Crunchyroll Announces 3 New Anime Movies Coming To Cinemas

Anime movies are bigger than ever in the West. Hayao Miyazaki's new film The Boy And The Heron broke various records as well as earning Miyazaki-sensei his second Oscar. Over the past few years anime on the big screen is becoming a regular thing. Crunchyroll have picked up where Funimation left off, bringing anime to cinemas across the world. Their recent successes include Suzume, Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero and Demon Slayer Kimetsu No Yaiba: To The Haisha Training. During their first panel at this week's CinemaCon- the event for cinema owners and the theatrical industry- they revealed three new anime features that they would be releasing soon.

Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle is the first movie outing for the popular volleyball battle anime. Released to commemorate the series' 10th anniversary, the film is written and directed by Susumu Mitsunaka and produced by Production IG. The film is the highest grossing film of the year so far in Japan, taking 8.5 Billion Yen (~$57 Million USD)

Shoyo Hinata joins Karasuno High’s volleyball club to follow in the footsteps of his idol, known as "The Little Giant". He is forced to team up with his middle school nemesis Tobio Kageyama. Their clashing styles turn out to be a secret weapon, but is it enough to defeat the rival Nekoma High in the "Dumpster Battle" the showdown between two underdog teams?

The film will be released in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Ireland on May 31. Release dates for other countries are:

• 30th May: Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, Italy, Netherlands, and Switzerland (Italian)

• 31st May: Canada, Finland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States

• 12th June: Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Switzerland (French)

• 25th June: Austria, Germany

• 27th June: Switzerland (German)

Keeping with the theme of sports anime, popular football anime Blue Lock has also graduated to the big screen. Blue Lock The Movie: Episode Nagi serves as side story to the anime TV series following teen Nagi Seishiro as he discovers his talent for football (soccer for you heathens).

The film will be released in North America on June 28, in both original subtitled and English dubbed formats. International dates, including the UK and Ireland, are to be announced.

FILM SYNOPSIS

“That’s a hassle.” That was second-year high schooler Nagi Seishiro’s favorite phrase as he lived his dull life. Until Mikage Reo, a classmate who dreamed of winning the World Cup, discovered Nagi’s hidden skill, inspiring him to play soccer and share his outstanding talent. One day, he receives an invitation to the mysterious BLUE LOCK Project. What awaits him there is an encounter with the finest strikers assembled from across the country. Nagi’s dream of becoming the best, alongside Reo, will take this prodigy to a world he’s never known. 

A prodigy can only be shaped when someone discovers him….now, striker Nagi Seishiro’s incredible talent and persona will set the soccer world ablaze.

The film is directed by Shunsuke Ishikawa and produced by Eightbit. It's written by Taku Kishimoto. based on an original story by Muneyuki Kaneshiro. It's adapted from the manga by Kouta Sannomiya.

Overlord: The Sacred Kingdom is a spin-of of the isekai video game anime Overlord. Crunchyroll has acquired the theatrical rights for North America, Latin America and select international rights in EMEA.

Overlord: The Sacred Kingdom is the first theatrical release based on the popular fantasy series Overlord, based on the light novels by Kugane Maruyama. The film is a continuation of the story, picking up after the end of the fourth season. The story follows Momonga, a regular salary man, who finds himself transported to the world of his favourite video game (don't you hate it when that happens?),

SYNOPSIS

Once prosperous but now on the brink of ruin, The Sacred Kingdom enjoyed years of peace after construction of an enormous wall protecting them from neighboring invasions. But, one day this comes to an end when the Demon Emperor Jaldabaoth arrives with an army of villainous demi-humans. 

Fearing invasion of their own lands, the neighboring territory of the Slane Theocracy is forced to beg their enemies at the Sorcerer Kingdom for help. Heeding the call, Momonga, now known as the Sorcerer King Ains Ooal Gown, rallies the Sorcerer Kingdom and its undead army to join the fight alongside the Sacred Kingdom and the Slane Theocracy in hopes to defeat the Demon Emperor. 

The film is directed by Naoyuki Ito based on an original story by  Kugane Maruyama. Character design and chief animation director is Satoshi Tasaki. Animation production is by the mighty Madhouse. Release dates and territories to be announced.