Broken Blade Films Updated for TV With Spinoff OVA in the Works

The new anime project for Yunosuke Yoshinaga's fantasy robot manga Broken Blade (Break Blade) will be a recompiled version of all six earlier films with additional new scenes — plus a spinoff original video anime project that is in the works. The updated 12-episode television version of the 2010-2011 films will add previously unanimated scenes, such as the battle to the death between the gifted warrior Girge and the specially selected Spartan robot unit. The spinoff original video anime project will be a brand-new work that will follow the mystery of Delphine's creation, based on an original concept by Yoshinaga.

[youtube]http://youtu.be/A0YtMlPKNsc[/youtube]

The 12-episode television version will also add a new opening theme song by Sayaka Sasaki, and a new ending theme song by Aira Yuki. It will premiere on Tokyo MX TV, Sun TV, and BS11 in April.

Sentai Filmworks released the original six films in North America, and Sentai Filmworks describes the film series:

In Cruzon, children are born with the ability to control quartz. This power allows them to levitate simple objects—or control enormous and complex mobile battle suits called Golems. But when an ancient Golem is discovered during the height of a brutal war, a young king and his beautiful queen turn to Rygart Arrow. Though an “un-sorcerer”, Rygart can miraculously pilot this ancient and powerful weapon. But in war, school friends can turn into bitter enemies and allies have suspicious motives.

The staff includes:

Original creator: Yunosuke Yoshinaga
Chief Director: Tetsuro Amino
Director: Nobuyoshi Habara
Screenplay: Masashi Sogo, Taishirou Tanimura
Character Design: Takushige Norita
Mechanical design: Takayuki Yanase
Prop Design: Takahiro Yamada, Kiyoshi Edamatsu
Art Director: Toshihiro Kohama (BIHO)
Color design: Mitsuko Sekimoto
Director of Photography: Kazuaki Funakura
Sound Director: Yota Tsuruoka
Music: Yoshihisa Hirano
Sound Effects: Hiromune Kurahashi (Sound Box)
Editing: Junichi Itou (Jay Film)
Animation Production: Production I.G, Xebec

The returning cast includes:

Souichiro Hoshi as Rygart Arrow
Chiwa Saito as Sigyn Erster
Yūichi Nakamura as Hodr(Crishuna the 9th)
Hiroshi Kamiya as Zess

Kana Hanazawa as Cleo Saburafu
Yuko Kaida as Lee
Hideyuki Umezu as Elekt
Kenji Takahashi as Argass

Marina Inoue as Narvi Stryze
Kousuke Toriumi as Girge
Minoru Shiraishi as Nair Stryze
Tomoya Kawai as Logen G. Garf Ensance

Masashi Sugawara as General Bard
Kenichi Ogata as General Tool
Nanaho Katsuragi as Sakura
Mayumi Yanagisawa as Elza
Masumi Asano as Legatz

Kazuya Nakai as Borcuse
Takuma Terashima as Io
Ryoko Shiraishi as Nike
Takaya Hashi as Loquis
Eri Kitamura as Leto
Kazuyoshi Hayashi as Bades
Katsuhisa Houki as Ailes
Nozomi Sasaki as Leda
Kikuko Inoue as Greta

Flex Comix published the manga in Japan originally, and G-mode's Comic Meteor website has since continued the series. The manga's 12 volumes have at least 2.5 million copies in print, after a new edition last year. CMX Manga published three manga volumes in North America before DC Comics shut down the imprint in 2010.