Freedom ~Limited Edition~ Blu-ray Box Set

The 23rd century. Following an ecological catastrophe that rendered Earth uninhabitable, humanity emigrated to the moon and built Eden — a gleaming, self-sufficient lunar city governed by the Citizens Administration Council, which provides everything its residents need and controls everything they know. Takeru is a teenage hovercraft racer with no particular interest in questioning the world around him until he finds a photograph inside a rocket fragment that fell from Earth's direction. The photograph shows a girl standing on green grass under an open sky. Earth is supposed to be dead. The inscription on the back reads: "I'm waiting." Takeru's decision to find out where that photograph came from — and who sent it — puts him in conflict with the Council's absolute control over information and eventually sets him and his friends on a course to return to the planet humanity abandoned.

Freedom is a seven-episode OVA series produced by Bandai Visual and Sunrise, directed by Shuhei Morita — who would later direct the Academy Award-nominated Possessions (2013) and the animated Kiki's Delivery Service stage adaptation — with character designs by Katsuhiro Otomo, the creator of Akira and Steamboy. The series was produced as a promotional collaboration with Nissin Cup Noodles and features their branding prominently throughout the lunar city's advertising — a unique production arrangement that funded the series' notably high production values and extensive CG animation. The score was composed by Yoshihiro Ike, whose credits in this catalog include Kai Doh Maru, Arc the Lad, and Kaiba.

Freedom was the first anime ever released on HD DVD in the United States; the HD DVD run was discontinued after Volume 6 when the format war ended, and the final episode was released only in the Bandai Visual USA Limited Edition Blu-ray box set.

The complete Limited Edition Blu-ray box set was released November 11, 2008 across 4 discs, collecting all 7 episodes with Japanese and English audio in Dolby 5.1, plus extensive bonus content including the special short episode "Freedom: The Hope," staff crosstalk, and a short manga comic adaptation. 

Notable Staff & Voice Talent

Director: Shuhei Morita (later Possessions — Academy Award nominee, Short Film category 2014)
Character Design: Katsuhiro Otomo (Akira, Steamboy, Metropolis screenplay, Spriggan supervision)
Studio: Bandai Visual / Sunrise
Music: Yoshihiro Ike (Kai Doh Maru, Arc the Lad, Kaiba)
Production Sponsor: Nissin Cup Noodles (Cup Noodles branding integrated throughout)

Japanese Cast:
- Daisuke Namikawa as Takeru
- Sanae Kobayashi as Ao (Elfen Lied — Lucy / Nyu)
- Akiko Yajima as Biz (Tenchi in Tokyo, Steel Angel Kurumi, Haibane Renmei, Inuyasha Movie 2)
- Tomokazu Sugita as additional cast (Ghost Talker's Daydream)

English Dub Cast (Bandai Visual USA):
- Johnny Yong Bosch as Takeru (Power Rangers, Trigun, Akira 2001 dub, Ah My Goddess The Movie)
- Stephanie Sheh as Ao (Elfen Lied)
- Michelle Ruff as additional cast (Noir, Bleach, Claymore)

Blu-ray Features (Bandai Visual USA Limited Edition 4-Disc Box Set)

- All 7 Episodes — Complete OVA Series (Discs 1–3)
- Special Short Episode "Freedom: The Hope" (final episode companion piece)
- Prologue & Short Trailer
- Series Digest
- Staff Crosstalk Feature
- "Freedom in USA" — North American promotional featurette
- Original Short Manga Comic Adaptation
- Japanese Dolby Digital 5.1 / English Dolby Digital 5.1 (partially PCM)
- English & French Subtitles
- Note: Episode 7 was not released on HD DVD in North America — this box set is its only U.S. physical release format

Spoken Languages: English & Japanese Audio, English & French Subtitles

Edition Details

Japanese Title: フリーダム (Furīdamu / FREEDOM)
Runtime: ~210 Minutes (Complete OVA, 7 Episodes, 4 Discs)
Director: Shuhei Morita
Blu-ray Release Year: 2008 (U.S. Limited Edition Box Set, November 11 — Bandai Visual USA / Honneamise label); Discotek Media BD+DVD reissue April 25, 2017
Original Release Date (Japan): March 25, 2006 – October 25, 2007
Publisher: Bandai Visual USA (Honneamise label)
Rating: 13+
Region: Region A (North America)
Note: First anime released on HD DVD in North America — HD DVD run ended after Volume 6; Episode 7 exclusive to this Blu-ray box set in North America. Nissin Cup Noodles co-production. Character designs by Katsuhiro Otomo (Akira).
Genre: Sci-Fi, Action, Adventure
Themes: Lunar Dystopia, Earth Rediscovery, Cup Noodles Co-Production, Katsuhiro Otomo Character Design, First Anime HD DVD in North America

Media assumed VG+ unless otherwise noted.