Cult-classic anime film Summer Wars is getting a pair of new physical editions on April 1, including an Amazon-exclusive Limited Edition Steelbook that brings the movie to 4K UHD resolution for the first time. Preorders for Summer Wars Limited Edition Steelbook are available now for $37. Alternatively, you can save $10 by opting for the standard 1080p Blu-ray edition.
$37 | Releases April 1
First released in Japanese Theaters all the way back in 2009, Summer Wars was a massive critical and commercial hit at the time. The film tells the story of Kenji–a moderator for a virtual reality world that has become entwined with everyday life–who gets roped into a scheme to pose as a fake boyfriend to his friend Natsuki.
Things go haywire for Kenji after a rogue AI program steals his online identity and he’s accused for hacks that lead to real-world catastrophes, and he has to unite Natsuki’s family to help him stop an imminent cyber-apocalypse.
$27 | Releases April 1
While this will be the first time Summer Wars has released on 4K, it’s not the first standard 1080p Blu-ray release. Funimation published the first Blu-ray edition back in 2011, and it has been reissued in the years since. That said, Summer Wars has been out of print for a while now. The standard Blu-ray edition releases alongside the Limited Edition Steelbook on April 1 and is up for preorder for $27.
$20.54 (was $25)
Summer Wars director Mamoru Hosoda adapted the story into a serialized manga that began around the same time the film hit theaters. Fans of Summer Wars should check it out if they want to spend more time in its world. There’s a cheap and convenient way to get the full run, too. The 589-page Summer Wars: Complete Edition paperback omnibus is available for only $20.54 (was $25) at Amazon.
Summer Wars earned rave reviews for its vibrant animation and story that examined life in a digital age. The new editions don’t have much in terms of extras, but if you like interviews, there are several with the film’s original cast of voice actors as well as with Hosoda.
Summer Wars Bonus Features
- Interviews with voice actors
- Interview with director Mamoru Hosoda
- Teaser trailers and TV spots
Summer Wars was Hosoda’s second feature-length anime following the 2006 cult hit The Girl Who Leapt Through Time. Hosoda also directed two Digimon short films, including Digimon Adventure, which debuted right before the Digimon Adventure series kicked off.
Another anime Blu-ray to keep an eye out for is the release of new Jujutsu Kaisen box sets on February 4. These will cover the Hidden Inventory and Premature Death arcs, two fan-favorite storylines of the popular anime.
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