So I got an email from the mailing list for press from Andrew Partridge over at Beez Entertainment UK. With the destruction of Bandai Visual USA, people were wondering about the fate of BV USA’s back catalogue. Bandai Ent. USA has said they will be distributing most of their former sister company’s licenses. But Patlabor the Movie and the original Gunbuster series were noticeably absent from the list. While there’s still no word about these titles, Beez UK has said that they will be releasing Freedom and the GUNBUSTER vs DIEBUSTER: Aim for the Top! Movie on Blu Ray. Check out the propaganda people! Thanks to Andrew for this:

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Beez Entertainment is pleased to announce the forthcoming release of the first wave of Blu-Ray DVDs in the UK. Coming as part of the simultaneous worldwide release scheme from Bandai Visual to bring titles to international anime fans as quickly as possible.

Coming November 11th, 2008 to the UK – the limited edition release of the Freedom OAV series will contain content as of yet unseen by the world including the seventh Freedom OAV!

FREEDOM Blu-ray Disc Box (Limited Edition)

Street Date: November 17th, 2008
Pricing: 69.99 GBP (UK)
Product: Four (4) Blu-ray Disc Box Set/Color/approx. 280 min. / Japanese, English & French audio tracks / English & French subtitles
Technical: Dolby True HD (5.1ch), Linear PCM (Stereo) / AVC/BD50G x 4 discs / 16:9 (1080p High Definition)
Bonus Tracks: FREEDOM the Hope, Trailers, Prologue, Episode by Episode digest, Talking about FREEDOM, FREEDOM in the USA, etc.
Bonus Item: Booklet containing original FREEDOM manga episode

About FREEDOM

FREEDOM is a groundbreaking Sci-fi anime series in which a restless youth of a moon settlement Eden venture outside the rigorously controlled environment and head towards Earth, a world known to have been destroyed.

Coming November 24th, 2008 to the UK – Gunbuster vs Diebuster the movie boxset! Comes in boxset form with a bonus Blu-Ray DVD, the 2 movies are also available individually.

GUNBUSTER vs DIEBUSTER: Aim for the Top! The GATTAI!! Movie-Blu-ray Disc Box (Limited Edition)

Street Date: November 24th (UK)
Pricing: 49.99 GBP (UK)
Product: Three (3) Blu-ray Disc Box Set/COLOR?partly B/W?/approx. 280 min. / Japanese Language/English & French subtitles
Technical: Disc 1 (GUNBUSTER The Movie): Dolby True HD 5.1ch (Linear PCM Stereo) / AVC / BD-50G /4:3 (1080p Hi-Def)
Disc 2 (DIEBUSTER The Movie): Dolby True HD 5.1ch (Linear PCM Stereo) / AVC / BD-50G /16:9 (1080p Hi-Def)
Disc 3 (Bonus Disc): Linear PCM Stereo / AVC / BD-50G /4:3 (1080p Hi-Def)
Bonus Items: Original Artbox Slipcase, Booklet

Also Available:

GUNBUSTER The Movie
Street Date: November 24th (UK)
Pricing: 24.99 GBP (UK)
Product: One (1) Blu-ray Disc / Japanese Language/English & French subtitles
Technical: Dolby True HD 5.1ch (Linear PCM Stereo) / AVC / BD-50G /4:3 (1080p Hi-Def)

DIEBUSTER The Movie
Street Date: November 24th (UK)
Product: One (1) Blu-ray Disc / Japanese Language/English & French subtitles
Pricing: 24.99 GBP (UK)
Technical: Dolby True HD 5.1ch (Linear PCM Stereo) / AVC / BD-50G /16:9 (1080p Hi-Def)

About GUNBUSTER

The first commercial success of the fan turned pro studio Gainax and the directorial debut of acclaimed creator Hideaki Anno (Neon Genesis Evangelion), GUNBUSTER casts pretty girls and giant robots in a moving tale of interstellar naval war and is a story of a young girl’s struggle to pilot the ultimate weapon.

About GUNBUSTER 2 (a.k.a. DIEBUSTER)

The epic sequel directed by Kazuya Tsurumaki (FLCL) is set thousands of years after GUNBUSTER, and focuses on a space pilot wannabe named Nono from a lonely snowbound village. Her efforts lead her to join the elite teenage pilot group called Topless in order to defend the Sol System with their superpowers.

About Beez Entertainment SAS:

Beez Entertainment SAS belongs to one of the biggest Entertainment for the youth; Namco Bandai Group.

The only pan-European anime distributor (TV sales, video and music publisher, licensing), Beez Entertainment has a wholesalers network in France and in almost every European countries where anime flourishes. Popular titles in the ever-growing Beez catalogue include “Cowboy Bebop”, ‘Eureka Seven”, “Gundam Seed”, “The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya” and “Wolf’s Rain”.

About HONNEAMISE:

HONNEAMISE (pronounced “Oh-Nee-A-Meese”) refers to a kingdom located in an imaginary planet similar to earth. That kingdom became the setting for the first Bandai Group film production “Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honneamise,” in 1987 and is the name of the premium label for Bandai Visual’s domestic and international releases.

About Bandai Visual Co., Ltd.:

Bandai Visual Co., Ltd., founded in August 1983, is a Japanese company that develops, produces and distributes film, TV and home entertainment media. As a pioneer of the Japanese animation scene Bandai Visual continues to lead the market. As part of Namco Bandai Group Bandai Visual hopes to expand and emulate its success in international markets.

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