Source: BAM! Marketing, Publicity & Promotions Special Thanks to Chase Wang The online media distribution company Crunchyroll has signed licensing deals with the New York-based anime and live action DVD distributor Media Blasters, the Japanese media company GDH K.K., and the anime producer-distributor ADV Films to provide streaming, subscription, and download-to-own viewing for a number of animated series and feature film properties. These new offerings will begin appearing online later this month at www.crunchyroll.com.
MEDIA BLASTERS
The selection from Media Blasters includes fan favorite anime titles such as GIRL’S HIGH (eps. 1-12) and RAMEN FIGHTER MIKI (eps. 1-12) both of which will be available via streaming, subscription and with a download-to-own option of $1.99 per episode. The long-awaited anime epic KITE LIBERATOR (download-to-own $5.99) and live action original feature productions such as FLESH FOR THE BEAST (download-to-own $9.95), SHADOW: DEAD RIOT (download-to-own $9.95) and MACHINE GIRL (download-to-own $9.95) will be available via subscription and download-to-own only.
Media Blasters Executive Vice President of TV & New Media Gary Conner comments, “Working with an online distribution site like Crunchyroll helps create a new business model for online monetization. It also cuts down on production and distribution costs and allows us to lower prices which benefits our customers and fans.” Brady McCollum, Crunchyroll Director of Business Development, states “Crunchyroll is striving to assist the growth and prosperity of the industry and we are proud to have a company like Media Blasters join our family.” Title Synopses: FLESH FOR THE BEAST At the turn of the century, a notorious occultist named Alfred Fischer conjures up a brothel full of ravenous demons in a bizarre ritual. Taking the form of beautiful women, the beasts demand a steady diet of fresh prey that only a human servant can provide. Almost a century after Fischer meets his mysterious end, a team of para-psychologists investigates his manor for signs of restless spirits. In no time they are besieged by sexy demons, a madman with a secret past, and a horde of slaughtering zombies! Download-to-own: $9.95. Catalog Number: SSDVD-0516
GIRL’S HIGH Eriko and her friends finally make it to an exclusive high school and they`re ready to make the most of it! For these girls, having fun is their number one priority. Right from the start, they`re causing trouble, meeting boys, forging friendships, making enemies — you know, typical teenage girl behavior. The hit series GIRL`S HIGH gives you a raw, hilarious fly-on-the-wall peek into the lives of these girls as they experience for the first time the awkwardness, embarrassment and camaraderie of high school life. Download-to-own: $1.99/episode. Catalog Number: AWDVD-0805 KITE LIBERATOR In 1998`s Kite, creator/director Yasuomi Umetsu explored the dark underworld of a teenage girl assassin. In Kite: Liberator, which is more of a spin-off than a direct sequel, ten years has now passed. A new teenage assassin is cleaning up the grimy streets of Tokyo. The police call her the Angel of Death, an unfeeling assassin who eliminates her targets with grace and precision, leaving only a flurry of feathers across the bloody crime scene as her calling card. What the public is unaware of is that this notorious hitman is actually a polite young lady named Monaka. Could the placid face of an innocent high school girl really disguise such a ruthless killer? Monaka seems to be just an average high school girl. But she has a dark and terrible secret linking her past to a murderous police detective and her future to a fatal duel with the one person she loves most in the world. Download-to-own: $5.95. Catalog Number: AWDVD-0806
MACHINE GIRL Our heroine Ami (Minase Yashiro, in her film debut) is a tough but otherwise average high school girl, trying to lead a normal life. Her world comes crashing down when her brother and his friend are killed by ruthless bullies. As Ami tracks down the ringleader, she is surprised to discover the bullies` association with a sinister ninja yakuza family. When she seeks revenge, she soon finds herself in over her head and minus her left arm. Barely surviving, Ami escapes and seeks shelter from two kindly garage mechanics. They take pity on her, fitting her with a high-powered machine gun where her arm used to be. She then teams up with the chainsaw-wielding mother of her brother`s slain friend and together they unleash an unholy, non-stop, over-the-top kill fest against the equally creative machinery (drill bra, flying guillotine) of their relentless ninja enemies. From the creators of DEATH TRANCE, MEATBALL MACHINE and SUKEBAN BOY. Download-to-own: $9.95. Catalog Number: TSDVD-0739 RAMEN FIGHTER MIKI In a world where terror grips the land and innocents have no solace from violence and brutality, one girl walks the line between life and death to bring her own special brand of... Ramen! Miki Onimaru works at her parent`s Ramen shop, making deliveries, waiting tables, and attracting customers with cute, girlish charm. Somehow, Miki can`t complete even one of these simple tasks without the full employment of her extensive bone-crunching, skull-splitting martial arts moves and penchant for unleashing relentless destruction. Can Miki get through the day without messing up and angering her Mom, who makes her look like a gentle kitten in comparison? Download-to-own: $1.99/episode. Catalog Number: AWDVD-0715
SHADOW: DEAD RIOT Horror icon Tony Todd (Clive Barker’s CANDYMAN series) delivers his most powerful and evil performance as SHADOW, an executed and resurrected serial killer who invades a women’s prison in search of the girl known only as Solitaire (Carla Greene)! Solitaire senses her impending doom and prepares to single-handedly take on Shadow and his army of zombies in a supernatural martial arts showdown! SHADOW: DEAD RIOT is a unique stylistic fusion of Asian-style action, zombie horror and women’s prison drama. From the Producers of FLESH FOR THE BEAST. Directorial debut of Hong Kong cinematographer Derek Wan (Jet Li’s FIST OF LEGEND, Michelle Yeoh’s ROYAL WARRIORS). Music Score by Vernon Reid of the multi-platinum, 2- time Grammy Award- winning rock band, Living Colour. Theme song performed by Jean Grae (The Roots). Action choreography by Tony Leung Siu-Hung (Bruce Lee’s ENTER THE DRAGON, Jackie Chan’s LEGEND OF THE DRUNKEN MASTER). Edited by Ki Hop Chan (Jackie Chan’s THE MEDALLION). Special Effects by Allan Cooke (George Romero’s LAND OF THE DEAD, RESIDENT EVIL 2, WRONG TURN). Download-to-own: $9.95. Catalog Number: SSDVD-0604
GDH K.K.
Crunchyroll will also digitally distribute multiple GDH K.K. titles including KALEIDO STAR and PEACEMAKER. Shin Ishikawa, CEO of GDH K.K. states "GDH is very excited to make its properties available digitally on Crunchyroll. Crunchyroll has the largest anime community and is an excellent way for GDH to reach its fans directly." Kun Gao, CEO of Crunchyroll adds, "Working with GDH in providing many hours of anime content is definitely a pleasure and will benefit all fans of online anime. These are definitely exciting times for the anime industry." Crunchyroll will provide free online streaming of GDH K.K. titles and provide download-to-own for a small fee ($2-$3.00 U.S. depending upon platform). Title Synopses: KALEIDO STAR Sora Naegino is an ordinary girl in every way except that she has a big dream. She loves the Kaleido Stage - an extravagant circus show that`s comparable to lavish Broadway entertainment. Her dream is to become the top star of the Kaleido Stage known as the Kaleido Star. Sora`s life takes a dramatic turn when the owner of Kaleido Stage recognizes her potential and lets her join the troupe full of beautiful and unique performers.
Brace yourself as Sora plunges into the dazzling world of Show Biz. Sora`s single-minded pursuit of her dream comes alive not only with acrobatic stunts and showy costumes but also with romance, rivalry and friendship. PEACEMAKER KUROGANE Welcome to the days of ancient Edo-period Japan a time of social chaos and constant sword battle. PEACEMAKER KUROGANE follows the life of a young kid named `TETSU,` as he is driven to join the SHINSENGUMI a sort of samurai S.W.A.T. force in search of power to avenge his father`s murder. TETSU dreams of learning their renowned fighting prowess in order to be strong enough one day to face the shadowy figure who cut down his father. But along the way, he faces the complexities of the SHINSENGUMI; he rarely obeys the protective advice of his older brother `TATSU,` and learns that perhaps his destiny is as his father once told him: to be the PEACEMAKER! It`s a world of war that desperately needs peace. And to achieve peace, a peacemaker is needed...
ADV FILMS
ADV maintains one of the largest anime catalogs outside of Japan and has played a key role in building anime¹s worldwide popularity over the past 16 years. Crunchyroll is the largest online community focused on Asian entertainment, serving over four million fans worldwide. This announcement substantially expands Crunchyroll`s anime content and extends ADV`s online reach dramatically.
Vu Nguyen, co-founder of Crunchyroll, said "Crunchyroll is delighted to partner with a pioneering US anime distributor to bring these great titles to our passionate online community of anime fans." "Consumers particularly the 18-34 year old demo are hungry for what we have to offer, whether it¹s at the video store, on cable, and increasingly over the Internet," said ADV Films co-founder and president John Ledford. "As the largest community of its kind, Crunchyroll is the perfect platform to reach new, tech-savvy anime fans." Over the next twelve months, Crunchyroll will host nearly 72 hours of ADV Films content, including TV series, animated features, and live-action films. A full list is provided below: Angelic Layer 26 episode animated series BASToF Syndrome 26 episode animated series Best Student Council 26 episode animated series Chance Pop Session 13 episode animated series Lady Death animated feature Magical Play 22 episode animated series Martian Successor Nadesico: Prince of Darkness animated feature Nurse Witch Komugi 6 episode animated series Parasite Dolls animated feature Saiyuki 50 episode animated series Sin animated feature Yesterday live-action film
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. Crunchyroll’s 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 www.crunchyroll.com.
About Media Blasters
Media Blasters Inc. is a New York based corporation that translates, packages, and dubs anime and live action programming for the US DVD market. Media Blasters is perhaps best known for its DVD releases of “Invader Zim”, and VOLTRON as well as translating & releasing the anime Berserk, Knight Hunters, and Rurouni Kenshin. In 11 years of business, Media Blasters has grown from a solid licensing company to a major media producer and distributor. Media Blasters recently completed its third in-house horror film production “Wicked Lake”, attracting some of Hollywood’s top talent. On the international front, Media Blasters has just completed its Japanese co-production, KITE LIBERATOR, a new story by anime action master Yasuomi Umetsu as well as the new live action hit “The Machine Girl”. As a distributor, Media Blasters has partnered with industry giants such as Nickelodeon, PBS and Tezuka Productions for nationwide DVD releases. Media Blasters strong relationships with major retailers such as Wal-mart, Best Buy and Transworld have guaranteed prime placement for all of its DVD products. Media Blasters has recently expanded into the US TV & internet markets with great success. Original and licensed productions have been featured on iTunes, Xbox, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Showtime, Starz, Monsters HD, Sundance Channel, MTV/ LOGO, Cox’s Hospitality Network and many of the most popular Video-on-Demand outlets such as InDemand and DISH Network. For more information, visit www.media-blasters.com.
About GDH K.K.
GDH is a globally-focused Japanese media company founded in February 2000. The group produces cutting edge entertainment for teens and young adults through its GONZO animation brand. Kids and family product is distributed through the GONZO FILMS and GONZINO brands. GDH is a world leader in content development targeting both domestic and international audiences with Japan`s trend-setting animation culture and, usually, GDH controls licensing management and international distribution for the content it produces. For additional information, visit www.gdh.co.jp/english (for GDH) and www.gonzo.co.jp (for GONZO - Japanese only). GDH group companies include GONZO Rosso K.K., GONZO K.K., Future Vision Music K.K., GONZINO K.K., GDH Capital K.K. and GK Entertainment K.K.
About ADV Films
ADV Films is the #1 producer-distributor of Japanese animation (anime) in North America and has the largest English-language anime library in the world. With best-selling titles such as Neon Genesis Evangelion, Elfen Lied, Gantz, Robotech, Azumanga Daioh, and Hello Kitty, ADV Films` extensive catalog is fueling the popularity of anime around the globe. Parent company A. D. Vision, Inc. encompasses a variety of complementary media divisions including television, licensing and merchandising and continues to expand into new areas. Founded in 1992, the company is headquartered in Houston. For more information, visit www.advfilms.com.