Shout! Factory Archives | Otaku No Culture

Kamen Rider Zero-One & Real×Time in Revue

The Kamen Rider franchise isn’t meant to be compelling television. It’s silly anime-style fun realised as live-action.

Shout! Factory
Available to order on Amazon USA

Kamen Rider is a beloved Japanese comic book superhero franchise that’s gone on just as long as a few sci-fi media empires, namely Doctor Who and Star Trek. Shotaro Ishinomori created this epic tokusatsu style series in 1971, and to distinguish between the many televised products, manga and films, it’s been categorised according to who was the emperor of the country, much like the Gojira films.

The latest Kamen Rider Zero-One (仮面ライダーゼロワン) made its debut in Sept 2019, with Saber the following year and Revice in 2021. They mark the Reiwa era, and four years isn’t that bad of a wait for a home video release in foreign markets. Not everyone has access to TV Asahi or wants to search YouTube for the fan posts of the latest episodes. Each season is self-contained narrative-wise, and when I take interest, that’s because of the theme. I can’t wait for Saber because it involves fairies and Revice for its Devilman influnced narrative. Fans of Hideaki Anno are especially excited because he’s helming a Shin revival.

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Lu Yang’s A Writer’s Odyssey Comes to North America!

Shout! Studios
Available to pre-order on Amazon USA

Shout! Factory is bringing last year’s hit Chinese New Year film to North America, and it’s going to be A Writer’s Odyssey (刺杀小说家) come March 8, 2022. This fantasy action-adventure movie mixes in a variety of fantastic visuals in its presenentation, and it’s based on Shuang Xuetao’s novel of the same name, and its sequel Godslayer.

From the Press Release:

A film by Lu Yang (The Sacrifice, Brotherhood of Blades), A Writer’s Odyssey is an entertaining thrill ride that uniquely blends non-stop action, visual splendor, and a fantastical storyline in equal measures. Available for the first time for home entertainment in North America, A Writer’s Odyssey Blu-ray™ and DVD contain spectacular movie presentation in English and the original Mandarin language audio track option. This movie is available for pre-order at ShoutFactory.com and will be available in stores and other fine retailers.

Plot Synopsis

After the disappearance of his daughter, Guan Ning has descended into despair. With nothing left to lose in his life, he is approached by a powerful corporation who hires him for a dark task – to kill the young author of a fantasy novel. But the author’s work is no ordinary book… for its fantastic world is somehow impacting and merging with the real one. Guan’s journey into this realm uncovers hidden secrets… and reveals the transformative power of art and imagination.

Is Gintama: The Very Final Going to be The Last?

The cinematic treatment of Gin Tama is concluding with the release of The Very Final to home video in North America.

Shout! Factory
Available to order on Amazon USA

Spoiler Alert

The cinematic treatment of Hideaki Sorachi‘s Gintama is concluding with the release of The Very Final to home video in North America. For some, that may well mean a renewed interest with this amusing samurai cum science fiction manga series. The ending offered in this animated take differs from the print version and this work wastes no time in telling viewers this fact.

Ever since its debut in Weekly Shōnan Jump nearly 20 years ago, the additional products that followed quickly put this universe in other narrative mediums. The anime was released in 2006, and typical of any successful product, there came soundtracks, light novels, original animation shorts and films. There’s a lot to like because of its fourth wall breaking moments, and the humour doesn’t end there. It not only pokes fun at itself but also references anime classics, especially Dragonball. But it doesn’t stop there. It makes oddball remarks about American pop culture, which includes jabs at Beyonce and Donald Trump in this latest.

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The Bear Truth with Timothy Treadwell and Diary of the Grizzly Man

Diary of the Grizzly Man is produced by Erik Nelson and Jewel Palovak, and offers a three-hour mini-series using Tim Treadwell’s vast film archive to tell the story of the life of this Alaskan bear.

Distributed by Shout! Factory
Now Available on Apple TV and other digital platforms

Even in British Columbia, residents living very close to The Rockies have to face the Grizzly Bear. When these gentle creatures venture too often into the towns, that can lead to problems. Sometimes, the animal has to be euthanized instead of simply relocated.

Filmmaker and bear enthusiast Timothy Treadwell studied this creature in its native habitat, but not even living with them can help; he spent 13 years in Alaska’s Katmai National Park trying to understand their behaviour and sadly, he knew he was in trouble. The media was abuzz when his remains was found.

Diary of the Grizzly Man is produced by Erik Nelson and Jewel Palovak, the producers of Werner Herzog’s acclaimed documentary, Grizzly Man (2003). This new three-hour mini-series is crafted from Treadwell’s vast film archive, and takes us deep inside the unfolding dramas and life and death struggles of the Alaskan animals he devoted his life to protecting and understanding. It contains never-before-seen footage and astonishing still photographs of Treadwell’s interactions with very wild nature–dangerous interactions which would ultimately lead to the death of Treadwell and his girlfriend, Amie Hugarnard.

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Shout Factory is ready for Gintama: The Very Final

Gintama: The Very Final is ready to make its North American home video debut following is theatrical screening last year.

Eleven Arts and Shout! Factory
Available to pre-order on Amazon USA and ShoutFactory.com

Fans rejoice! The third and concluding action-packed film of the popular Gintama anime franchise, Gintama: The Very Final is coming! The digital download will be available Jan 25th, and the Blu-ray+DVD combo Feb 8th.

Created by Hideaki Sorachi, the new feature film makes its North American home entertainment debut following a theatrical release late fall this year. Available for the first time in North America, the highly collectible release boasts an exciting movie presentation (featuring both versions – English voice cast and the original Japanese audio with English subtitles) and an exclusive 16-page booklet packed with character art and storyboards! This set is a must-own for fans, collectors, and pop culture enthusiasts.

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The Details are In for The Time Guardians North American Release

The Time Guardians is a film by Alexey Telnov which will explore the past and save the future.

Shout! Factory

Rekease Date:
Digital Feb 22, 2022
Home Video: Feb 22, 2022

Available to preorder on Amazon USA

A new Russian fantasy is coming to North America next year! The Time Guardians is a film by Alexey Telnov which will explore the past and save the future. This work brings the past of St. Petersburg to life in its dazzling visuals, and somewhere in the mists of time lurks creatures from myth from this world few really know about.

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