K-On! (season 1) JP Blu-Ray box coming… also, I’m not dead

TBS’ official K-ON! website announced today the upcoming release of a complete first season Blu-Ray box set for the fifth anniversary of the TV anime. Per ultimatemegax’ translation, it’s sounding like quite the interesting release indeed:

Announced today, the first season of K-On! will be released in a BD-Box on 2014/03/05 for 27,300 yen (w/tax)/ 26,000 yen (w/o tax) covering the first season.

Included in this BD-Box are all 14 episodes on four BDs along with textless openings, textless ending, all 7 Ura-On! episodes, a Toyosaki Aki interview from the AniChannel K-On! feature, and commercial collection. Audio features include a bonus newly made Raji-On! special audio CD, old cast/staff commentaries, and new audio commentaries (Naoko's Room on episodes 8-12 with guests Toyosaki Aki, Yoko Hikasa, Satomi Satou, Minako Kotobuki, and Ayana Taketatsu.

The sets includes a booklet (featuring episode summaries, character designs, production designs, cast/staff messages, etc), 9 postcards (2 key visuals and 7 cover arts), and a special calendar. The 5 discs will have new disc art and fit in a newly drawn 5-side digipak inside a newly drawn 3-sided box.

The set includes BOTH Japanese and ENGLISH subtitles for the main story, Ura-On! episodes, and the Toyosaki Aki interview.

Well – I’m excited. Not only does it appear this release will include all the (on-disc) extras from the single volumes, there’s also going to be some new stuff. And English subtitles. And for a damn good price, too (as far as Japanese anime releases go). Just when I thought I owned enough copies of season 1, sigh…

In other news, guess who hasn’t K-ON! blogged in over eight months? Me, that’s who!! I won’t bother with excuses, nor can I say for sure that I’ll be posting with any great frequency from now on (what can I say? My attention is focused elsewhere these days), but I’ll try to check in a bit more often.

Watching K-On!! Episode 3 – “Drummer!”

Ritsu, frustrated with never getting time in the spotlight, announces to her fellow club members that she is sick of the drums.

More K-ON! Movie news

Several new bits of information have come out over the last couple of days since Sentai announced the K-ON! Movie license, not the least of which is the announcement of the release date: May 21^st will see the release of the movie on Blu-Ray and DVD, with SRPs at $39.98 and $29.98, respectively. Bonus features will include: Interviews, K-ON's Anniversary, 1-2-3 K-ON!, Live Event, K-ON in London, trailer, teaser, and clean opening/closing animation. The (possibly not final) cover has surfaced as well, based on the Japanese regular edition’s cover. Credit goes to the always-on-top-of-things WTK.

In related news, Manga Entertainment announced in their most recent podcast their license of the movie for the UK market, and their intention to release it on DVD and Blu-Ray later this year. They also implied that they are likely to license season 2 of the TV anime. No word on whether UK fans can expect a Blu-Ray release of the series.

Watching K-On!! Episode 2 – “Clean-Up!”

While cleaning out their personal belongings from the club room, the members of the Light Music Club find an old guitar of Sawako’s – which turns out to be surprisingly valuable.

K-ON! (season 1) and other Bandai titles to go out of print

So, Robert’s Anime Corner Blog has got word from Bandai Entertainment that they’re going to cease home video distribution and publishing, with their last shipments going out in late November of this year.

 

In other words – if you have yet to buy the North American release of K-ON!’s first season on Blu-Ray/DVD and are looking to do so – or any other title from Bandai – now’s the time to do it, because it won’t be available much longer.

K-On!! Season 2 Blu-Ray US vs. JP review and comparison (vol 2)

Sentai Filmworks released the first half of K-ON!! (retitled “K-ON! Season 2” for the North American market) earlier this summer, and two months later, the second release featuring the remaining 14 episodes is here. In other words, one third of the overall TV anime is contained on these two Blu-Ray discs, and in my personal opinion the best part of the series, making it very important that Sentai have treated it right. So – have they?

Watching K-On!! Episode 1 – “Seniors!”

A new school year starts, and the older four members of the Light Music Club are now in their senior year. With Azusa the only underclassman in the club, might this be the time to finally get serious about recruiting new members?

Watching K-On!! Season 2

With my “Watching K-On!” series of posts, which is something like part episode guide, part episode reviews, having been finished for a few months now – and with the second season being released in the US and elsewhere these days, two years after the original airing in Japan – I think this is as good a time as any to get started on “Watching K-On!!”. There’s a lot to get through, with almost twice the amount of episodes compared to season 1, and first episode out is of course episode 1 – “Seniors!”.

Note: I’ll be referring to season 2 by its original name – “K-On!!” with the double “!!” – because calling it “K-On! Season 2” every time would get old fast.

K-On!! Season 2 Blu-Ray US vs. JP review and comparison (vol 1)

With Bandai Entertainment having packed up and left the North American home video market, for a while K-On! fans feared the second season of the TV anime would not see an English language release. So naturally, when Sentai Filmworks announced their plans to release said TV anime on DVD and Blu-Ray as early as this very summer, there was much rejoicing. But Bandai’s release of the first season left a lot to be desired for a lot of fans – would Sentai’s season 2 fare better? With the release of the first volume now upon us, it is time to have a look and see if it lives up to expectations – whatever those expectations may be.

Watching K-On! Episode 14 (Bonus Episode) – “Live House!”

 

Ho-kago Tea Time is invited to perform at a live house on New Year's Eve.

Watching K-On! Episode 13 (Bonus Episode) – “Winter Days!”

Each member of the Light Music Club faces their own everyday struggle on this cold winter day.

Complete first series released in the UK

No real news today, just a reminder that Manga UK’s complete series DVD set is out today. K-On! fans in the UK who didn’t pick up the individual volumes can now get them all at once at an affordable price.

I won’t be picking up or reviewing this set myself (believe it or not, I don’t really feel like I need a fourth copy of season 1 in my collection) but expect it to be pretty much the same as the Region 1 Anime Legends version.

Watching K-On! Episode 12 (Final Episode) – “Light Music!”

The other club members worry as Yui falls sick shortly before their live show at the school festival.

Watching K-On! Episode 11 – “Crisis!?”

As the band's second school festival draws closer, tension within the club runs high when Ritsu grows jealous over Mio's newfound friendship with Nodoka. Meanwhile, a decision needs to be made regarding the name of the band.

Season 2 US release date announced

US anime distributor Section23 Films have announced their June schedule, revealing that the second season of the K-On! TV anime (originally titled “K-On!!” with two exclamation marks, but simply titled “K-On! Season 2” for the American market) will see a release as early as a mere three months from now.

The first volume arrives on Blu-Ray and DVD on June 19^th, with an SRP of $59.98 for the DVD edition and $69.98 for the Blu-Ray (with certain stores sure to offer them at far lower prices). Note that the release will contain the first 13 episodes, roughly half the season, unlike last year’s Bandai release of season 1 which contained three to four episodes per volume.

Is this great news? I think so. 

Watching K-On! Episode 10 – “Training Camp Again!”

Azusa gets to know her seniors better as the Light Music club once again arranges a band training camp at Mugi's beach house.

Upcoming releases

Time for the monthly update, I guess. The only thing currently on the schedule is Manga UK’s complete season 1 DVD set.

April 30^th – “K-On! The Complete Series” anime DVD (UK)

DVD review: K-On! Anime Legends

Before Bandai Entertainment packed up and left the DVD market, they found the time to release a complete series set of K-On!’s first anime season. As one might expect, the set is basically a repackaging of the four volumes previously released, so there’s nothing new here per se. Sadly, there is no Blu-Ray edition of this collection, so those looking to buy the series in that format (which is definitely preferable, as I said in my Blu-Ray vs. DVD comparison) will have to pay up for the individual volumes. On the other hand, for DVD-only buyers who have been wanting to buy the show but held out for a cheaper alternative – well, it’s here.

Watching K-On! Episode 9 – “New Club Member!”

Having joined the Light Music club, new member Azusa is shocked to find its members do not appear to be as committed to their musicianship as she had expected.

Watching K-On! Episode 8 – “Freshmen Reception!”

It's the start of a new school year, and the Light Music Club attempts to recruit new members.