Sony dates UMD videos, publishers in Japan

TOKYO--Today, Sony announced that UMD videos for the PSP will begin appearing in Japan on April 13, starting with the release of Spider-Man 2, Hellboy, and Resident Evil: Apocalypse. The three titles will be released at the price of 3,800 yen ($36), which is a 1,000 yen less than a standard PSP game and about the same price as a DVD movie. Spider-Man 2 will ship for free with the first wave of PSPs in the US, and the other two films will go on sale on April 19.

Meanwhile, Sony Music Entertainment will also release seven J-pop music videos on UMD, which will range in price from 2,940 yen ($28) to 4,935 yen ($47). Sony will continue to release movies and music videos in the new format on a monthly basis.

Sony has also released a list of 27 Japanese third-party companies that will be releasing UMD content. Most of the other companies are game publishers that have some form of operation in the anime business, such as Aquaplus, Bandai, Capcom, and Square Enix. Bandai has previously announced that it will release Mobile Suit Gundam for PSP as its first UMD title, and Marvelous Entertainment announced today that it will also release anime titles on the PSP, although the company hasn’t disclosed any specific ones. The only non-anime UMD video currently announced by a Japanese third party is Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children, which will be released by Square Enix.

Sony has shipped 1.18 million PSP units in Japan as of the end of February.

A full list of third-party UMD publishers is as follows:

Aniplex
Aquaplus
Asmik-ace Entertainment
Bandai
Bandai Visual
Capcom
Digital Media Lab
Enterbrain
GDH
Happinet
Hudson
JSDSS
Koei
Marvelous Entertainment
Mediaworks
Nikkatsu
Pony Canyon
Saidera Paradiso
Shougakukan Production
Sony Computer Entertainment Japan
Sony Music Entertainment
Sony Pictures Entertainment
Spike
Square Enix
Tohokushinsha Film
Tomy
Toppan Printing


UMD music video lineup
Release date / Artist / Title / Price / Label
4/13 - Asian Kung-fu Generation, Video clip collection vol.1, 2,940 ($28), Kioon Records
4/13 - Sayaka, Dolls, 2,940 ($28), Sony Music Records
4/13 - Skoop OnSomebody, S.O.S. Clips Vol.1, 2,415 ($23), SME Records
4/13 - Soul'd Out, Dream'd Live, 2,940 ($28), SME Records
4/13 - Sowelu, Video Clips Vol.1, 3,465 ($33), Defstar Records
4/13 - Nakashima Mika, Film Lotus IV, 4,935 ($47), Sony Music Associated Records
4/13 - Rythem, Utatane no Me Video Clips, 1,3,990 ($38), Sony Music Associated Records
4/27 - Yuki, Yuki Video, 3,47 5($33), Epic Records Japan