Campaign for Blu-ray release launched on Saturday

AnimEigo 's Kickstarter campaign for a Blu-ray Disc release of the Gunsmith Cats anime launched on Saturday and met its initial goal of US$75,000 in just over four hours.

The campaign currently has two active stretch goals. If the project reaches US$100,000, the Blu-ray Disc will add a commentary track featuring Kenichi Sonoda , Masahiro Arai , and Takanori Kaza'ana. If the project reaches US$125,000, it will fund a new four-page Gunsmith Cats manga by Sonoda. Additional stretch goals include a commentary track by Takeshi Mori and Hiroki Satō, as well as two English commentary tracks.

The anime, based on Kenichi Sonoda 's manga of the same name, centers on marksman and gunsmith Rally Vincent, and explosives expert Minnie May Hopkins, two bounty hunters who chase criminals and other bounties in Chicago, often running afoul of gangs, police, and other bounty hunters along the way.

The three-episode OVA originally shipped in Japan from 1995 to 1996. ADV released the anime on VHS in 1996, and on DVD in 2001. Dark Horse Comics released the manga from 1996 to 2002, and also released the Gunsmith Cats Burst sequel from 2007 to 2010. Dark Horse offered a revised omnibus re-release of the original manga in 2007.

A new Gunsmith Cats reboot anime will debut at this year's Anime Central convention in Illinois. The convention will be held from May 18-20.

Thanks to Olavi Hokkanen for the news tip.