It was screened simultaneously with three other features: Slayers Premium, Di Gi Charat - A Trip to the Planet and The Very Short Azumanga Daioh Movie. Home media Sakura Wars: The Movie was released by King Records on rental VHS and DVD on April 25, 2002, and on retail DVD on November 22, 2002. The first print edition includes several bonus features including: behind-the-scenes press footage and a booklet detailing unused content. Different retail versions of the special edition featured cover illustrations by Saito and Matsubara. The film was later re-released by Kadokawa Shoten on Blu-ray on January 25, 2013. The limited edition includes illustrations and a booklet. The film was licensed for a North American release by Pioneer Entertainment and it was released on DVD on September 9, 2003. It came in standard and limited editions, with the latter included a collection of ten mini-pencil boards. In 2013, Funimation acquired the film's distribution rights. They re-released the film on Blu-ray and DVD on October 22, 2013. Reception During its first four days in theaters, the film was the seventh highest-grossing release. By February 2003, its box office gross had reached . The film has received generally mixed reviews from Western critics. Zac Bertschy of Anime News Network gave the film a score of C− for the dubbed version and C for the subtitled version: he called the film "sheer eye candy" and praised its animation and backgrounds. However, Bertschy was critical of the dubbed version, calling the voice work "something of a disaster." Kyle Mills for DVDTalk called the film "predictable" and found the characterizations "boring", but again praised the film's visuals and Japanese audio track. He also said that "fans of the franchise should enjoy this entry." Writing for Anime Herald, Samantha Ferreira called the film a "treat" for fans of the franchise, but complained that the storyline was an "incomprehensible mess" for those unfamiliar with the series. She also praised the characterizations and visuals. Her main feelings was that, while she enjoyed the film, she "can’t, and won’t recommend this as a starting point." Kevin Crust of the Los Angeles Times was more critical of the film, calling it "duller-than-dirt" and said "This may have seemed exciting on paper, but with endless exposition, less than riveting characters and visuals that are only intermittently interesting, Sakura Wars the Movie is a bore." Variety's Andy Klein praised the visuals,