's 2011 film of aerial romance novel gets BD release in May

NIS America (NISA), the American subsidiary of the Nippon Ichi Software game company, announced on Thursday that it acquired MADHOUSE's The Princess and the Pilot (Toaru Hikūshi e no Tsuioku) anime film for North America. The license marks NISA's first anime film release. NISA will release the film on Blu-ray Disc on May 14 in a subtitled-only premium edition set for US$44.99. The set includes a 32-page hardcover art book and collectible slipcase. Video extras include Japanese commercials and theatrical previews.

The film adapts Koroku Inumura's romance novel of the same name. NISA describes the story:

The war between the Levamme Empire and the Amatsukami Imperium has been raging for years. In the midst of this struggle, the prince of the Levamme Empire declares his love for Juana del Moral and vows to end the war in one year, as part of his marriage proposal. When the Amatsukami catch wind of this, they assault the del Moral residence, targeting Juana's life. As a last-ditch effort to bring the prince his bride, the San Maltilia Airforce employs a mercenary of mixed blood — a bestado — to fly Juana to the prince in secret. The pilot, Charles, accepts the mission ... but traversing an ocean alone, and into enemy territory, proves a much more dangerous ordeal than anyone could have anticipated.

Jun Shishido ( Hajime no Ippo: New Challenger, The Story of Saiunkoku ) directed the film at the anime studio Madhouse. Satoko Okudera ( The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, Summer Wars, Wolf Children ) wrote the screenplay, and character designer Hidenori Matsubara ( Ah! My Goddess, Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo, King of Thorn ) adapted the original novel illustrations by Haruyuki Morisawa ( Lagrange - The Flower of Rin-ne ).

The cast includes Ryunosuke Kamiki (Summer Wars' Kenji Koiso, Howl's Moving Castle's Markl) as Charles Karino, Seika Taketomi as Juana del Moral, Daisuke Ono (The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya' Itsuki Koizumi, Wagnaria!!'s Jun Satou, Black Butler's Sebastian) as Carlo Levamme, and Daisuke Namikawa (Persona 4's Yu Narukami, Kimi ni Todoke's Shōta Kazehaya, Bleach's Ulquiorra) as Joaquin. The film opened in Japan in October 2011.

NISA is streaming a trailer.

Images © 2011 Koroku Inumura, Shogakukan / Toaru Hikuushiheno Tsuioku Project