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Section23 Adds Hyakka Ryōran Samurai Girls TV Anime (Update 2)

The North American anime distributor Section23 Films announced on Tuesday that it will release Hyakka Ryōran Samurai Girls on behalf of Sentai Filmworks on DVD and Blu-ray Disc on August 23. Both releases will include the complete 12-episode series, the original Japanese audio, and an English-language dub, with suggested retail prices (SRPs) of $59.98 for the DVD and $69.98 for the Blu-ray. A Section23 representative informed ANN that "in the next few weeks," the company will make an announcement with regard to the six-episode original video anime series included in the Japanese releases of the show.

Section23 also announced the following release dates:

• Maid Sama! DVD Collection 2 - August 2 - US$49.98
• Kobato. DVD Collection 1 - August 9 - US$49.98
• Night Raid 1931 DVD Complete Collection - August 16 - US$59.98
• Night Raid 1931 Blu-ray Complete Collection - August 16 - US$69.98
• Neo Angelique Abyss DVD Complete Collection - August 30 - US$59.98

Samurai Girls is a television anime adaptation of Akira Suzuki's light novel series of the same name. It premiered in Japan last October. The series' story is set in the early 21st century — except in this alternate world, the Tokugawa shogunate never lost power and Japan maintained its enforced seclusion from the rest of the world. At a giant academy for children of military families at the foot of Mt. Fuji, the student council enforces the suppression of rebellious elements. (Many of the students carry the names of famous historical figures.)

The girls Yukimura Sanada (Rie Kugimiya) and Matabei Gotō (Yū Kobayashi) battle the mostly female members of the ruling student council faction such as Sen Tokugawa ("Sen-hime," Minako Kotobuki), Hanzō Hattori (Saori Gotō), and others. A 16-year-old male student named Muneakira Yagyū (Daisuke Hirakawa) and a female Jūbei Yagyū (Aoi Yūki) are caught in the middle.

The Anime Network's website streamed the anime in the United States as it aired in Japan. The magazine and book publisher Hobby Japan announced at Anime Expo 2010 that it will bring the light novels to North America.

Update: Added background information, image, OVA info.

Update 2: Added other releases' information and corrected Sen Tokugawa's voice credit. Thanks, Murasaki Hiro.

Image © 2010 Akira Suzuki, Niθ, Hobby Japan/Hyakka Ryōran Partners