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Viz Media, the largest North American company for Japanese anime and manga, has officially announced that it has acquired the North American license for Sailor Moon Crystal, which will release simultaneously worldwide this July. Sailor Moon Crystal is the newest anime series based on Naoko Takeuchi’s hugely popular manga Sailor Moon. The revival of this worldwide huge hit is gathering attention. Also making headlines is the announcement that more than any previous work in the series, this anime will be distributed simultaneously worldwide online. However, how this will be carried out is still unclear.
Viz Media has now acquired the full North American license from Toho Animation, who holds the global license, for personal media including digital distribution as well as Blu-rays and DVDs. It also acquired the licenses for all 200 episodes of the original series and the series’ three movies.
Viz Media began distribution of the series on May 19 via its exclusive anime distribution service Neon Alley as well as on Hulu and Hulu Plus. The first four episodes are currently available, with two new episodes added every Monday. This marks the first time the movies will be officially distributed in North America and the first time Sailor Moon: Sailor Stars will be officially introduced in the U.S. Viz Media also plans to release a Blu-ray and DVD combo pack of the series this fall in the U.S.
Viz Media’s Neon Alley is a video distribution service that started in April of this year and is connected to the major distribution platform Hulu. Sailor Moon is a highlight of this service. The series will reach a wide range of users not just through Neon Alley but through Hulu as well. Through Viz Media’s acquisition of the North American rights to Sailor Moon Crystal, there is a high possibility that Hulu Plus will join Neon Alley and Hulu in distributing the series to a North American audience. Details on Sailor Moon Crystal are forthcoming.
It has also been announced that Viz Media will hold a “Sailor Moon Day” at this year’s Anime Expo to be held in Los Angeles from July 3-6. Many events and panels related to Sailor Moon are being arranged for July 5.
Source: animeanime
