 Press release Hollywood based Epic Pictures Group have acquired North American distribution rights, sales rights ex-Asia, and has also taken an investment position in Thailand's highly anticipated giant monster movie THE LAKE. Plans are to release the film March 10 in limited theatrical, followed by March 14 on digital platforms, and May 16 the film is set to hit physical media. Blu-ray pre-orders will launch on March 14. Discs will be available in retail stores on June 13. A Hollywood Thailand production, directed by Lee Thongkham and produced by Watson Boy Homsangpradit with executive producer Patrick Ewald. In the film, an eco-thriller; 'A gigantic and bloodthirsty monster emerges from a lake after its egg is stolen and unleashes its fury on a town’s inhabitants, leaving a trail of destruction and death in its wake. The town of Bueng Kan, now cut off from the outside world, must mobilize its officials and citizens, as well as a group of scientists that are in town conducting research, to catch this predator before it's too late.' The film's impressive gigantic monster, designed by Hollywood special effects wizard Jordu Schell, was brought to life using a combination of life-sized practical animatronics and CGI. Director Lee Thongkham had this to say "This movie will bring back the nostalgia of when we first loved the original monster movies with animatronics and puppets. But the most exciting thing about the movie is watching this monster movie with 40% CGI. You will feel the real and spectacular scope and scale from Thai cinema. The realness of the monster stomps. The realness of our monster roars and so forth. This monster genre has been used in so many territories. But what makes our monster stand out from the rest is that it is real and it has a unique ability which we can’t give out the main plot point. But be assured that there will be a reason why we chose to use animatronic gigantic monsters in the story" Epic Pictures Group CEO Patrick Ewald adds; "Inspired by the effects of real world environmental disasters, The Lake is a gripping movie that utilizes both practical and visual effects in truly impressive fashion. Following in the massive footsteps of Godzilla from Japan and The Host from Korea, The Lake is Thailand’s bold answer to the creature feature. We are so excited to unleash this ferocious beast upon audiences." Launched in 2013, Epic Pictures Releasing is a US focused, theatrical and home entertainment label specialized in distributing professionally curated action, genre and independent films. As a leader in independent film distribution, Epic Pictures Releasing titles can be seen across a variety of platforms, including theatrical, digital, subscription and cable VOD, packaged media and broadcast television. Epic Pictures Releasing distributes 20-30 titles per year. THE LAKE SYNOPSIS When a mysterious monster emerges from the Mekong River, the northern province of Bueng Kan, Thailand, is suddenly cut off from the outside world. Officials, scientists and local citizens must mobilize to stop the rampaging Kaiju before it’s too late and the whole town is destroyed. But this monster may not be alone after all... CAST Thai Cast
DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT This movie will bring back the nostalgia for when we first loved the original monster movies with animatronic and puppets. But the most exciting thing about this movie is watching it with 40% CGI. You will feel the real and spectacular scope and scale from Thai cinema. The realness of the monster stomps. The realness of our monster roars and so forth. The monster genre has been used in so many different ways. But what makes our monster stand out from the rest is that it is real and has a unique ability which we can’t give away... But be assured, there’s a reason we chose to use animatronic gigantic monsters in the story. THE WORLD OF THE STORY The whole movie setting takes place in the countryside of Thailand, showing how people from different technological backgrounds work together to deal with a phenomenon like a giant monster rising from the Lake. We decided to create a character-based perspective, grounded in the real world, and then layered otherworldly elements into that world. IN CINEMAS: August 18th, 2022 (Thailand) GENRES: Action / Thriller / Drama / Monster TITLE (EN): The Lake TITLE (TH): บงึ กาฬ (Bueng Kan) COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: Thailand DIRECTOR: Lee Thongkham
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 About Hoshi 35 From The Crowdfunding Campaign Page Dedicate respect to Heisei special effects movies The era of "Heisei". The era of prosperity and decline, such as the bursting of the economic bubble, the spread of the Internet, and earthquakes, was the era we lived in, the Heisei era. "Special effects movies" were greatly influenced by them, and various works were made. The live-action film "HOSHI 35" will thoroughly respect the values and culture of the Heisei era, aiming to be a special effects film that will serve as a bridge to a new era. In addition, this work is part of the "Emi (Megumi) Odaka Anniversary Project" commemorating the 35th anniversary of the debut of Emi Odaka, an actress who made a spectacular debut in 1987 and was active in "Heisei special effects", and the movie "HOSHI 35". will be Kodaka's first live-action film appearance in about 28 years, which will conclude the commemorative project. The movie "HOSHI 35" will be screened at Ikebukuro HUMAX Cinemas and others from October 2023. Synopsis
Overview
 Cast Emi (Megumi) Odaka Born in Kanagawa prefecture. He made his debut by winning the Grand Prix at the 2nd Toho Cinderella Audition. She continued her appearances in the drama 'Hana no Asuka Gumi!' and the movie 'Godzilla' series where she played Miki Saegusa, a girl with supernatural powers. In this work, she will appear in a live-action movie for the first time in about 28 years. Representative works: "Taketori Monogatari" "Hana no Asuka-gumi!" "Heisei Godzilla Series" Jun Hashizume Born in Tokyo. Screen debut in her Toho 50th anniversary movie "Kaikyo". “Young general, sorry for the world! , her first lead role in a serial drama. She made her film debut in 1994's Godzilla vs Space Godzilla. Representative works: "Godzilla vs Space Godzilla", "Ultraman Z" Yumiko Tanaka Born in Kanagawa prefecture. She played the heroine Kusanami Harumi in Kamen Rider Super 1. She also made her film debut in the theatrical version of the same work, after which she appeared in movies such as "Godzilla" and "The Ebara Family." Representative works: "Kamen Rider Super 1" "Godzilla (1984)" Hiroshi Miyasaka Born in Osaka Prefecture. He has made regular appearances in the drama "Suki to Isshin Tasuke" and has appeared in many films directed by Masayuki Suo, such as the movies "Fancy Dance" and "Shiko Funjatta". Representative works: "Ultraman Nice" "Godzilla vs Space Godzilla" Daijiro Harada Debuted in 1970 with the movie "Naked Nineteen". Since then, he has been active as a talented actor with his generous personality and acting, mainly on stage, movies and television. He has appeared in many programs not only as an actor but also as a talent, and is active in multiple fields such as reporter and moderator. Representative works: "G Men 75" "Kamata March" "Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla" Other cast members Masanori Kikuzawa / Katsunori Tanaka / Nomaru Abe / Noboru Sato / Akihiro Ugajin Staff Director/Screenplay: Hiroto Yokokawa Born in Numazu City, Shizuoka Prefecture. He graduated from the Department of Sculpture, Faculty of Fine Arts, Tokyo University of the Arts. He graduated from the same graduate school. In 2018, he planned and directed a remake of the pre-war special effects film “The Great Buddha Arrival”. In December 2020, his directorial work "Nezra 1964", which depicts the behind the scenes of the Daiei movie "Great Herd Beast Nezra", was released. In 2022, his directorial work "Kaineko Kyosokyoku" will be released. Co-Director/Associate Director: Touma Yoneyama Born in Numazu City, Shizuoka Prefecture. Since she was in high school she has been involved in independent films. He studied oil painting at Musashino Art University and is also active as a video creator. In 2018, he was in charge of acting and writing the script for “The Great Buddha Arrival”, and in 2020, he was involved in the production of “Nezura 1964”. Co-Director/Special Effects Director: Daisuke Sato Born in Oita City. In addition to his activities as a sculptor, he is also involved in video production in Japan and overseas, such as directing the puppet period drama monster movie "Sagiri no Kuni" and special effects director of Keizo Murase's "God's Brush". In order to disseminate the technique of monster modeling, he also conducts activities such as guignol making workshops to create a point of contact between children and "monster modeling". Representative of Los Gatos Works. Planning: Akihiro Ugajin / Yamato Watanabe / Hiroto Yokokawa Art Direction: Takuma Asai / Karin Yamada / Ryo Kimoto Suit actor: Akira Ohashi Monster design: Takuma Asai Brain: Kensaku Sakai Production: Three Y Co., Ltd. Production: Takashi Yasuda / MRT S Co., Ltd.  Meteorite Monster "Hoshikuzu" A new monster "Hoshikuzu" will appear in the movie "HOSHI 35". Designed by Takuma Asai , who was in charge of concept art for "Great Buddha Kaikoku" and "Nezura 1964" . Akira Ohashi , who played Gamera in the Heisei Gamera series and King Ghidorah in Godzilla, Mothra, and King Ghidorah: Giant Monsters All-Out Attack . Please look forward to the "Meteorite Monster" that flies from outer space and evolves from a juvenile to an adult.   Resin Statue  Cloverfield Zavvi Exclusive 15th Anniversary Limited Edition 4K Ultra HD Steelbook (includes Blu-ray) Description Celebrating 15 years, this Limited Edition 4K Ultra-HD™ Steelbook includes a bonus Blu-ray™ packed with special features, including alternate endings and deleted scenes. A game-changing blockbuster that took the found-footage genre to monstrous new heights, Matt Reeves (The Batman) directs this tale of five young New Yorkers thrown into an unprecedented invasion by a monster the size of a skyscraper. Product Features Disc 1: 4k Ultra HD:
Disc 2: Blu-Ray:
Product Details:
Dubbing Languages: Disc 1: 4K Ultra HD
Disc 2: Blu-ray
Certificate: 15 Actor: Mike Vogel Jessica Lucas Lizzy Caplan T.J. Miller Michael Stahl-David Odette Annable Subtitle Languages: Disc 1: 4K Ultra HD
Disc 2: Blu-ray
Main Language: English Number of Discs: 2 Region: A B C Release Date: 16 January 2023 Retail price: $46.99 Pre-order here.
 Fans choose the next playable colossal combatant in this monstrous co-op beat-'em-up! Press release Valencia, Calif. and Toronto, Ontario — November 9, 2022 — The kaiju-crushing combat rages on in Dawn of the Monsters! Independent game studio WayForward and developer 13AM Games are excited to announce that even more content is coming to the critically acclaimed giant-monster beat-'em-up, Dawn of the Monsters, which launched in March 2022 on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. Among the new content is an all-new playable character, which fans will be able to vote on from a selection of three gargantuan gladiators. The poll to determine the winner can be found at https://survey.survicate.com/d4538f262838b66f/?_svbep=P3A9YW5vbnltb3Vz. Three behemoth brawlers are ready to earn your vote: the ape-like Ziranoth, the stone warrior Daizosan, and the mecha combiner Meteor Temujin. Resembling a primate wearing a mantle of vegetation, Ziranoth is a guardian of nature with an animalistic fighting style; its "operator" is Li Mei, a girl who befriended the beast while stranded on an uninhabited island. Diazosan, meanwhile, is a living statue that specializes in Rage generation and can trample enemies with ground-shaking rampage attacks. Last but not least is Meteor Temujin, a combining, multi-melee-weapon-wielding ATOM piloted by college genius Grace Galvan and her friends. Though all three giants are prepared for combat, only one will join the fight! Whichever new character is selected will join the existing roster of four playable titans — Megadon, the "living volcano"; Ganira, the colossal crustacean; Aegis Prime, the gigantic superhero; and Tempest Galahad, the atomic-powered mecha — who go into battle against the apocalyptic Nephilim hordes. The action unfolds across more than 35 missions packed with combos and special moves, destructible environments, deep character customization, unique manga-style visuals, a captivating story with full voice acting, and two-player cooperative gameplay. In addition to the new playable character, Dawn of the Monsters will also be receiving other new content, including new modes, missions, and Japanese voiceovers, in the form of both free and paid DLC. This content is planned to launch in 2023, with further details being made available in the future. For the latest Dawn of the Monsters updates — including the winner of the new playable character poll once voting has concluded — please visit www.wayforward.com and www.13amgames.com, and follow @wayforward and @13amgames on social media.  METEOR TEMUJIN Grace Galvan was a child genius with a penchant for reverse engineering all kinds of tech and building her own versions. With the help of three of her college classmates, Grace scavenged pieces from large construction equipment and prototype ATOMs that failed to defend Los Angeles a few years ago. She started building a wonder of her own: Meteor Temujin, four ATOMs that combine into a single giant warrior. After four years, Meteor Temujin is finally ready, and Grace and her friends have decided to join forces with Team Sunrise to stop the Nephilim threat, and fight for their future! However, their most dangerous enemy might not be the uncanny monsters, but Syncor's legal team, who claim ownership over Galvan’s creation…
 DAIZOSAN Legend has it that the massive statue of Daizosan has been in the slopes of this mountain in northern Honshu, Japan, long before the village that it watches over was built. There are different versions of the tale of how the villagers found the stone flute that can be played to ask the colossal guardian to protect the hamlet from corrupt daimyos’ samurai, bandits, or other threats. Every eight years, the flute is passed from its current holder to a younger priestess in a beautiful traditional ceremony. DAWN researchers have pointed out similarities between Daizosan and the architecture and inscriptions found in the Hatteras depths. This lead them to believe that the mysterious builders of those underwater ruins also constructed Daizosan in long-forgotten times.
 ZIRANOTH Ziranoth was one of the first Nephilim to be captured by DAWN in the early days of Project Raven, 25 years ago. Due to Project Raven's initial failures, the violent Ziranoth was released in an uninhabited island somewhere in the Indian Ocean. Only recently, with the revived Project Raven's success with Megadon and Ganira, has DAWN returned for Ziranoth. What they found astonished them: Ziranoth underwent some kind of transformation. Reports claim he has since become bigger and bulkier, has grown a mantle of vegetation of sorts, and was found alongside a mysterious girl stranded in the island.
About WayForward
Based in Valencia, California, WayForward was founded in 1990 and has remained an independent game developer for more than 30 years. It is home to many talented individuals including programmers, environment artists, animators, modelers, illustrators, audio wizards, designers, and team leaders. With new avenues for distributing games directly to fans, they are finally able to make the games they have always wanted to. About 13AM Games 13AM Games is an independent game studio based out of Toronto that crafts bold, stylish 2D games that challenge convention in order to surprise and delight. They started in 2014 and released their first game, Runbow, in 2015. Stay up to date by visiting www.13amgames.com and following them on Twitter and Discord.  From SRS Cinema Space Monster Wangmagwi This is a PRE-ORDER title - PRESALES START THURSDAY 9/29/22. Please note the expected shipping date of late Jan 2023. Then give us about 2 weeks after that to get all pre-orders in the mail. We will not be responding to inquires on order status until 2 weeks after the estimated ship date has passed. Thanks! Aliens from another world seeking the conquest of Earth invade with flying saucers. They unleash a gigantic monster called Wangmagwi, who destroys everything in its path. The Air Force, led by ace pilot Ahn Hee, is dispatched, but can do little in such still heavily populated areas. Amidst the carnage, the Space Monster picks up Ahn Hee’s bride, Oh Jeong-hwan, carrying her along as it carries out the alien orders. However, when it tries to crush a young boy, named Spider, the kid evades the monster by scrambling up its arm and hitching a ride in the monster’s ear. He tortures it from within, cutting through its ear drum and, after finding a path to the nostrils, stabbing its inner nasal cavity. Eventually, Wangmagwi deploys a powerful death ray, melting entire buildings, forcing Ahn to finally take action. He executes a risky plan to save his bride and the kid, while hopefully stopping the beast once and for all. “Space Monster Wangmagwi” is a 1967 South Korean kaiju film. It was the second giant monster film to be made in South Korea (and first feature length one). A holy grail among kaiju fans, it was long thought to be lost until an original print emerged out of the blue a few years ago. It is being released on physical media for the FIRST time EVER - anywhere in the world - thanks to SRS Cinema. Tentative Extras (Blu-ray only)
-PLEASE note the expected shipping estimate before emailing us about the status of your order. -COMBO order save money but will not ship until all items are in stock. -PRE-ORDERS can NOT be cancelled once placed due to our fulfillment system. -PLEASE NOTE in case of defective discs, mis-shipments or for any reason, we may need the original item back to issue a replacement. You, the buyer, agree to return the item if we request - at our cost - in order to get a replacement. -POSTERS when applicable are provided free of charge. They are not replaced due to damage or if missing. They can run out without warning. Poster is shipped folded with the media, however you can get it sent rolled in a tube (or shipped rolled in a large box at our discretion) by selecting it from the drop down menu. Pre-sales start Thursday 9/29/22 7pm EST and will show as sold out until then. Copies are expected to ship around late Jan 2023. This release is on professionally pressed BD's, and is limited to 2000 units ever, and VHS is limited to 50 units ever. DVD release coming at a later date.      From Ronin Flix
DO YOU REMEMBER VOYAGE INTO SPACE - THE STORY OF A BOY AND HIS FLYING ROBOT - ON AFTERNOON BROADCASTS OF THE 3:30 MOVIE OR 4:30 MOVIE WHEN YOU WERE A KID? Finally, this missing link in the adventures of Johnny Sokko comes to home video for the first time in this Blu-ray release! Experience the far-out exploits of a young secret agent with the Unicorn Peacekeeping Organization as he battles the vile minions and colossal monsters of Emperor Guillotine, extraterrestrial dictator of the nefarious Gargoyle Gang! Joining the fight is an atomic-powered giant robot, armed with a fantastic array of superweapons, which only Johnny can command via a unique remote control wristwatch! This original compilation movie, assembled by American International Television from episodes of the Toei Company tele-series Johnny Sokko and His Flying Robot, was a beloved favorite for scores of kaiju-crazy kids across the US in the '70s. From the makers of Gigantor and Kamen Rider, Voyage Into Space is part James Bond, Jonny Quest, and Ultraman, shaken - not stirred - with over-the-top plots, oddball villains, outrageous creatures, outré special effects, outlandish action, topped with an offbeat jazz combo score, resulting in a mind-bending adventure in all its English-dubbed glory! If you're reliving memories or creating new ones, let's take off on a Voyage Into Space! - August Ragone, author of "Eiji Tsuburaya: Master of Monsters.” SPECIAL FEATURES:
Discs: One Run time: 1 hour and 38 minutes Release date: September 13, 2022 Retail price: $39.95 Amazon pre-order here.  Kaiju Battle is proud to present a preview of the kaiju Ganira from the game Dawn Of The Monsters, check out game info, character details, and more below, and look for the game to arrive soon. Dawn of the Monsters is a kaiju-themed beat-'em-up from developer 13AM Games and publisher WayForward that lets you (and a friend, in co-op mode) smash through 35 stages against enormous monsters known as Nephilim while controlling four unique titanic warriors. These playable characters include "The Living Inferno" Megadon, giant superhero Aegis Prime, massive mecha Tempest Galahad, and the kaiju we're featuring right here: the "Terror of the Seas," Ganira, the colossal crustacean! The game arrives on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S|X, PC, and Stadia in March, but for now, check out these first exclusive details on this aquatic kaiju! Profile: Deemed the “Terror of the Seas,” Ganira destroyed countless cargo ships, oil platforms and warships that dared to enter her territory. She also destroyed many other Nephilim in the turf wars during the First Wave. She was finally captured by DAWN (Defense Alliance Worldwide Network) by luring her out of her lair using a captured minion as bait. Now tamed, she fights for DAWN, protecting the seas against the Nephilim. Abilities: Ganira excels at making her opponents fight at her pace, and comes with one of the most unique abilities ever seen in a beat-em-up! An excellent choice for players who like hard-hitting characters with great defensive tools. Ganira’s attacks are slow but hard hitting. What she lacks in speed and range she makes up for in defense and unique abilities. One unique ability that separates her from the rest of the cast is that she can summon a crab minion. The crab minion follows Ganira and can attack enemies all on its own. The crab can also mimic some of Ganira’s abilities! More info on that below Ganira’s heavy and dash attacks don’t only hit hard but they also allow her to take damage without being interrupted. Her heavy 2 attack knocks opponents up into the air and can be followed up with her dash attack, Hammerclaw Slam. Ganira’s Rage Attacks are as follows: Steam Burst (Cost: 1 Rage): Ganira unleashes a burst of steam from within herself. It has a large area of effect around Ganira that knocks back anyone near her. Due to her unique physiology, the steam produced by the attack causes the Drench ailment. Opponents that are affected by the Drench ailment have reduced movement and attack speed. Great for crowd control. Exoskeleton (Cost: 2 Rage): Ganira ‘s body hardens to the point that it manifests a shield around herself. The shield can negate one attack from an opponent. When the shield “pops” from an attack, it explodes in a burst of steam that damages anyone near Ganira. Ganira's best tool for avoiding damage. Summon Minion (Cost: 2 Rage): Ganira calls upon her trusted companion from the deep. The summoned crab minion bursts forth in front of her, causing huge amounts of damage. The crab minion acts as an ally, attacking anyone threatening Ganira. The crab has a series of attacks that can stun and even launch opponents. It can be targeted by other enemies and can even die if its health reaches 0. Additionally, the crab mimics two of Ganira’s Rage Attacks (Steam Burst and Exoskeleton) without any additional Rage cost. Another unique property is that the crab minion shares all of Ganira’s augment upgrades, including perks! Keeping the minion active at all times vastly increases Ganira’s effectiveness in the battlefield. Ganira’s Cataclysm Attack is “Abyssal Tsunami.” She calls forth a gigantic tidal wave engulfing enemies in its path. It damages opponents and bolsters Ganira and ally defenses (including other players if you are playing co-op!). The cataclysm attack covers the arena so it hits every opponent. Very useful for dealing vast amounts of damage and giving yourself and allies a significant defense boost. Ganira is a solid choice if you are looking for a defensive powerhouse. Due to her high survivability and being able to summon a minion, she is very beginner-friendly and is a great character to use in multiplayer.     Building Smashing  Cataclysm  Summon  Dawn of the Monsters New Details and Collaborations Revealed Kaiju beat-'em-up launches in March, featuring Yuji Kaida, Shinji Nishikawa, and other all-star artists. Valencia, Calif. - February 2, 2022 - The kaiju invasion is coming! Independent game studio WayForward, in conjunction with developer 13AM Games, is proud to unveil new details for the upcoming giant-monster beat-'em-up Dawn of the Monsters. Beyond its awe-inspiring playable behemoths, two-player local co-op action, and more than 35 missions, Dawn of the Monsters will also provide players with a gripping story and compelling characters when the game launches digitally on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Stadia, and PC in March 2022. The Dawn of the Monsters saga begins in 2036 when enormous creatures known as the Nephilim invade Earth, leaving calamity in their wake. To counter the threat, a global task force known as DAWN (Defense Alliance Worldwide Network) is established, but it isn't until three decades later that humanity can properly strike back. With four gargantuan guardians at its command — Megadon, the living volcano; Ganira, the colossal crustacean; Aegis Prime, a superhuman warrior; and Tempest Galahad, a massive mech — DAWN prepares to reclaim the planet. A new trailer highlighting the game's story can be seen at https://youtu.be/A576C0R-U5w. For the developers at 13AM Games, Dawn of the Monsters is a passion project that stems from their love of all things kaiju. But in addition to the internal creative crew, an incredible team of collaborative artists is lending their talents to bring Dawn of the Monsters to life, both in-game and for promotional purposes. The list includes:
"It was personally important to me that Dawn of the Monsters not be viewed as a kaiju parody or a 'b-movie monster spoof' or anything like that," says 13AM Games CEO Alex Rushdy. "I really wanted to reflect the spirit and intent of the best craftsmen and storytellers in the kaiju and tokusatsu genre. To realize this we decided we needed to involve people who have worked on some of the most important and impactful kaiju media out there. It was a dream come true for me. I never thought I'd one day be working with Mr. Nishikawa and Mr. Kaida — two people responsible for some of the most striking images from my childhood!" Supplementing the digital version of Dawn of the Monsters, physical editions by Limited Run Games will be offered for select platforms, allowing fans to obtain many of the aforementioned promotional images provided by the collaborating artists. For the latest Dawn of the Monsters news, as well as information on other titles, please visit www.wayforward.com and www.13amgames.com, and follow @WayForward and @13amgames on Twitter.  About WayForward Based in Valencia, California, WayForward was founded in 1990 and has remained an independent game developer for more than 30 years. It is home to many talented individuals including programmers, environment artists, animators, modelers, illustrators, audio wizards, designers, and team leaders. With new avenues for distributing games directly to fans, they are finally able to make the games they have always wanted to.  About 13AM Games 13AM Games is an independent game studio based out of Toronto that crafts bold, stylish 2D games that challenge convention in order to surprise and delight. They started in 2014 and released their first game, Runbow, in 2015. Stay up to date by visiting www.13amgames.com and following them on Twitter and Discord.       DJ Crumrine  Matt Frank  Ninsai Kato  Shinji Nishikawa  Yuji Kaida  Zander Cannon  Zedd  Zedd  From the makers of Daimajin comes a trilogy of terror ripped from the pages of Japanese folklore, with ghosts and monsters from ancient myths and legends brought to life through stunning special effects, alongside an epic, big-budget reboot of the series from a modern-day master of the macabre, now available together on Blu-ray for the first time. In the first film in the trilogy, 100 Monsters, a greedy slumlord’s attempts to forcefully evict his tenants invite the wrath of the titular spirits when a cleansing ritual is botched, with terrifying results. The second film, Spook Warfare, tells the tale of an evil Babylonian vampire inadvertently awoken by treasure hunters, and a brave samurai that teams with the yokai to defeat the bloodthirsty demon. In the final film, Along with Ghosts (released only 12 months after 100 Monsters), the yokai are roused to defend a young girl on the run from deadly yakuza. Decades later, none other than Takashi Miike (Audition) helmed The Great Yokai War, a loose remake of Spook Warfare that used cutting-edge digital effects to renew the franchise for a new generation. In it, a young boy is given a grave responsibility: to band together with a group of yokai to defend humanity against a vengeful and powerful demon that has sworn retribution against modern-day Japan. Details LIMITED EDITION BOXSET CONTENTS
DISC ONE – 100 MONSTERS
DISC TWO – SPOOK WARFARE / ALONG WITH GHOSTS
DISC THREE – THE GREAT YOKAI WAR
Production Year: 1968 Region Code: A Running Time: 80 + 79 + 78 + 124 Total: 361 mins Number of Discs: 3 Language: Japanese Subtitles: English Audio: 1.0 / 5.1 Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 / 1.85:1 Color: Color Retail price: $69.99 Release date: Oct 19, 2021 Pre-order in the UK via Arrow: https://bit.ly/3j2eHBk Pre-order in the UK via Zavvi: https://bit.ly/2VhOarl Pre-order in the UK via HMV: https://bit.ly/3rGMBQ1 Pre-order in the UK via Amazon: https://amzn.to/3iafd0G Pre-order in the US via DiabolikDVD: https://bit.ly/3BXv3DF Pre-order in the US via Grindhouse: https://bit.ly/2Vg0gBk Pre-order in Canada via Unobstructed View: https://bit.ly/3ydxZtS 
 Special Thanks to Clint Weiler MVD Entertainment Group and Arrow Video US The Daimajin series films were released over the course of 1966 by Daiei Film, each film was basically the same plot, involving villages being overthrown by warlords, leading to the villagers attempting to reach out to Daimajin, the great demon god, to save them, done by three different directors. The films have received a few releases on video the last being by Mill Creek Entertainment in 2012, Arrow's release takes things a step further by giving the set a deluxe look. The packaging is very good, the set of the three films on separate Blu-rays plus a 100 page collectors booklet come in a sturdy cardboard stock case. The case features different Matt Frank art on both front and back, the top third of the case slides up to reveal a inner sleeve (second layer of cardboard stock) holding the contain within. The case has good and bad aspects, while not as elaborate as the Gamera set that Arrow also released, it does fit nicely with most video collections and does need to be stored separately. Inside the case you have the three films, each on separate Blu-rays in clear cases with each featuring a reversible cover sleeve with Matt Frank art on one side and movie poster art on the other. Each film also has a double sided postcard containing the same cover art, and there is a double sided poster containing the first films art as well, and this is where I find a slight issue, the same few pieces of art are used multiple times rather than have different artwork, it's not a big issue but still. Another issue I have is the poster as it is folded to fit within the Blu-ray case, understandable but still annoying if you want to display it. The booklet is actual pretty nice featuring new essays by Jonathan Clements, Keith Aiken, Ed Godziszewski, Raffael Coronelli, Erik Homenick, Robin Gatto and Kevin Derendorf, plus a ton of classic style Japanese art. The cover art of the book is Sumi-e style while the interior art is film like art, partly in color. The only issue with the booklet is size but this is a necessity due to the fact it needs to fit the case. The films themselves are the meat of the collection and overall they are excellent, video quality is great both the quality of the print with little to no issues. The first film is near perfect clear and crisp with great color throughout, the other two films are nearly as good with only some very minor scratches on the print but they don't take away from the films. Sound quality is just as great balanced without any distortion, something of note of interest to fans, especially those that haven't seen these before, the music is by Akira Ifukube and has Frankenstein Conquers The World/War Of The Gargantuas vibe (at least to me). The extras are nice and there is new commentary for each film, as well as a number of other bonus items. There are those that may complain about the similar stories in each film but there are stories and these aren't strictly monster movies (Daimajin doesn't really show up till close to the films end), plus the attention to detail for the time period they take place in like the top-knot hair style of many of the men to some women having black teeth, which was a Japanese tradition known as Ohaguro, and was to signify a woman being married. Overall the quality of the set is great, there are a few small issues but they don't take away from the set as a whole. If you don't have these films I definitely recommend getting this set, if you have a previous released copy I would still recommend it for the extras you get (note I did not compare the quality to the Mill Creek set which is the only other Blu-ray set but is on two discs and not three like this set).     
  
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