Campaign to releasemockumentary's 'Otaking Edition' to launch next month

North American anime distributor AnimEigo reported on Thursday that it is previewing an "Otaku no Video Otaking Edition Subtitled Anime Blu-Ray" Kickstarter campaign. The company seeks to gain feedback before the fundraising campaign officially launches next month.

The campaign aims to release Gainax's original video anime (OVA) Otaku no Video on Blu-ray Disc for its 25th anniversary. Kickstarter backers would receive the "Otaking Edition," which includes the first "1982 Otaku no Video" episode and the "1985 Zoku Otaku no Video" followup, in Japanese with English subtitles.

Under the current plan, the "Otaking Edition" would also include two subtitled commentary tracks curated by anime historian Toru Sano and featuring voice actress Kikuko Inoue, animation producer Shouji Murahama, Ganiax president and founding member Hiroyuki Yamaga, and anime producer Hiroki Sato. Backers would also receive bonus materials including color artwork, line art (settei), scans of the original post-recording scripts, and program notes (on both the disc and an online Wiki resource).

The release would not be region-coded and would be available to ship anywhere in the world except Japan.

If the campaign reaches its initial US$40,000 goal, it would focus on stretch goals including new artwork and graphics materials by Otaku no Video character designer Kenichi Sonoda.

The campaign plans to use the same HD transfer as the Japanese Blu-Ray Disc, which shipped in Japan last year.

Gainax produced the OVA for release on VHS in 1991, and the Otaku no Video DVD Special Edition release followed in 2000. AnimEigo released the OVA on DVD in North America in 2002.