City of Bright Lights

City of Bright Lights (Japanese: ブライトライトの街; Hepburn: Buraitoraito no machi, lit. Brightlight City) is an Japanese anime television series created by Shimomura Taysuke and Chaossy. It's produced by Madhouse and A-1 Pictures. It is the first original anime series by Shimomura, and the fourth original anime by Chaossy since Xelphos Chronicles. It will start airing on April 15, 2017 on AnimeNation in Japan. The anime is licensed by in North America, and they will help produce a dub that will premiere on Vision's Sundown block on May 27th, 2017 at 10pm.

Plot
In 2067, a string of murders began in Yokohama, with police being puzzled on who it was. Then a few months later, the murders began again in the heart of Tokyo Metropolis. Chief Superintendent Tashiaki Watsuji contacted expert British detectives Callum Reynolds and Isabelle Duncan to help solve the case.

Production
Production began in March of 2016 with the first twelve episodes being written by Shimomura, with help by Chaossy and Egusa Yoriyuki. Episodes were directed by Ei Aoki and Kōnosuke Uda. The second twelve episodes were written in the summer of 2016 and animating of the first twelve began at that time as well. Animating for the last twelve began in December of 2016.

Season two was green lit a week before the first episode airing in Japan, and writing started the weekend of the airing. Writing will stop in early June and the animation process will start in late July. Another animation studio, helped with the production of season two. Season two is expected to have a $3 million budget, opposed to season 1's $950 thousand budget.

The opening, Bright Lights, will be an extended opening and will have the credits for the episode. It was animated by A-1 Pictures and AnimeNation Animation, the latter of which will also do in-between animation for the show. Season two will have an opening and ending theme. A condensed version of Bright Lights will be used for the opening with new animation by AnimeNation Animation.

English dub
In early April, it was announced via a press release by Typewriter Productions that a dub will be in production to air on Vision in the early summer of 2017. The dub is being done by with casting done by Typewriter Productions. This takes a turn from the dub usually being done by AnimeNation Dubbing.

Film
On April 25, 2018, it was announced that a film that will finish the series will be released in the spring of 2019 in cinemas in Japan, and later on in the early summer as a special television event on Vision in English. SurgeAnime currently has international rights for the film.

Production started in the winter of 2017, with animation taking place at Madhouse for the majority of the time. A-1 Pictures and Studio Acesky joined production in the summer of 2018 to speed up production. ToonIn was the post processing animation studio. Typewriter Productions picked up the international broadcast and streaming rights, while Sentai Filmworks picked up the dubbing and home media release. The film will be estimated 105 minutes excluding credits.

English production
Production of the English dub is slated to start in the winter of 2018/2019, and will continue for the next few weeks.

Release
The Japanese dub premiered on April 15th, 2017 and the South Korean version, with Korean subtitles added to the Japanese video, aired a week later. A Latin American version is being done by Axiom Dubbing Group, and a English dub is set to be released on May 27th. On April 11th, 2017, it was announced that the first four episodes will be screened at three locations over the course of three days. It will be screened at the on May 12th, also at the  on May 17th, and finally at the  on May 21st.

In Canada, with promotion by Vision Canada, the first three episodes were screened at the in Vancouver on May 25th and at the  on June 1st in Toronto, Ontario.

Marketing
The first trailer was released in February 2017 with a Spring 2017 release, featured mostly city skylines. The last trailer was released in late March with a airdate of April 15th. Vision started airing teaser trailers and promos in mid March, with the airdate being May 27th, 2017 for it's American airing. Vision Canada started airing similar promos for a June 3rd airing.

Billboards were placed in New York City, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, and other major cities in America and Canada.

Characters

 * Callum Reynolds - Benjamin Diskin (English VA)
 * A British forensic detective working with Cardiff's police.
 * Isabelle Duncan - Kira Buckland (English VA)
 * A British forensic detective working with Cardiff's police.
 * Sasaki Juichi - Matthew Mercer (English VA)
 * A mass murderer that the detectives are trying to find.
 * Watsuji Tashiaki - David Matranga (English VA)
 * The Chief Superintendent of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police.
 * Kono Tara - Erika Harlacher (English VA)
 * A police officer in the TMP system.
 * Kawamura Akeno - Laura Bailey (English VA)
 * An innocent young adult who Kono finds but Akeno escapes, seeking shelter.

Home media release
One week before it's Japanese airing, it was announced that the Bluray will include extras and including a special OVA bundled with the last volume.

Japan

 * AnimeNation

United States

 * Vision (first run)

South Korea

 * AnimeNation (South Korea)