The cult 1987 mecha OVA Metal Skin Panic MADOX-01 returns on Blu-ray with reauthored content, crisp 1080p visuals, and a trove of bonus features including director commentary and cast interviews. Fans can relive Tokyo-smashing action and discover behind-the-scenes insights from Shinji Aramaki’s iconic production.
The 80s were a golden era for anime, and one title that earned a lot of love in club screenings was Metal Skin Panic MADOX-01, often mentioned alongside Bubblegum Crisis and Akira. What set it apart back then was the focus on manic, relentless action, and this anime—directed by Shinji Aramaki—delivered it in spades. As one of AnimEigo’s early Western releases, many of us, myself included, grabbed this original video animation. Now it’s making a comeback, thanks to MediaOCD!
Aramaki, the visionary behind Appleseed, Harlock: Space Pirate, and Ghost in the Shell: SAC 2045, packs 41 minutes of turbo-charged mecha chaos into MADOX-01, blending comedy and Tokyo-wide property destruction into a surprisingly compact thrill ride.
GKIDS brings the first two Rebuild of Evangelion films to North America in special editions featuring collectible booklets and bonus features.
GKIDS
Although the release order of the Evangelion movies to home video is unusual—since 3.0+1.11 was offered before 1.11 and 2.22—math is not required to figure out what’s going on. It’s simply explained by this definition: 2.0 is the unedited theatrical version, 3.33 is a tweaked version for home video release.
What’s coming will allow fans to see them all in sequential order and these editions are available for purchase in North America. GKIDS has unveiled details for the October 21 Blu‑ray™ releases of Evangelion: 1.11 You Are (Not) Alone (part one) and Evangelion: 2.22 You Can (Not) Advance (part two). Each release includes bonus features, with a 16‑page booklet included inside You Are (Not) Alone and a 20‑page booklet inside You Can (Not) Advance. Both films will also be available on all major digital platforms starting September 16.
From the Press Release:
Created by Hideaki Anno, the Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise is considered one of the most influential animated sagas of all time. Since the original series premiered in 1995, the story of teenager Shinji Ikari has become a landmark in animation and global pop culture. The saga was later reimagined as the Evangelion movie series, beginning with You Are (Not) Alone (2007), followed by You Can (Not) Advance (2009), Evangelion: 3.33 You Can (Not) Redo (2012), and culminating in the finale Evangelion: 3.0+1.01 Thrice Upon a Time.
When the Summer daze feels long, Manga Mavericks has those hiding in the sun covered with their release of titles this week. And just in time, they also announced what’s coming for Autumn!
Manga Mavericks Books announced their next wave of book releases! And these one-shots promise more adventure and also fun for readers who want something different in their Japanese comics. Manga Mavericks Books will release these titles this fall. For those wondering about their ongoing series, I’ll See You at Ebisu Studios, a two-volume series, launches in October. Red String, a Japan-based localization company, will partner with MMB on this.
Details on these Manga Mavericks releases are:
FIRST TIME IN TAIWAN:
A DELICIOUS ADVENTURE!
by Muta Yuki · Print SRP: $7.99 / Digital SRP: $3.99 · 44 pages · ISBN: 9781968054120 · For Readers 13+
Available October 2025
Told through the visage of cute animal avatars, this delicious manga travelogue follows the journey of a mangaka and friends’ as they explore Taiwan via both illustrations and photography. Readers can pull up a chair and enjoy the deliciousness in this release without the need to worry about calories!
Baby Assassins 3 is headed to North America to satisfy fans of the girls with guns genre, and they got some biggums here!
Well GO USA Release Date: August 26
After Baby Assassins 3 successful run last year at Fantasia Film Festival, Well GO USA is finally releasing this killer action movie to home video! It’s a fun ride to chart what’s next in the relationship between Akari Takaishi (Chisato Sugimoto) and Saori Izawa (Mahiro Fukagawa), and our movie review can be read here. These girls may seem like today’s answers to the Dirty Pair from long ago, but they have other issues that go beyond being trained by professionals to be the best trouble consultants, often hired to take down targets for one reason or another!
Fans of Studio Ghibli can look forward to a new limited edition Steelbook release of Grave of the Fireflies with special features, alongside a theatrical re-release opportunity.
As Studio Ghibli’s catalogue of works continues to get new re-releases under the GKIDS label (distributed by Shout! Studios), some fans may well want to get the limited edition Steelbook edition that’s being released this week. But to truly appreciate this film directed by Isao Takahata, we recommend checking your local theatre listings for when Studio Ghibli Fest 2025 begins!
This annual event puts these films onto the silver screen where they should belong, and every year, the rotation of works are slightly different. While it’s very likely the digital version will be used over a 35mm film print, there’s no denying the power of this movie will leave many in tears. There’s no need to go into an extensive review, since what’s coming is a haunting look at a troublesome time about those Japanese people trying to survive during World War II.
Below, is a list about what’s notable in this release. Some folks opt to collect this studio’s works one at a time instead of buying it all in one go:
Perseverance and hope are two key themes wonderfully explored in Romeo’s Blue Skies and for those who missed the broadcast run, it’s coming to home video!
Anime distributor AnimEigo and parent company MediaOCD announced today the home media Blu-ray release of the anime series Romeo’s Blue Skies on July 29th. And for fans of the 1941 Swiss novel “Die Schwarzen Brüder” (“The Black Brothers”), by Lisa Tetzner, this adaptation is quite the emotional journey. This second release under the new Ruined Childhood label shows there’s plenty of classics to go around, and after Nobody’s Boy Remi (review link), perhaps it’s best to stock up with plenty of boxes of tissue nearby!
From the Press Release:
One of the best loved installments in Nippon Animation’s legendary World Masterpiece Theater line of TV series that spanned generations, Romeo’s Blue Skies makes its North American debut in a remastered wide-screen edition. This 33-episode series was produced in 1995 by Nippon Animation and was directed by Kozo Kusuba with screenplay by Michiru Shimada and character designs by Yoshiharu Soto.
When You’re Feeling Sad
and Lonely, Look to the Sky
Romeo, a poor kid living in a Swiss village, bravely sells himself into servitude as a chimney sweep to save his family. On his way to Milan, he meets a mysterious boy named Alfredo, and they become fast friends. Life as a chimney sweep is hard and dangerous. But together, and with the help of some new friends – the “Black Brothers” – Romeo and Alfredo find themselves striving for a better life.
A Series That Captivated The World
Romeo’s Blue Skies was never released in English. American broadcasters deemed it too emotional for domestic audiences. But worldwide it was loved and was broadcast in Italy, Spain, Morocco, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Qatar, Indonesia, South Korea, Bahrain, Iran, and U.A.E.
Anime fans are invited to discover why this gem is still beloved 30 years after its original broadcast.
Romeo’s Blue Skies Blu-Ray Features:
$59.95 USD (SRP)
33-Episode Series Remastered in HD Widescreen
Series Presented in Original 4×3 SD
Clean Opening and Ending (SD)
Original TV Promos (SD)
1080p / Japanese 2.0 Stereo DTS Master Audio / English Subtitles / 3 discs / dual layer / AVC @ 17 MBPS / Region Free
The 80s were a golden era for anime, and one title that earned a lot of love in club screenings was Metal Skin Panic MADOX-01, often mentioned alongside Bubblegum Crisis and Akira. What set it apart back then was the focus on manic, relentless action, and this anime—directed by Shinji Aramaki—delivered it in spades. As one of AnimEigo’s early Western releases, many of us, myself included, grabbed this original video animation. Now it’s making a comeback, thanks to MediaOCD!
GKIDS
Manga Mavericks Books
FIRST TIME IN TAIWAN:
Well GO USA
