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There are some terrific new anime shows to look out for this month, but for anyone looking to add to their library, there's also a solid selection of new Blu-ray releases to keep an eye out for. Legacy franchises are in the spotlight, as Bleach, Fist of the North Star, and Medabots are just some of the classics headed to physical media, and on the more contemporary side of the medium, shows like Great Pretender, Insomniacs After School, and Boruto lead the charge. Bleach fans have been in their element lately, as the anime adaptation of the manga's final storyline has been incredible. Bleach: The Thousand-Year Blood War has offered take-no-prisoners arc of war and death, anchored by fantastic animation and even better pacing thanks to the manga having concluded years ago. Without having to worry about catching up to the manga, Studio Pierrot has been able to deliver two series of sharp animation and cutting-edge battles pitting Soul Society and Bleach protagonist Ichigo Kurosaki against the vengeful forces of the Wandenreich. This month's Bleach release brings the first 13 episodes of the revived Bleach series to Blu-ray, and it's available as both a special-edition and a regular Blu-ray. Then there's the return of Berserk, as the late Kentaro Miura's dark fantasy series is making its long-awaited debut on Blu-ray. This is a restoration of the original 1997 anime series, a grim and brutal tale of swords and destiny that has only gotten better with age. Especially when compared to the other underwhelming to bad adaptations of Berserk. Alongside all 25 episodes presented in high-definition, you can watch the series in either the original Japanese dub or the infamous English version, and all of the extras from previous DVD releases have been included. Other highlights this month include the award-winning anime film Suzume, a critically acclaimed masterpiece that is elegantly animated, and the delightful Great Pretender, a slick tale of con-artists targeting the worst of high society. Both of these anime are available in deluxe editions, so if you're looking to treat a friend--or yourself!--these would make for some thoughtful gifts. Lastly, the second season of Medabots is landing on Blu-ray this month. Originally airing during an era of anime where everyone was looking to be the next Pokemon, Medabots is a fun and cheeky series where kids pit their robot pals against each other in Meda-battles. This release contains all 39 episodes of the second season and is the uncut Japanese version. For everything else coming this month, you can check the full list out below. Amazon Prime members can still get free release-day delivery on all of these upcoming Blu-rays.
Insomniacs After School Complete Collection - March 5
$30 ($45) You can save $15 on your preorder of Insomniacs After School by ordering from Amazon. Crunchyroll's price is $45 (with a list price of $60). The two-disc set comes with all 12 episodes with clean opening and closing animations as special features.
RWBY: Ice Queendom - March 5
$50 ($70) Amazon is offering a $20. discount on RWBY: Ice Queendom's physical release. Disc two comes with textless opening and ending songs as well as promo videos and commercials.
Suzume - March 12
$48 ($65) for limited, $29 ($35) for standard Suzume's limited-edition Blu-ray and DVD double pack comes with an exclusive art book, set of art cards, and unique artwork on the discs. It's discounted from $65 to $48, while the standard-edition is on sale for $29, down from $35.
Great Pretender: The Complete Series Deluxe Edition - March 12
$160 The Great Pretender Deluxe edition box set comes with all 23 episodes as well as a bunch of goodies: a 129-page art book, 10 art cards, double-sided A3 poster, and slipcase. You also get several bonus features, including a trailer collection and multiple music videos.
One Piece Season 13: Voyage 6 - March 12
$35 ($45) This four-disc set comes with both Blu-ray and DVD formats. You can save $10 on your preorder at Amazon.
The Legendary Hero Is Dead: The Complete Season - March 12
$50 ($70) The Legendary Hero Is Dead preorders are $20 off at Amazon. Along with the whole season of episodes, you'll get a bonus disc containing promo videos, commercials, and textless opening and ending songs.
Akiba Maid War: Complete Collection - March 12
$34 ($49) Akiba Maid War preorders are $15 off at Amazon. Special features include web previews, clean opening and closing animations, and Japanese promotional videos.
Berserk: The Complete 1997 TV Series - March 26
Arguably the biggest release of the month, the 1997 adaptation of Berserk is available to preorder for $45 at Crunchyroll or $60 at Amazon. There's still a chance Amazon's price drops prior to release, and you'll get the lowest price offered until your order ships.
Bleach: The Thousand-Year Blood War Part 1 - March 26
Bleach: The Thousand-Year Blood War Part 1 is available in two editions. The limited edition is up for preorder for $63 (down from $70) at Amazon. It comes with a 72-page art book. The two-disc set features clean openings and endings as well as additional bonus features such as Ichigo Explains shorts. The standard edition features the same content without the collectible art book. You can grab the standard Blu-ray for $35.
Fist of the North Star: Legend of the True Savior: The Legend of Kenshiro - March 26
$30 The new Fist of the North Star physical release has a lengthy subtitle, but the film itself is a brisk 90 minutes. It doesn't come with any special features, though you can save around eight bucks by preordering at Crunchyroll. Amazon is charging the full $30 price, but you can get free release-day delivery if you're a Prime member.
Boruto: Naruto Next Generations Set 17 - March 26
$40 ($50) You can save $10 on your preorder of this three-disc Blu-ray set at Amazon.
Medabots Spirit: Second Series - March 26
$40 Medabots Spirit - Second Series doesn't come with any special features, but you're getting all 39 episodes for $40, which is pretty solid value. If you preorder from Crunchyroll, you can save $10 on your order. But keep in mind you can get free release-day delivery as a Prime member on Amazon.
To the Abandoned: Sacred Beasts Collector's Edition - March 31
$90 This Crunchyroll exclusive comes with two discs and a bunch of collectibles: four art cards, 20-page booklet, and both a gorgeous case and slipcase.
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