NEWSWIRE: April 2023 Pre-Orders

It might not quite be time to break out the t-shirt and sunscreen, but spring is certainly… well, springing, which also means we’re now on the verge of our spring sale! Are you ready for savings galore and the joy of discovery that is our mystery boxes?

However, our Spring Sale isn’t all we have going on by any means – in fact, this is shaping up to be one of our busiest months for new pre-orders ever, so strap yourselves, buckle up and read on after the jump to take a journey through a pre-order packed April.

And….. action!

April new releases

Let’s start with a refresher of what new products you can expect to arrive over the course of this month.

Monday 10th April
Blood-C – TV Series Standard Edition Blu-ray
Cardcaptor Sakura Part 1 – Standard Edition Blu-ray
Love Live! Nijigasaki High School Idol Club Season 1 Collector’s Edition Blu-ray

Monday 17th April
Cyber City Oedo 808 – Remastered Limited Edition Blu-ray
Sword Art Online Alternative: Gun Gale Online Part 1 – Standard Edition Blu-ray (order from our store from April 17th)
The Relative Worlds – Standard Edition Blu-ray (order from our store from April 17th)

Monday 24th April
Cardcaptor Sakura Part 2 – Standard Edition Blu-ray
Goodbye Don Glees! Collector’s Edition Blu-ray
Irresponsible Captain Tylor TV Series – Standard Edition Blu-ray (order from our store from April 24th)
Liz and the Blue Bird – Standard Edition Blu-ray (order from our store from April 24th)
Memories – Standard Edition Blu-ray (order from our store from April 24th)

April pre-orders

As mentioned above, we have a lot to get through this year, so let’s get to it so you can stack your plates high with all things anime this April!

Suzume Original Soundtrack

With its UK cinema release landing, we know that everyone is going to be talking about Makoto Shinkai’s Suzume… and not just talking, but listening to the film’s incredible soundtrack from RADWIMPS and Kazuma Jinnouchi on repeat into the bargain!

Of course, we don’t want you to miss out on this music sensation, and so we’re launching our official international edition of the Suzume Original Soundtrack on vinyl and CD!

This soundtrack marks the third collaboration between acclaimed film director Makoto Shinkai and RADWIMPS, following Your Name. and Weathering With You. Kazuma Jinnouchi, whose previous credits as a composer include Detective Pikachu and Star Wars: Visions, joined with RADWIMPS on the soundtrack, providing additional experience from Hollywood and anime alike. TikTok star Toaka provides vocals for one of the theme songs “Suzume feat. Toaka”. Notably, several of the recordings for the soundtrack were held at Abbey Road Studios in London, with both Kazuma and Yojiro Noda of RADWIMPS conducting the orchestra at the famous site.

This release includes a 12-page booklet and obi strip, with the two LPs housed within a gatefold sleeve.

If CD is more your jam (serving suggestion: please don’t put jam on your CDs), then this will also be available with the full soundtrack on CD and a 20-page booklet.

Product: Suzume Original Soundtrack – International Edition vinyl
Release date: Monday 28th August 2023
SRP: £34.99
Pre-orders open: Tuesday 11th April 2023

Product: Suzume Original Soundtrack – International Edition CD
Release date: Monday 28th August 2023
SRP: £9.99
Pre-orders open: Tuesday 11th April 2023

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FOREVER DAZE vinyl

But that’s not all – how about some more musical wonders from RADWIMPS? On the same date as our Suzume soundtrack launch, we’ll also be offering limited pre-orders for the incredible album from RADWIMPS on vinyl, FOREVER DAZE!

Available for the first time on vinyl, the album comes spread across 2x vinyl LPs, and also sports a 4-page booklet. With the album including the track Grand Escape from Weathering With You, it’s a must-own for Shinkai and RADWIMPS fans!

Product: FOREVER DAZE vinyl
Release date: 8th May 2023
SRP: £39.99
Pre-orders open: Tuesday 11th April 2023

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The Garden of Words Steelbook

Continuing our passion for Makoto Shinkai, April sees us return to another of his classic films as we further build our collection of Shinkai Steelbooks with a new release for The Garden of Words!

This edition features a stunning piece of all-new cover artwork, originally created for the forthcoming stage play version of the film from Whole Hog Theatres, while inside this glorious Steelbook presentation you’ll find not only the film on Blu-ray as you would expect, but also the film’s Original Sountrack on CD!

It’s another must-have for fans of the work of Makoto Shinkai, so don’t miss your opportunity to pre-order this month!

Product: The Garden of Words Steelbook
Release date: 5th June 2023
SRP: £39.99
Pre-orders open: 13th April 2023
Pre-order price: £24.99

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FREE! The Final Stroke – Part 1

From rain-drenched Tokyo we’re only going to get wetter…. and you don’t get much wetter than these boys! Following its theatrical double-bill in cinemas last year, the end of an era now comes to home video as FREE! The Final Stroke prepares itself to dive through your mailbox with its first instalment coming to Collector’s Edition Blu-ray.

Our Collector’s Edition for this first film contains the movie on both Blu-ray and DVD, with the Amaray case holding these discs itself housed within a rigid slipcase. Also included is a set of all twelve artcards featuring all of your favourite characters – just… don’t take them swimming with you.

Pre-orders open on April 18th (yes, it’s a Tuesday, that’s how much we have to cram into this month), so time to get training and prepared for The Final Stroke!

Product: FREE! The Final Stroke Part 1 Collector’s Edition
Release date: 15th May 2023
SRP: £39.99
Pre-orders open: 18th April 2023
Pre-order price: £24.99

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Pompo the Cinephile

We’ve had a lot of you asking after this one ever since we brought this 90 minute work of motion picture perfection to cinemas, and we’ve been working away on it for some time to make a Collector’s Edition worthy of this love letter to movies. Now our work is complete, and we present to you… our Pompo the Cinephile Collector’s Edition!

As well as the film on Blu-ray within an Amaray case, which itself is nestled within an artwork-adorned rigid slipcase, you’ll also find a comprehensive 52-page booklet packed with round table, cast and crew interviews, to give you a full insight into how this film about making films was made.

Pre-orders open on Thursday 20th April, so get your director’s chair ready to sit down and watch!

Product: Pompo the Cinephile Collector’s Edition
Release date: 29th May 2023
SRP: £39.99
Pre-orders open: 20th April 2023
Pre-order price: £24.99

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Little Witch Academia Deluxe Edition vinyl

If were to sit down and talk about our favourite shows from Studio Trigger we may be here all day, but there’s no doubt that high up that list is the charming Little Witch Academia. Last year we announced our intentions to bring all of the series soundtracks (both TV and OVA) to vinyl record, and this month we’re very excited indeed to be opening pre-orders for our Little Witch Academia Deluxe Edition vinyl box set!

This glorious 6-vinyl set is the only way to own the entire soundtrack on vinyl (the OVA soundtracks are exclusive to this Deluxe release), and what’s more you’ll find the records each within three sleeves, all of which are safely housed within a rigid storage box (much like our previous releases of the likes of BEASTARS and JUJUTSU KAISEN).

What’s more, this edition also sports a 36-page booklet filled with character art, backgrounds and visuals for you to marvel at in all of their 12″ glory. To round things off, also included is an A4 poster that will be instantly recognisable to fans of the show.

This is perhaps one of our most exciting passion projects yet in our range of music, so don’t miss out when pre-orders open on April 25th!

Product: Little Witch Academia Deluxe Edition vinyl
Release date: 29th May 2023
SRP: £129.99
Pre-orders open: 25th April 2023
Pre-order price: TBC

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Looking for Magical Doremi

Continuing with the magical theme, if you’ve been Looking for Magical Doremi then look no further, as this charming film comes to UK home video with pre-orders opening at the end of this month!

While this coming of age story centres itself around the series Ojamajo Doremi, it’s a thoughtful and emotional story that will resonate with anyone who has moved into adulthood; combination of wrestling with the adult world and the ways in which it intersects with your childhood and the things you loved in your youth. In short, it’s a truly unique film that shouldn’t be missed!

Our Collector’s Edition release of the film contains the movie on DVD and Blu-ray, with both discs sitting in an Amaray case which itself sports a rigid slipcase and O-card. Alongside all of this we have a 28-page booklet filled with interviews, character profiles, artwork, and even a breakdown of the real-life locations featured in the film.

We can’t beseech you enough to give this film a try, and pre-orders commence April 27th.

Product: Looking for Magical Doremi Collector’s Edition
Release date: 22nd May 2023
SRP: £39.99
Pre-orders open: 27th April 2023
Pre-order price: £24.99

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So there you have it, “only” the seven new pre-orders this month, alongside our huge Spring Sale and the arrival of the incredible stop-motion masterpiece JUNK HEAD in cinemas – all in all, a very busy month!

Things aren’t going to be slowing down any time soon either, with our home video release of INU-OH coming up on the horizon, and all manner of other surprises coming close to the point where we can lift the veil on them. Of course, we can’t close without mentioning Mobile Suit Gundam, where we also expect to have some news in the next month or two as projects proceed there. As ever, stay tuned and watch this space!