I might be over-analyzing things just a little bit, but it almost feels like every anime franchise and their OVA is getting a full-length movie these days. It’s certainly kept me busy, but every now and then I’d spot a film that stood out from the rest. “No Game, No Life Zero” is a film that very much fits that bill for me, serving as a prequel for a series I personally hold quite dearly.
Luckily, I had a chance to see the film in theaters here in Japan myself, and I can say with absolute confidence that it is worth its weight in a variety of categories. For those who have been dying for that little extra helping of “No Game, No Life” action, you won’t be walking away disappointed. If you were excited at the prospect of an original sequel, then you are also in for a treat. Even though this film doesn’t contain the same characters we’ve grown to know and love, voice actors from the original series have come back to voice our new protagonists. I’m confident that after you leave the theater, you’ll see why that makes total sense. You’ll probably even be able to glean some hints from the official poster below:
It was recently revealed that American distributor Sentai Filmworks has picked up the film for theatrical release overseas. It’s set to debut in Los Angeles on September 15 as part of the Los Angeles Film Festival, with a country-wide release to follow shortly thereafter. Sentai Filmworks has provided an official synopsis of the film:
Six thousand years before Sora and Shiro were even a blink in the history of Disboard, war consumed the land, tearing apart the heavens, destroying stars, and even threatening to wipe out the human race. Amid the chaos and destruction, a young man named Riku leads humanity toward the tomorrow his heart believed in. One day, in the ruins of an Elf city, he meets Shuvi, a female exiled “Ex-machina” android who asks him to teach her what it means to have a human heart.
Be sure to keep an eye on Sentai Filmworks’ official site here for more details on the prequel film’s widespread release schedule.