Category: Home Video Releases

When Hotori Doesn’t Have To Sing Along to Billy Joel’s “Pressure”

Hotori: Simply Wishing for Hope is a short anime about a girl losing herself to an unknown condition and the android built to inherit a dead child’s memories, and their unlikely bond asks the most essential questions about what makes us human.

Hotori Wishing for Hope

The quest for memories is the focus in Hotori: Simply Wishing for Hope, a short film about a girl who can’t have a tomorrow. She’s struggling with an unknown condition that’s steadily erasing who she is. She’ll become a shell of what she was, and in contrast, she meets an android built to inherit the memories of a deceased child. His parents know Suzu is no replacement, but when a life is cut too short, is it a fair trade to gain what another has lost? That’s the existential crisis at the heart of this heartbreaking, or is that heartwarming, story about why life is precious, and why we shouldn’t take every day for granted.

Hotori originally aired as a Japanese television special and was directed by Takashi Anno (Maison Ikkoku, Blood Reign: Curse of the Yoma). It won third place at the 2004 Animax Grand Prix awards, and although this release comes very late, the themes feel timely when you consider what defines an AI, its personality, and what exactly constitutes a soul. Memories aren’t the only piece of the puzzle. There’s “Personality,” which can apparently be extracted and put into code. We’re not meant to unpack how all of that works, and what’s genuinely poignant is the relationship these two tweens share.

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Alien Nine Is Landing Soon Courtesy of MediaOCD!

AnimEigo and MediaOCD are bringing Alien Nine to Blu-ray, giving this oddball schoolgirl sci-fi horror OVA a new HD life with restored visuals and plenty of archival extras.

Alien Nine Cover
Available to pre-order on Amazon USA and MediaOCD

Anime distributor AnimEigo and parent company MediaOCD have announced that Alien Nine is coming to Blu-ray on June 9, 2026. And while this original video animation focuses on elementary school girls battling aliens, I’m wondering when teens will get in on the act too. Technically, they have with Prefectural Earth Defense Force, but that prior licence belonged to ADV Films rather than this partnership to redistribute older titles. Technically, the original North American release was handled by Central Park media, so who knows?

Although the animated adaptation didn’t continue as the manga continued with Emulators and Next, chances are very slim when considering the height of its popularity was back in 2001.

From the Press Release:

This upcoming release is based on a manga series written and illustrated by Hitoshi Tomizawa that was originally serialized in Akita Shoten’s manga magazine, Young Champion. Set in the not-too-distant future, alien invasion is a daily occurrence. Someone must save the planet, so Yuri and her 6th grade classmates are elected for this important assignment. Can a trio of cute schoolgirls defeat terrifying creatures from outer space?

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Film Masters Monster Mayhem Collection Shows What Happens on a Saturday Night…

A look at Film Masters’ Monster Mayhem Collection, from its restored B-movie horrors to the lingering charm of drive-in-era oddities, missing extras, and what may be coming next.

Film Masters Monster Mayhem Collection

Available to order on Amazon USA

Film Masters

No B-Movie horror fan should ever rush through collections of forgotten movies of yore like they are peanut butter sandwiches. Although Film Masters Monster Mayhem Collection has been out for a month, to enjoy these restored works requires dedicating a Saturday night at the drive-in. Back then, during the 50s, that was when these movies were released, and whether couples were necking or actually watching what’s projected, I’d need a time machine to find out. The slang used is appropriate for the era as groovy, man, and I think that’s why this set appeals to me.

In this set, the works offered are Monster from Green Hell, The Brain from Planet Arous, Frankenstein’s Daughter, and Giant from the Unknown. This collective has chosen these works as the “first volume” of movies originally released by the Film Detective, and if the distributor labels seem confusing enough, you’re not alone!

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Top 10 Picks From Discotek Deep Dives 2026 Spring Release Schedule

Discotek Deep Dives 2026 is shaping up to be a strong year for anime collectors, with long-lost favourites and cult classics finally getting the Blu-ray treatment. These ten picks stand out as the most essential upgrades worth adding to your shelf.

DEEP DIVES 2026 DiscoTek Media AnimeDiscotek’s ongoing DEEP DIVES 2026 initiative has a stack of upcoming releases that should make Spring especially exciting for anime fans. Many out-of-print anime titles from the 90s and earlier are getting fresh re-releases, and some are finally arriving on Blu-ray. Fans will want to check back regularly as new titles keep being added. Rather than list everything now available for pre-order through MediaOCD, I’m focusing on my ten must-have picks. Since parts of my own collection are still sitting in the VHS and DVD era, an upgrade feels more than worthwhile.

This partnership also helps ensure that even obscure titles from the 90s receive high-bitrate encodes and carefully prepared subtitles from some of the industry’s most dedicated technical experts. What follows are ten must-have releases, or essential upgrades if you do not already own these editions. The links go to the company site. Some titles are slowly getting listed on Amazon USA and are noted where possible.

  • Captain HarlockCaptain Harlock: Arcadia of My Youth – This 1982 film serves as the definitive origin story for Leiji Matsumoto’s legendary space pirate as he resists an alien occupation of Earth. It remains a sweeping space opera that establishes Harlock’s tragic past and his unbreakable code of honour.

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Like a Bat Out of Hell, Luc Besson’s Dracula is Flying Fast to VOD!

Luc Besson’s Dracula is arriving on VOD on March 10, 2026. Starring Caleb Landry Jones, Christoph Waltz, and Zoë Bleu, this romantic reimagining of the vampire myth also stands as one of Vertical’s biggest theatrical successes to date.

Luc Besson’s Dracula Movie Poster Coming to Prime Video, Apple TV, Fandango, and YouTube

Straight out of theatres and into your home, Luc Besson’s Dracula is ready to strike beginning March 10, 2026. It is already listed on Prime Video, and is reported to be one of Vertical’s highest-grossing releases to date. This romantic reimagining stars Caleb Landry Jones, Christoph Waltz, and Zoë Bleu, and offers a bold new take on the iconic vampire myth.

In my review, I noted that Dracula: A Love Tale reshapes the familiar myth into a sweeping gothic romance driven by loss, reincarnation, and pulp energy. Caleb Landry Jones leans hard into the Count’s theatrical menace, while Christoph Waltz gives Van Helsing a scene-stealing presence that helps keep the film lively. Though the digital effects can feel uneven, the film still lands as an entertaining and memorable take on the legend.

Although a Blu-ray and DVD release date has not yet been announced, seeing this vampire reincarnate around Easter would be rather ironic indeed.

Luc Besson’s Dracula Trailer

 

Run, Kitty, Run! The Legend of Hei 2 on Blu-Ray! Coming Soon

The beloved Chinese animated fantasy returns with The Legend of Hei 2, continuing the story of spirits and humans struggling to coexist. With new dangers emerging from the spirit world, this sequel expands the mythology with a fresh adventure and stunning hand-drawn animation.

The Legend of Hei 2 Blu-rayGKIDS and Shout! Studios
Release Date: May 12, 2026

The story continues in The Legend of Hei, the acclaimed Chinese animated film that won audiences over with its beautiful hand-drawn animation and heartfelt storytelling. For anyone who missed the original, the movie is available online, with the home video still easy to find. Now the sequel, The Legend of Hei 2, arrives with a brand-new adventure filled with fresh dangers and a looming threat from the spirit world.

While the premise of maintaining balance between worlds may sound familiar, this story takes its own path. The conflict between spirits and humans is a universal theme, but this sequel expands the mythology in new directions rather than echoing other animated series. Readers can check out my review of the first film here.

The upcoming Blu-ray release of The Legend of Hei 2 arrives May 12, 2026 from GKIDS and Shout! Studios, bringing the acclaimed animated sequel home with several behind-the-scenes extras.

From the Press Release:

Revered for its luminous hand-drawn animation and emotionally rich storytelling, The Legend of Hei 2 reunites audiences with a world where spirits and humans coexist in uneasy harmony, raising the stakes with a sweeping new chapter that balances heart, humor, and kinetic action.

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