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LA-AFF to Premiere 'Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions,' King of Prism Anime Films, Shonen Hollywood Extended Finale in N. America

The organizers of the Los Angeles Anime Film Festival (LA-AFF) announced on Thursday that this year's event will take place from September 21-23 at Regal L.A. Live: A Barco Innovation Center. The staff also unveiled the festival's film lineup, which includes three North American premieres: Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions! the Movie: Take on Me, Shōnen Hollywood: Holly Stage for You Complete Edition, and King of Prism: PRIDE the HERO.

Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions! the Movie: Take on Me (Eiga Chūnibyō demo Koi ga Shitai! Take On Me) will screen on opening night. Sentai Filmworks licensed the film and is partnering for the screening.

The film, a sequel to the Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions! -Heart Throb- anime, opened in Japan on January 6 and earned 70,422,300 yen (about US$634,500) in its opening weekend to rank #6 at the box office.

In the film, Rikka is now a third-year student, but she still has "chunibyo" syndrome. University entrance exams loom on the horizon, and it's spring break, and Yūta and Rikka are together as usual. One day, Rikka's older sister Tōka declares that she's going to take Rikka to Italy with her, as Tōka is moving to Italy for work and she thinks they should move together as a family. Yūta understands Tōka's opinion, but thinks that at this rate he and Rikka will be separated. Shinka and the other members suggest that Yūta and Rikka should "elope," and thus sets the stage for Yūta and Rikka's travels throughout Japan in their escape drama.

Shōnen Hollywood creator Ikuyo Hashiguchi will attend the festival for a Q&A session.

Shōnen Hollywood: Holly Stage for You Complete Edition is an expanded version of the final episode of the Shōnen Hollywood - Holly Stage for 50 television anime. The episode was funded by a crowdfunding campaign that sought 15,000,000 yen (about US$133,793) for the production. The campaign eventually raised 59,582,000 yen (about US$528,000).

The Shōnen Hollywood anime series is inspired by Hashiguchi's mixed-media project Shōnen Hollywood and is produced by anime studio ZEXCS (Diabolik Lovers, Cuticle Detective Inaba) and the music label Starchild Records. Funimation streamed both Shōnen Hollywood anime seasons as they aired in Japan in 2014 and 2015.

The King of Prism: PRIDE the HERO anime film opened in Japan in June 2017, selling 47,000 tickets to earn 82 million yen (about US$746,000) in its opening weekend.

In the story, Shin Ichijō and seven new students join Edel Rose training school to follow their dreams. They hope to become the next Prism Stars and appear in future Prism Shows. However, a plot lead by Schwarz Rose's Jin Norizuki leads to a threat to Edel Rose's existence. Over The Rainbow goes on indefinite hiatus to save Edel Rose, and the three performers go their separate ways. In order to return a huge debt, Kōji goes to Hollywood to produce film music. Kazuki goes on a street-style quest to rediscover his own origins. Hiro delves into special training to improve himself. In separate locations, the members come to face themselves as Prism Stars.

LA-AFF screened the franchise's previous film, KING OF PRISM by PrettyRhythm, last year. Both films are a spinoff of the Pretty Rhythm franchise, and center on the boys unit "Over the Rainbow."

Other films announced for the lineup include:

• your name.
• Night is Short, Walk On Girl
• Lu over the wall
• Mind Game
• Grave of the Fireflies
• Only Yesterday
• Pom Poko
• My Neighbors the Yamadas
• The Tale of Princess Kaguya
• Mary and The Witch's Flower

The festival had its inaugural event last year. The executive committee consists of Event company Rydgen Inc., film distribution company Azoland Pictures, and non-profit organization Japan Entertainment Exchange (JEX).

Source: Press Release

Update (August 10): The staff updated the press release to remove the three Evangelion films.