CPM News from Otakon

The recent 2 episode Maetel Legend OAV series explaining the origin of Galaxy Express 999’s Maetel and Captain Harlock’s Queen Emeraldas will be released in America next year.

Ima Soku ni Iru Boku (Now & Then, Here & There) will premier early next year on three DVDs containing 5/4/4 episodes. The English dubbed track will be in Dolby 5.1 surround sound but the Japanese audio will remain in standard 2.0 stereo.

The 2 episode Labyrinth no Houno (Labyrinth of Fire) OAV series from the creative staff of Aika will also be released next year. Labyrinth of Fire retains the action and exploitation of Aika but moves the setting to the feudal ninja era.

The American release of Utena TV episodes 14-39 is being held up due to licensing issues. CPM believes that they own the American distribution rights to the entire series but the Japanese title owner claims that’s not the case.

CPM does now own the US distribution license to all 26 episodes of Ike! Inachu Takyubu (Let’s Go! Inachu Ping Pong Club).

CPM confirmed that next year, after the Image Entertainment license to the first Project A-ko movie has expired, CPM will re-master and re-release Project A-ko on DVD. The Image Entertainment DVD version is widely criticized for poor picture quality.

It was announced that the best way to convince upper management at CPM to green light a re-mastering of the first season Slayers DVD set to correct the inverted phase audio flaw would be to send a letter to CPM via postal mail.

Source: Anime on DVD