Discotek Adds Live-Action Hana Yori Dango Final Film

Also: return of Crying Freeman anime, live-action Uzumaki in North America

The North American DVD distributor Discotek has announced that it will release Hana Yori Dango Final: The Movie, Yasuharu Ishii's live-action theatrical finale to the Hana Yori Dango (Boys Over Flowers) television drama. The two television drama series are themselves based on Yoko Kamio's Boys Over Flowers shōjo romantic comedy manga. The two live-action television series and the film starred Mao Inoue as the strong-willed girl named Tsukushi who perseveres at an elitist academy and in life after high school.

Discotek will ship the film on August 25. The film ran in selected American film festivals as well as on some trans-Pacific airline flights. Viz Media released the manga and anime versions of Hana Yori Dango in North America.

Discotek is also reissuing Higuchinsky's live-action film adaptation of Junji Ito's Uzumaki horror manga in September and Toei Animation's complete Crying Freeman anime series (pictured at left) at a date to be determined. Elite Entertainment had previously released Uzumaki in English in 2004, while ADV Films had released Crying Freeman in 2003. Discotek had already announced that it will release the first animated Fist of the North Star Movie

Discotek's other title announcements include the following:

July 28:
Oh! My Zombie Mermaid (Ah! Ikkenya Pro-Wres)

September:
Sex and Zen

October:
Tokyo 10+1

Date to be determined:
Stormriders
Burning Paradise
Taxi Hunter
Female Prisoner Scorpion Jailhouse 41
Kani Goalkeeper (Crab Goalkeeper)

Discotek Media launched in 2005 with an announcement that it will release anime as well as live-action films.

Source: AnimeNation Anime News Blog on May 19.