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Bandai Entertainment Adds Kannagi Anime DVDs & Streams (Update 3)

The North American anime distributor Bandai Entertainment has announced that it licensed the Kannagi: Crazy Shrine Maidens supernatural romantic comedy television series from the Aniplex production company. The first English-subtitled, seven-episode DVD volume can be ordered within a day from both Right Stuf and Amazon Marketplace, and ANN is now streaming two English-subtitled episodes a week for the next three weeks. (The official Kannagi website is streaming the first episodes also.)

In the anime and Eri Takenashi's original manga, an art student named Jin Mikuriya carves a statue from the wood of a sacred tree — only to have the statue come to life. The original tree happened to be possessed by a goddess named Nagi. Jin finds himself being dragged all over town to help Nagi destroy the impurities of the world.

The second and final DVD volume will ship on September 24, and ANN will stream episodes 7 and 8 a week before that DVD's release. ANN will then stream the remainder of the series at the same two-episodes-a-week pace until the 14th and final episode. Fans who order both DVD volumes from Right Stuf or Amazon Marketplace before September 8 will receive a Kannagi T-shirt in the size of their choice. Both volume will be available in one set for the general market next year.

Kannagi director Yutaka Yamamoto is attending this week's Otakon, where the DVD will be available immediately. Besides Kannagi, Yamamoto directed the first four episodes of Lucky Star and oversaw the overall animation production of The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. Yamamoto recorded a video message for Kannagi fans on the official English Nagi-sama fan club.

Image © Eri Takenashi/Ichijinsha, Aniplex

Update: More background information added.

Update 2: Links to press release and store listings added.

Update 3: Right Stuf is now accepting orders. The second DVD comes with the T-shirt; there are five different item numbers for the bundle, depending on the desired shirt size.