News

Aniplex USA Adds Sword Art Online: Extra Edition, Silver Spoon 2 on Home Video

Aniplex of America announced at its Anime Weekend Atlanta panel on Saturday that it will release Sword Art Online: Extra Edition and the second season of Silver Spoon on home video.

Aniplex will release Sword Art Online: Extra Edition on Blu-ray and DVD on December 23. The set will include the original Japanese audio track with English subtitles and an English dub. Bonus materials include the "Sword Art Offline" special animation with English subtitles and Sword Art Online II trailers. It will be bundled with a booklet and exclusive poster. The Blu-ray will retail for US$59.98 and the DVD will retail for US$39.98. It will be available for purchase in the U.S., Canada, Central and South Americas.

The special streamed worldwide on January 1 following its Japanese premiere on December 31. Aniplex describes the story:

Kirito and the others decide to go on an underwater quest within the world of ALO to grant Yui her wish to see a whale. As they all prepare for the quest, they face a shocking revelation... Leafa, or Suguha is afraid of water. So, Asuna and the other female members decide to teach Suguha how to swim at a pool in the real world. Meanwhile, Kirito was meeting somebody…

Original light novelist Reki Kawahara took part in the writing of the two-hour special. Tomohiko Ito returned to direct at A-1 Pictures. The original light novel series' illustrator abec gave the characters a full makeover, and character designer Shingo Adachi is adapted abec's art for anime. The cast is also returned from the television anime.

Aniplex USA will release the second season of Silver Spoon in a DVD box set on December 16. Aniplex describes the story:

In the second season of Silver Spoon, Yugo continues to explore life on the farm as he enters a new academic term at Ezono and tackles new responsibilities in hopes to find his own dream. Of course, Yugo learns quickly that with new responsibilities also come new obstacles he must overcome. But as Yugo tries to confront his own issues, he learns that many of his friends are also experiencing hardships that Yugo may be able to help with.

The DVD boxset includes all 11 episodes from the second season, textless openings and endings, and commercials. The set retails for US$74.98. It will be available for purchase in the U.S., Canada, Central and South Americas only.

Otomi Deai, assistant director for the first season based on Hiromu Arakawa's agricultural school manga Silver Spoon, took over for Tomohiko Ito to direct the second season. Taku Kishimoto wrote the scripts, and Shusei Murai handled the music. A-1 Pictures produced the series, and Ito instead worked as sound director. Crunchyroll streamed the anime's second season as it aired in Japan.

The company also announced that volume 3 of its Kill la Kill home video release is slated for December 23, followed by the fourth volume on February 24.