Digital release of alternate-history comedy available "soon"; DVD/Blu-ray later this year

The North American anime licensing company Sentai Filmworks announced on Thursday that it acquired Gintama: The Movie (Gintama: Shinyaku Benizakura-Hen) . According to the company, the action comedy film will soon be available digitally, with a home video release on DVD and Blu-ray Disc scheduled for later this year.

The 95-minute feature retells a story from the Gintama television series, which is set in an alternate version of Tokyo that Amanto aliens have invaded. Former samurai Gintoki Sakata investigates the disappearance of a legendary sword named Benizakura, while his partners Kagura and Shinpachi Shimura try to find out what happened to Gintoki's friend, Kotaro Katsura.

Gintama: The Movie is currently the only theatrical anime adaptation of Hideaki Sorachi's bestselling manga series. The film opened in limited release (90 screens) in Japan in April 2010, and then had its international premiere in Montreal in July of that year. The first film eventually earned 1.07 billion yen (about US$12.86 million) at the box office. Sentai Filmworks already licensed the television anime series, and Section23 Films released the first 49 episodes on DVD.

Image © Hideaki Sorachi/Gintama Movie Production Committee