NEW YORK, NY (July 18, 2017) – LeftField Media and SUNRISE Inc. today announced the inaugural Anime NYC festival will play host to the US premiere of Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt: Bandit Flower, the second film in the Gundam Thunderbolt series, and that this premiere will be accompanied by a live concert featuring the music of Gundam Thunderbolt led by composer Naruyoshi Kikuchi.
Anime NYC powered by Crunchyroll is a new Japanese pop culture convention launching November 17-19, 2017 in New York’s Javits Center, and it will bring fans together with creators and companies from across America and Japan. SUNRISE’s Gundam Thunderbolt premiere and concert will take place within Anime NYC on Sunday, November 19th.
Gundam Thunderbolt: Bandit Flower is a sci-fi story grounded in the warfare of today and uniquely brought to life by the music of Naruyoshi Kikuchi. One of Japan’s greatest jazz composers and musicians, Mr. Kikuchi is acclaimed at home in Japan and around the world, and no stranger to anime, he’s also the composer of the Lupin the Third: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine soundtrack and his saxophone can be heard in the music of Cowboy Bebop.
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Mr. Kikuchi will appear at Anime NYC as an Official Guest, leading and performing in the Gundam Thunderbolt series concert, as well as speaking on panels and signing autographs.
“We’re deeply honored to welcome our friends at SUNRISE and Mr. Kikuchi to Anime NYC,” said Peter Tatara, LeftField Media’s VP of Anime Events. “Gundam is one of the most iconic sagas in the history of anime, and we’re excited to launch its newest chapter together with its fans in New York!”
“When you think jazz, you think New York,” said Thunderbolt series Producer Naohiro Ogata at SUNRISE. “Jazz is crucial to the Gundam Thunderbolt story, and there’s no better place for us to debut the new Gundam Thunderbolt film than in the heart of New York City!”
The Gundam Thunderbolt: Bandit Flower premiere and concert will be free for all Anime NYC attendees, with no additional ticket required to attend, but for loyal Gundam fans, a limited Premium Package is available now for $75, offering reserved premiere and concert seats, a private autograph session, exclusive print, and original Japanese Gundam Thunderbolt soundtrack CD.
The Mobile Suit Gundam saga from SUNRISE is one of the most prolific titles in the history of Japanese animation. It spans over 35 years and more than 50 television series and movies, and Gundam Thunderbolt: Bandit Flower is the latest entry into this universe. Based on the Gundam Thunderbolt comic by Yasuo Ohtagaki, Gundam Thunderbolt: Bandit Flower continues the story of rival pilots Daryl Lorenz and Io Fleming. With their battlefield now on Earth, they each face a new enemy.
The Gundam Thunderbolt comic is published in the US by VIZ Media, and the first Gundam Thunderbolt film, December Sky, is available now on Blu-ray from Right Stuf. Bluefin, the official American distributor of many anime and pop culture brands including Bandai’s Gundam collectibles and model kits, will also be appearing at Anime NYC with a number of Gundam Thunderbolt model kits for sale.
Anime NYC powered by Crunchyroll will continue to announce guests, premieres, and special events throughout the summer and fall, and fans can expect to three days and nights of anime, manga, and cosplay featuring SUNRISE, Crunchyroll, VIZ Media, Funimation, Kinokuniya, Kodansha Comics, Sentai Filmworks, Tokyo Otaku Mode, Vertical, Yen Press, and more. Tickets to Anime NYC are available now at animenyc.com, and fans wanting to learn the latest news can follow Anime NYC on Facebook and Twitter.
About Anime NYC
Anime NYC is New York City’s anime convention! A showcase of the best of Japanese pop culture in the biggest city in America, Anime NYC brings anime fans and publishers together for three days of unique exhibits, exclusive screenings, extensive panels, and appearances by some of the biggest creators in Japan. Join us for a celebration of Japanese animation, manga, cosplay, movies, food, fashion, travel, technology, toys, and games in the heart of NYC! For more, visit animenyc.com.
About SUNRISE
SUNRISE Inc., a Bandai Namco Group Company, is an animation production studio headed by Yasuo Miyakawa (President and CEO) known for producing original animation series such as the Gundam franchise, Code Geass, and Tiger & Bunny.
About LeftField Media
LeftField Media, LLC is an events company focused on developing face-to-face events in a range of communities rooted in contemporary culture and shared passion. LeftField was formed in 2014 by Greg Topalian (President, LeftField Media) and is now owned by Topalian and Clarion Events Ltd. With a keen sense of the ever-evolving needs of businesses and their consumers as well as new opportunities created by change, LeftField takes a clean slate approach to business. LeftField’s portfolio includes Play Fair (playfairny.com), a family-focused celebration of toys and play built with the Toy Association; Awesome Con (awesomecon.com), Washington DC’s Comic Con; Rose City Comic Con (rosecitycomiccon.com), Portland, Oregon’s Comic Con; Anime NYC (animenyc.com), a Japanese pop culture festival presented by Crunchyroll; the Five Points Festival (fivepointsfest.com), a designer toy and comic art convention curated by Clutter; and the Classic Auto Show (theclassicautoshow.com), a classic and vintage auto show launched in Los Angeles. LeftField Media is headquartered in historic Trumbull, CT. (leftfieldmedia.com)
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