The fall 2015 anime series Lance N’ Masques from Pony Canyon continues to do poorly in regards to getting good artwork out there for this series, though we finally were able to update the first four volumes. The fifth volume is set for release on April 20th, 2016 and with the small artwork they’ve put out, we also know that the release will come with a new character CD for the limited edition and four end card pinups. The series is getting a six-volume DVD and Blu-ray release that began on December 16th, 2015. The formats have the Blu-ray’s coming in a regular and limited edition, priced at 6,000 and 6,800 yen respectively, as well as regular edition only DVDs at 5,500 yen.
Pony Canyon announced in the spring of 2014 that Studio Gokumi was taking on a new project, adapting the light novel series Lance N’Masques by Hideaki Koyasu. Pony Canyon USA announced in early April 2015 that they would be bringing the series over as well for localization. This series marked the first light novel from the Pony Can imprint to get an anime adaptation and that means higher expectations are likely.
The cast includes Daiki Yamashita as Yōtarō Hanafusa, Ari Ozawa as Makio Kidōin, Manami Numakura as Yoriko Sudo, Suzuko Mimori as Alice Cleveland, Aimi Tanaka as Liu Yuyan, Ayana Taketatsu as He Yufeng, Lynn as Silvia Marlowe and Yumi Uchiyama as Nori Hizuki.
Kyohei Ishiguro directed the series for Studio Gokumi with original writer Hideaki Koyasu handling the series composition and scripts for the show. Koyasu is no stranger to head writer duties for an anime as he served in that role for Akikan!, GJ Club and Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan.
The light novel series is a recent one with the first volume having landed in December of 2013.
Plot concept: The battle action novel series revolves around Youtarou Hanafusa, a young man who is part of the last remaining order of knights in the 21st century, “Knights of the World.” As he fights as the mysterious Knight Lancer, he must hide his identity behind a mask.
| Volume | Date | Extras |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12/16/15 | Character CD, end card pinup, original story |
| 2 | 01/20/16 | Character CD, end card pinup, original story |
| 3 | 02/17/16 | Character CD, end card pinup, original story |
| 4 | 03/16/16 | Character CD, end card pinup, original story |
| 5 | 04/20/16 | Character CD, end car pinup, original story |
| 6 | 05/18/16 |
[Source: Lance N’ Masques]
