ADV Films has closed a deal with Shochiku, a leading Japanese entertainment company, to acquire the rights to the eagerly-awaited Chevalier D'Eon anime series as well as to the live action features Ghost Train and Synesthesia. Under terms of the deal, ADV has acquired North American theatrical, video and TV rights to Ghost Train and Synesthesia as well as video, TV and VOD rights to Le Chevalier D'Eon for North America, UK, Australia and English speaking African territories. 

The North American release plans have not been announced yet, but these titles are planned to be released before summer 2007. 

Produced by Production I.G. the 24-episode Chevalier D' Eon anime, which just debuted on Japanese TV in August, is a superbly produced period drama based on the life of a real historical figure, d'Eon de Beaumont, who worked as a sort of secret agent for King Louis XVth. Although the period of mid-eighteenth century France is evoked with great accuracy, the Chevalier D'Eon anime features a heightened gothic-tinged narrative teeming with intrigue, action, vampires, secret societies, and alchemy. 

Based on reports from Japan and from U.S. fans who have seen the first episodes, it appears that Chevalier D'Eon, which was directed by Kazuhiro Furuhashi (Rurouni Kenshin) from an original story by Tow Ubukata (Fafner), will be one the major anime releases in the U.S. next year.

Shochiku, which was founded in 1895, is the oldest Japanese film studio with a stellar list of films and filmmakers including such titans of the screen as Ozu and Kurasawa.  Shochiku has also excelled in the production of genre films and Ghost Train, which features a clever narrative based on the urban legend of the haunted train and Synesthesia, a suspense thriller involving a serial killer should find favor with the growing legion of fans of Asian genre movies.