CrunchyRoll Spends the New Year with TV Tokyo
Talk about a coup: CrunchyRoll has just announced via press release that it has inked a deal with Japanese station TV Tokyo and will be airing Naruto: Shippuuden episodes…an hour after they air in Japan. Yowza.
They’ll be offering five other series in a similar manner (the only other title known so far is the woefully-neglected Gintama). Here are the brass tacks: those who pay for a subscription get access to the episodes an hour after they air in Japan. Those who want to watch for free will have to wait a week. It’s all streaming; so far there’s been no mention of the possibility of downloadable episodes.
So how about Naruto’s NA licensor, VIZ? No fears, they’re in the loop– they’ll be streaming the episodes free within a week of their airing. Starting on January 2nd they’ll also be airing the first eight episodes of Shippuuden and add eight more episodes every Friday until it’s all online, so you can catch up, I guess. (Let’s face it, getting the 220 episodes of the first series up would be pretty damn tough.)
But wait, there’s more! CrunchyRoll has finally announced that it will cease allowing user-uploaded videos in an attempt to ensure that everything on the site is legal. Considering they now have TV Tokyo, Gonzo, and Toei as content providers direct from Japan– not to mention a handful of others in Japan and elsewhere –I think they’ll do okay.
Hit the jump for the press releases from CrunchyRoll and VIZ (you can get TV Tokyo’s here, but it’s a Japanese PDF).
CRUNCHYROLL LAUNCHES MAJOR NEW DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION PARTNERSHIP
Online Anime Distribution Leader Inks Deal with Major Japanese Anime Producers
San Francisco, California and Tokyo, Japan (November 17, 2008) Crunchyroll has announced a major step toward creating a new distribution channel for anime content by entering into a strategic initiative with Japanese Anime industry leaders, TV TOKYO Corporation (³TV TOKYO²), SHUEISHA Inc. (³Shueisha²) and Pierrot Co., Ltd. (³Pierrot²)–collectively producers of many of the most popular anime titles of all time.
Crunchyroll is the world¹s largest anime-focused content and social networking service, and with this partnership, is making a decisive transition from a platform for user-uploaded content to a platform for professionally-produced content.
The first program to launch will be NARUTO SHIPPUDEN, the most popular anime title by the trio of producers. Beginning January 8, 2009, Crunchyroll will offer episodes of the NARUTO SHIPPUDEN series, as well as a lineup of other blockbuster anime titles, as a ³simulcast² for the first time immediately following it¹s broadcast in Japan. Crunchyroll¹s online community of 4.6 million users will be able to access the content in both subscription streaming and advertising-supported services.
One objective of the partnership is to combat online piracy. ³Crunchyroll¹s goal has been to provide a fully legitimate viewing platform so that anime fans can access the most popular titles in a timely manner from Japan via an authorized outlet. We are redesigningthe site to ensure that all professionally-produced content is approved by licensors. This partnership with TV TOKYO, Shueisha and Pierrot is great validation for online distribution², said Kun Gao, CEO of Crunchyroll. ³By providing more viewing options to fans and closing the release gap with domestic broadcast in Japan, Crunchyroll helps fans satisfy their craving for the latest anime while supporting rights holders¹ efforts to monetize their content. This is a very exciting time to be an anime fan!²
³We understand that digital distribution is important in keeping our overseas fans happy and engaged with our titles², states Mr. Soichiro Hashi, General Manager for TV TOKYO¹s Animation Business, speaking on behalf of the three Tokyo-based partners. ³We are listening to the needs of our overseas fan base and they clearly want to have access to titles earlier. We hope our online offering will increase legitimate viewing of our titles while making sure our worldwide fan-base is content as we attempt to fulfill the growing need for quality anime titles. Crunchyroll is an ideal partner for us because we both specialize in anime. Together, we will cater to an audience that will appreciate and support all the hard work of the creators and animators.²
About TV TOKYO
TV TOKYO Corporation is a leading Japanese content producer and broadcaster with particular strength in animation, high-concept infotainment and business news. Many of its programs are licensed by TV TOKYO Medianet Inc. (its distribution arm) to non-affiliate local stations as well as overseas broadcasters and distributors. TV TOKYO has been the home of the hit animation series such as ³Naruto², ³Yu-Gi-Oh!², ³Shaman King², ³Pokémon², ³Sonic X² and ³Beyblade².
To learn more, please visit http://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/
About Shueisha
Shueisha Inc., founded in 1926, is the Japan¹s top sales publisher and publishes 40 magazines including comic magazine, women¹s, men¹s, sports, literary, etc. as well as trade books. Its most successful comic magazine, ³Shonen Jump², is printed 3 million copies weekly in Japan alone and many animations such as ³Naruto², ³Yu-Gi-Oh!², ³Dragon Ball² and ³Shaman King² are based on Shonen Jump. Beyond publishing, Shueisha strategically works with other media and carries out many activities such as producing animation
and merchandising for its strong properties.
To learn more, please visit http://www.shueisha.co.jp/
About Pierrot
Established in 1979, Pierrot Co., Ltd. has produced numerous successful high quality animation productions including world famous fairy tales like “The Wonderful Adventures of Nils [Nils no Fushigi na Tabi]” (1980), popular comics like “Gensomaden Saiyuki” (2000), “Hikaru no Go” (2002), “The Twelve Kingdoms [Juni Kokuki]” (2002), “NARUTO” (2002), ³BLEACH² (2004) and original stories such as “Magical Girl Series” (1983-1985). With its 30-years of experience, Pierrot has firmly established itself as one of Japan’s most versatile, dependable, and creative production companies.
To learn more, please visit http://www.pierrot.jp/
About Crunchyroll
Headquartered in San Francisco, California Crunchyroll is hailed as a leading online entertainment brand with the largest international online community and destination focused on Asian entertainment including anime, drama, music in addition to electronic entertainment and auto content. Crunchyroll¹s distribution channel and partnership program delivers content to over four million passionate fans worldwide. Crunchyroll is funded by the premiere group Venrock. More information can be found at its website
http://www.crunchyroll.com.
Viz Media Announces Unprecedented Multimedia Campaign to Provide Near Simultaneous U.S.-Japan Release of New Naruto Shippuden Animated Episodes for Free on www.Naruto.com
A NEW GENERATION, A NEW DESTINY
Viz Media Announces Unprecedented Multimedia Campaign To Provide Near Simultaneous U.S.-Japan Release Of New NARUTO SHIPPUDEN Animated Episodes For Free On www.Naruto.com
San Francisco, CA, NOVEMBER 17, 2008 – Viz Media, LLC (Viz Media), one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, has announced an innovative and unprecedented multimedia plan to provide near-simultaneous Japan-U.S. release of NARUTO, one of the most popular Japanese animated and manga properties in the world. This campaign is the latest expansion of Viz Media’s ongoing strategy to utilize the web to its maximum potential to stream a variety of hit animated properties.
Beginning on January 15th the latest episode of the NARUTO SHIPPUDEN (English-subtitled) animated series will be available for free viewing on the ultimate destination for anything NARUTO – the official NARUTO website, www.Naruto.com, within days of its original airdate in Japan. A new English-subtitled episode will be added every Thursday thereafter.
On January 2nd, Viz Media will also debut, for free, 8 uncut, English-subtitled episodes from the beginning of the NARUTO SHIPPUDEN series on www.Naruto.com. Each Friday thereafter there will be an additional 8 uncut, English-subtitled episodes added on Naruto.com until the series eventually catches up to the current third season of the hit program. Also, coming this week, an exclusive sneak peek of NARUTO SHIPPUDEN (English-subtitled) debuting on Naruto.com.
On the manga (graphic novel) side, Viz Media has unveiled an accelerated publishing schedule for upcoming editions of the best-selling Naruto manga series, making them available to North American audiences sooner than ever before offered by Viz Media. Beginning in February 2009, 11 new volumes of NARUTO will be released over 3 months, moving the series from Volume 34 (February 2009) to Volume 44 (April 2009) before returning to a quarterly release schedule beginning with Volume 45 (July 2009). First print-run editions of the volumes released in March and April will include a special promotional item – bookmark or sticker.
“This kind of accelerated and coordinated broadcast and publishing schedule is a first for Viz Media and we are very excited to bring new episodes of NARUTO SHIPPUDEN to millions of eager domestic fans for free with this special campaign,” says Alvin Lu, Vice President of Production, Viz Media. “The adventures of Naruto and his friends are underscored with themes of friendship, loyalty, responsibility, as well as failure and redemption, and have turned this unique series into a tremendous international hit. New and old fans alike won’t want to miss this special opportunity to watch online the latest episodes featuring the world’s favorite ninja mere days after their original air dates in Japan.”
NARUTO has become one of the hottest series from Japan and is one of Viz Media’s most successful manga and animated properties. Created by Masashi Kishimoto, NARUTO was first introduced in Weekly Shonen Jump magazine in Japan in 1999 and quickly became that country’s most popular ninja manga targeting tweens and teens and has sold more than 80 million copies to-date. The manga series (rated T for Teens) and animated counterpart (rated TV-14) about a young ninja in training, captivates millions of fans across North America, Europe and South America.
In the Naruto manga and animated series Naruto Uzumaki wants to be the best ninja in the land. He’s done well so far, but Naruto knows he must train harder than ever and leaves his village for intense exercises that will push him to his limits.
NARUTO SHIPPUDEN begins two and a half years later, when Naruto returns to find that everyone has been promoted up the ninja ranks—except him. Sakura’s a medic ninja, Gaara’s advanced to Kazekage, and Kakashi…well, he’s the same. But pride isn’t becoming of a ninja, especially when Naruto realizes that Sasuke never returned from his search for Orochimaru. Plus, the mysterious Akatsuki organization is still an ever-present danger. As Naruto finds out more about the Akatsuki’s goals, he realizes that nothing in his universe is as it seems. Naruto is finding that he’s older, but will he prove wiser or stronger?
Earlier NARUTO episodes are also currently available for free through a variety of web-based, video streaming outlets that have partnered with Viz Media, including HULU and JOOST.
More information on NARUTO is available at www.Naruto.com.
About Viz Media, LLC
Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, Viz Media, LLC (Viz Media), is one of the most comprehensive and innovative companies in the field of manga (graphic novel) publishing, animation and entertainment licensing of Japanese content. Owned by three of Japan’s largest creators and licensors of manga and animation, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan, Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., Viz Media is a leader in the publishing and distribution of Japanese manga for English speaking audiences in North America, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and South Africa and is a global ex-Asia licensor of Japanese manga and animation. The company offers an integrated product line including magazines such as SHONEN JUMP and SHOJO BEAT, graphic novels, and DVDs, and develops, markets, licenses, and distributes animated entertainment for audiences and consumers of all ages.
Tags: crunchyroll, gintama, naruto, tv tokyo
November 17th, 2008 at 11:03 am
This should render many groups (almost) useless when it comes to torrenting and fansubbing. Now if they can only get down Bleach…then a certain fansub group might just be out of a job.
Anyway, this is a win/win situation for everyone and I hope people truely embrace it.
November 17th, 2008 at 12:30 pm
I’ve heard a lot of negative things about Crunchyroll, but I’ve yet to actually use it to substantiate them.
I think this overall situation is a great sign though. One of the most popular series in Japan and the US getting a near-simultaneous release here is comforting.
I wonder how much profit it’ll actually bring in. I guess some it better than the none when fansubbers were doing it all though.
I also wonder how Viz feels about it being on Crunchyroll as well as their Naruto site. It was odd seeing the news for Viz doing this and then later seeing Crunchyroll one-ups them by almost a week with subscription users.
November 17th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
Oh please..i’ve been a member of CR since 06..and Shinji had NEVER bothered to delete illegal copyrighted content unless faced with a court order…theyre only doing it now cause people are looking more closely at the site…well either way, i hope they’re successful.
November 17th, 2008 at 7:02 pm
The first 95 episodes of Naruto are currently on Hulu.
November 17th, 2008 at 7:58 pm
OH NO! Not Naruto again!
November 18th, 2008 at 11:07 am
My 2 cents:
FUCKING AWESOME.
However how much is this paid subscription?
Either way I’m willing to wait a week for a delayed release. I think thats a great compromise.
What I am slightly worried, is the their cancellation of user uploads. I understand why they did it, heck If I was in charge of the site I would do it too. They’re trying to be legit and do something that no one else has done before, so I give them major props for that.
However, crunchyroll.com has been a major site for streaming live-action japanese and korean tv programming. With the removal of user uploaded video this pretty much destroys the live drama community that exists in crunchyroll.com
Live action drama doesn’t have such a strong community presence online as anime fansub does and because of that the availability of torrent seeds or minimal at best, making streaming the best alternative and for many people the only alternative to watch jdrama.
I use to be a jdrama junkie 5 years ago, but pretty much left it aside, so i feel for the community.
Again this is no way a critique of crunchyroll.com, i think they’re making the right decision. They don’t have enough anime to make me stop fansub watching, but once they do, I might start watching all my stuff streaming. Heck I already do that with american tv thanks HULU.com. Sure the episodes come out a week later (depending on the network’s contract), but I get to see it in dvd streaming quality without using any of my HD space and legally.
To be honest I think this is the direction media distribution has to go, the consumers have been pushing for it, but those wo own the IP’s have been reluctant to take it there.
BTW for all you whiners who want it dubbed…go buy it on dvd. If you can’t wait, then suck it up and watch it subbed.
November 19th, 2008 at 9:05 am
[...] companies working directly with an Internet distributor in the States (after, y’know, that major CrunchyRoll coup), Nippon TV and Dentsu have just announced that along with entertainment company Yoshimoto Kogyo, [...]
November 21st, 2008 at 7:57 am
Does this mean that subtitles will still be provided for non Japanese speakers?