If you’re a fan of anime, you’ll surely know Mamoru Hosoda’s name – he’s the director behind critically lauded features like The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, Summer Wars, Wolf Children, and the Oscar-nominated Mirai.
His latest film, which riffs on the Beauty and the Beast story, is a fairy tale for the social media age. It centres on shy 17-year-old Suzu, who hasn’t been able to sing since the death of her mother. That changes after she signs up to U, a virtual world in which she becomes Belle, a statuesque superstar who sings J-pop bangers on the back of floating humpback whales. The Beast bit comes in the form of the Dragon, a mysterious creature whose real-life identity she becomes compelled to discover.
Belle is available to buy on 4K, Blu-ray and DVD from 27 June. There’s also a 4K Deluxe Edition, exclusive to Zavvi and the Anime Ltd web store, which comes with loads of extras goodies: an additional Blu-ray disc with over 2-hours of extras, a CD of the soundtrack, a 60 page booklet, 16 double-sided art cards, and an A3 recreation of the UK theatrical poster.
Thanks to Anime Ltd we have five Blu-rays to give away. To put your name in the hat for the chance to win one, simply answer the question below.