Europe-based distributor POM Anime has acquired rights to upcoming Japanese anime Lupin The IIIrd The Movie: The Immortal Bloodline and classics Akira and Grave Of The Fireflies as it prepares to open Dan Da Dan: Evil Eye in several territories.
The highly-anticipated Lupin The Third: The Movie marks the first 2D feature in the acclaimed franchise for nearly 30 years. POM Anime plans to release the film in Q4 2025 in territories including Benelux, Poland, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia, Kosovo, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania.
It builds on POM’s partnership with Japanese animation studio TMS Entertainment after releasing 1979 classic Lupin III: The Castle Of Cagliostro, directed by Hayao Miyazaki, across Europe last year.
The upcoming film is directed by Takeshi Koike, who has made three previous features in the Lupin III franchise as well as Redline, which played at Locarno in 2009. The latest story follows master thief Lupin and his friends as they travel to a mysterious island in search of lost treasure and discover seemingly immortal ruler. Toho Next is set to release in Japan on June 27.
It comes as POM Anime is set to release Dan Da Dan: Evil Eye in cinemas across Europe from tomorrow (June 7). The first three episodes from season two of the popular anime have been compiled to form a feature, which will be screened alongside 10 minutes of bonus content only available in theatres.
The story follows Momo, a high school student descended from spirit mediums, and her occult-obsessed classmate Okarun. Together, they travel to a mysterious hot springs town to uncover dark secrets.
The distributor previously teamed with France’s ADN (Animation Digital Network) to release Dan Da Dan: First Encounter in cinemas last year and has continued the partnership for the sequel, which will be released in Switzerland, Spain, Italy, Poland, Netherlands, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Kosovo this weekend. A release in Germany and Austria will follow on June 10.
POM Anime, launched two years ago by Amsterdam-based Piece of Magic Entertainment, continues to build its slate further with classic titles.
They include a 4K restoration of Akira, on which POM Anime will partner with Japan’s Kodansha to release the 1988 cyberpunk anime across 20 countries. It is set for release on July 16, also known as Akira Day, when events in the story are said to have destroyed Tokyo and sparked World War III.
The distributor previously re-released the film across 12 countries in 2023 and has now secured theatrical rights in eighty new territories, expanding into the Nordics and Baltics
It has also acquired rights to Studio Ghibli’s Grave Of The Fireflies, Isao Takahata’s 1988 animated feature about a young boy and his little sister in Second World War Japan. Rights were secured from Toho. A release is being planned for later this summer in 15 territories including Benelux, Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia, Slovenia, Kosovo and Macedonia.
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