AN Entertainment Acquires Haré + Guu

AN Entertainment is proud to announce its acquisition of North American distribution rights to the cult hit anime series Haré + Guu (pronounced “Ha-rey-goo”). Unquestionably one of the most frequently requested series ever among American anime fans, AN Entertainment is excited to fulfill this overwhelming demand by bringing English speaking viewers a faithful and authentic presentation of both the original TV series and its follow-up home video series, Haré + Guu Deluxe. With a robust cast of eccentric characters, a non-stop barrage of weird and wacky situations, and parodies of everything from anime to video games to the little eccentricities of everyday life, Haré + Guu is undoubtedly one of the very best anime comedy series ever created. Highly original and highly accessible to viewers of all ages, genders and ethnicities, Haré + Guu is known to cause uncontrollable fits of hysterical laughter and virtually instant addiction to its unique and nearly indescribably odd humor.

The surreal and outlandish comedy series begins with 10 year old Haré, who lives with his free-spirited young mother in a small, contemporary jungle village. Haré’s quiet life of school, video games, and housework is irrevocably shaken when his mother brings a seemingly innocent and charming young orphan girl named Guu into their household. The following morning, Haré is shocked to find that Guu has dropped her pretense of sweetness to reveal her true mysterious and insidious nature. Guu, in fact, seems to be some sort of mind-reading alien being that eats anything and has another entire dimension of off-kilter humans and bizarre animals living in her stomach. And her sole reason for existence centers on driving Haré insane by making light of all his character flaws and neurosis, wreaking havoc on time and space, and being an utter nuisance in the way that only a super-strong, short tempered, magic using and vaguely unsettling young girl of indeterminate age, origin and physical composition can be.

Created in 1997 by female manga artist Renjuro Kindaichi, the Haré + Guu manga serial continues to headline the monthly Japanese Shonen GanGan magazine. In April 2001, the comic was adapted into a television series that spanned 26 broadcast episodes and two made-for-home-video “OAV” series, all produced by the Shin’ei Doga production studio best known for the international smash hit anime comedy Crayon Shin-chan, and directed by veteran Crayon Shin-chan director Tsutomu Mizushima.

Originally titled “Jungle wa Itsumo Hare Nochi Guu,” the series revised its Japanese name to simply “Hare Guu” in 2003. AN Entertainment will localize the animation for North American viewers under the title “Haré + Guu,” to coincide with the series’ present Japanese name. The DVD only release of Haré + Guu will tentatively begin in 2005. The official bilingual Haré + Guu DVDs will feature faithful and accurate dialogue translations, optional English subtitles, and extensive supplemental bonus features.

AN Entertainment’s distribution license for the Haré + Guu anime presently does not include rights to the Jungle wa Itsumo Hare Nochi Guu Final OAV series, but AN Entertainment does expect to finalize the acquisition of the “Final” OAV series in the near future.