early next year in a new “director’s cut” version. Apparantly director Akiyuki Shinbou is unhappy with the production quality of the current episodes resultant from a rushed production schedule.

Pioneer will be releasing the Armitage III sequel Armitage: Dual Matrix, which will be an all-digital animation production. The original 4 OAVs, which are available with original Japanese language, may be released on domestic DVD sometime after the release of Dual Matrix.

The Tenchi Muyo Galaxy Police Mihoshi Special will be released on DVD domestically eventually. Card Captor Sakura DVD volume 5 will be available in Spetember, volume 6 in November and volumes 4 & 7 in January. They would not confirm an American license for the 2nd movie or Tomoyo Video Memorial.

Pioneer will be releasing several DVD boxed sets this Christmas including ones for El Hazard, Trigun, Lain, Tenchi Universe, Hakkenden and the Sailormoon Movies. The El Hazard OAV series DVD collection will include both OAV series in Fushigi Yuugi style packaging. The Trigun set will include all 8 DVDs without Chromium covers in a single box. The new Lain set will contain all 4 DVDs in a box featuring new Yoshitoshi Abe art. The Hakkenden DVD set will consist of 3 DVDs packaged in a single extra-wide DVD keepcase.

Pioneer is still delaying the decision to dub “Magical Project S,” the Pretty Samy TV series. They’re waiting to gage the sales of AD Vision’s subtitled only City Hunter 2 DVD boxed set to determine the viability of releasing Magical Project S on subtitled only DVD.

Pioneer won’t even consider Sailormoon Sailorstars until the Sailormoon SS TV series is complete.

Source: Anime on DVD