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Aniplex Delays Home Video Releases Set for Late April

Aniplex announced on Wednesday that it is delaying Blu-ray Disc, DVD, and CD releases originally scheduled for April 22 to May 6. The products, which all had the original shipment date of April 29, include releases for Her Blue Sky, Hentatsu, Thunderbolt Fantasy, Sarazanmai, ORESUKI: Are you the only one who loves me?, Darwin's Game, 22/7, Uchitama?! Have you seen my Tama?, Fate/Grand Order Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia, We Never Learn: BOKUBEN, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, and Kaguya-sama: Love is War.

Sony Music Entertainment, Aniplex's parent company, had announced on Monday that it is delaying the release of physical music and video products originally slated to ship between April 22 and May 6. The company announced on March 28 that a male employee in his 30s had been diagnosed with COVID-19.

Other newly announced events and industries affected by concerns over COVID-19 in Japan include:

Retailers

Anime goods retailer Animate announced on Wednesday that Animate stores in Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama, Chiba, Osaka, Hyogo, and Fukuoka prefectures will close from April 18 to May 6. Additionally, alll ACOS stores will close during the same period. People who previously purchased items for in-store pickup at the affected stores will still be able to pick up the items at most locations. However, those who pre-ordered items will be able to receive them after the stores reopen until May 31.

Events

The official website for Uchitama?! Have you seen my Tama? (Uchi Tama!?: Uchi no Tama Shirimasen ka?), the anime based on Sony Creative Products Inc.'s Uchi Tama!? project, announced on Tuesday that the planned 3-Chōme Flower Festival themed after the anime has been canceled due to concerns over COVID-19.

Movies

Mainichi Shimbun's Mantan Web reported on Tuesday that over 220 theaters have closed in Japan, particularly in urban areas. In addition, over 120 films have been delayed. Most movies that would have opened during the Golden Week holidays (late April to early May) in Japan have been postponed.

Stage Plays

The official website for Yatogame-chan Kansatsu Nikki 2 Satsume ⁠— the second season of the television anime of Masaki Andō's Yatogame-chan Kansatsu Nikki (Yatogame-chan Observation Diary) four-panel manga ⁠— announced on Tuesday that the stage play adaptation has been postponed due to concerns about the COVID-19 coronavirus illness. The stage play was originally scheduled to run at Nagoya's Telepia Hall on July 18 to 22.

Music

Sunrise Music announced on Tuesday that it is postponing the Mobile Suit Gundam 40th Anniversary Album ~BEYOND~ album in consideration of the state of emergency declared over seven prefectures in Japan. The album was originally scheduled to launch on April 29. The company will announce the new release date at a later time.

Games

Nintendo announced on Tuesday that it is resuming shipments of Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch Lite units in Japan this week. However, the Nintendo Switch Animal Crossing New Horizons Edition bundle for the Animal Crossing: New Horizons game is slated to resume shipping around late April. Nintendo did not ship any Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch Lite units, including the Animal Crossing bundle, in Japan last week, except for pre-orders.

Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe declared a state of emergency in seven prefectures last Tuesday, including Osaka and Hyogo (both neighbors to Kyoto) and Tokyo. The governor of Kyoto prefecture stated on Friday that he has asked the Japanese government to add Kyoto to the list of prefectures that are placed under a state of emergency. The governor of Aichi prefecture similarly asked the Japanese government on Thursday to add that prefecture to the list, and then independently declared a state of emergency on Friday.

The seven prefectures will remain under a state of emergency until May 6.

Sources: Aniplex via Nijipoi, Animate via Otakomu, Uchitama?! Have you seen my Tama? anime's website, MoCa News, Mainichi Shimbun's Mantan Web, Yatogame-chan Kansatsu Nikki 2 Satsume anime's website, Gundam.info, Sunrise Music, Nintendo's Twitter account, Inside Games (茶っプリン)