Anime collectors have a new staple to look forward to. GKIDS has officially announced they will be releasing a newly restored edition of the classic 90’s anime NADIA: The Secret of Blue Water. GKIDS provides the synopsis for the series, along with a trailer, below.
It’s 1889 and people from around the globe are flocking to Paris to see scientific achievements at the Exposition Universelle despite rumors of dangers lurking in the oceans. While attending the fair, teenaged inventor Jean meets Nadia, a mysterious girl who possesses a highly sought-after crystal called Blue Water. Pursued by nefarious forces, the pair journey by sea and by sky to escape their would-be captors and to discover the secret of the crystal.
NADIA: The Secret of Blue Water’s production began in the 1970’s when a young Hayao Miyazaki was hired by Toho to come up with a new television series. Among the list of concepts created by the soon-to-be legend, one of them involved the characters from Jules Verne’s Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. The concept followed two orphaned children joining Captain Nemo on The Nautilus as they traveled around the world, all the while avoiding a gang of villains. The initial idea was never produced in the 70’s, but after Miyazaki left the team to pursue future projects Studio Gainax stepped in to further develop and eventually complete the series. Among the crew members was Hideaki Anno (Neon Genesis Evangelion, Shin Godzilla), who served as chief director.
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NADIA would air for the first time in Japan in 1990 and continue for a total of 39 episodes. The show was highly praised, winning awards in the Animage Anime Grand Prix of 1991, including the awards for “Best Work”, “Best Song” for its opening theme, and “Best Episode” for episode 22. Nadia herself was the first female character to dethrone Miyazaki’s Nausicaä from Animage’s “Favorite Female Anime Character.” In 2001, the series was awarded #72 in the magazine’s top 100 anime productions. Following its success, the anime received a manga adaptation as well as several video games. A feature film was also released in 1991, which served as a sequel to the show and took place three years after the events of the anime.
Learning the Secret
NADIA: The Secret of Blue Water by GKIDS
When it was time to distribute NADIA to the United States, it was picked up by ADV Films in the year 2000. ADV’s service Anime Network broadcasted the show until the company eventually closed. Sentai Filmworks acquired the series for a 2014 release, for the first time in high definition, on DVD and Blu-Ray.
What makes the GKIDS edition so promising is the restoration. Compared to previous releases, the colors practically leap off of the screen! The new package comes with special goodies like a new “Character and Mechanical Design booklet,” a TV spot, a featurette, and a prologue. The set will also include both the original Japanese and English dubbed audio tracks.
Currently, the Blu-Ray set is available for pre-order on GKIDS website. The release date is set to be in August of this year. This is a must-see for new anime fans and it’s always a delight to see the classics getting proper re-releases for new audiences!
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