At this stage, I’m just amused and enjoying watching the slow progress of this release. Anime Limited picked up the series Tokyo Marble Chocolate back in the fall of 2015 and eventually set a formalized November 28th, 2016 release date. That date has, unfortunately, has seen a few delays and then a pull from the schedule for a while. That was changed earlier this month as the series is back on the schedule for the distributor with a planned April 24th, 2017 release. That, however, did not last long as it’s now been pushed back to a May 29th, 2017 release date due to missing the manufacturing window for it.
It was also shifted to being a single pressing and no reprints coming for it, which just further adds speculation as to the struggles to bring this series to market. The series comes from Production I.G. as two-episode OVA project that doesn’t have a North American pickup. The collector’s edition is coming out as a DVD/BD combo set and will be priced at £34.99.
On-disc content:
- OVA Episodes 1-2 in Japanese with English subtitles
- *Other on-disc extras are TBA*
Collector’s Edition Exclusive Contents:
- Collector’s Edition box with no logos (BBFC etc.) on the covers and a digipack to hold the Blu-ray and DVD discs.
- 40 page Booklet
“One of my all-time favourite Christmas anime!” said Anime Limited’s Andrew Partridge upon licensing the series back in October 2015. “Rates about the same as Tokyo Godfathers for me, and that really is saying something. Interesting fact that a lot of the team behind Attack On Titan, before they joined WIT Studio, worked on this title. We have a soft spot for WIT Studio titles, but at the same time we’re very happy we’re able to help expand and showcase the legacy of their work to a wider audience.”
The two episodes originally came out in 2007 from Production I.G. with Naoyoshi Shiotani directing based on the screenplay by Masaya Ozaki while Kyoji Asano served as the animation director and character designer. The show featured Nana Mizuki and Takahiro Sakurai as the lead actors.
Plot concept: Serious and generous, but a bit shy, Yuudai has been unsuccessful with the opposite gender.
Chizuru is an energetic and cheerful girl, but when it comes to boyfriends, she’s been unlucky and clumsy, and never had a steady relationship. This is the first Christmas the couple spends together. Chizuru loves animals and Yuudai plans to give her a rabbit in a box, but it turns out to be… a mini donkey?! As the funny creature escapes, Chizuru goes after it, and Yuudai loses sight of them both!
The time that should have been spent together…
The important feeling that should have been revealed…
Small, but precious things that tend to be buried in every day life.
What answer will the two youngsters find while separated from each other?
Yuudai and Chizuru – their feelings and the time they spent far from each other are delicately unfolded in this double-sided pure love story told from two different perspectives!
