Shout! Factory To Release Mamoru Hosoda’s ‘Belle’ On 4K UHD In A Lavish Collector’s Edition This August

Shout Factory & GKIDS will release the new film Belle from Academy Award-nominated director Mamoru Hosoda on 4K UHD in a 3-Disc Collector’s Edition set on August 30, 2022. Hosoda and Studio Chizu, creators of Mirai, Wolf Children, and Summer Wars, present BELLE, a fantastical, heartfelt story of growing up in the age of social media. Lauded by critics around the globe following its premiere at the 74th Annual Cannes Film Festival and nominated for five Annie Awards including Best Independent Feature, this stunningly animated film is a breathtaking adaptation of a tale as old as time.

This new release will include the film in UHD + Blu-ray, will be available both in the original Japanese and with an English dub, and contain a bonus disc of exciting new special features, wrapped up in beautiful deluxe packaging. The extensive bonus features on BELLE COLLECTOR’S EDITION include those from the Blu-ray release, as well as several new captivating offerings, such as new special dialogues with cast, a new interview with Takeru Satoh, a new Eric Wong interview, and more. Get the details below!

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nN2iSJwW1mY]

Synopsis: Suzu is a shy, everyday high school student living in a rural village. For years, she has only been a shadow of herself. But when she enters “U”, a massive virtual world, she escapes into the online persona of Belle, a gorgeous and globally-beloved singer. One day, her concert is interrupted by a monstrous creature chased by vigilantes. As their hunt escalates, Suzu embarks on an emotional and epic quest to uncover the identity of this mysterious “beast” and to discover her true self in a world where you can be anyone.

On BELLE, the Japanese creative team worked in collaboration with a roster of international talents. Character designer Jin Kim, the artist behind several iconic Disney features including Moana, Tangled, and Frozen, designed the titular Belle. Cartoon Saloon’s Oscar®-nominated Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart (Wolfwalkers, Song of the Sea, The Secret of Kells) also join the team, contributing artwork for the various virtual fantasy worlds within the film. Hosoda continues his film collaborations with architects, and is joined by up-and-coming British architect and designer Eric Wong, who designed the virtual world of “U.” Taisei Iwasaki (“Blood Blockade Battlefront.,” Studio Ghibli’s “Giant God Warrior Appears in Tokyo) along with composing original songs and score, led multiple composers and produced the film’s music entirely. Other composers include the critically acclaimed Yuta Bandoh (“Yuri on Ice”) and BAFTA nominee Ludvig Forrsell (Kojima Productions’ “Death Stranding”). The film’s main theme “U” was performed by groundbreaking Japanese act millennium parade, led by the composer of the song Daiki Tsuneta.