Pretty Packaging: GURREN LAGANN ULTIMATE EDITION Blu-ray Drills A Hole In The Heavens

(Such a crazy-good edition for such an insane series can only be fitting...)

Scottish distributor Anime Ltd. has managed quite some scoops upon start-up: their first Blu-ray release last year was Cowboy Bebop, and in February they were the first people to release an English-friendly Blu of Kon Satoshi's Perfect Blue (reviewed here and shown here).

Already they're making quite a name for themselves by licensing titles old and new, and creating quite lovely editions out of material deemed economically inviable by other companies. The United Kingdom market is one of the hardest to cater to, as Blu-ray penetration is lower than in other Western countries, and legislation is generally stacked against small distributors. Audiences in the UK expect releases to be cheap, unlike, say, the anime collectors in Japan or France.

That didn't deter Anime Ltd. to announce a filthy expensive Limited Ultimate Blu-ray Edition for the crazy 2007 science-fiction mecha anime series Gurren Lagann. A daring gamble, aimed straight at a small group of avid fans.

For the past half year or so, Anime Ltd's website (and especially their Facebook page) have been rife with news about this release, giving an uncommonly candid account about all troubles and tribulations encountered while bringing this edition into the world. Changes, late additions, delays, further changes, screw-ups, supplier screw-ups, more delays... these were shared in detail and it's been an interesting story to follow.

But now it's finally here and WHOA! What a stunner it is...

A regular edition will be released later this year, but this fore-runner has all the hallmarks of a true labor of love. It includes all things Gurren, not just the series but also the movies and OVAs. And to top things off, there is a gorgeous hardcover artbook. This may not be director Imaishi Hiroyuki most extreme work (that would be Dead Leaves), but it sure is his largest, and Anime Ltd. has been snatching up extras left and right to include in this release.

But this article is not a review, this is about the packaging. So here is a gallery to feast your eyes on. Browse through the pictures, most of which can be enlarged.