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Hanabee Announces Four New Acquisitions for January 2015

Hanabee made the announcements via press release this morning. The titles are as follows;

• Problem children are coming from another world, aren't they?
• Red Data Girl
• Blood Lad
• Onimonogatari (Monogatari Series Second Season Part 4)

Problem children, Red Data Girl and Blood Lad will all be released as complete collections with both the English dub and Japanese audio with English subtitles included. Onimonogatari will have four episodes on disc, be released as a Blu-ray & DVD combo pack and only have Japanese audio with English subtitles. All four titles will be released on DVD and Blu-ray on the 7th of January 2015.

Details on each of the titles are below;

Problem children are coming from another world, aren't they?

Izayoi, Asuka and Yo are three children with unimaginably powerful psychic powers, and they're bored. So when they each receive an envelope that transports them to another world they jump at the opportunity, but after meeting their benefactors the trio discovers that they are the only hope in this world for the "No-Name" community. Now Izayou, Asuka and Yo must battle in the Gift Games to save the No-Names, with their combined psychic powers how hard can it be? The only problem is that none of them know how to work as a team, oh and to win the trio will have to overthrow the devil!

Based on the light-novel series of the same name by Tarō Tatsunoko and illustrator Yū Amano, the series originally launched in April of 2011 and Kadokawa's Sneaker Bunko imprint has published eleven main volumes and three short story collections to date. There is a manga adaptation by Rio Nanamomo that was published in Kadokawa Shoten's Monthly Comp Ace and a manga spinoff from Anri Sakano in Fujimi Shobo's Age Premium magazine, both manga series have since finished publication.

This 10 episode anime adaptation was animated at Diomedea (Squid Girl, Campione!) in 2013. Keizou Kusakawa (Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha series and films, Asura Cryin') served as chief director and Yasutaka Yamamoto (Squid Girl Season 2, Valkyria Chronicles) served as director. Noboru Kimura (Amagami SS+, Nyarko-san: Another Crawling Chaos) handled the series composition and Naomi Ide (episode animation director for Astarotte's Toy, Squid Girl) handled the character design.

When the anime first aired in Japan, Problem children are coming from another world, aren't they? only had six volumes in publication. Due to the anime, the light novel publisher, Kadokawa Shoten had to reprint the series as sales increased four-fold.

Problem children are coming from another world, aren't they? was simulcast on Crunchyroll when the series premiered on January 11, 2013. Sentai Filmworks since licensed the series for North America and has released the series in North America, complete with dub cast (which you can check out here).

ANN staffer Carl Fimlinger reviewed the first six episodes as the series was streaming, you can read his thoughts here.

Hanabee's release will have both the English dub and Japanese audio with English subtitles and contain all 10 episodes and the 11th OVA episode in one complete package. The series will hit shelves on DVD and Blu-ray on the 7th of January 2015.

Red Data Girl

A rare item should always be protected.

Izumiko Suzuhara is not what you would call social. Raised in the remote mountains by her grandparents and with a penchant for modern technology to break at her fingertips she's learned to grow up by herself.

In a bid to step out of her shell, Izumiko enrolls into a school based in Tokyo along with Miyuki Sagara, her estranged childhood friend. Together they discover that Izumiko is more than your typical shy 15 year old and in fact is a vessel for the goddess known as Himegami with Miyuki tasked as her guardian. Forced to get along with their entwined destinies, Izumiko and Miyuki are battling an uphill battle in Red Data Girl.

Toshiya Shinohara (Black Butler, Inuyasha films, The Book of Bantorra) directed this April 2013 adaptation of Noriko Ogiwara's novels and Michiko Yokote (Bleach, Gintama, Princess Tutu) handled the scripts. Minako Shiba (Black Butler, .hack franchise, Noir, Letter Bee) adapted Mel Kishida's original character designs. Musicians myu and Masumi Itou (Bungaku Shōjo) scored the soundtrack.

Funimation licensed Red Data Girl for North America, streamed the series as it aired in Japan and released the series on DVD in June this year, you can view the English dub cast here.

Hanabee's release will have both the English dub and Japanese audio with English subtitles and contain all 12 episodes in a complete collection. The series will hit shelves on DVD and Blu-ray on the 7th of January 2015.

Blood Lad

The demon world is a parallel world broken up into territories, each controlled by a monstrous boss. Staz Charlie Blood is one such boss, a decedent of a family of noble vampires. However Staz isn't interested in sucking blood, he's an otaku more interested in Japanese games, anime and manga but his strength keeps his gang and his territory in line. When Fuyumi, a human girl, falls through a portal in her bedroom into the demon world Staz instantly becomes infatuated with her. At least he was until Fuyumi was consumed by a carnivorous plant leaving only her bones and ghost. Now Staz must take responsibility, swearing to help Fuyumi resurrect from the dead (hopefully) before the end of his.

Based on Yūki Kodama's Blood Lad manga which was launched in Kadokawa Shoten's Young Ace magazine from September 2009, the series has (to date) been collected into 12 volumes. Yen Press has been translating and distributing the series in North America.

Shigeyuki Miya (Lupin III: Green vs Red, Buzzer Beater) directed the anime at Brains Base from scripts by Takeshi Konuta (Library War, Toshokan Sensō: Kakumei no Tsubasa), and Kenji Fujisaki(chief animation director on Battle Girls - Time Paradox) created character designs. May'n (Macross Frontier) sings the anime's "ViViD" opening theme, while Yuuka Nanri (.hack//Roots) performs the ending theme "BLOODY HOLIC."

Viz Media licensed Blood Lad for North America, streamed the series through it's Neon Alley service in 2013 and in 2014 dubbed the series into English. Viz released the collection in North America on DVD and Blu-ray in September this year.

Hanabee's release will have both the English dub and Japanese audio with English subtitles and contain all 11 episodes in one complete package. The series will hit shelves on DVD and Blu-ray on the 7th of January 2015.

Onimonogatari (Monogatari Series Second Season Part 4)

Following on from Nadeko Medusa, Onimonogatari covers the story "Shinobu Time" with vampire girl Shinobu Oshino as the focus. After Koyomi returns from his quick jaunt through time the gang find themselves being chased by a mysterious apparition made of darkness. Fortunately Shinobu has seen this apparition before and it involves her previous visit to Japan, 400 years ago.

Akiyuki Shinbo directed the series and acted as series script supervisor along with Fuyashi Tou. Akio Watanabe served as character designer and chief animation director at SHAFT and Satoru Kousaki handled the music. The cast remains unchanged from Bakemonogatari and Nisemonogatari.

The "second season" arc of the Monogatari series is covering the material from five volumes of the original light novel series in two cours or half a year.

The anime premiered in Japan in July 2013 and Daisuki and Crunchyroll streamed the series outside of Japan. Aniplex of America announced in June 2013 that it has acquired the rights to both Nekomonogatari (Black) and Monogatari Series Second Season and they released Nekomonogatari White in June and will follow with Kabukimonogatari in August, Otorimonogatari's release has yet to be revealed.

Monogatari Series Second Season was announced by Hanabee during AVCon 2014 and they released the first part, Nekomonogatari White, on the 6th of August 2014 that covers the first five episodes collectively known as Tsubasa Tiger. Kabukimonogatari is the second part of Monogatari Series Second Season which covers the Mayoi Jiangshi story-arc and was released on the 1st of October 2014. The third set, Otorimonogatari, covered Nadeko Medusa and was be released on the 5th of November 2014.

Onimonogatari comprises the fourth volume of Monogatari Series Second Season, covering the "Shinobu Time" arc over four episodes. Hanabee will release Onimongatari as a DVD & Blu-ray combo pack on the 7th of January 2014. The release will be Japanese audio and English subtitles only.