FOR TRAILERS, SEE THE BOTTOM OF THIS ARTICLE
Issei Oda's Arch Angels (Warau Mikaeru - or "Warau Michael", if you prefer back-transliterations) is scheduled to have its North American première at this year's Fantasia Festival in Montréal, Canada on July 7th at 12:00 p.m.. Albatros K.K. (Arubatorosu K.K.) released the movie theatrically in Japan on July 15th of last year; Geneon Entertainment K.K. (Jeneon Entateinmento K.K.) released it in a 2-disc sale DVD set (GNBD-1158; NTSC, region 2, no subtitles) there on December 22nd of last year.
The screenplay for Arch Angels (Warau Mikaeru) was written by Oda (who was also the visual effects supervisor for the movie) and Genki Yoshimura, based on the eponymous manga Warau Mikaeru by Izumi Kawahara. The movie stars Juri Ueno as Fumio Shijô, Megumi Seki as Kazune Saiki, Airi Taira as Yuzuko Sarashina, and Yûsuke Iseya as Kazuomi Shijô. The rest of its principal cast is as follows: Toshinobu Matsuo, Rinko Kikuchi, Brian Davis, Delcea Mihaela Gabriela, Kei Katô, Aimi Satsukawa, Mitsuki Tanimura, Mayu Kitaki, Tomomi Miyashita, Rinako Matsuoka, Satomi Tezuka (Teduka Satomi), Taichirô Hirokawa, and Tokuma Nishioka. Kanako Miyauchi, Nanase Iwai, Erina Hayase, Kimiko Fuchiuchi, Haruka Kudô, Natsuki Okamoto, and Aoi apparently are also in the movie.
Here's a description of Arch Angels from the Fantasia Festival website: "Every high school has its misfits, its square pegs, its rebels. St. Michael's Academy, nestled on an impossibly pretty and strangely remote Japanese island, is no exception. In fact, given the atmosphere of strictness, propriety and even subtle menace looming over the elite, aristocratic, Catholic boarding school, it's no wonder Fumio, Kazune and Yuzuko quickly bond over their dislike of the place (and their mutual love of chicken ramen noodles... how déclassé!). With rumours of rich girls being kidnapped in the region, the wards - and even more so, their legal guardians, including the school's enigmatic headmaster, Mr. Lawrence, and Fumio's stoic, controlling brother Kazuomi - are suspicious and on alert. Then an accidental and inexplicable unleashing of magic power infuses the girls with spectacular abilities. When the truth about the kidnappings is revealed, they're going to need them! ¶ With nutty jokes and sight gags, gothic glitter and razzle dazzle, martial-arts mayhem and hallucinatory animation, warped Christian signs and wonders, cool tunes (care of MetalChicks featuring Sugar Yoshinaga of Buffalo Daughter) and a candy-store colour scheme, Arch Angels is the kind of digital confection that tempts your sweet tooth before promptly knocking it out with a roundhouse kick. Based on Izumi Kawahara's popular manga Warau Mikaeru, and brought to life by acclaimed rock-video director Issei Oda, it makes no bones about being Japan's own technotronic, psychedelic, glam-rock mash-up of Harry Potter and Charlie's Angels!"
For more information on Arch Angels, see Twitch's sixth, fifth, fourth, third, second, and first articles on it.
Arch Angels theatrical trailer #2 page (trailer is in Japanese w/ English subtitles)
Arch Angels high-bandwidth theatrical trailer #1 (Japanese w/o subtitles; streaming Windows Media)
Arch Angels low-bandwidth theatrical trailer #1 (Japanese w/o subtitles; streaming Windows Media)
Arch Angels large teaser trailer (Japanese w/o subtitles; streaming Windows Media)
Arch Angels small teaser trailer (Japanese w/o subtitles; streaming Windows Media)
Arch Angels official subsite
Geneon Entertainment: Arch Angels 2-disc sale DVD set
YesAsia.com: Arch Angels 2-disc sale DVD set
Fantasia Festival: Arch Angels
Twitch: Arch Angels mini-review
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