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Aniplex USA Outlines Home Video Releases For Fate/Grand Order: First Order, Blue Exorcist: Kyoto Saga Anime

Anime News Network's coverage of Anime Expo 2017 is sponsored by Aniplex and Yen Press.

Aniplex of America revealed at its panel at Anime Expo on Sunday the details on its home video releases of the Fate/Grand Order: First Order OVA and the Blue Exorcist: Kyoto Saga anime series.

Aniplex of America will release Fate/Grand Order: First Order on Blu-ray Disc on October 24. Pre-orders begin on July 5. The release will include Japanese and English audio, and English and Spanish subtitles. The release will include a booklet, a soundtrack CD, and a package illustrated by original character designer Takashi Takeuchi. Video extras include an announcement trailer, gameplay trailer, character trailers, and a cast interview. The release will have a store price of US$69.98.

Aniplex of America premiered the English dub of Fate/Grand Order: First Order at Anime Expo. The company revealed the English dub cast last month.

Aniplex of America describes the anime:

The year is AD 2017
The last era in which magecraft still thrived.
The Chaldea Security Organization was founded to focus on preserving the continuation of human history. They observe a world which magecraft couldn't observe and science couldn't measure all to prevent the certain extinction of humanity. But one day, the future that Chaldea continued to observe disappears and humanity's extinction in 2019 becomes clear. Rather, it had already happened.
The cause seems to be related to Fuyuki, a provincial town in Japan, in the year AD 2004. There, an “unobservable region” that had not existed before appears.
Based on the assumption that Fuyuki is the reason for humanity's extinction, Chaldea issues an order to explore, investigate, and possibly destroy this singularity – a quest for the Holy Grail: the Grand Order.

The 74-minute television anime aired in Japan on December 31. Aniplex of America, Crunchyroll, and Daisuki streamed the special the same day.

The anime is based on the Fate/Grand Order smartphone game. Aniplex released the game in Japan in summer 2015 and it has been downloaded more than 9 million times. The game received an English release in the United States and Canada on June 25. The game received more than 100,000 downloads in the first 12 hours after launching.

Aniplex of America will release Blue Exorcist: Kyoto Saga in two DVD or Blu-ray Disc sets. The sets will feature Japanese and English audio and English subtitles.

The first set ships on November 14, and the second set ships on February 13, 2018. The DVDs will each have a store price of US$29.98, and the Blu-ray Discs will each have a store price of US$59.98. The first set will feature the first six episodes, textless opening and ending, episode 1 textless ending scene, a booklet, illustration postcards, and a package illustration by character designer Keigo Sasaki. The second set will include episodes 7-12, to-be-determined bonus content, a booklet, illustration postcards, and a package illustration by Sasaki.

Aniplex of America had announced in October that it had licensed the series. The anime premiered in Japan on January 6, and Aniplex of America streamed the series on Crunchyroll and Daisuki. Hulu will exclusively stream the English dub.

The series adapts the "Kyoto Impure King Arc" that started in the fifth volume of Kazue Katō's original Blue Exorcist manga. Aniplex of America describes the series:

Assiah, the realm of humans, and Gehenna, the realm of demons. Normally, these two dimensions would never intersect, but having possessed all material substances, the demons are now intruding on the material world. But among the human race, there are those who can exorcise such demons—the exorcists.

Rin Okumura kept the fact that he was Satan's offspring a secret from everyone and decided to become an exorcist. He began his training at True Cross Academy but following the incidents involving Amaimon's raid, his lineage became apparent. Fearing his true nature and the blue flames marking his connection to Gehenna, Rin's classmates all distanced themselves from him. Meanwhile, the academy was on high alert when they realized that the “Left Eye of the Impure King” had been stolen! What lies ahead for Rin and his classmates?

Koichi Hatsumi (Deadman Wonderland, Gangsta., Berserk: The Golden Age Arc I - The Egg of the King) replaced Tensai Okamura as the director of the new series at A-1 Pictures. Toshiya Ono (The Perfect Insider, tsuritama, Gatchaman Crowds) handled the series composition, replacing Ryota Yamaguchi. Keigo Sasaki returned from the first season to design the characters, and he was also the chief animation director alongside Akira Takata (Durarara!!, Natsume's Book of Friends). Shigeki Kawai (episode director for Kingdom, Galilei Donna) served as assistant director. Hiroyuki Sawano additionally returned to compose the music alongside newcomer Kohta Yamamoto (the same Legendoor management company represents both artists). UVERworld performed the opening theme song "Itteki no Eikyō" (Drop's Influence) and Rin Akatsuki performed the ending theme song "Kono Te de" (With This Hand).