Aniplex of America Announces Natsume Yujin-cho the Movie: Ephemeral Bond Blu-ray Release in November

The only feature-length film from the mysterious and ethereal world
of Natsume Yujin-cho finally arrives on Blu-ray!

SANTA MONICA, CA (SEPTEMBER 12, 2019) – Aniplex of America is thrilled to announce the highly anticipated release of Natsume Yujin-cho the Movie: Ephemeral Bond on Blu-ray on November 26th. The first and only film from the beloved series features a brand new, original story by creator Yuki Midorikawa along with veteran director Takahiro Omori (Durarara!!, Hell Girl) returning as Chief Director with help from Hideki Ito, who has taken on the role of director for the film, and Tatsuo Yamada, who handled the yokai design and role of action animation director. The film's animation production is by studio Shuka, who produced the TV series since 2016, with screenplay by Sadayuki Murai (Kino's Journey, Knights of Sidonia) and music by Makoto Yoshimori, who has composed the music for the series since its premiere in 2008. The Blu-ray release comes with one disc featuring bonus contents including a teaser, special commercial, and both a trailer and extended trailer, as well as illustration cards, and a special Nyanko-sensei sticker. Pre-orders are now open for Natsume Yujin-cho the Movie: Ephemeral Bond at online retailer, Righstufanime.com.

Cherished by fans for years, the Natsume Yujin-cho series has been widely praised for its heartwarming storytelling and unique, yet loveable ensemble of characters. The film finds Natsume, voiced by Hiroshi Kamiya (Monogatari series, Blue Exorcist) in an unlikely predicament when his trusted bodyguard, Nyanko-sensei, voiced by veteran voice actor Kazuhiko Ito (Naruto, Detective Conan), splits into three after eating some strange fruit. Throughout the film, Natsume encounters many fan-favorite characters that have appeared within the series' six seasons, including Shuichi Natori, voiced by Akira Ishida (Gintama, Neon Genesis Evangelion), his familiar Hiiragi, voiced by Satsuki Yukino (Inuyasha, Monogatari series), and many yokais, who provide some truly laugh out loud moments as they attempt to help Natsume and Nyanko-sensei. The film also introduces an old acquaintance of Natsume's grandmother, Yorie Tsumura, voiced by the legendary voice actress Sumi Shimamoto, who is best known for her leading role in Nasuicaa of the Valley of the Wind.

Natsume Yujin-cho the Movie: Ephemeral Bond premiered in Japan in September of 2018 followed by a U.S. premiere at Anime NYC in November 2018 hosted by Aniplex of America.

Natsume Yujin-cho the Movie: Ephemeral Bond Blu-ray includes:
<Disc Specs>

Spoken Languages: Japanese
Subtitles: English
Aspect Ratio: 16:9 HD Widescreen
Episodes: Movie
Number of Discs: 1 Disc
Total Run Time: Approx. 104 minutes
Rating: 13 UP

<Bonus Contents>

Teaser
Special commercial
Trailer
Extended Trailer

* Bonus content subject to change.

< Bonus Materials & Package>

Exclusive package artwork
Nyanko-sensei sticker
Illustration cards

* Bonus materials subject to change.

Product number and UPC bar code:

Title
Natsume Yujin-cho the Movie: Ephemeral Bond Blu-ray

Street Date
11/26/2019

SKU #
AOA-13901

UPC
816546022297

SRP
$ 49.98

Store Price
$39.98

About Natsume Yujin-cho the Movie: Ephemeral Bond:
A kind yet sad lie was told.

Natsume has been busy, navigating between humans and yokai when he coincidentally reunites with an old classmate, Yuki.

The reunion brings back painful memories of a certain yokai. Meanwhile, Natsume also becomes acquainted with Yorie Tsumura, a woman in the memories of a yokai whose name Natsume had returned. Yorie knows much about Reiko, and now lives a peaceful life with her only son, Mukuo. Interacting with this family is comforting for Natsume, but a mysterious yokai has been lurking in their town. On the way back from investigating, a “yokai seed” that had latched itself to Nyanko-sensei drops into the Fujiwara Family's garden and grows overnight into a fruit tree.

When Nyanko-sensei eats a fruit that is somewhat shaped like himself, he suddenly splits into three!

For more details on Natsume Yujin-cho the Movie: Ephemeral Bond, please visit: https://natsume-movieusa.com/

STAFF
Original Story: Yuki Midorikawa (Monthly LaLa / Hakusensha)
Chief Director: Takahiro Omori
Director: Hideki Ito
Screenplay: Sadayuki Murai
Yokai Design & Action Animation Director: Tatsuo Yamada
Sub-character Design: Hiromitsu Hagiwara
Background Art: Yukihiro Shibutani
Color Setting: Hiromi Miyawaki
Editing: Kazuhiko Seki
Photography: Hitoshi Tamura & Tetsuo Kawada
Music: Makoto Yoshimori
Animation Production: Shuka
Produced by: Natsume Yujin-cho project

CAST
Reiko Nastume: Sanae Kobayashi
Takashi Natsume (Child): Ayumi Fujimura
Daisuke Yuki: Ayumu Murase
Toko Fujiwara: Miki Ito
Shigeru Fujiwara: Eiji Ito
Kaname Tanuma: Kazuma Horie
Toru Taki: Rina Sato
Satoru Nishimura: Ryohei Kimura
Atsushi Kitamoto: Hisayoshi Suganuma
Jun Sasada: Miyuki Sawashiro
Shuichi Natori: Akira Ishida
Hiiragi: Satsuki Yukino
Sasago: Ayako Kawasumi
Urihime: Akari Higuchi
Hinoe: Akemi Okamura
Misuzu: Takaya Kuroda
Chobihige: Cho
One-eyed Mid-class Yokai: Takashi Matsuyama
Cow-faced Mid-class Yokai: Hiroshi Shimozaki
Kappa: Kyoko Chikiri
Monmonbo: Eiji Kotouge
Ropponude: Mizuki Nishimura
Yorie Tsumura: Sumi Shimamoto
Mukuo Tsumura: Kengo Kora
etc.

About Aniplex of America Inc.
Aniplex of America, Inc. (Santa Monica, California) is a subsidiary of Aniplex, Inc. (headquartered in Tokyo, Japan), a division of Sony Music Entertainment (Japan), Inc., and a leading provider of anime content and music production and distribution in Japan. The company's ever-growing lineup of shows includes: Sword Art Online, FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST: BROTHERHOOD, Fate/stay night [Unlimited Blade Works], Fate/Zero, Puella Magi Madoka Magica, March comes in like a lion, Blue Exorcist, KILL la KILL, Gurren Lagann, Monogatari series, anohana -The Flower We Saw That Day-, Cells at Work!, The Promised Neverland, and Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba. In 2017, the company released the English version of the popular mobile game, Fate/Grand Order, followed by the release of mobile game, Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story's English version in the U.S. and Canada in June of 2019.

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