Check this shit out, anime fans! Apparently, Sony bagged an exclusive anime series for its new PlayStation Network movie download service for PS3 and PSP. It’s called Xam’d: Lost Memories and it’s from Bones Studios, the animators that brought you Full Metal Alchemist and Eureka Seven. The story of Xam’d and series protagonist Akiyuki will be told over two seasons and 26 total episodes. Episodes will be available as video on demand for $2.99 each in SD and $3.99 each in HD. Currently, Episode 1 of Season 1 is available on the PlayStation Store, but no schedule for the release of the remaining episodes has been provided yet. Though I imagine it’ll be one new episode every week from here on out.
Hit the jump for the Xam’d: Lost Memories debut trailer and the official fact sheet summarizing the story and pricing.
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Xam’d: Lost Memories Fact Sheet
OVERVIEW
Xam’d: Lost Memories, an original animation from Bones Studios, creators of “Full Metal Alchemist” and “Eureka Seven” will begin its exclusive broadcast presented by PLAYSTATION Network It will be the first original program available on the PLAYSTATON®Network’s video delivery service for PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™) and PlayStation Portable (PSP).
Akiyuki, the main character of the animated series, lives on Sentan Island, a land that has preserved its status as a free and peaceful island in a world consumed by fighting between the Northern and Southern Governments. All of this changes when Akiyuki boards a bus along with a mysterious white-haired girl who transforms his arm with the lost memories and power of Xam’d.
As Xam’d, Akiyuki goes on a rampage and is saved when a foreign girl with red hair named “Nakiami calms him down, taking him back to her postal vessel.
Akiyuki now must gain control of his powers and use them against the Northern Government’s latest weapons, known as “Humanforms”. Travelling the world on a postal vessel, Akiyuki hopes to return home one day, but until then he befriends other passengers on the boat.
Xam’d: Lost Memories, along with Qore™, reiterates Sony Computer Entertainment America’s (SCEA) commitment to providing exclusive original programming for fans in their digital living rooms. PLAYSTATION 3 owners with PlayStation Portable’s will also be able to take Xam’d: Lost Memories on the go, as nearly 60 percent of PSP users watch movies and videos on their handhelds.
KEY FEATURES
• Pricing Final Price VOD $2.99 SD and $3.99 HD (No EST)
• Season 1: Episodes 1-12, Season 2: Episodes 13 – 26 26 action-packed episodes
• Available in HD and SDSCEA exclusive anime series for PLAYSTATON®Network’s video download service
• Original programming dedicated to PS3 and PSP users
The series looks REALLY great and stuff but what SCEA is not telling you is that you can only rent each episode, for like $5 and you can only watch it once. you at least should be able to buy each episode, or the series, but no… watch it once, for a price, and never again unless you want to spend even more money…
That’s my one major complaint about the PSN movie store in general. The full purchase prices for movies and such are very affordable at around $10-15, but the prices for the rental stuff and individual episodes in TV series are far too expensive. Like 24, I looked at Season 1 while browsing around just to see how much it all was and it’s like $2 an episode, which adds up to $48 for the entire season. That’s crazy, you can find the actual DVD box sets for cheaper. Rental movies I can see being priced higher, but TV and anime series shouldn’t be any more than like $1 an episode.