Sentai Filmworks announced that it has acquired the distribution license for the English release of the original video animation (OVA) Escha Chron.
Originally released in Japan in 2017, the two-episode OVA has previously never received an official English localization. With Sentai Filmworks now able to localize and distribute Escha Chron, the OVA can now make its premiere to audiences in the United States, Canada, Latin America, New Zealand, Ireland, Australia and the United Kingdom.
Originally performed as a stage recital produced by Dive II Entertainment and later adapted to animation by studio Lerche, Esca Chron features the story of two drastically different characters: Escha, voiced by Chika Anzai, and Chron, voiced by Kiyono Yasuno, who reside the monochromatic world of Terminal. However, when the two travel from their post-apocalyptic world to the present day via a process known as "Transit," Escha and Chron begin to see colors and hear sounds unlike anything they have ever experienced before. As they experience more of the novel sensations offered by "Transit," their original home slowly begins to fill with the vibrant sounds and colors they discover during their music-filled journey.
The Escha Chron OVA features both Kiyono Yasuno and Chika Anzai reprising their roles from the stage play. The anime was directed by Seiji Mizushima, who is best known for his work on Mobile Suit Gundam 00 and Fullmetal Alchemist. Escha Chron's screenplay was written by Tatsuya Takahashi, who previously worked on The World God Only Knows and Ms. Koizomi Loves Ramen Noodles. The slice-of-life anime was co-produced by Dive II Entertainment and Avex Pictures.
A division of Studio Hibari, Lerche was established in 2011 and is known for its work on anime such as Assassination Classroom, Monster Musume, Scum's Wish and Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun.
Sentai Filmworks began licensing and releasing anime in 2008. Since then, it has released numerous hits, including titles such as K-ON, Made in Abyss, No Game No Life and Food Wars!: Shokugeki No Soma. In recent years, Sentai Filmworks has partnered with streaming services such as Crunchyroll and Amazon Prime Video to make its library available online.
While an exact date for Escha Chron's premiere in the west remains unclear, Sentai Filmworks confirmed it will first appear on streaming services, followed by a physical release later down the line.
Source: Sentai Filmworks
