

Anime News Network's coverage of Anime Expo 2018 is sponsored by Yen Press. Anime News Network's coverage of Anime Expo 2018 is sponsored by Yen Press.

Section23's Maiden Japan imprint announced at Anime Expo on Thursday that it has licensed the following anime:

Human Crossing

Blue Gale Xabungle

Space Runaway Ideon

Armored Trooper Votoms

Hataraki Man

Basquash!

Yumeiro Pâtissière

Maria Watches Over Us

Maiden Japan's Maria Watches Over Us license includes all of the original video anime (OVAs), and the series will stream on HIDIVE prior to a Blu-ray Disc release. The panelists noted that there are talks for an English dub.

Geneon Entertainment Inc. previously released Human Crossing on DVD between 2005 to 2007. The 13-episode series originally aired in 2003. The omnibus series follows "dramas that emerge from life's human crossroads..."



HIDIVE began streaming Blue Gale Xabungle in August 2017, and it describes the story:

On the planet Zora, there are two societies: the Innocent and the Civilians. Jiron Amos seeks revenge against the outlaw who killed his parents, but in a world where Civilian crimes are forgiven if they're not brought to justice within three days, there's little he can do. Taking his revenge into his own hands, Jiron steals the mecha Xabungle and teams up with a group of bandits, the Sandrats. As his quest continues, Jiron's actions sow the seeds of rebellion against the Innocent.

Gundam's Yoshiyuki Tomino served as chief director on the 1982-1983 television anime Xabungle ( Sentō Mecha Xabungle or Blue Gale Xabungle ). The Sunrise series also spawned an anime film titled Xabungle Graffiti in 1983.



HIDIVE began streaming the 1980-1981 anime Space Runaway Ideon ( Densetsu Kyojin Ideon ) in November, and it describes the story:

In the year 2300, mankind has begun colonizing planets around the Andromeda Galaxy. While doing so, they come to discover the mysterious remains of the Ideon, a godlike mecha. During the restoration process, the Ideon is unable to be activated until a humanoid alien race comes to the planet. When Cosmo Yuki climbs aboard, the Ideon activates suddenly which fends off the attack. Will Yuki be able to save the universe or will it meet its doom?

Yoshiyuki Tomino served as chief director and original creator on the anime after working on Mobile Suit Gundam . Space Runaway Ideon ran for 39 episodes, although it was originally planned to run for 43. The second of two compilation films in 1982 covered the content from the remaining four episodes.



NuTech Digital and later Central Park Media previously released Armored Trooper Votoms on DVD.

In the story, the end of the 100-year war between the planets Bavalant and Melkia does not allow Melkian soldier Chirico Cuvie a moment of peace. His accidental involvement in a clandestine mission places him in danger, requiring him to escape and attempt to survive on what is left of his war-torn homeworld.

The 52-episode series originally aired in 1983-1984. Ryousuke Takahashi directed the series at Nippon Sunrise and Sunrise.



Hataraki Man is based on Moyoco Anno's manga of the same name. The 11-episode series premiered in October 2006.

The story centers on Hiroko Matsukata, who is a woman who works for a magazine company. She puts all she has into her work, and is known as a strong, straight-forward working girl, who can at will turn herself into Hataraki Man (working man) mode. Despite Hiroko's success at work, her life lacks romance. Even though she's a hard worker, she'd leave early any time to go on a date. Too bad her boyfriend is even bigger a workaholic than Hiroko.

Katsumi Ono directed the series at GALLOP. The anime aired in Fuji TV's Noitamina programming block.



The 26-episode Basquash! television anime series originally aired in 2009.

The story takes place on the planet Earthdash, where its inhabitants gaze on its moon and the technologically advanced lunar city of Mooneyes with awe. Dan JD, a boy living in Rollingtown on Earthdash's surface, gets caught up in Bigfoot Basketball — a fast-paced sport played with giant Bigfoot robots.

Satelight executive director and anime creator Shoji Kawamori (Macross, Escaflowne, Aquarion) and French animation creator Thomas Romain (Oban Star-Racers, Aria the Natural) collaborated on the creation of the joint French/Japanese anime production.



Yumeiro Pâtissière adapts Natsumi Matsumoto's manga of the same name. The 50-episode series aired in 2009-2010.

The manga centers on a 14-year-old girl named Ichigo Amano who wants to be a pâtissière (female pastry chef), but is stymied by her own clumsiness. One day, she enrolls in St. Mary Academy, a culinary school for sweets, and meets a "spirit of sweets."

Iku Suzuki directed the series at Studio Pierrot. Crunchyroll streamed the anime as it aired, but its license has since expired.



Nozomi Entertainment originally licensed Maria Watches Over Us , but its license recently expired.

The anime adapts Oyuki Konno's light novel series. Nozomi Entertainment describes the first season:

When Yumi Fukuzawa entered the Lillian Girls' Academy, a prestigious all-girls Catholic school in Tokyo, she never imagined she would catch the eye of beautiful and demure Sachiko Ogasawara, one of the school's most popular students. Now Sachiko has offered to be Yumi's soeur, her "sister" and guide for all her years at the academy. The whole idea has Yumi completely flustered - after all, they hardly know each other! The entire campus is abuzz with rumors about the two of them, but Yumi is conflicted over accepting Sachiko's offer. While she admires Sachiko, being her soeur would also mean constantly being at the center of the entire school's attention!

Sources: Email correspondence, Anime Expo panel (Nikki Flores)