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Log Horizon, Oda Nobuna, One Piece Released Monday

On Monday April 13, MVM will release the first volume of Log Horizon on DVD, carrying the first 13 episodes. (The Blu-ray edition will follow on April 27.) The adaptation of Mamare Touno's novel begins when 30,000 Japanese gamers are trapped in the fantasy online game world Elder Tale. What was once a "sword-and-sorcery world" is now the "real world." Shiroe, Naotsugu, and Akasuki join together to survive.

The anime studio Satelight is producing the planned 25-episode series for airing on the public broadcaster NHK's E-Tele channel. Shinji Ishihira is directing the anime, and Toshizo Nemoto is charge of the series scripts. The series stars Takuma Terashima as Shiroe, Emiri Katō as Akatsuki, and Tomoaki Maeno as Naotsugu. The series also stars Jouji Nakata as Nyanta, Daiki Yamashita as Tōya, Nao Tamura as minori, Tetsuya Kakihara as Lundellhaus, and Eriko Matsui as Isuzu.

Touno debuted his novel on the user-generated content site Shōsetsuka ni Narō in 2010.

MVM is also releasing The Ambition of Oda Nobuna on DVD. (As with Log Horizon, a Blu-ray will follow on April 27.) The story, based on Mikage Kasuga's light novels, follows a modern-day high school boy named Yoshiharu Sagara who is transported to Japan's Sengoku Jidai (Era of the Warring States) — except the well-known warriors of the era are female. Oda Nobuna, a cute girl who happens to be a warlord, nicknames Yoshiharu "Monkey" and takes him under her wing.

The series title is a wordplay on Nobunaga no Yabō or Nobunaga's Ambition, KOEI's simulation game franchise inspired by the real-life historical figure Oda Nobunaga. Yuuji Kumazawa directed the series off scripts from Masashi Suzuki (Shuffle!, Minami-ke: Okawari) and Yuka Takashina designed the characters. Studio Gokumi collaborated with the anime Studio Madhouse on the project.

MVM will release the 6-part series Koinmonogatari, part of the Monogatari franchise, on Blu-ray. (The DVD is already available.) From the Anime-on-line website:

On January 1st, Hitagi Senjyogahara calls her nemesis, the con-artist Deishu Kaiki, to request his services, saying, "There is someone I'd like you to deceive." The request is a bitter choice for her to make, but one that would save her and her dear Koyomi Araragi from a "death sentence."

Kaiki starts to research his target, Nadeko Sengoku, the junior high school girl who became a god of North Shirahebi Shrine. As Kaiki investigates her background, he finds her secret that she has never told anyone before, including her beloved Koyomi Araragi. Can Kaiki save Hitagi and Koyomi before time is up?

Manga Entertainment is releasing the ninth volume of One Piece (left), carrying episodes 206 to 229; and also the twentieth Box Set of Naruto Shippūden (right), carrying episodes 245 to 257.