It was quite the weekend for anime fans. Anime Ltd. took to the stage before exuberant crowds at the United Kingdom’s biggest fan event, MCM London, to share a slate of several notable releases in theatrical distribution, home video, and music for the year ahead. While not exhaustive of the Glasgow-based company’s 2023 calendar by any stretch, these acquisitions demonstrate the thoughtful curation and fan-focused ethos that make Anime Ltd. the UK and Ireland’s favourite anime distributor- It also confirms that we’ll be spending the next few months living in our local cinema…
Are you ready? Prepare yourself for a busy summer full of epic stories, spellbinding animation and plenty of heartbreak. Here is a list of all the films that’ll be gracing our screens:
Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time
The highly anticipated final film in Hideaki Anno’s REBUILD OF EVANGELION film series that re-imagines his ground-breaking television series, EVANGELION:3.0+1.01 THRICE UPON A TIME combines the visually striking action and emotionally intelligent characters that made the series such a landmark moment in anime history, to bring the saga a breathtakingly epic yet intimate conclusion. Fans of EVANGELION won’t want to miss this chance to experience Shinji, Asuka, and Rei’s big finale on the largest screen possible.
The 4th and final installment of Rebuild of Evangelion. Misato and her anti-NERV group Wille arrive at Paris, a city now red from core-ization. Crew from the flagship Wunder land on a containment tower. They only have 720 seconds to restore the city. When a horde of NERV Evas appear, Mari’s improved Eva Unit 8 must intercept. Meanwhile, Shinji, Asuka, and Rei (provisional name) wander about Japan.
Macross Plus: Movie Edition
In a landmark moment for fans of the decades-spanning legendary Macross franchise, the beloved classic 1995 film MACROSS PLUS: MOVIE EDITION will grace the big screen across the UK and Ireland for the first time in nearly 30 years. Created by BIGWEST and Studio Nue, with Shoji Kawamori (Aquarion, Escaflowne) serving as a chief director, the film marks the directorial debut of Shinichiro Watanabe (Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo) as a director and the first collaboration with inimitable composer Yoko Kanno (Cowboy Bebop, Escaflowne).
The year is 2040 and the galaxy is flourishing with several colonies and advanced technology. AI is near perfection and the current top idol is the near-completed Virturoid Idol Sharon Apple. All that is missing are her actual feelings, which instead are supplied by Myung Fang Lone. Sharon’s debut concert is on planet Eden, where at the same time, fighter pilots Isamu Dyson and Guld Bowman battle over air superiority for the “Supernova Project.” Isamu, Guld and Myung were once childhood friends, but after an accident seven years ago, they went their own separate ways.
With Myung back in the picture, the old disputes are once again awakened. And when an unstable and illegal AI technique is installed in Sharon, the situation is worsened.
The First Slam Dunk
In addition to new announcements, much was said by Anime Ltd. about the much-anticipated theatrical release of THE FIRST SLAM DUNK, a heartfelt and intense basketball drama from first-time director Takehiko Inoue that has broken box office records around the world in addition to being the Japanese Academy’s pick for 2022’s best animated feature. The company took the opportunity to announce its theatrical release date for the UK and Ireland: the 30th of August.
Shohoku’s “speedster” and point guard, Ryota Miyagi, always plays with brains and lightning speed, running circles around his opponents while feigning composure. Born and raised in Okinawa, Ryota had a brother who was three years older. Following in the footsteps of his older brother, who was a famous local player from a young age, Ryota also became addicted to basketball.
The Tunnel to Summer, The Exit of Goodbyes
The Tunnel to Summer, The Exit of Goodbyes is a unique and emotionally riveting animated experience that promises to delight audiences based on the Japanese novel of the same name from Mei Hachimoku, which won the 13th Shogakukan Light Novel Award. During the panel at MCM Comic Con London, Anime Ltd. announced the film’s theatrical release date will be 14th of July, 2023.
Directed by Tomohisa Taguchi (BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War) and inspired by the award-winning novel of the same name, this whirlwind time-travelling tale of summer love tells the story of Kaoru and Anzu, two misfit teenagers who come together to investigate a mysterious tunnel that is said to grant the wishes of whoever ventures through it – at a precious cost. Together, they must realise what it is they truly wish for, and whether it’s worth the price.
This will definitely keep us busy. Which ones will you be watching on the big screen? The correct answer is all of them. Let us know in the comments, and be sure to check out more Anime goodness here.
Based out of Glasgow, Anime Ltd. is Europe’s premiere distributor for Japanese animation, renowned for bespoke collector’s editions of fan-favourite anime and soundtracks, connecting Western audiences with creators across languages and oceans, and helping to bring anime front and centre in cinemas. Anime Ltd. proudly produces releases from the biggest franchises in anime including Cowboy Bebop, Attack on Titan, NEON GENESIS EVANGELION, Mobile Suit Gundam, Tokyo Ghoul, Your Name, Weathering With You, Mirai, BELLE and JUJUTSU KAISEN.
