Crunchyroll's New Direction - Streaming Anime with Support of Japanese Companies

[Tommy Lawson]

Over the course of the past few days, we have seen news about Crunchyroll's (http://www.crunchyroll.com) new direction by getting support directly from anime companies based in Japan to stream their shows. I will list the number of anime titles announced by anime companies to be streamed by Crunchyroll in this post.

The first sign of this was in March when GDH and Gonzo announced that they would be streaming the following anime series on Crunchyroll (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-03-21/gonzo-works-to-be-streamed-simultaneously-with-airing):

1. The Tower of Druaga: the Aegis of Uruk
2. Blassreiter

The next sign of this was on October 3 when GDH and Gonzo allowed Linebarrels of Iron (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-10-03/gonzo-to-stream-linebarrels-of-iron-on-crunchyroll-today) to be streamed shortly after its initial Japanese airing. So we have:

3. Linebarrels of Iron

After that, on October 27, Toei Animation allowed the following shows to be streamed on Crunchyroll (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-10-27/toei-animation-adds-anime-to-crunchyroll-website-today):

4. Digimon Adventure Zero Two
5. Fist of the North Star
6. Pretty Cure
7. Slam Dunk

On November 17, Crunchyroll announced that they will be streaming Naruto Shippuden, shortly after its Japan airing. There were two news announcements regarding this on ANN, this one (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/press-release/2008-11-17/crunchyroll-launches-major-new-digital-distribution-partnership) and an update (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-11-17/tv-tokyo-to-also-stream-naruto-through-crunchyroll):

8. Naruto Shippunden

On November 20, TV Tokyo and Crunchyroll announced two more anime series for streaming (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-11-20/crunchyroll-to-stream-shugo-chara-skip-beat-anime):

9. Shugo Chara!
10. Skip Beat!

Also, according to BB Watch, another anime not announced in the English press releases is scheduled for Crunchyroll streaming:

11. Gintama

So that's ten titles we know for sure will be streamed by Crunchyroll, and the eleventh one will likely get an English press release in the near future. I believe there will be more anime series announced for streaming on CR in the future. As more titles are announced, it should be reflected in this thread.

So what do you of Crunchyroll getting these deals with anime companies? Will it be good for the industry, or will it end up becoming a failed experiment? I personally think it will be good for the industry, since there are Western-created animated shows that were created with international markets in mind with multiple language recordings while they were in production. One example I can think of is when Disney localized W.I.T.C.H. for all the countries in Europe with even the theme song recorded in different languages, so to do the same for anime while it is in production would be a good step for the industry IMO.

[11/22/2008 Update: Added Info from March 2008 to list from other TZ members. I found the original news on ANN for it, and updated the numbers accordingly. Thanks.]

[ChibiGoku]

I'm not sure if anyone also knows this, but Crunchyroll will stop submitting User Videos in January 2009 (I think the 8th, don't quote me), which I find is a good direction. It's just one step closer for them to becoming legit. They've actually been recently removing many fansub videos that were posted online on the site as of recent, so it does seem that they are seriously trying to go all legal.

[GWOtaku]

Okay, this is more like it. I'll give this a try at the turn of the year. Hulu too probably, I keep hearing good things about it.

[bigddan11]

Crunchyroll started long before Linebarrels of Iron. They had Blassreiter and The Tower of Druaga: The Aegis of Uruk back in March as the first titles in Gonzo's streaming agreement with Crunchyroll.

As far as the companies go, I believe they've basically accepted that Americans are going to watch the shows they want to watch by any means necessary. Getting an American company to show them legit, like Crunchyroll, is the first step to doing away with fansubs all together, which in turn also stops illegal copyrighted material from being published.

[Andrew T. Hingson]

Gintama? Interesting. I wonder who is making that happen.

On another note... paying to see subbed Naruto shortly after the broadcast? Yeah that's not going to stop piracy as well as it would if it was free to the visitors and paid for via ad buys. I for one wont bother joining CR's pay service to get something I'll be able to enjoy for free shortly thereafter.

I'm so behind on Shippudden anyway... I could enjoy it more probably just by watching the subs on Naruto.com from episode 1.

[creativerealms]

Simply the best way to stop anime pirating is to match the Pirates moves. Sure it will never truely stop them but it's the right step.

They also have titles from ADV and media Blasters up there legally.

[Beat]

The anime industry is doing what people have been asking them to do to stop fansubs. Namely, create a legal alternative which cuts the timelag to zero, and incorporating the fansubbing channels into the legal alternative. This is progress. Not friviolous lawsuits, legal methods of accomplishing the same goal.

[Baby Naruto]

Does Crunchyroll have (any) english dubbed anime (at all)?

[bigddan11]

Does Crunchyroll have (any) english dubbed anime (at all)?
As Creative Realms said, they have shows from ADV and Media Blasters.

[Baby Naruto]

As Creative Realms said, they have shows from ADV and Media Blasters.

But are the episodes on CrunchyRoll english dubbed? That's what i wanna know, cuz I dont watch subs, legal or illegal.

[bigddan11]

But are the episodes on CrunchyRoll english dubbed? That's what i wanna know, cuz I dont watch subs, legal or illegal.
ADV and Media Blasters only release dubbed programming. On the DVD's they have dubbed and subbed, but online they only release dubbed.

[Undrave]

I think its a great idea.

If I had a portable video player (and a credit card >.> ) I'd totally buy HQ download episodes of my favorites shows from TOEI and others.

I'm also really happy to see that they're not stalling and really cranking out those episodes in a timely fashion. Can't wait to see what else they'll put up.

Com'on Disney...follow the example and give us some of Saban's back catalog!! (Flint, Mon Colle Knight, Samurai Pizza Cats!!!).

[Baby Naruto]

ADV and Media Blasters only release dubbed programming. On the DVD's they have dubbed and subbed, but online they only release dubbed.

Oh, ok, just thought I should check first before going on over to Crunchyroll.

[GingaDaiuchuu]

Previous statement:

I guess, for this sort of thing (official companies releasing episodes of their anime for view in America), Internet really is the new TV.

Correction: For that sort of thing, Crunchyroll is the new TV.

[Katsumara]

Didn't CR also stream Blassreiter and Tower of Druaga (Season 1) literally right after (or around the time of) it's airing? If so, you missed them in your list, Tommy.

Either way, their site is okay... but it's way cluttered on there. Hulu and Joost are somewhat smoother for me in terms of a clean screen, but I don't maximize videos on streaming sites anyway, so eh.

[Zack]

ADV and Media Blasters only release dubbed programming. On the DVD's they have dubbed and subbed, but online they only release dubbed.

Actually, ADV and Media Blasters have released subtitled versions of their shows on Crunchyroll. ADV, however, has released only dubbed versions of their shows on Joost.com.

[Sparticus]

Gintama? Interesting. I wonder who is making that happen.

I'm curious about that too, since no US companies have even hinted at having it. It's insanely popular in Japan but only has a cult following everywhere else. Not to mention the anime is supposedly ending in April, which would only put 13 officaly subbed episodes on Crunchyroll.

Are they leaving the fansubbed vids? Are they going to replace them with offical transations? Are they yanking them altogether? Guess we'll find out.

[Baby Naruto]

I'm curious about that too, since no US companies have even hinted at having it. It's insanely popular in Japan but only has a cult following everywhere else. Not to mention the anime is supposedly ending in April, which would only put 13 officaly subbed episodes on Crunchyroll.

Are they leaving the fansubbed vids? Are they going to replace them with offical transations? Are they yanking them altogether? Guess we'll find out.

I hope that there is a Gin Tama english dub made sometime during 2009 :D.

[Andrew T. Hingson]

I wouldn't expect there will be. If it goes directly to CR then it'll be sub only.

[Baby Naruto]

I wouldn't expect there will be. If it goes directly to CR then it'll be sub only.

I wasnt really talking about Crunchyroll lol ;).

[bigddan11]

Didn't CR also stream Blassreiter and Tower of Druaga (Season 1) literally right after (or around the time of) it's airing? If so, you missed them in your list, Tommy.

Either way, their site is okay... but it's way cluttered on there. Hulu and Joost are somewhat smoother for me in terms of a clean screen, but I don't maximize videos on streaming sites anyway, so eh.
I did mention this earlier, as that was the start of the GONZO subbed anime.

[Andrew T. Hingson]

I wasnt really talking about Crunchyroll lol ;).

Yeah I know but consider Digimon 02, Precure and Slam Dunk from Toei Animation. They're sub only on CR and they don't have DVD releases with dubs much less broadcasts. If Gintama goes straight to CR, it'll probably be via the Japanese producers and it will not likely get a dub.

[Tommy Lawson]

I updated the list, but I remember "The Tower of Druaga" as that Namco game on the PSP collection disc that seems a bit too difficult to understand in comparison to the Pac-Man games on it. I heard it was more popular in Japan than here when it was released.

[Quarkboy]

Yeah I know but consider Digimon 02, Precure and Slam Dunk from Toei Animation. They're sub only on CR and they don't have DVD releases with dubs much less broadcasts. If Gintama goes straight to CR, it'll probably be via the Japanese producers and it will not likely get a dub.

Consider this a rumor, but a friend of mine I trust said a friend of her's that she trusts was currently recording a dub for Pretty Cure up in Canada.

So it seems like Pretty cure is being dubbed. For what purpose, I have no clue.

Unforunately she also said that names are changed, americanizations, etc...

[ChibiGoku]

Unforunately she also said that names are changed, americanizations, etc...

...:shrug:

That's all I have to say to that. I'm just hoping the localization is similar style to the later Sailor Moon episodes, sans inconsistancies.

[Baby Naruto]

Yeah I know but consider Digimon 02, Precure and Slam Dunk from Toei Animation. They're sub only on CR and they don't have DVD releases with dubs much less broadcasts. If Gintama goes straight to CR, it'll probably be via the Japanese producers and it will not likely get a dub.

Um actually, Digimon Adventure 02 did get an english dub, it just wasn't uncut and unedited.

As for the Gin Tama anime never getting english dubbed, I find that highly unlikely since Viz Media is translating the Gin Tama manga, with volumes 1-9 out now already.

[bigddan11]

Um actually, Digimon Adventure 02 did get an english dub, it just wasn't uncut and unedited.

As for the Gin Tama anime never getting english dubbed, I find that highly unlikely since Viz Media is translating the Gin Tama manga, with volumes 1-9 out now already.
He said they don't have DVD's with dubs, not that they were never dubbed, which is why he said they aren't broadcast, since Toon Disney stopped airing all Digimon outside of Data Squad.

[Baby Naruto]

He said they don't have DVD's with dubs, not that they were never dubbed, which is why he said they aren't broadcast, since Toon Disney stopped airing all Digimon outside of Data Squad.

Wait a minute, there aren't american DVDs of Digimon Adventure 02? :O :eek:

Why not? it's a very popular anime series, from my point of view anyways.

[garfield15]

Wait a minute, there aren't american DVDs of Digimon Adventure 02? :O :eek:

Why not? it's a very popular anime series, from my point of view anyways.

Actually there aren't american dvd's of any Digimon series. (besides the movie)

As to why I don't think Disney thinks its as popular as we'd like to believe

[bigddan11]

Actually there aren't american dvd's of any Digimon series. (besides the movie)

As to why I don't think Disney thinks its as popular as we'd like to believe
That's only part true. They did release the first 13 episodes in a DVD box set, but it has since been discontinued.

[garfield15]

That's only part true. They did release the first 13 episodes in a DVD box set, but it has since been discontinued.

Yeah, I knew about those. I should have said there were no more still available Digimon DVD's

[Undrave]

Yeah, I knew about those. I should have said there were no more still available Digimon DVD's

Which is a real pain in the arse. Good thing I still got my recordings of Tamers from the old days.

[bigddan11]

Actually, ADV and Media Blasters have released subtitled versions of their shows on Crunchyroll. ADV, however, has released only dubbed versions of their shows on Joost.com.
I wouldn't normally bring back a post this old, but someone has been updating the shows that Crunchyroll is legally airing at Anime News Network. It ends up that all the shows have aired the Japanese version with subs with the exception of BASTof Syndrome, which was originally Korean, so ADV posted it with the English dub at Crunchyroll. The list also contains the newly announced Eyeshield 21, which will debut 8 episodes tomorrow, next weeks premiere of The Tower of Druaga: The Sword of Uruk, and next weeks premiere of one just announced today- Natsume Yujin-Cho's sequel series.

http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/company.php?id=7606

I'm not sure if it has been mentioned or not, but a few of these titles (Kite Liberator, Girl's Club, and Ramen Fighter Micki) are now airing the Media Blasters dub version legally at Anime News Network. The sad part is that you have to use one of the three VoD companies that have been provided the dub to watch it in 4 or more parts.

[garfield15]

Okay, soooooo....

We now have the following (in order from most recent)

-Naruto Shippuden
-Web Ghost PiPoPa
-Skip Beat
-Shugo Chara
-Gintama
-Neo Angelique Abyss
-Eyeshield 21
-Chrono Crusade
-Fairy Musketeers
-Dear Boys
-Viewtiful Joe (dubbed)
-Kaleido Star
-Peace Maker Kurogane
-Last Exile
-Zaion

Which have at least a minimum of 4 episodes on the site up for free. Not including the already airing Digimon Adventure 02, Linebarrels of Iron, Slam Dunk, Fist of the North Star and PreCure and the already finished Tower of Druaga: Aegis of Uruk and Blassreiter currently on the site. And all this (besides Viewtiful Joe) is subbed.

Yeah....This is nice

[Beat]

And last year everyone was convinced Crunchyroll was the devil.

[bigddan11]

We have a lot more than that. Crunchyroll is airing, or has announced they will air the following series legally. Most of them currently have the entire series available, unless they are the newest additions. This list is in alphabetical order. If it has parenthesis after it, then that's the English name being used by Crunchyroll for the series. Some of the Media Blaster titles might be viewable only by paying for them, but almost all of them will be added to Crunchyroll's free service after a few weeks.

Japanese:
Angelic Layer
Best Student Council
Blassreiter
Catblue Dynamite
Cencoroll
Chance! Pop Session
Chrono Crusade
Digimon Adventure 02
Eagle Talon
Eve no Jikan (Time of Eve)- also has a French version available
Eyeshield 21
Fairy Musketeers
Fist of the North Star
Flesh for the Beast
Futari wa Pretty Cure (Pretty Cure)
Gatchaman (OVA)
Gintama
Girl's High
Hoop Days (Dear Boys)
Japanese Anime Classic Collections (4 available)
Kaleido Star
Kite Liberator
Lady Death
Last Exile
Linebarrels of Iron
Magical Witchland (Magical Play)
Martin Successor Nadiesco: The Motion Picture- Prince of Darkness
Moegaku5
Naruto Shippuden
Natsume Yujin-Cho (also will list the sequel series Zoku Natsume Yujin-Cho under the same name)
Neo Angelic Abyss
Neo Angelic Abyss: Second Age
Net Ghost PiPoPa (Web Ghost PiPoPa)
Nurse Witch Komugi (Nurse Witch Komugi-chan Magikarte Z)
Pale Cocoon
Parasite Dolls
Otogi-Jushi Akazukin
Parasite Dolls
Peacemaker (Peacemaker Kurogane)
Ramen Fighter Miki
Saiyuki
Shugo Chara!
Sin: The Movie
Skip Beat!
Slam Dunk
Steel Angel Kurumi
Steel Angel Kurumi 2
Steel Angel Kurumi Zero
Strike Witches
The Tower of Druaga: The Aegis of Uruk
The Tower of Druaga: The Sword of Uruk
Zaion: I Wish You Were Here


English:
BASToF Syndrome
Gatchaman (OVA)
Speed Racer
Viewtiful Joe

Live action:
Akibanana
Alone in Love
Animation for the Source
Anime Expo 2008
Best Monitoring Special Edition
Condor Hero
Detective Office 5
Eggman
Flesh for the Beast
Formula Drift Long Beach
Freeze
Fuji Fast
JDM Racers
Mizo no Kotoba
Parkour
Red Trousers
ROBO-ONE 11
Seven Swordsmen
Shadow Dead Riot
Shikorobo
Someday
The Machine Girl Movie
Type R Legend
Yatler Matler Space Tyrants
Yesterday The Movie

Magna:
1520
Electric Soldier DOKAN Kun
Princess Ai Encounters
Rumble PAK from egioMANGA
Sakura PAK from egioMANGA
The Makeshift Miracle
UDON Combo

Other animation:
Coluboccoro
Kid Kosmo
Mighty Max
Neko Rahmen
Pitekanto
Sumiko

Crunchyroll removed all user submitted series today, so the only series available are the ones being posted by the companies that have been authorized. They have created their own list of which series are currently available which can be seen here, which I have summarized above, and you can see there are about 30 spots of shows not yet announced they will also have:
http://www.crunchyroll.com/lineup?pg=0

[clipeuh]

It's funny to read crunchyroll members saying "WHERE'S ALL TEH ANIMU??" all over the website. :evil:
I'll watch Eyeshield 21 later this week and I heard good things about Gintama so I think I'll try to watch that too.:)

[bigddan11]

I have updated the list above to show all series of anime, manga, live-action, and other animation Crunchyroll is legally airing. The list is quite long, and a couple did catch me by surprise. I had no idea they had the Gatchaman OVA (English & Japanese) and the original Speed Racer (English version).

[Pepperidge]

Consider this a rumor, but a friend of mine I trust said a friend of her's that she trusts was currently recording a dub for Pretty Cure up in Canada.

So it seems like Pretty cure is being dubbed. For what purpose, I have no clue.

Unforunately she also said that names are changed, americanizations, etc...

Just out of curiosity, what city does this "friend of a friend" live in?

[TheVileOne]

My problem with all of this is that I've been reading that Crunchyroll still basically has the fansubs and unauthorized vids on their site.

So basically, the producers and distributors are supporting the very thing they've railed against for years.

[ChibiGoku]

My problem with all of this is that I've been reading that Crunchyroll still basically has the fansubs and unauthorized vids on their site.

So basically, the producers and distributors are supporting the very thing they've railed against for years.

Actually, they've gotten most of the videos. It's possible that they missed some though, given how much illegal stuff that was uploaded to the site, that is hardly surprising. :sweat:

[TheVileOne]

That's not a good enough excuse IMHO.

[bigddan11]

My problem with all of this is that I've been reading that Crunchyroll still basically has the fansubs and unauthorized vids on their site.

So basically, the producers and distributors are supporting the very thing they've railed against for years.
No, Crunchyroll doesn't. Crunchyroll removed ALL user submitted videos on January 1. The only videos available now are the ones that the companies themselves have posted. Those videos, again since you apparently didn't read the bottom of my previous post which stated all but these had been removed, are these:

Japanese:
Angelic Layer
Best Student Council
Blassreiter
Catblue Dynamite
Cencoroll
Chance! Pop Session
Chrono Crusade
Digimon Adventure 02
Eagle Talon
Eve no Jikan (Time of Eve)- also has a French version available
Eyeshield 21
Fairy Musketeers
Fist of the North Star
Flesh for the Beast
Futari wa Pretty Cure (Pretty Cure)
Gatchaman (OVA)
Gintama
Girl's High
Hoop Days (Dear Boys)
Japanese Anime Classic Collections (4 available)
Kaleido Star
Kite Liberator
Lady Death
Last Exile
Linebarrels of Iron
Magical Witchland (Magical Play)
Martin Successor Nadiesco: The Motion Picture- Prince of Darkness
Moegaku5
Naruto Shippuden
Natsume Yujin-Cho (also will list the sequel series Zoku Natsume Yujin-Cho under the same name)
Neo Angelic Abyss
Neo Angelic Abyss: Second Age
Net Ghost PiPoPa (Web Ghost PiPoPa)
Nurse Witch Komugi (Nurse Witch Komugi-chan Magikarte Z)
Pale Cocoon
Parasite Dolls
Otogi-Jushi Akazukin
Parasite Dolls
Peacemaker (Peacemaker Kurogane)
Ramen Fighter Miki
Saiyuki
Shugo Chara!
Sin: The Movie
Skip Beat!
Slam Dunk
Steel Angel Kurumi
Steel Angel Kurumi 2
Steel Angel Kurumi Zero
Strike Witches
The Tower of Druaga: The Aegis of Uruk
The Tower of Druaga: The Sword of Uruk
Zaion: I Wish You Were Here


English:
BASToF Syndrome (23-26/ Korean audio with subs for first 22 episodes)
Gatchaman (OVA)
Speed Racer
Viewtiful Joe

Live action:
Akibanana
Alone in Love
Animation for the Source
Anime Expo 2008
Best Monitoring Special Edition
Condor Hero
Detective Office 5
Eggman
Flesh for the Beast
Formula Drift Long Beach
Freeze
Fuji Fast
JDM Racers
Mizo no Kotoba
Parkour
Red Trousers
ROBO-ONE 11
Seven Swordsmen
Shadow Dead Riot
Shikorobo
Someday
The Machine Girl Movie
Type R Legend
Yatler Matler Space Tyrants
Yesterday The Movie

Magna:
1520
Electric Soldier DOKAN Kun
Princess Ai Encounters
Rumble PAK from egioMANGA
Sakura PAK from egioMANGA
The Makeshift Miracle
UDON Combo

Other animation:
Coluboccoro
Kid Kosmo
Mighty Max
Neko Rahmen
Pitekanto
Sumiko

[GingaDaiuchuu]

No, Crunchyroll doesn't. Crunchyroll removed ALL user submitted videos on January 1. The only videos available now are the ones that the companies themselves have posted. Those videos, again since you apparently didn't read the bottom of my previous post which stated all but these had been removed, are these:

Japanese:
Angelic Layer
Best Student Council
Blassreiter
Catblue Dynamite
Cencoroll
Chance! Pop Session
Chrono Crusade
Digimon Adventure 02
Eagle Talon
Eve no Jikan (Time of Eve)- also has a French version available
Eyeshield 21
Fairy Musketeers
Fist of the North Star
Flesh for the Beast
Futari wa Pretty Cure (Pretty Cure)
Gatchaman (OVA)
Gintama
Girl's High
Hoop Days (Dear Boys)
Japanese Anime Classic Collections (4 available)
Kaleido Star
Kite Liberator
Lady Death
Last Exile
Linebarrels of Iron
Magical Witchland (Magical Play)
Martin Successor Nadiesco: The Motion Picture- Prince of Darkness
Moegaku5
Naruto Shippuden
Natsume Yujin-Cho (also will list the sequel series Zoku Natsume Yujin-Cho under the same name)
Neo Angelic Abyss
Neo Angelic Abyss: Second Age
Net Ghost PiPoPa (Web Ghost PiPoPa)
Nurse Witch Komugi (Nurse Witch Komugi-chan Magikarte Z)
Pale Cocoon
Parasite Dolls
Otogi-Jushi Akazukin
Parasite Dolls
Peacemaker (Peacemaker Kurogane)
Ramen Fighter Miki
Saiyuki
Shugo Chara!
Sin: The Movie
Skip Beat!
Slam Dunk
Steel Angel Kurumi
Steel Angel Kurumi 2
Steel Angel Kurumi Zero
Strike Witches
The Tower of Druaga: The Aegis of Uruk
The Tower of Druaga: The Sword of Uruk
Zaion: I Wish You Were Here


English:
BASToF Syndrome
Gatchaman (OVA)
Speed Racer
Viewtiful Joe

Live action:
Akibanana
Alone in Love
Animation for the Source
Anime Expo 2008
Best Monitoring Special Edition
Condor Hero
Detective Office 5
Eggman
Flesh for the Beast
Formula Drift Long Beach
Freeze
Fuji Fast
JDM Racers
Mizo no Kotoba
Parkour
Red Trousers
ROBO-ONE 11
Seven Swordsmen
Shadow Dead Riot
Shikorobo
Someday
The Machine Girl Movie
Type R Legend
Yatler Matler Space Tyrants
Yesterday The Movie

Magna:
1520
Electric Soldier DOKAN Kun
Princess Ai Encounters
Rumble PAK from egioMANGA
Sakura PAK from egioMANGA
The Makeshift Miracle
UDON Combo

Other animation:
Coluboccoro
Kid Kosmo
Mighty Max
Neko Rahmen
Pitekanto
Sumiko

Yeah, Crunchyroll is now fully legit and one of if not the biggest legit anime streaming site in America right now. I love it. Now time to watch Naruto Shippuden episodes 221-228.

[jph139]

Ah, yes, Gintama, free and legal. Life has its rewards. :D

How is the dub of Viewtiful Joe, by the way? Worth checking out?

[Naruto D.Luffy]

It's funny to read crunchyroll members saying "WHERE'S ALL TEH ANIMU??" all over the website. :evil:
I'll watch Eyeshield 21 later this week and I heard good things about Gintama so I think I'll try to watch that too.:)
This. I was going through the happy new years thread, and like 90% of the people who posted want Shinji dead.

[garfield15]

How is the dub of Viewtiful Joe, by the way? Worth checking out?

Well....It's not....ear-bleeding but it's not really good either.

[DemonLordShugo]

Well....It's not....ear-bleeding but it's not really good either.

Viewtiful Joe's dub is more of a..................................so-so dub

[GingaDaiuchuu]

The simulcasts are up, but you must have an Anime Memberships to watch them now. This brings up a few questions.

What are we going to do about talkbacks for these and other new releases? We (inconsistently) have talkbacks for the Toei anime, sometimes with a new talkback for each episode, and those must be the oldest anime on the site, so why not have talkbacks for the new, or at least newer anime?

Also, is anyone on here going to get an Anime Membership? If so, which one (monthly, 3 months, or 12 months)?

This is pretty much the new TV for us American anime fans, except even better, since this is dedicated to anime, and American TV never aired episodes of anime an hour after they aired in Japan (until Kurokami, but most of us don't have that channel anyway), and since I don't even have cable TV at my house anyway (not there's much anime on anyway), it doesn't seem like such a bad deal to watch anime an hour after it airs in Japan at the cost of $5 a month.

Wow, that was one sentence. Anyway, what are everyone's thoughts on these subjects? Sorry if I ranted, but I actually care about this. Thanks.

[Baseball]

I'm getting the twelve-month one. My brother and I are splitting the costs and sharing the account, so it's not that bad.

[bronzetar]

cruchyroll took off all brave series videos

[Sparticus]

I have a three month membership.

Naturaly, on the first day of simulcasts, the episode only loads half way (but because it's soft subs, the subtitles keep going). XD It's alright, I'm used to waiting around a bit for my Gintama. Hopefuly it'll be working later. :3

Yeah, the wank is rediculous, I've been the anti-troll on the Gintama wall, telling the 'tards to glance at the little description immdiately to the left of the wall that explains things, or commit seppuku. The more coherant posters find this terribly amusing. :evil:

As far as talkbacks are concerned, the Gintama talkback has been sporadic at best so... I guess it's fine the way it is. :P

[Mesousa]

I heard that Naruto fans are whining already about this.

[GingaDaiuchuu]

I'm getting the twelve-month one. My brother and I are splitting the costs and sharing the account, so it's not that bad.

Unfortunately, I don't even know anyone who would pay for anime, so it's up to me alone, but this is probably what I'll do.


I have a three month membership.

Naturaly, on the first day of simulcasts, the episode only loads half way (but because it's soft subs, the subtitles keep going). XD It's alright, I'm used to waiting around a bit for my Gintama. Hopefuly it'll be working later. :3

Yeah, the wank is rediculous, I've been the anti-troll on the Gintama wall, telling the 'tards to glance at the little description immdiately to the left of the wall that explains things, or commit seppuku. The more coherant posters find this terribly amusing. :evil:

As far as talkbacks are concerned, the Gintama talkback has been sporadic at best so... I guess it's fine the way it is. :P

That's not too encouraging, but naturally problems happen on the first day. I guess we'll just have to bump the talkbacks when new episodes are released, since it's legal now.

So should I get an Anime Membership, and if I do, should I get a twelve-month one or a shorter one?

[Jacob T. Paschal]

Well, with Naruto we've already an all-encompassing talkback for the Japanese release so I don't see a real reason to drop that, persé.

[TheVileOne]

No, Crunchyroll doesn't. Crunchyroll removed ALL user submitted videos on January 1. The only videos available now are the ones that the companies themselves have posted. Those videos, again since you apparently didn't read the bottom of my previous post which stated all but these had been removed, are these

Anime Insider reported in their latest issue that they are still on the site. Meaning distributors and producers still made agreements and deals with them while they were still on the site.

[Sparticus]

Unfortunately, I don't even know anyone who would pay for anime, so it's up to me alone, but this is probably what I'll do.



That's not too encouraging, but naturally problems happen on the first day. I guess we'll just have to bump the talkbacks when new episodes are released, since it's legal now.

So should I get an Anime Membership, and if I do, should I get a twelve-month one or a shorter one?

I guess it depends on what you want to watch. I pretty much only got it to watch the Gintama simulcast, and the anime is ending in April so I'll pay for that last month, then let my subscription expire after that. Frankly, there's nothing else I'm following that I MUST watch as soon as it airs, so waiting a week for new eps is no big deal. :P

Actualy, come to think of it, probably the only thing I'll be watching is Eyeshield 21 and to my knowledge that's already done. O.o

[GingaDaiuchuu]

I guess it depends on what you want to watch. I pretty much only got it to watch the Gintama simulcast, and the anime is ending in April so I'll pay for that last month, then let my subscription expire after that. Frankly, there's nothing else I'm following that I MUST watch as soon as it airs, so waiting a week for new eps is no big deal. :P

Actualy, come to think of it, probably the only thing I'll be watching is Eyeshield 21 and to my knowledge that's already done. O.o

The two I want to watch the most are Naruto Shippuden and Gintama.

[Sparticus]

The two I want to watch the most are Naruto Shippuden and Gintama.

Hmmm... Perriot is stubborn about not dropping series (even after they should have gone on hiatus several times...), so that's a year long subscription just for Naruto. :gir:

[GingaDaiuchuu]

Hmmm... Perriot is stubborn about not dropping series (even after they should have gone on hiatus several times...), so that's a year long subscription just for Naruto. :gir:

Well are there any anime you need an Anime Membership for other than Naruto Shippuden and Gintama? And anyway, I'm sure there will be more later.

[garfield15]

Well are there any anime you need an Anime Membership for other than Naruto Shippuden and Gintama? And anyway, I'm sure there will be more later.
I believe Shugo Chara is the only other one.

And yeah, its only a matter of time before Bleach gets up there.

[GingaDaiuchuu]

I believe Shugo Chara is the only other one.

And yeah, its only a matter of time before Bleach gets up there.

Oh yeah, I want to check that out, too.

Yeah, Bleach will definitely be up there soon, which I will definitely want to see, and there will be others.

So do you think I should do it?

[garfield15]

Oh yeah, I want to check that out, too.

Yeah, Bleach will definitely be up there soon, which I will definitely want to see, and there will be others.

So do you think I should do it?

Hmmm...I'm still debating. On one hand I want to see these shows when they come out, but on the other, they'll be out within a week anyway. Plus, I don't really watch Naruto that much, I'm neutral about Shugo Chara and I just started watching Gintama and they have yet to fill in the gaps (I think they start soon though).

I'm going to get just a monthly one and try it out. I'll see if I want to continue after that.

[GingaDaiuchuu]

Hmmm...I'm still debating. On one hand I want to see these shows when they come out, but on the other, they'll be out within a week anyway. Plus, I don't really watch Naruto that much, I'm neutral about Shugo Chara and I just started watching Gintama and they have yet to fill in the gaps (I think they start soon though).

I'm going to get just a monthly one and try it out. I'll see if I want to continue after that.

For me, Naruto Shippuden is the most important one, Gintama is definitely one I want to keep watching, and even though they haven't filled in the gaps, it's not as important for Gintama as most series to see every episode, although seeing the first ones helps more, and I've never seen any Shugo Chara, but I want to check it out.

I don't really want to get a monthly one then decide to get a yearly one, since it would be a better deal to just get a yearly one. So I'm still not sure.

[Sparticus]

Well are there any anime you need an Anime Membership for other than Naruto Shippuden and Gintama? And anyway, I'm sure there will be more later.

Yeah, there's a few *goes to double check* Skip Beat, Shugo Chara and... crap, I don't think Shinji ever posted a full list. >.> Those are just the simulcasts anyway. There's still a TON of stuff on there that's totaly free.

Considering all that TV Tokyo is throwing on there, I'm surprised Bleach hasn't been posted. Then again, it IS still airing on Adult Swim and YTV last I knew so that might have something to do with it. :P

[garfield15]

Considering all that TV Tokyo is throwing on there, I'm surprised Bleach hasn't been posted. Then again, it IS still airing on Adult Swim and YTV last I knew so that might have something to do with it. :P

Well, that proves that Shippuden is never getting on TV if that's the case.

And hey, if that's all it takes, One Piece should get up there soon.

[GingaDaiuchuu]

Yeah, there's a few *goes to double check* Skip Beat, Shugo Chara and... crap, I don't think Shinji ever posted a full list. >.> Those are just the simulcasts anyway. There's still a TON of stuff on there that's totaly free.

Considering all that TV Tokyo is throwing on there, I'm surprised Bleach hasn't been posted. Then again, it IS still airing on Adult Swim and YTV last I knew so that might have something to do with it. :P

Oh, I'll have to check that out, too.

Bleach will probably be put on here and taken off TV soon anyway.


Well, that proves that Shippuden is never getting on TV if that's the case.

And hey, if that's all it takes, One Piece should get up there soon.

Yeah, pretty much.

Hopefully. FUNimation still hasn't used CR for some reason, but it's up to Toei anyway.

I still haven't decided yet...

[Beat]

Someone needs to tell Gonzo to throw the new season of Ippo on there. Then I'll be happy.

[GingaDaiuchuu]

Someone needs to tell Gonzo to throw the new season of Ippo on there. Then I'll be happy.

I can't believe they haven't. I thought they decided to simulcast all their new releases for free on Crunchyroll last year.

$158.94. That's what I just gave to Right Stuf and FUNimation. And those DVDs will probably last me about a month. $60 for a year of anime is sounding better and better...

[Beat]

Because it's Madhouse, not Gonzo.

http://seiryuulostmymusic.files.wordpress.com/2008/02/facepalm.jpg

My bad.

Is Madhouse down with CR though?

[GingaDaiuchuu]

Is Madhouse down with CR though?

Well unlike the other studios, they don't have an account, so unless the licensors of the American versions got to, none of their anime can be on CR.

There's an hour until midnight, when I have to go to sleep, and that's how long it takes to watch the two episodes I want to, so this is when I have to do it, if I'm going to. Am I? *Looks at my last like... 20 posts* Aw, who am I kidding? I knew I was going to give in to this, I just wanted someone else to tell me it was a good idea. Well, here I go. $60 for a year of anime...

[jph139]

For all who are interested, my friend whipped up a Crunchyroll Premiere Talkback image (http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa284/ynnhoj139/crunchyrollTalkback.jpg) because he was bored, and, because they're fun an easy, I made some talkback images for the shows that I watch, namely, Fist of the North Star (http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa284/ynnhoj139/FistoftheNorthStarTalkback.jpg), Gintama (http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa284/ynnhoj139/GintamaTalkback.jpg), Eyeshield 21 (http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa284/ynnhoj139/Eyeshield21Talkback.jpg), and Digimon 02 (http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa284/ynnhoj139/Digimon02Talkback.jpg). Not sure why, but, I did, so, if you intend to make a talkback, go ahead and use 'em.

Also, just realized Toei uploaded pretty much their entire stock of Fist of the North Star, Slam Dunk, Digimon 02, Pretty Cure, and, I think that's it. But only for the Anime Members. Good for those who are paying. Which I am not. Because I like moderation. :sweat:

[garfield15]

Also, just realized Toei uploaded pretty much their entire stock of Fist of the North Star, Slam Dunk, Digimon 02, Pretty Cure, and, I think that's it. But only for the Anime Members. Good for those who are paying. Which I am not. Because I like moderation. :sweat:

You mean they uploaded the entire series' for Fist of the North Star and Digimon? As in every episode and only for Anime members?

[jph139]

You mean they uploaded the entire series' for Fist of the North Star and Digimon? As in every episode and only for Anime members?

50 episodes of Digimon 02, 152 episodes of Fist of the North Star. So, yeah, as far as I know, that's all of 'em.

[garfield15]

50 episodes of Digimon 02, 152 episodes of Fist of the North Star. So, yeah, as far as I know, that's all of 'em.

Okay, I'm gonna just go ahead and get that three month membership now.

[GingaDaiuchuu]

A "Quick" Message about Anime Memberships, sent to those of us who have them:


Hi guys,

Thanks for being an Anime Member! Your support means a lot to all the anime creators we work with. They're really impressed with cr, and as long as they stay happy, we can continue to bring more shows to cr! =D

We started simulcasting shows earlier this week, so you should have early access to shows like Naruto Shippuden 91 (http://www.crunchyroll.com/media-516744/Naruto-Shippuden-Episode-91-Orochimarus-Hideout-Discovered.html) and Gintama 139 (http://www.crunchyroll.com/media-516742/Gintama-Episode-139-Dont-Put-Your-Wallet-In-Your-Back-Pocket.html) in HD. While most people seem to be able to play the video just fine, I'd like to let you guys know about the improvements we're making in case you have had problems with the streams:

1. We've transitioned to a new, more secure, streaming service, so some of you might be experiencing slow loading or inability to seek - this is an issue with our service provider that we're trying to fix. It's also dependent on your own internet connection as well as geographic location. This switch was necessary to help protect our publishers' content.

2. If your stream is choppy or laggy, it may be because of a slow connection or slow cpu. Try a lower quality if your computer is older. If you haven't already, you should upgrade your flash player to version 10 (http://www.adobe.com/support/flashplayer/downloads.html), which seems to play back videos more efficiently (we already require at least version 9.0.115 in order to play back videos properly).

3. We're adding more error notifications in the video player, so if you get any errors you'll know exactly what went wrong. Unfortunately, in the past if something went wrong (like if your internet connection wasn't fast enough to stream the video) it would just hang with a blank screen without telling you what went wrong. That should be fixed shortly.

4. Geolocation restrictions - while we do try to get worldwide access when possible, copyright and licensing is complicated! Details about region restrictions are on the lineup (http://www.crunchyroll.com/lineup) page. We're working on displaying more notices on the video page for this. We are also going back to our partners to try to get distribution rights in more countries.

5. Video quality - we're working hard with our partners to provide the best quality for all of our shows! Unfortunately sometimes the source quality isn't that great, although we are working together to improve the transcoding process. In the meantime, we're experimenting with different encoding settings and filters to provide you the best possible quality. Please be patient! It will take some time to iron out the kinks with the source video quality.

6. Subtitle translation quality - while we try to check every episode that goes out, it's a lot of work and our manpower is unfortunately limited. We also have limited control over the subtitles we receive and sometimes don't have the freedom to change them. However, we continue to work with the subtitlers to improve and change them based on your feedback~!

7. We're also working on creating a better feedback form for you guys to report issues. For now, you can use the bug report page (http://www.crunchyroll.com/bugreport), or email us at support@crunchyroll.com.

Thanks again!

~shinji

P.S. Due to the volume of PMs that people send me, I am unable to respond to PMs individually. You'll get a much better response time if you use one of the two venues provided in item #7 above. Thanks!

[Jacob T. Paschal]

Such a nice dude doesn't deserve the crap he gets. :(

[Beat]

He oughta see what CR can do about hooking up with Xbox Live or PSN for streaming video. That would make a killing.

[garfield15]

Maybe he should hire some of us as subtitle editors. I mean, not to be mean but some of the grammar and spelling is really off (right digimon?) We're all nice enough here....

...I think:p

EDIT: WTF!? CAPTAIN HARLOCK IS UP HERE? THESE PEOPLE ARE ANIME GODS!

[jph139]

EDIT: WTF!? CAPTAIN HARLOCK IS UP HERE? THESE PEOPLE ARE ANIME GODS!

I know - Galaxy Express 999, too. :D It's retro heaven.

[garfield15]

I know - Galaxy Express 999, too. :D It's retro heaven.
Oh my god, what if they put back up the Braves or Gear Fighter Dendoh....

...OR A GUNDAM SERIES! (head explodes)

[GingaDaiuchuu]

EDIT: WTF!? CAPTAIN HARLOCK IS UP HERE? THESE PEOPLE ARE ANIME GODS!


I know - Galaxy Express 999, too. :D It's retro heaven.

I just watched the first two episodes of Galaxy Express 999 and the first episode of Captain Harlock. That was a very Leiji Matsumoto-filled hour and a half. :)

[bigddan11]

Maybe he should hire some of us as subtitle editors. I mean, not to be mean but some of the grammar and spelling is really off (right digimon?) We're all nice enough here....

...I think:p
Crunchyroll doesn't make the subs for all the series. In the case of Digimon Adventure 02 the subs were made by Toei. Now that they have all of 02 loaded though, even though only 1 episode will be made available a week for anyone who doesn't have teh Anime Membership, then maybe they can get the original Digimon Adventure or Digimon Tamers.

[Pepperidge]

Now that they have all of 02 loaded though, even though only 1 episode will be made available a week for anyone who doesn't have teh Anime Membership

What? That's ********! What's the point of that if episodes are ad-supported? If they're seriously only making one episode available at a time, I'm very reluctant to refer to it as 'progress'.

[GingaDaiuchuu]

What? That's ********! What's the point of that if episodes are ad-supported? If they're seriously only making one episode available at a time, I'm very reluctant to refer to it as 'progress'.

I've already found a new reason to be glad I got an Anime Membership.

[firecrouch]

I think what Toei Animation is doing on Crunchyroll is fair, they just have to speed things up.

[Jon T]

I know - Galaxy Express 999, too. :D It's retro heaven.

I guess I'll have to take your guys word on that since I'm predictably region-locked from watching any of Toei's shows. I'd really like to pour tons of money into Toei's mouth to watch officially-subbed versions of Captain Harlock, Galaxy Express 999 and Fist of the North Star, but with their outdated licensing restrictions that's sadly impossible.

For now this obviously means that I shall continue to get my fix from whatever other sources are available, not exactly the most elegant of solutions considring these series are technically "licensed" for (in Crunchyroll's CEO Kun Gao's own words) a "global audience" . Until Crunchyroll finds a worldwide fix for these series, the site may as well not even exist for me.


Such a nice dude doesn't deserve the crap he gets. :(

I agree it's not at all civilized to openly insult anybody, but if you lived on this side of the fence I'm sure you'd have a better appreciation as to why people do it to him. Crunchyroll need to work with Toei to drop the region lockout.

[Quarkboy]

I wouldn't worry too much about "shinji"'s feelings.

He's not a real person, after all.

[Jacob T. Paschal]

How is he not a real person? Don't tell me it's just a name for some mook getting orders from some sort of commity?

[Quarkboy]

How is he not a real person? Don't tell me it's just a name for some mook getting orders from some sort of commity?

Shinji is a marketing construct, a "face" for the company created as an interface for the users and the corporate staff from crunchyroll.

The whole "started in his dorm room" thing is all made up in order to make people think the site is more community based. Shinji is not a real person, just a special account and persona that is used to communicate with the users. They even admitted it at their panel at Otakon this year.

[Jacob T. Paschal]

Shinji is a marketing construct, a "face" for the company created as an interface for the users and the corporate staff from crunchyroll.

The whole "started in his dorm room" thing is all made up in order to make people think the site is more community based. Shinji is not a real person, just a special account and persona that is used to communicate with the users. They even admitted it at their panel at Otakon this year.

Oh wow, that's interesting.

Now CR just looks like a bunch of [words which shall go unused] stealing crap from the people who made it.

[Quarkboy]

Oh wow, that's interesting.

Now CR just looks like a bunch of [words which shall go unused] stealing crap from the people who made it.

Indeed, and they were quite successful at it, which is what got them $4 million in venture capital last year and gave them the leverage to force the Japanese anime studios to deal with them. Now that they have these contracts in place, they're "going legit" by removing fansubs, and shedding all the free loaders who refuse to pay anything for anime.

Whether they can really build something profitable for them and their Japanese remains to be seen, though.

[Sparticus]

Indeed, and they were quite successful at it, which is what got them $4 million in venture capital last year and gave them the leverage to force the Japanese anime studios to deal with them. Now that they have these contracts in place, they're "going legit" by removing fansubs, and shedding all the free loaders who refuse to pay anything for anime.

Whether they can really build something profitable for them and their Japanese remains to be seen, though.

Oooooh, THAT'S why Crunchyroll. I was wondering why, of all the places to use, they'd pick a total pirates nest (and infinately huge short bus...) to do global streaming.

Now if they could just get their damn servers working correctly I could finish episode 139 of Gintama. It either loads only partway, or gives me an "insufficent bandwith" error, which is silly because it always worked fine before - not to mention I was watching Eyeshield 21 and it worked perfectly fine. :P

[creativerealms]

It is quite possible that this was Crunchyroll’s goal from the start, that it was a group oif greedy people that watched to cash into a untapped market. Streaming anime and started off innocently enough with fansubs and so on while the whole time they were working behind their fans back trying to make deals with English and Japanese companies to make more money. Hell I don’t doubt that for one second.
Yet I still like what Crunchyroll is doing and I do think this is the right thing to do that a small step forward. Sure their goal may be to make it so only people who pay will be members (I doubt that, my guess is they will just make more and more members only perks even to the point of making some shows members only while keeping some of it free) but I doubt the price would be too bad.
I still respect them for going legit motives aside.

[TheVileOne]

According to distributors and producers Fansubbing is anything but innocent.

And yet they still made deals with Crunchy Roll while what the industry hand over foot yells and screams is THEFT was still on the website.

[Sparticus]

It is quite possible that this was Crunchyroll’s goal from the start, that it was a group oif greedy people that watched to cash into a untapped market. Streaming anime and started off innocently enough with fansubs and so on while the whole time they were working behind their fans back trying to make deals with English and Japanese companies to make more money. Hell I don’t doubt that for one second.
Yet I still like what Crunchyroll is doing and I do think this is the right thing to do that a small step forward. Sure their goal may be to make it so only people who pay will be members (I doubt that, my guess is they will just make more and more members only perks even to the point of making some shows members only while keeping some of it free) but I doubt the price would be too bad.
I still respect them for going legit motives aside.

Heh, that's how we got Freakazoid on DVD isn't it? WB had basicly forgotten/ignored the series untill people threw eps on YouTube. Then suddenly "what? YOU CAN'T DO THAT!" And then, boom we get it on DVD.

It seems the best way to get companies attention nowadays is to start stealing their stuff.

[DemonLordShugo]

Heh, that's how we got Freakazoid on DVD isn't it? WB had basically forgotten/ignored the series until people threw eps on YouTube. Then suddenly "what? YOU CAN'T DO THAT!" And then, boom we get it on DVD.

It seems the best way to get companies attention nowadays is to start stealing their stuff.

It seems that way doesn't it, it's a shame the companies forget what they have on their roster

[Sparticus]

It seems that way doesn't it, it's a shame the companies forget what they have on their roster

Lol! I think it has more to do with outdated market reasearch than anything else. It was ignored because it didn't go over well in it's innital run, and they didn't realize there was a market for it untill someone threw it on YouTube and it got a bazillion hits. Luckily, instead of freaking out and suing, they're releaseing the series on DVD. :)

I think global streaming with anime's kinda the same way. The Japanese companies either didn't know, or just didn't care that they were missing out on a major opportunity - untill someone started throwing their stuff up on YouTube and getting a bazillion hits. XD

[Geezil]

I just watched the first two episodes of Galaxy Express 999 and the first episode of Captain Harlock. That was a very Leiji Matsumoto-filled hour and a half. :)

Captain Harlock. You're kidding, right?

(Lengthy pause to jump over to Crunchyroll and back)

No, you weren't kidding.

o. m. g. :D

Thank you for the first great online anime heads-up of 2009.

[GingaDaiuchuu]

Captain Harlock. You're kidding, right?

(Lengthy pause to jump over to Crunchyroll and back)

No, you weren't kidding.

o. m. g. :D

Thank you for the first great online anime heads-up of 2009.

Hell yeah. All the Leiji Matsumoto goodness you could want, thanks to Crunchyroll. :D (Still being added, of course.) Also, to be fair, I did see it before, but the first person on here to note it was not me.

[garfield15]

Hell yeah. All the Leiji Matsumoto goodness you could want, thanks to Crunchyroll. :D (Still being added, of course.) Also, to be fair, I did see it before, but the first person on here to note it was not me.
KNEEL B4 UR L33T LEIJI MATSUMOTO FINDING GOD :p

(Basically, I found it first and nearly had a heart attack realizing it was actually there. I had to refresh the page before realizing it was really there)

[Undrave]

Heh, that's how we got Freakazoid on DVD isn't it? WB had basicly forgotten/ignored the series untill people threw eps on YouTube. Then suddenly "what? YOU CAN'T DO THAT!" And then, boom we get it on DVD.

It seems the best way to get companies attention nowadays is to start stealing their stuff.

Maybe we can get Disney to move their butt by getting Gargoyles eps for the rest of season 2 on YouTube -.-

[Jon T]

(Basically, I found it first and nearly had a heart attack realizing it was actually there. I had to refresh the page before realizing it was really there)

Yeah, I had a heart attack too; when I realized every country outside of the U.S. and Canada was locked out from watching any of the classic Toei series. It's completely soured my perception of Toei and all its attempts to license any of its series in any format. Strange that a site infamous for ripping off many other peoples' work can suddenly become so strict when it comes to older series that still have a snowball's chance in hell of being licensed in many non-NA territories.

[Quarkboy]

I'm going to copy something I posted on another forum about Toei's region locking that will hopefully explain some things. (Not that it'll make you feel any better):

In the case of the Toei anime streamed on crunchyroll, everything is region locked to the US and Canada.

This has to do with Toei's corporate structure. The people who Crunchyroll licensed the streams from was Toei's US corporate brance, Toei Anim. Inc. which is based in Los Angeles and is a sub-company of Toei Animation.

The way Toei is structures, Toei Inc. LA only has "jurisdiction" over the US and Canada, and it acts basically like any other R1 licensor. That means that Toei Inc. CANNOT make deals having to do with anything outside of the US or Canada...

So Crunchyroll has a bit of a catch 22: If they deal with Toei Inc LA, they have to region lock everything to the US and Canada. But if they approach Toei Japan, they get told "go talk to Toei Inc. LA since you're based in california, we don't license stuff directly ourselves".

The only way crunchyroll would be able to expand the regions it can stream in is if it made separate deals with Toei Animation Paris (which covers Europe and north africa, I thnk), and Toei Shanghai which covers china and most of asia... I also think Toei's phillipeans studio handles some parts as well. I.e. it would be an insane mess. Furthermore, the subtitles themselves are owned by Toei Inc. LA, so unless they agreed to share their subtitles with the other Toei brances and there was also some profit sharing agreement, each one would have its own subs or something insane like that.

Yes, Toei is just THAT horrid to deal with.

[GingaDaiuchuu]

KNEEL B4 UR L33T LEIJI MATSUMOTO FINDING GOD :p

(Basically, I found it first and nearly had a heart attack realizing it was actually there. I had to refresh the page before realizing it was really there)
Haha. *Bows.*

[GingaDaiuchuu]

http://www.crunchyroll.com/forumtopic-438455/More-Website-Updates.html

[creativerealms]

I'm going to copy something I posted on another forum about Toei's region locking that will hopefully explain some things. (Not that it'll make you feel any better):

In the case of the Toei anime streamed on crunchyroll, everything is region locked to the US and Canada.

This has to do with Toei's corporate structure. The people who Crunchyroll licensed the streams from was Toei's US corporate brance, Toei Anim. Inc. which is based in Los Angeles and is a sub-company of Toei Animation.

The way Toei is structures, Toei Inc. LA only has "jurisdiction" over the US and Canada, and it acts basically like any other R1 licensor. That means that Toei Inc. CANNOT make deals having to do with anything outside of the US or Canada...

So Crunchyroll has a bit of a catch 22: If they deal with Toei Inc LA, they have to region lock everything to the US and Canada. But if they approach Toei Japan, they get told "go talk to Toei Inc. LA since you're based in california, we don't license stuff directly ourselves".

The only way crunchyroll would be able to expand the regions it can stream in is if it made separate deals with Toei Animation Paris (which covers Europe and north africa, I thnk), and Toei Shanghai which covers china and most of asia... I also think Toei's phillipeans studio handles some parts as well. I.e. it would be an insane mess. Furthermore, the subtitles themselves are owned by Toei Inc. LA, so unless they agreed to share their subtitles with the other Toei brances and there was also some profit sharing agreement, each one would have its own subs or something insane like that.

Yes, Toei is just THAT horrid to deal with.

It's Toei so that figures.

[GingaDaiuchuu]

http://www.crunchyroll.com/forumtopic-438729/Naruto-Shippuden-92-is-up.html

[GingaDaiuchuu]

http://www.crunchyroll.com/forumtopic-443914/Video-quality-improvements.html

http://www.crunchyroll.com/forumtopic-444347/Naruto-93-Simulcast-Improvements.html

[Sparticus]

Hey, just out of curiosity, how far into Gintama are y'all?

I'm basicly current so I have been flipping out over the awesomeness of Yoshiwara. XD

[GingaDaiuchuu]

Hey, just out of curiosity, how far into Gintama are y'all?

I'm basicly current so I have been flipping out over the awesomeness of Yoshiwara. XD

I'm also using my Anime Membership to watch the simulcasts, and the current episodes are awesome.

[Sparticus]

I'm also using my Anime Membership to watch the simulcasts, and the current episodes are awesome.

Ha ha! Whenever I post my Gintama report in my LJ, I basicly just go back and repost the keyboard smash from when the manga chapters appeared.

Although I think the animed version is more intense - but that happens. X)

Anyway, I meant, was everyone current with the fansubs, had they been watching raws (like I had) - gah, should probably go dig up the talkback thread for this. >.>

It's hard to get a good dialogue going when the fandom's scattered, there's availability issues, and the best place to watch is full of 'tards. :P

[GingaDaiuchuu]

Ha ha! Whenever I post my Gintama report in my LJ, I basicly just go back and repost the keyboard smash from when the manga chapters appeared.

Although I think the animed version is more intense - but that happenss. X)

Anyway, I meant, was everyone current with the fansubs, had they been watching raws (like I had) - gah, should probably go dig up the talkback thread for this. >.>

It's hard to get a good dialogue going when the fandom's scattered, there's availability issues, and the best place to watch is full of 'tards. :P

Oh, I've just seen what's on Crunchyroll, so I haven't seen most of the middle, but seeing all the middle episodes doesn't seem as important for this series as for most, and I've read some of the manga in that time, but only what Viz has released.

[Sparticus]

Oh, I've just seen what's on Crunchyroll, so I haven't seen most of the middle, but seeing all the middle episodes doesn't seem as important for this series as for most, and I've read some of the manga in that time, but only what Viz has released.

Yeah, continuity isn't a major issue for the most part, so long as you watch the "mythology" stuff in order: Benizakura Arc, then Itou... hmm. I think those are the only two. XD Everything else is just kinda scattered around like seasoning or something so bits of it contribute, but those are the meatiest parts of the "plot".

[GingaDaiuchuu]

Yeah, continuity isn't a major issue for the most part, so long as you watch the "mythology" stuff in order: Benizakura Arc, then Itou... hmm. I think those are the only two. XD Everything else is just kinda scattered around like seasoning or something so bits of it contribute, but those are the meatiest parts of the "plot".

Yeah, I'll be sure to continue to watch and read everything in order, other than watching the simulcasts as they happen.

[Sparticus]

Yeah, I'll be sure to continue to watch and read everything in order, other than watching the simulcasts as they happen.

Coolies. Lucky for you Yoshiwara is self contained for the most part, although there's bits where knowing some previous stuff had the manga-readers wondering if Sorachi was going to start wrapping things up.

He hasn't but he just added another loose end that created a potentally interesting knot with another loose end. Eeeevil mangaka. XD

[GingaDaiuchuu]

Coolies. Lucky for you Yoshiwara is self contained for the most part, although there's bits where knowing some previous stuff had the manga-readers wondering if Sorachi was going to start wrapping things up.

He hasn't but he just added another loose end that created a potentally interesting knot with another loose end. Eeeevil mangaka. XD

Yeah, I was glad the simulcasts started at the beginning of a new arc. So the manga kept going after this arc but the anime is going to end at the end of it?

[Sparticus]

Yeah, I was glad the simulcasts started at the beginning of a new arc. So the manga kept going after this arc but the anime is going to end at the end of it?

I think so. It's generally assumed that it'll go 150 episodes, so there'll be some stuff after Yoshiwara. It's kind of a natural stopping point, so how Sunrise decides to procede afterwards will determine if the anime's finished forever, or just going on hiatus.

They could VERY easily tie up some of those loose ends to bring the anime to a stunning conclusion (which we were fearing was going to happen with the manga).

Or... they could continue on with the crack and win as Sorachi did, then throw some 4th wall breaking sillyness at us before going on hiatus. *shrugs*

Curiously, there's been no offical announcement that the anime's ending so there's no telling what's going to happen. I was starting to wonder if TvTokyo, Densu and Aniplex want it to keep going, but Sunrise would rather take a break because they're only a dozen or so chapters behind the manga and don't want to send it off into Fillerland. Everyone fighting over what happens to it would explain the lack of offical announcements. :P

[GingaDaiuchuu]

I think so. It's generally assumed that it'll go 150 episodes, so there'll be some stuff after Yoshiwara. It's kind of a natural stopping point, so how Sunrise decides to procede afterwards will determine if the anime's finished forever, or just going on hiatus.

They could VERY easily tie up some of those loose ends to bring the anime to a stunning conclusion (which we were fearing was going to happen with the manga).

Or... they could continue on with the crack and win as Sorachi did, then throw some 4th wall breaking sillyness at us before going on hiatus. *shrugs*

Curiously, there's been no offical announcement that the anime's ending so there's no telling what's going to happen. I was starting to wonder if TvTokyo, Densu and Aniplex want it to keep going, but Sunrise would rather take a break because they're only a dozen or so chapters behind the manga and don't want to send it off into Fillerland. Everyone fighting over what happens to it would explain the lack of offical announcements. :P

Interesting. Well, if it does end, hopefully it's a good ending. And I'll still have all the episodes I haven't seen yet. And everyone can read the manga for the final ending. So it's all good.

[GWOtaku]

Wow, I'm very surprised to see classic Harlock and Galaxy Express 999 available legally. I always wanted to check them out, so I'll definitely have to make time for them.

[Sparticus]

Interesting. Well, if it does end, hopefully it's a good ending. And I'll still have all the episodes I haven't seen yet. And everyone can read the manga for the final ending. So it's all good.

That's my plan. :)

[GingaDaiuchuu]

New site design! (http://www.crunchyroll.com/forumtopic-459325/New-site-design.html)

[Quarkboy]

New site design! (http://www.crunchyroll.com/forumtopic-459325/New-site-design.html)

Is there a reason you keep crossposting the news on CR's frontpage to this thread?

I mean... I don't think anyone really cares unless it involves a new show to watch.

[GingaDaiuchuu]

So the new site design is old news, with a few pieces of news since then, like the Blue Dragon Plus giveaway and, more importantly, Global Shinkai Day, and it hasn't changed for the better yet, so it probably won't for another 6 months or so, and even then it may just get worse again.

Anyway, there's new news. Well, not really news as much as filling you in on something you may or may not know, in the "Daylight Savings and Simulcasts (http://www.crunchyroll.com/forumtopic-476483/daylight-savings-and-simulcasts/)" article. Basically, it says that Japan doesn't participate in Daylight Savings, so the simulcasts are shifted one hour later for people who live in countries that do, like the USA. The only one that really affects me that I have to wait until Fridays at 10:30pm for Linebarrels, but it doesn't really matter.

Also, Anime Membership 2 Week FREE Trial now available! (http://www.crunchyroll.com/forumtopic-476881/anime-membership-2-week-free-trial-now-available/)

[Quarkboy]

So the new site design is old news, with a few pieces of news since then, like the Blue Dragon Plus giveaway and, more importantly, Global Shinkai Day, and it hasn't changed for the better yet, so it probably won't for another 6 months or so, and even then it may just get worse again.

Anyway, there's new news. Well, not really news as much as filling you in on something you may or may not know, in the "Daylight Savings and Simulcasts (http://www.crunchyroll.com/forumtopic-476483/daylight-savings-and-simulcasts/)" article. Basically, it says that Japan doesn't participate in Daylight Savings, so the simulcasts are shifted one hour later for people who live in countries that do, like the USA. The only one that really affects me that I have to wait until Fridays at 10:30pm for Linebarrels, but it doesn't really matter.

Also, Anime Membership 2 Week FREE Trial now available! (http://www.crunchyroll.com/forumtopic-476881/anime-membership-2-week-free-trial-now-available/)

But you forgot the biggest news of all! They actually got the rights to stream something to Japan! All of a sudden I can access the Akibanana series of live action fluff Akiba news stuff!

How incredibly ironic that the only thing someone from Japan can access is a pop-culture show about Akihabara, when I can just go there in person whenever I want.

[Jon T]

Yeah, the only real news I'd be interested in from CR at this point would be the dropping of some of the inordinate amounts of region-locks they have on the site, particularly the never-to-be-licensed-on-R1-DVD vintage anime series from good old Toei.

[GingaDaiuchuu]

But you forgot the biggest news of all! They actually got the rights to stream something to Japan! All of a sudden I can access the Akibanana series of live action fluff Akiba news stuff!

How incredibly ironic that the only thing someone from Japan can access is a pop-culture show about Akihabara, when I can just go there in person whenever I want.

Oh really? I didn't see anything about that.

Of course you can also just watch any new anime series on TV anyway, right? That's so awesome that you live in Japan. I assume that also means you speak fluent Japanese as well as English?

[Quarkboy]

Oh really? I didn't see anything about that.

Of course you can also just watch any new anime series on TV anyway, right? That's so awesome that you live in Japan. I assume that also means you speak fluent Japanese as well as English?

Yes, sure. I wouldn't call my Japanese fluent, but it's pretty strong.

Anyway, I was just being sardonic. (I can watch whatever I want on CR by using proxies if I wanted to).

[GingaDaiuchuu]

More news: Crunchyroll's Spring Anime Lineup coming soon! (http://www.crunchyroll.com/forumtopic-478182/crunchyrolls-spring-anime-lineup-coming-soon/) Basically, some simulcast shows will be over and some will continue, and some new ones will be added, mostly in April, and the first one will start March 21. No actual titles announced yet. Let's hope they and/or FUNimation simulcast Dragon Ball Kai and/or Fullmetal Alchemist 2.

Also, as of today, all of the previous episodes of Naruto Shippuden (http://www.crunchyroll.com/library/Naruto_Shippuden) have finished being uploaded, so now episodes 1-99 are up for everyone, with episode 100 up for Anime Members.

[ChibiGoku]

Only show I can figure it might be is Inazuma Eleven, since our Saturday is Japan's Sunday. That's the case if it's a TV Tokyo property, of course. There's also a possible chance that it might be Live-On! Card Liver Kakeru, since that also airs Sunday and will still be on going. However, since they're going to be moving Inazuma Eleven to a prime time slot in April, seems the most likely choice for them to start simulcasting now.

We'll see, of course.

[GingaDaiuchuu]

Only show I can figure it might be is Inazuma Eleven, since our Saturday is Japan's Sunday. That's the case if it's a TV Tokyo property, of course. There's also a possible chance that it might be Live-On! Card Liver Kakeru, since that also airs Sunday and will still be on going. However, since they're going to be moving Inazuma Eleven to a prime time slot in April, seems the most likely choice for them to start simulcasting now.

We'll see, of course.

Interesting. I still have to wait until April for anything I really care about, though.

[Quarkboy]

I think everyone will be pleasantly surprised by the announcement. Heh :).

[garfield15]

10 bucks says Bleach/One Piece/Reborn.

BTW, I heard they're getting Drama's back on. Watch one of them be "Winter Sonata." I just know it.

[bigddan11]

Since it looks like this is the last year of Power Rangers, then it would be nice to have Super Sentai on Crunchyroll. It'd be a pleasant surprise but also be nice if they did Kamen Rider.

[Quarkboy]

Since it looks like this is the last year of Power Rangers, then it would be nice to have Super Sentai on Crunchyroll. It'd be a pleasant surprise but also be nice if they did Kamen Rider.

That would be exceedingly complicated from a rights perspective. Kamen rider has been licensed in various countries around the world as well as the various supersentai shows, of which a lot of the rights are controlled by disney because of power rangers. If it's only some hypothetical future season, well... I suppose it is possible, but truthfully the audience for that is really small.

[bigddan11]

That would be exceedingly complicated from a rights perspective. Kamen rider has been licensed in various countries around the world as well as the various supersentai shows, of which a lot of the rights are controlled by disney because of power rangers. If it's only some hypothetical future season, well... I suppose it is possible, but truthfully the audience for that is really small.
Lets see, Disney has the rights to produce Super Sentai into Power Rangers and use the original footage, but if they were to go to Toei and get the rights to broadcast actual Super Sentai, then there shouldn't be any problems. The same thing applies with Kamen Rider. All you need is the original sources permission. As it is when you watch Crunchyroll, you do find out they have zone blocks on some of the shows because those areas have other groups licensed to show them.

[Quarkboy]

Lets see, Disney has the rights to produce Super Sentai into Power Rangers and use the original footage, but if they were to go to Toei and get the rights to broadcast actual Super Sentai, then there shouldn't be any problems. The same thing applies with Kamen Rider. All you need is the original sources permission. As it is when you watch Crunchyroll, you do find out they have zone blocks on some of the shows because those areas have other groups licensed to show them.

Trust me it is not that simple. Sure, Toei has the right to the original footage, but Disney has a large vested interest in their own brand management, they don't want two versions floating around out there, it would dilute their power rangers brand name. Also, Disney is quite notorious for buying up all the rights to any property it buys. We know they have the rights to create a new show using the original super sentai footage, AT THE VERY LEAST. I wouldn't be surprised if Disney owns any and all rights to the original shows in the US, including all the original footage and shows and anything have to do with them in the US, including broadcast rights and all associated rights, because that's Disney's MO... They buy properties lock stock and barrel in order to prevent anyone from affecting their brand management.
In effect to explicitly prevent something like you suggest, they original show being broadcast in the power rangers market.

Perhaps Disney has had a change of strategy lately, or doesn't care enough to pressure Toei not to sell the rights, but I doubt it.

[bigddan11]

Trust me it is not that simple. Sure, Toei has the right to the original footage, but Disney has a large vested interest in their own brand management, they don't want two versions floating around out there, it would dilute their power rangers brand name. Also, Disney is quite notorious for buying up all the rights to any property it buys. We know they have the rights to create a new show using the original super sentai footage, AT THE VERY LEAST. I wouldn't be surprised if Disney owns any and all rights to the original shows in the US, including all the original footage and shows and anything have to do with them in the US, including broadcast rights and all associated rights, because that's Disney's MO... They buy properties lock stock and barrel in order to prevent anyone from affecting their brand management.
In effect to explicitly prevent something like you suggest, they original show being broadcast in the power rangers market.

Perhaps Disney has had a change of strategy lately, or doesn't care enough to pressure Toei not to sell the rights, but I doubt it.
Disney had to buy packages for 3 to 4 seasons at a time, but the last season under those terms very well could be RPM, which would explain why Disney doesn't plan on making any more episodes past RPM, according to the current producers. If that is indeed the case, it means any series before Might Morphin and after RPM under Super Sentai is free game.

[Quarkboy]

Disney had to buy packages for 3 to 4 seasons at a time, but the last season under those terms very well could be RPM, which would explain why Disney doesn't plan on making any more episodes past RPM, according to the current producers. If that is indeed the case, it means any series before Might Morphin and after RPM under Super Sentai is free game.

Of that I agree. However if you exclude the shows that were the basis for power rangers, you automatically cut out a lot of the potential fanbase.
From my albeit limited experience, a decent chunk of super sentai fans are fans because they were originally power rangers fans and grew up watching those shows. Although there is some interest in the older super sentai shows, the real nostalgia kick is for the ones that Disney used for power rangers.

And a brand new show would probably be too expensive to license for CR given the expected audience, I'm afraid.

[bigddan11]

And a brand new show would probably be too expensive to license for CR given the expected audience, I'm afraid.
Right, because Naruto Shippuden and Gintama were too expensive to license for Crunchyroll and to simulcast within an hour. The new Super Sentai series would be much cheaper than either of those were, especially if they were to egotiate it with Toei, with whom they've already gained Digimon Adventure 02, Slam Dunk, and others.

[Quarkboy]

Right, because Naruto Shippuden and Gintama were too expensive to license for Crunchyroll and to simulcast within an hour. The new Super Sentai series would be much cheaper than either of those were, especially if they were to egotiate it with Toei, with whom they've already gained Digimon Adventure 02, Slam Dunk, and others.

My point is that Shippuden gets ~100,000 views, so it's WORTH it to license a new show and simulcast it.

Japan would charge just as much for a new super sentai show as for naruto shippuden because they base these things off of popularity in Japan, not in the world. All the Toei shows, if you've noticed, are at least 5 years old. A new show, ANY new show, will be way more expensive to license. Shippuden is worth it, but a new super sentai is not. Perhaps I'm wrong and the Japanese would lower the price because the expected audience outside of Japan is lower, but that's hardly been the way they've operated in the past.

[garfield15]

Outside of SS/KR, any other drama's you guys would want to see? (I'm telling you, "Winter Sonata is inevitable.")

I'd like it if they put the 20th Century Boys movie or the Higurashi movie. Also that Mei-chan no Hitsuji show too.

[Quarkboy]

If you go to the "publishers" page on their library index, it reveals a number of their upcoming shows, by the way (ooops)

There's a bunch of Korean dramas:
Auction House
Coffee Prince
Jumong
La Dolce Vita
Last Scandal
Soulmate
Spotlight
Who Are You

from iMBC

and also 1 extra back catalog title from TV Tokyo, "Glass Mask" (the remake, not the old old one).

[GingaDaiuchuu]

I think everyone will be pleasantly surprised by the announcement. Heh :).

Does this mean you know?


10 bucks says Bleach/One Piece/Reborn.

I'm sure Bleach will be on there, I hope One Piece will, and I haven't actually seen Reborn, but it's a possibility.

[ChibiGoku]

Well, I can't be entirely sure if this is a troll or not. So take this with a grain of salt until the official list is released.

One website that has a list of fansubs for upcoming shows (I can't link it here), apparently was updated by "Shinji", as he just registered today on the site. He even updated his page on the site to state that he's the founder of crunchyroll. The list included all Spring Season shows that are airing on TV Tokyo.

The reason I'm a little wary of this information is because shows like Jewel Pets and Sugar Bunnies are also listed among the titles. Two of these titles I figure wouldn't attract most people, given the nature of these two.

The list is as follows:

Chi's Sweet Home Season 2
Mainichi Kaa-san
Phantom - Requiem of Phantom -
Hayate no Gotoku!!
Gokyjyou!! Mecha Mote Iinchou
Shin Mazinger Shougeki! Z-Hen
Metal Fight Beyblade
Cross Game
Shangri-La
Natsu no Arashi!
Sugar Bunnies Fluer
Slap Up Party -Arad Senki- (Gonzo title, so I was expecting this either way)

As I mentioned before, take this with a grain of salt until the official list is released.

[garfield15]

Assuming that list is true.....

OMGMONKEYZ BEYBLADE SUBBED!!!!?? If that is true, I will consider CR to be gods of internet anime (They already are though with Captain Harlock though)

And yay, the new GONZO shows.

[GingaDaiuchuu]

Well, I can't be entirely sure if this is a troll or not. So take this with a grain of salt until the official list is released.

One website that has a list of fansubs for upcoming shows (I can't link it here), apparently was updated by "Shinji", as he just registered today on the site. He even updated his page on the site to state that he's the founder of crunchyroll. The list included all Spring Season shows that are airing on TV Tokyo.

The reason I'm a little wary of this information is because shows like Jewel Pets and Sugar Bunnies are also listed among the titles. Two of these titles I figure wouldn't attract most people, given the nature of these two.

The list is as follows:

Chi's Sweet Home Season 2
Mainichi Kaa-san
Phantom - Requiem of Phantom -
Hayate no Gotoku!!
Gokyjyou!! Mecha Mote Iinchou
Shin Mazinger Shougeki! Z-Hen
Metal Fight Beyblade
Cross Game
Shangri-La
Natsu no Arashi!
Sugar Bunnies Fluer
Slap Up Party -Arad Senki- (Gonzo title, so I was expecting this either way)

As I mentioned before, take this with a grain of salt until the official list is released.

Interesting, if it's true. Nothing I'm too excited about, but I'll check them out.

[Quarkboy]

Well, I can't be entirely sure if this is a troll or not. So take this with a grain of salt until the official list is released.

One website that has a list of fansubs for upcoming shows (I can't link it here), apparently was updated by "Shinji", as he just registered today on the site. He even updated his page on the site to state that he's the founder of crunchyroll. The list included all Spring Season shows that are airing on TV Tokyo.

The reason I'm a little wary of this information is because shows like Jewel Pets and Sugar Bunnies are also listed among the titles. Two of these titles I figure wouldn't attract most people, given the nature of these two.

The list is as follows:

Chi's Sweet Home Season 2
Mainichi Kaa-san
Phantom - Requiem of Phantom -
Hayate no Gotoku!!
Gokyjyou!! Mecha Mote Iinchou
Shin Mazinger Shougeki! Z-Hen
Metal Fight Beyblade
Cross Game
Shangri-La
Natsu no Arashi!
Sugar Bunnies Fluer
Slap Up Party -Arad Senki- (Gonzo title, so I was expecting this either way)

As I mentioned before, take this with a grain of salt until the official list is released.
It's a 4-chan troll. Lies, all lies. Hayate no Gotoku? Um, hello, that's licensed by Bandai and they HATE crunchyroll with a deep passion.

Oh, not to say that none of them are right, but that list makes not sense at all except the new gonzo shows.

[Rob_TF]

Hayate no Gotoku? Um, hello, that's licensed by Bandai and they HATE crunchyroll with a deep passion.

I know that Bandai has "Hayate no Gotoku!" (Note: 1 Exclamation Point, the first season, animated by SynergySP), but I don't remember them having "Hayate no Gotoku!!" (2 Exclamation Points, the second season, animated by JC Staff).

[Quarkboy]

I know that Bandai has "Hayate no Gotoku!" (Note: 1 Exclamation Point, the first season, animated by SynergySP), but I don't remember them having "Hayate no Gotoku!!" (2 Exclamation Points, the second season, animated by JC Staff).
Right, sure, technically the second season is unlicensed. But do you really think that CR would stream the second season of a show without rights to the first?
That would be incredibly stupid.

[Sparticus]

I wonder if they have the streaming rights to the new FMA series. If they want to boost the membership stuff, and really prove that this whole simulcast thing can work, they'd snag that.

[Rob_TF]

Right, sure, technically the second season is unlicensed. But do you really think that CR would stream the second season of a show without rights to the first?
That would be incredibly stupid.

Does Crunchyroll have pre-Shippuden Naruto episodes?

[ChibiGoku]

It's a 4-chan troll. Lies, all lies.

I had a feeling as such. Just thought it wouldn't hurt to put that out there. :sweat:

[Quarkboy]

Does Crunchyroll have pre-Shippuden Naruto episodes?

Actually, they do! Fairly recently, and for members only, but they do.


And anyway, showing the second season of a show that's aired on TV, had dvd releases etc and is as popular as naruto is a lot different than streaming the 2nd season of a show whose first season is licensed by a company that hates your guts and has yet to schedule a DVD release for it.

[Quarkboy]

I wonder if they have the streaming rights to the new FMA series. If they want to boost the membership stuff, and really prove that this whole simulcast thing can work, they'd snag that.
Not going to happen. Funimation will outbid them for it, guaranteed. As well they should.

If FMA is streamed it'd be on funimation's site, not crunchyroll. Unless something nutty happens and CR gets the rights to everywhere except the US with funimation handling the US streaming.
Chances are a lot higher however of new FMA not being streamed at all. This is a higher end title with a built in audience both in Japan and in the US.
It's probably not in their interest to sell it cheaply at all.

Unless the Japanese are truly scared out of their goards that DVDs are dead, I don't think we'll see the new FMA in any legally available streaming format.

[bigddan11]

Right, sure, technically the second season is unlicensed. But do you really think that CR would stream the second season of a show without rights to the first?
That would be incredibly stupid.
Digimon Adventure 02 is a fairly good example that they will broadcast the second season without having the first.

[Quarkboy]

Digimon Adventure 02 is a fairly good example that they will broadcast the second season without having the first.
Sure they will when Toei begs them to. :)

Anyway, this is a stupid argument. The post is obviously a troll (there is no Shinji, and he sure as heck wouldn't leak the new spring season to a fansubber claim list), and a little patience will reveal what is coming anyway.

[GingaDaiuchuu]

I wonder if they have the streaming rights to the new FMA series. If they want to boost the membership stuff, and really prove that this whole simulcast thing can work, they'd snag that.

That would be the best thing that could happen. I actually hope that list is fake (it probably is anyway), because if it were the complete list, that would mean no new FMA. I would be just as happy if FUNimation did the same thing, though, as I just want to see it as soon as possible (preferably legally).

[garfield15]

If this really is a 4chan troll, I'm going to hate that site more then I already do.

[Sparticus]

Not going to happen. Funimation will outbid them for it, guaranteed. As well they should.

If FMA is streamed it'd be on funimation's site, not crunchyroll. Unless something nutty happens and CR gets the rights to everywhere except the US with funimation handling the US streaming.
Chances are a lot higher however of new FMA not being streamed at all. This is a higher end title with a built in audience both in Japan and in the US.
It's probably not in their interest to sell it cheaply at all.

Unless the Japanese are truly scared out of their goards that DVDs are dead, I don't think we'll see the new FMA in any legally available streaming format.

*shrugs* Just throwing it out there. I forgot that FUNimation does their own streaming. If there'll be a simulcast, it'll probably be through them.

[GingaDaiuchuu]

Does Crunchyroll have pre-Shippuden Naruto episodes?

Yes, episodes 1-163 as of yesterday, but only for Anime Members. The library page is here (http://www.crunchyroll.com/library/Naruto).

[bigddan11]

Yes, episodes 1-163 as of yesterday, but only for Anime Members. The library page is here (http://www.crunchyroll.com/library/Naruto).
That'd be because all of Naruto was added yesterday. It's probably one of the new titles, along with Reborn!, that is for the next year. You can expect them to probably add 2 to 8 episodes a week for general viewership in the near future, but right now it's not on the calendar. I also expect them to start doing Reborn! fro the beginning as they have with PiPoPa, Shippuden, Gintama, and others, but right now it's just listed with the simulcast additions.

[GingaDaiuchuu]

That'd be because all of Naruto was added yesterday. It's probably one of the new titles, along with Reborn!, that is for the next year. You can expect them to probably add 2 to 8 episodes a week for general viewership in the near future, but right now it's not on the calendar. I also expect them to start doing Reborn! fro the beginning as they have with PiPoPa, Shippuden, Gintama, and others, but right now it's just listed with the simulcast additions.

Actually they have announced that in this news article (http://www.crunchyroll.com/forumtopic-480367/katekyoshi-hitman-reborn-simulcast-starts-this-friday/). They'll be adding 2 episodes a week for Anime Members, and 1 episode a week for everyone else. Here's the schedule for the next 3 weeks:

March 20th:
Episode 125 for Anime Members
Episode 1 and 2 for free users (and Anime Members)

March 27th:
Episodes 3,4, and 126 for Anime Members
Episodes 3 and 125 for free users

April 3rd:
Episodes 5,6, and 127 for Anime Members
Episodes 4 and 126 for free users

[GingaDaiuchuu]

And more schedule updates: Naruto updates and upcoming character birthdays~ (http://www.crunchyroll.com/forumtopic-481043/naruto-updates-and-upcoming-character-birthdays/)

Due to its Japan schedule, Naruto Shippuden has no new episode today, but on March 26, episodes 101 and 102 will be out, with episode 101 available for everyone on March 26, and episode 102 available for Anime Members on March 26, and everyone else on April 2.

Crunchyroll is celebrating the birthdays of 2 Naruto characters with birthdays in the rest of the month. I don't know if this will be a common thing, and it may not seem very important, but it does affect non-Anime Members who want to see Naruto episodes, in that for today, Kisame's birthday, everyone can watch episode 84.

Sakura's birthday is March 28, but so far the only thing you get for it is an item for your Crunchyland avatar (you get one for Kisame's, too). So why do I bother mentioning it? Because it's my birthday too! :D

[MeggieMay]

Sakura and I have the same birthday? Wacky! :p March 28th isn't exactly a big day for famous people with birthdays (the only two I can ever remember are Ken Howard (70's TV star) and Reba McIntyre) and the only major thing of note I remember happening on that day was the Three Mile Island accident :sweat: .

[GingaDaiuchuu]

Two news articles:

New Forum Pages (http://www.crunchyroll.com/forumtopic-491213/new-forum-pages/)
Just click on it and you'll see what's different.

Naruto Shippuden 103 - Free for Everyone tomorrow night (http://www.crunchyroll.com/forumtopic-491527/naruto-shippuden-103-free-for-everyone-tomorrow-night/)
There's a Toon Zone article on this here (http://news.toonzone.net/articles/29325/viz-announces-naruto-shippuden-episode-103-usjapan-simulcast-on-april-9-2009). Plus you can win a poster signed by Junko Takeuchi!

[garfield15]

WHOA WHOA WHOA WHAT?

http://www.crunchyroll.com/library/Ristorante_Paradiso

Ristorante Paradiso is being put on CR too? Well this is completely out of freakin' nowhere! Jeez, just get every anime coming out this spring on the site why don't you? (No, seriously, get every anime coming out this spring on the site. I bought your subscription for this stuff)

This is so out of nowhere. I guess this will be a trend. Putting stuff on the site at the last minute to screw with everybody's minds.

[GingaDaiuchuu]

This wasn't in any news articles, personal messages, or emails, but it's just as important to me: They fixed the problem I had with the new site design! The sidebar again shows new releases. Thanks, Crunchyroll!

However, for this good news to finally happen, there must be equally bad news. That's right, Crunchyroll is filling their banner and background space with an ad for the Dragonball Evolution action figures. I just hope that goes away as soon as possible.

Also, that raffle for the Naruto poster signed by Junko Takeuchi (which had a news article I linked in my previous post, tying in with the Toon Zone news that I also linked, and also a personal message and part of two emails they sent me) just started with Naruto Shippuden episode 103 last night, but the winners of the last Naruto giveaway were announced today: Sakura Week Campaign WINNERS!!! (http://www.crunchyroll.com/forumtopic-492977/sakura-week-campaign-winners/)

[garfield15]

The Dragonball Evolution background makes me sad everytime I go on the site.

Also, it seems that there's something coming soon next week!

[GingaDaiuchuu]

The home page is now filled with something I never expected.

Code Geass! The Rebellion Starts Again! (http://www.crunchyroll.com/forumtopic-495917/code-geass-the-rebellion-starts-again/)

That's right, Code Geass Lelouch of the Rebellion (http://www.crunchyroll.com/library/CODE_GEASS_Lelouch_of_the_Rebellion) is on Crunchyroll. The full first season. Right now. For free. For everyone (with 480p only for Anime Members). Both subbed and dubbed. Bandai's dub. The same Bandai who was, up until now, the second most anti-Crunchyroll company. I guess that just leaves FUNimation, and even they have already licensed all the original Crunchyroll simulcasts (all the ones that started before Crunchyroll went fully legit).

[garfield15]

:eek::eek::eek::eek:

Well....this is....very out of nowhere

CR is the future people. Just get used to it now.

[GingaDaiuchuu]

:eek::eek::eek::eek:

Well....this is....very out of nowhere

CR is the future people. Just get used to it now.

That's what I'm saying.

[Mandouga]

CR is the future people. Just get used to it now.

Personally, I'm not so sure about that. For that reason...


...before Crunchyroll went fully legit

(quoted for emphasis)

...I'm ESPECIALLY not sure about that.

For some time now I've been giving Crunchyroll the benefit of the doubt. The truth is however, I would still much rather watch these shows on You Tube, or other places I KNOW to be legit (such as Funimation's
video site).

Now, I'm sorry if I sound like (in the words of Severus Snape) an "insufferable know-it-all" by saying this, but if someone were to come forward and sue Crunchyroll claiming copyright infringement (and thus...and I can't stress this enough...deceptive practices), and if Crunchyroll were to either plead or be found guilty, just remember I told you so. Still, like I said before, I am (albeit reluctantly) giving them the benefit of the doubt.

Incidentally, I know the Toei ones are legit because they were first available through IGN's Direct2Drive service, plus they come directly from Toei Animation Inc. (the U.S. subsidiary who once tried to release R1 anime DVDs), under the "Toei On Demand" name.

[Quarkboy]

Personally, I'm not so sure about that. For that reason...



(quoted for emphasis)

...I'm ESPECIALLY not sure about that.

For some time now I've been giving Crunchyroll the benefit of the doubt. The truth is however, I would still much rather watch these shows on You Tube, or other places I KNOW to be legit (such as Funimation's
video site).

Now, I'm sorry if I sound like (in the words of Severus Snape) an "insufferable know-it-all" by saying this, but if someone were to come forward and sue Crunchyroll claiming copyright infringement (and thus...and I can't stress this enough...deceptive practices), and if Crunchyroll were to either plead or be found guilty, just remember I told you so. Still, like I said before, I am (albeit reluctantly) giving them the benefit of the doubt.

Incidentally, I know the Toei ones are legit because they were first available through IGN's Direct2Drive service, plus they come directly from Toei Animation Inc. (the U.S. subsidiary who once tried to release R1 anime DVDs), under the "Toei On Demand" name.

You think that TV Tokyo or Fuji Television wouldn't have sued CR by now after they released multiple press releases to the general press touting their partnership and even including quotes from the Japanese companies if it wasn't legit? I mean, what more proof do you want to have, Crunchyroll is a member of the Japanese Animation Association and even had a booth at the Tokyo Anime Fair this year, and gave a symposium!

[GWOtaku]

I don't think the news is that significant. On the Bandai front, they had every reason to have problems with CR about a year ago because they were not legit in any way. Now that that's changed, it's not so surprising that BEI would change it's attitude.

Related to CR, this seems obligatory rather than any big coup. Bandai already has Geass and now all of Gundam 00 (season one) on their youtube channel. CR is late to the party when it comes to Geass, although it's all well and good that they have it.

[macattack]

Personally, I feel that CR has changed sides. Am I still pissed about when they are one of the problems with the anime industry? Hell yeah. I kinda still wish CR would pay for what they did to harm the industry for the last few years. But they've decided to be a solution to the anime industry's problems by going fully legit and getting support from Japanese companies (and now American licensors apparently).

There isn't much choice anyway. CR has a HUGE audience even though it dwindled a little bit because of the hardcore fansubbers jumping ship. With American broadcast networks being very unwilling to help the industry CR is one of the only places to go where there is a large built-in audience that is guaranteed to watch the shows.

[Mandouga]

Look everyone, I know it appears to be that way, but I am still not completely convinced. Just recently, they had Mahou no Tenshi Creamy Mami on there. I assumed it was "legit" since the episodes wouldn't be there otherwise, but recently, having made it to about episode 33 or so, I came to the library page to find that "there are no videos for this series". Now what does THIS say about them? Two things: either the episodes (which were "fansubbed" by a group called "Live-Evil") were legit, but then ordered taken down, or (and this is most important) they were never legit in the first place, and that Crunchyroll simply never got around to removing them until now. Also consider that "Live-Evil" had a member named "shinji" who, on a regular basis posts announcements regarding Crunchyroll and their so-called "acquisitions". I had also learned that Crunchyroll once had a fansubbed version of Galaxy Express 999 (and I think, Captain Harlock) that was also done by "Live-Evil". The versions provided by Toei on Demand are an original translation that does not credit any translator, and contains no semblace of Live-Evil's translation and subtitling "style" as seen on the Creamy Mami episodes CR had.

Even more recently, I wanted to watch Chi's Sweet Home, only to find that again, "there are no videos for this series". They are NOW saying that it will "premiere" (if you can call it that) on CR on April 25th.

So you see, and I repeat yet again, while I am giving CR the benefit of the doubt, I am still not fully convinced of their legitimacy. That's partially why I'm not even laying a finger on one of those "anime memberships" of theirs. Furthermore, Funimation is posting the complete series of the Toei on Demand shows for people to view for free whenever they want. Some series on CR aren't even finished yet.

Take this as you will, but my intuition tells me that one way or the other, there's something CR isn't telling us. I guess what I'm really trying to say is that I feel the whole thing is "too easy" as it were.

[GingaDaiuchuu]

(quoted for emphasis)

...I'm ESPECIALLY not sure about that.

For some time now I've been giving Crunchyroll the benefit of the doubt. The truth is however, I would still much rather watch these shows on You Tube, or other places I KNOW to be legit (such as Funimation's
video site).

Now, I'm sorry if I sound like (in the words of Severus Snape) an "insufferable know-it-all" by saying this, but if someone were to come forward and sue Crunchyroll claiming copyright infringement (and thus...and I can't stress this enough...deceptive practices), and if Crunchyroll were to either plead or be found guilty, just remember I told you so. Still, like I said before, I am (albeit reluctantly) giving them the benefit of the doubt.

Incidentally, I know the Toei ones are legit because they were first available through IGN's Direct2Drive service, plus they come directly from Toei Animation Inc. (the U.S. subsidiary who once tried to release R1 anime DVDs), under the "Toei On Demand" name.

Well... they are, and many of the biggest Japanese anime companies have said that Crunchyroll is their biggest new help, and that Anime Memberships give them money. But I'm not going to tell you to support them, since you're just watching similar legit online broadcasts instead.

[J!!!]

Related to CR, this seems obligatory rather than any big coup. Bandai already has Geass and now all of Gundam 00 (season one) on their youtube channel. CR is late to the party when it comes to Geass, although it's all well and good that they have it.
But now I can see the episodes of season 1 I missed in english too! So I'm happy and in better quality then Bandai's youtube channel too.

[garfield15]

http://www.crunchyroll.com/library/The_Tomie_Collection

Hey look they've got three of the Tomie Horror movies up and some other Japanese horror films too. (In 480i! Cool!)

(Begins praying for 20th Century Boys to be on CR)

[Sparticus]

Look everyone, I know it appears to be that way, but I am still not completely convinced. Just recently, they had Mahou no Tenshi Creamy Mami on there. I assumed it was "legit" since the episodes wouldn't be there otherwise, but recently, having made it to about episode 33 or so, I came to the library page to find that "there are no videos for this series". Now what does THIS say about them? Two things: either the episodes (which were "fansubbed" by a group called "Live-Evil") were legit, but then ordered taken down, or (and this is most important) they were never legit in the first place, and that Crunchyroll simply never got around to removing them until now. Also consider that "Live-Evil" had a member named "shinji" who, on a regular basis posts announcements regarding Crunchyroll and their so-called "acquisitions". I had also learned that Crunchyroll once had a fansubbed version of Galaxy Express 999 (and I think, Captain Harlock) that was also done by "Live-Evil". The versions provided by Toei on Demand are an original translation that does not credit any translator, and contains no semblace of Live-Evil's translation and subtitling "style" as seen on the Creamy Mami episodes CR had.

Even more recently, I wanted to watch Chi's Sweet Home, only to find that again, "there are no videos for this series". They are NOW saying that it will "premiere" (if you can call it that) on CR on April 25th.

So you see, and I repeat yet again, while I am giving CR the benefit of the doubt, I am still not fully convinced of their legitimacy. That's partially why I'm not even laying a finger on one of those "anime memberships" of theirs. Furthermore, Funimation is posting the complete series of the Toei on Demand shows for people to view for free whenever they want. Some series on CR aren't even finished yet.

Take this as you will, but my intuition tells me that one way or the other, there's something CR isn't telling us. I guess what I'm really trying to say is that I feel the whole thing is "too easy" as it were.

Those were probably just glitches. It did that to me for Gintama once - came back in a few hours it was working again. Same for Eyeshield 21. Anyway...

TV Tokyo's English site: http://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/corporation/

And the PDF for the press release for Naruto: http://www.tv-tokyo.co.jp/contents/ir/eng/press/pubfile/20081117.pdf

It's like someone up there said - if they were pulling the ultimate scam, a number of very pissed off companies would have sued by now - especially since they had a booth at the Tokyo Anime fair. I think someone would have noticed that. X)

[garfield15]

So, yeah, just watched the entirety of Last Exile on CR since I missed when it came on Sci...er..Syfy.

Did I mention how much I love CR right now? I'm about to start watching Kaleido Star too.

[macattack]

So, yeah, just watched the entirety of Last Exile on CR since I missed when it came on Sci...er..Syfy.

Did I mention how much I love CR right now? I'm about to start watching Kaleido Star too.

Last Exile ran on Tech TV-erm, G4, not Sci-fi, I mean, Syfy.

[garfield15]

Last Exile ran on Tech TV-erm, G4, not Sci-fi, I mean, Syfy.Oh really? I didn't know, I just assumed it was another anime block that wasn't Toonami and I stupidly thought Sci-Fi....er, Syfy.

[macattack]

Oh really? I didn't know, I just assumed it was another anime block that wasn't Toonami and I stupidly thought Sci-Fi....er, Syfy.

According to Jeff Harris on the Toonami Fan boards, Toonami wanted Last Exile really bad and was outbid by Tech TV for it. I'm sure Geneon's kicking themselves over that. Last Exile/Gundam SEED working in tandem in spring 2004 would have been unstoppable.

[MeggieMay]

Not in my opinion. Last Exile would have been way too slow for Toonami's viewers and would have done worse than Gundam SEED did. That said, keep in mind that Toonami wanted males 12 - 17 and only that Demo. Gundam SEED didn't bring that crowed in for them, though it did bring females and males older than that demo but that wasn't what Cartoon Network wanted thus GS failed in their mind (I still contend that GS really didn't fail as much as it didn't do what Cartoon Network wanted it to do - CN is/was way to demo minded and that rigidity did in more than a few Toonami shows that would have been considered minor hits on other cable networks).

Last Exile is a great show but it is more like Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex or Moribito. It would have done Ok to Well on Adult Swim but IMO not good at all on Toonami. As it was Last Exile was a notable hit on TechTV (I remember reading it did well in the ratings for them, back at the time it was running). What really messed it up on TechTV was the sale to G4, which happened during a break in airing on the show, as well as Geneon's odd release schedule to TechTV - which is why they were on break. IIRC Samurai Champloo also had the same type of weird break on AS and it either had something to do with dubbing (as in the dubbing needed to catch up), DVD release's needing to catch up, or both. Either way, what really killed anime on G4 was the new head of programmings belief that males 17 - 35 had no use, let alone interest, in Anime and he decided to rid the network of it as one his first policy changes. I'm not sure if this guy is still in charge over there or not but from the few times I've seen G4 since Anime Unleashed ended, I think the channels turned into Spike Jr. Only Spike has better programming and isn't anti-Anime (they really haven't pursude picking up Anime but they have paid for their own anime production, for what it's worth). IMO G4 might actually do well by bringing the Anime back but they don't seem to see it that way :sad:.

[Mandouga]

Going back on topic:

Okay, let's say that this is legit...on CR's end as well as TV Tokyo's.

Does this mean we would also get past "TV Tokyo" shows (which by extension would include shows from the days when they were called "Tokyo 12 Channel")? Personally I doubt it since TV Tokyo is really just a broadcaster (although the Medianet division offers some shows for "foriegn markets", all in untranslated Japanese), and thus only owns the broadcast rights to the shows for the duration (i.e., until they end production).

Also what happens when these shows do end production, and TV Tokyo replaces them others show in their Japanese timeslots? Will CR still be able to legally keep them on their site?

[Quarkboy]

Going back on topic:

Okay, let's say that this is legit...on CR's end as well as TV Tokyo's.

Does this mean we would also get past "TV Tokyo" shows (which by extension would include shows from the days when they were called "Tokyo 12 Channel")? Personally I doubt it since TV Tokyo is really just a broadcaster (although the Medianet division offers some shows for "foriegn markets", all in untranslated Japanese), and thus only owns the broadcast rights to the shows for the duration (i.e., until they end production).

Also what happens when these shows do end production, and TV Tokyo replaces them others show in their Japanese timeslots? Will CR still be able to legally keep them on their site?

TV Tokyo is not just a broadcaster. It produces a lot of anime itself... Basically of the big TV stations the only ones in JApan that produce anime are TV Tokyo, Fuji TV, and NHK.

The shows that TV Tokyo is broadcasting on CR are shows it owns the rights for, not just broadcasting rights. Or, if some other company holds the rights like Viz for Naruto, then the deal is among all the companies involved. For example, D-rights owns the rights for Kateyo hitman, but TV-tokyo and CR and d-rights all agree together for the streaming.

It all depends on whether TV Tokyo was just the broadcaster or whether it also produced the show. Here's a list of credits for TV Tokyo on ANN's encylopedia. Basically anything where they are listed as "Production" and not just "broadcaster" they should have control over it.
http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/company.php?id=262

[Mandouga]

I guess, but OTOH, the "production" credits they get may just be only by name because of "standardized" crediting, and thus have no real involvement with the actual production other than saying what can and can't be shown on their network, along with all the usual "network" stuff (which I'm guessing is more "lenient" than American networks will allow).

Let's use Mirai Robo Dartanius (classic mecha anime from 1979) as an example. The opening sequence (as seen on You Tube) credits the "seisaku" ("production") to "Tokyo 12 Channel" (TV Tokyo's former name, as I mentioned) "Toei" (not the animation studio, but "Toei Co. Ltd", the head office; Sunrise did the animation for this show) and "Toei Agency". Does this mean TV Tokyo owns the rights to this show? Could they and CR--in a hypothetical scenario--come to an agreement to have it legally streamed on CR as long as Toei and Toei Agency are "okay" with it? My undertstanding is that Toei solely owns the show outright with Tokyo 12 Channel/TV Tokyo broadcasting it (and Toei Agency acting as the advertising agency for the show), thus whether or not it gets streamed anywhere (or licensed) is solely Toei's decision.

I guess what I want to ask here is, how can we be sure TV Tokyo actually owns (part of) the rights to the shows they broadcast? How can we be sure they were involved in the actual production, and that their credit under "production" isn't just in name only?

[Quarkboy]

I guess, but OTOH, the "production" credits they get may just be only by name because of "standardized" crediting, and thus have no real involvement with the actual production other than saying what can and can't be shown on their network, along with all the usual "network" stuff (which I'm guessing is more "lenient" than American networks will allow).

Let's use Mirai Robo Dartanius (classic mecha anime from 1979) as an example. The opening sequence (as seen on You Tube) credits the "seisaku" ("production") to "Tokyo 12 Channel" (TV Tokyo's former name, as I mentioned) "Toei" (not the animation studio, but "Toei Co. Ltd", the head office; Sunrise did the animation for this show) and "Toei Agency". Does this mean TV Tokyo owns the rights to this show? Could they and CR--in a hypothetical scenario--come to an agreement to have it legally streamed on CR as long as Toei and Toei Agency are "okay" with it? My undertstanding is that Toei solely owns the show outright with Tokyo 12 Channel/TV Tokyo broadcasting it (and Toei Agency acting as the advertising agency for the show), thus whether or not it gets streamed anywhere (or licensed) is solely Toei's decision.

I guess what I want to ask here is, how can we be sure TV Tokyo actually owns (part of) the rights to the shows they broadcast? How can we be sure they were involved in the actual production, and that their credit under "production" isn't just in name only?

You can't, really, without doing research. Each show has its own production committee and who ends up controlling what rights is a complicated issue. All I'm saying is that TV Tokyo has a chance of controlling the rights if they are listed as Production.

[Mandouga]

I see.

Well, I hve another question. The site has Viewtiful Joe, but unfortunately, it's only the 26 dubbed episodes that were seen on American TV. With this mind, is CR only streaming the subtitled versions of the other TV Tokyo shows because there's no dub available, or are they open to streaming both dubs and "subs"?

[bayoab]

I see.

Well, I hve another question. The site has Viewtiful Joe, but unfortunately, it's only the 26 dubbed episodes that were seen on American TV. With this mind, is CR only streaming the subtitled versions of the other TV Tokyo shows because there's no dub available, or are they open to streaming both dubs and "subs"?

They will stream whatever they can get. See Code Geass for another dub (and certain episodes of Bastof Syndrome are dubbed iirc.) The issue is more that Viewtiful Joe does not have a sub release in R1. The dub is the only existing release.
It is cheaper to

Buy a series that was already subbed.
Buy a series that was already dubbed.
Buy a series and pay to subtitle it.

than to buy a series and pay to dub it. (At about 10x the price of the one above it.)
It all comes down to cost and CR is not going to pay to dub a series. What they buy depends on what's available rights wise and the price.

[GingaDaiuchuu]

Enough of this meaningless argument. Time for another announcement.

The 4 original Toei shows will soon be available in their entirety for everyone (they have been for Anime Members for a while), with one each day. Today is the Fist of the North Star Blow Out (http://www.crunchyroll.com/forumtopic-499911/fist-of-the-north-star-blow-out/). This doesn't change anything for me, but it's good news for anyone who isn't an Anime Member. The only bad thing is that there will no longer be a weekly update for our Digimon talkback (actually, they don't even mention what the other 3 shows are, but I'm assuming they're the other 3 that started off at the same time as Fist of the North Star).

[Quarkboy]

Enough of this meaningless argument. Time for another announcement.

The 4 original Toei shows will soon be available in their entirety for everyone (they have been for Anime Members for a while), with one each day. Today is the Fist of the North Star Blow Out (http://www.crunchyroll.com/forumtopic-499911/fist-of-the-north-star-blow-out/). This doesn't change anything for me, but it's good news for anyone who isn't an Anime Member. The only bad thing is that there will no longer be a weekly update for our Digimon talkback (actually, they don't even mention what the other 3 shows are, but I'm assuming they're the other 3 that started off at the same time as Fist of the North Star).

So I guess they'll actually add the last 9 episode of pretty cure then?

[GWOtaku]

It turns out they're also getting School Days, which was probably one of the very worst anime of 2007. Ew.

Toei shows getting spread around is always good news, but I think I'll be using FUNimation's player for those. The quality is high, and it's another way to send some revenue to a truly great company.

[Taekmkm]

Oh, but watching the entire series makes the ending SOOOOO good.

[GWOtaku]

The ending was nothing less than sadistic, and it says a lot that people use it to separate it from other generic harem shows--pretty much the perfect admission that without it, that's all it really is. When you resort to shock value to save your show, you've lost.

[Taekmkm]

What separates School Days from say Shuffle, is that Makato is the only two-timing (or 5-timing, if you count others) guy that also has sex in a genre where touching hands is the norm.

It's like a deconstruction (or sadistic satire/parody) of the harem genre. Applying harem logic in a real japanese setting will get you shanked.



I still hate the show, I'm just saying.

[garfield15]

What separates School Days from say Shuffle, is that Makato is the only two-timing (or 5-timing, if you count others) guy that also has sex in a genre where touching hands is the norm.

It's like a deconstruction (or sadistic satire/parody) of the harem genre. Applying harem logic in a real japanese setting will get you shanked.

You know, I figured a good deconstruction of the harem genre would be Higurashi.

[Taekmkm]

Well the thing is, it's pretty obvious it's a horror genre. The relationships are never the main plot for the entire show, just surviving the mystery.

[GingaDaiuchuu]

So I guess they'll actually add the last 9 episode of pretty cure then?

Actually, looking at the "Coming Soon" sidebar, it looks like instead of Pretty Cure, the fourth show is going to be the rest of Captain Harlock. I don't know why they haven't added the last 9 episodes of Pretty Cure, but since they're not even up for Anime Members, there's no way of knowing if they'll ever add them at all, until they get past episode 40 with the weekly releases for everyone, or if they decide to do this kind of thing for it. Anyway, today it's Full Court Press with Slam Dunk (http://www.crunchyroll.com/forumtopic-500199/full-court-press-with-slam-dunk/).

[Quarkboy]

New show from CR... Well, that actually has 2 episodes, now:

http://www.crunchyroll.com/library/Peeping_Life

I have to admit, it's pretty damn funny in a Dr. Katz sort of way.

[GingaDaiuchuu]

And today is the Digimon Satruday Blow Out (http://www.crunchyroll.com/forumtopic-500678/digimon-satruday-blow-out/).

[garfield15]

Okay is there even a reason to keep my anime membership anymore? I'm this close to giving it up (I'm keeping it for the 480i but I'm starting to not care anymore with all these series getting up here)

[GingaDaiuchuu]

Okay is there even a reason to keep my anime membership anymore? I'm this close to giving it up (I'm keeping it for the 480i but I'm starting to not care anymore with all these series getting up here)

Keep it. I'm sure if you had to be without it for any amount of time you'd instantly wish you had it back. There are so many simulcasts, and more are being added all the time.

[garfield15]

Keep it. I'm sure if you had to be without it for any amount of time you'd instantly wish you had it back. There are so many simulcasts, and more are being added all the time.
(sigh) Why do you have to be so right about that? (I know if I give it up I'll be all like "Where's my Rebooorrrrrnnn.....")

[GingaDaiuchuu]

(sigh) Why do you have to be so right about that? (I know if I give it up I'll be all like "Where's my Rebooorrrrrnnn.....")

Haha, exactly.

[Sparticus]

*sigh* I miss the simulcast...

[GingaDaiuchuu]

Because of all that's happened in the past few days, they put up a Weekend Recap (http://www.crunchyroll.com/forumtopic-501341/weekend-recap/):
Thursday:
Simulcast
2:30 am PDT: Gintama episode 154
4:00 am PDT: Naruto Shippuden 106
Series Blow Out!
5:00 pm PDT : Fist of the North Star series BLOW OUT!!!
Friday:
Simulcast
6:00 pm PDT: Shugo Chara episode 80 (http://www.crunchyroll.com/library/Shugo_Chara)
7:30 pm PDT: REBORN! episode 130 (http://www.crunchyroll.com/library/REBORN%21)
10:00 pm PDT: Hayate no Gotoku !! episode 4 (http://www.crunchyroll.com/library/Hayate_no_Gotoku_%21%21)
Series Blow Out!
12:00 pm PDT: Slam Dunk series BLOW OUT!!! (http://www.crunchyroll.com/library/Slam_Dunk)
NEW SERIES
5:00 pm PDT: Peeping Life (http://www.crunchyroll.com/library/Peeping_Life)
Saturday:
Simulcast
10:30 am PDT: Chi's Sweet Home - Chi's New Address episodes 13-16 (http://www.crunchyroll.com/library/Chis_Sweet_Home_-_Chis_New_Address)
SERIES RETURN!!!
12:00 pm PDT: School Days' episodes 1-4 (http://www.crunchyroll.com/library/School_Days)
Series Blow Out!
12:00 pm PDT: Digimon Adventures 2 series BLOW OUT!!! (http://www.crunchyroll.com/library/Digimon_Adventure_02)
Sunday:
Simulcast
10:00 am PDT: Natsu no ARASHI! episode 4 (http://www.crunchyroll.com/library/NATSU_NO_ARASHI)
10:30 am PDT: Saki: The Player episode 4 (http://www.crunchyroll.com/library/Saki)
6:00 pm PDT: Shangri-la episode 4 (http://www.crunchyroll.com/library/SHANGRI-LA)
Series Blow Out!
12:00 am PDT: Captain Harlock series BLOW OUT!!! (http://www.crunchyroll.com/library/Captain_Harlock)

[garfield15]

Now if we could just have a PreCure blowout, we'd be golden.

[GingaDaiuchuu]

Who said the blowouts would ever end?

While not exactly a blowout, in the Eyeshield Touches Down (http://www.crunchyroll.com/forumtopic-502137/eyeshield-touches-down/) article, they mention that they uploaded up to episode 50 for everyone, and up to episode 69 for Anime Members, and they'll be uploading 4 episodes every week, instead of 2.

Also, today is the day to Take a Ride on Galaxy Express 999!!! (http://www.crunchyroll.com/forumtopic-502816/take-a-ride-on-galaxy-express-999/)

At this rate, it seems like there should be a Pretty Cure blowout within the next week, but, alas, the last 9 episodes aren't even up for Anime Members yet, so don't hold your breath.

[garfield15]

Makes me wonder what other shows they've got coming down the pipeline (coughcoughTAMERScoughcoughONEPIECEPLEASE!coughcough)

[GingaDaiuchuu]

Makes me wonder what other shows they've got coming down the pipeline (coughcoughTAMERScoughcoughONEPIECEPLEASE!coughcough)

Well there must be some reason they've only uploaded 02 with no announcement for any others. And between the Toei deal and the Shonen Jump shows and the simulcasts of current popular series, I can't believe they haven't announced One Piece yet.

[firecrouch]

I can understand why it's a long wait to see "One Piece" get a legit online distribution at all, but I'm more surprised to see that "Bleach" hasn't been announced for Crunchyroll yet.

[GingaDaiuchuu]

I can understand why it's a long wait to see "One Piece" get a legit online distribution at all, but I'm more surprised to see that "Bleach" hasn't been announced for Crunchyroll yet.

True, since Bleach is almost in the same boat as Naruto, although I'm sure it will be a lot more likely if it gets canceled from Adult Swim.

[firecrouch]

True, since Bleach is almost in the same boat as Naruto, although I'm sure it will be a lot more likely if it gets canceled from Adult Swim.

That's what I was. It doesn't make sense to me that "Bleach" wouldn't be up there since several other Shonen Jump/TV Tokyo are already streaming on Crunchyroll. The only thing I could think of , besides possible legal red tape that fans aren't supposed to know, is that it's the only one right now with an on-going North American T.V. run that they don't want to compete with. Then again "Naruto Shippuden" is having a big online run and I wouldn't be surprised to see it on another T.V channel in the near future. I mean voice actors on the show have said VIZ has been dubbing it since last year, I don't see why they wouldn't have enough finished English-dubbed episodes to show online by now unless they have special plans for it.

[GingaDaiuchuu]

That's what I was. It doesn't make sense to me that "Bleach" wouldn't be up there since several other Shonen Jump/TV Tokyo are already streaming on Crunchyroll. The only thing I could think of , besides possible legal red tape that fans aren't supposed to know, is that it's the only one right now with an on-going North American T.V. run that they don't want to compete with. Then again "Naruto Shippuden" is having a big online run and I wouldn't be surprised to see it on another T.V channel in the near future. I mean voice actors on the show have said VIZ has been dubbing it since last year, I don't see why they wouldn't have enough finished English-dubbed episodes to show online by now unless they have special plans for it.

Well, if Bleach does get canceled from Adult Swim, we'll find out. But I can't imagine it will be very long before Bleach gets on Crunchyroll, anyway. The Shippuden online run by Viz is also connected to the one on Crunchyroll. Also, I wouldn't expect it back on TV any time soon. The dub will probably be DVD-exclusive, at least at first.

[bayoab]

Well there must be some reason they've only uploaded 02 with no announcement for any others. And between the Toei deal and the Shonen Jump shows and the simulcasts of current popular series, I can't believe they haven't announced One Piece yet.
Here's the reason why this is all there is:
http://www.toei-anim.com/ondemand/
i.e. Nothing else is coming. They were never meant to be uploaded anywhere except D2D and they royally failed there so they are putting them wherever they can to try to unfail them.

[GingaDaiuchuu]

Here's the reason why this is all there is:
http://www.toei-anim.com/ondemand/
i.e. Nothing else is coming. They were never meant to be uploaded anywhere except D2D and they royally failed there so they are putting them wherever they can to try to unfail them.

Ah, thanks. That answers that question.

[firecrouch]

It looked like there was space on that menu for two more shows, I think a fansubber laid some hints a while ago on another forum about the identities of said shows.

Anyway, that site is pretty much dead, Toei Animation recently fused their OnDemand site with the main www.toei-anim.com. And Toei Animation did put out a new series recently, that is if you count sequel series as seperate series. "Fist of the North Star 2" is on FUNimation's video channel (and only there so far), but unfortunately no one announced it.

[GingaDaiuchuu]

Two new shows:

Hit me, Black Jack! (http://www.crunchyroll.com/forumtopic-502921/hit-me-black-jack/) That's right, the Tezuka show. The four special episodes are up now, with episodes 1-13 coming in the next 5 weeks, starting tonight.

Gundam 00! Get ready for Launch (http://www.crunchyroll.com/forumtopic-503246/gundam-00-get-ready-for-launch/) I saw the banner, which was surprising, but after Code Geass, it was only a matter of time. The thing that is surprising is that the entire first season is up dubbed, but only episodes 1-9 subbed, with no announcement for any more.

[Funkatron]

Crunchyroll has Gundam 00

[GingaDaiuchuu]

The Onigiri! ~~Issue 18~~ FINALLY! ^.^ (http://www.crunchyroll.com/forumtopic-504665/the-onigiri-issue-18-finally-/)

For those of you who don't know, the Onigiri is the online Crunchyroll magazine.

[Mandouga]

Apparently, they "licensed" (for lack of a better term) a show from Mushi Productions (studio founded by Osamu Tezuka) called "Wonder Beat Scramble", a show from 1986 that was, to make a long story short, largely inspired by the classic American film Fantastic Voyage. It features short live-action segments hosted by Tezuka himself in which he talks about the episode and various biological facts (you see, the show has a semi-educational aesthetic).

Anyway, they have the first two episodes uploaded, plus a "raw" (untranslated) version of a "special" 9 minute episode. I'm told that CR is holding a contest for people who want to translate (specifically, subtitle) the 9 minute episode. The winner gets various prizes, and gets to translate the rest of the 26 episode series.

Oh, and in case you are wondering, I learned about this from ANN.

[creativerealms]

Apparently, they "licensed" (for lack of a better term) a show from Mushi Productions (studio founded by Osamu Tezuka) called "Wonder Beat Scramble", a show from 1986 that was, to make a long story short, largely inspired by the classic American film Fantastic Voyage. It features short live-action segments hosted by Tezuka himself in which he talks about the episode and various biological facts (you see, the show has a semi-educational aesthetic).

Anyway, they have the first two episodes uploaded, plus a "raw" (untranslated) version of a "special" 9 minute episode. I'm told that CR is holding a contest for people who want to translate (specifically, subtitle) the 9 minute episode. The winner gets various prizes, and gets to translate the rest of the 26 episode series.

Oh, and in case you are wondering, I learned about this from ANN.

I understand that you have their doubts. Hell if you were to tell me last year that Crunchyroll would become legit I would laugh in your face. The thing is if any of the shows they are currently showing are illegally up there the moment they are caught not only will Crunchyroll be screwed but so will all their offical partners. Everyone we know is working with Crunchyroll like Toei, TV Tokyo, and recently Bandai will be in big trouble as well if Crunchyroll is really not as reformed as they claim to be.

This is not the ultimate scam for too many people would be hurt if it was. besides it's been four months now, we would have heard something by now if they were doing something wrong.

[firecrouch]

I saw some of the prizes they were giving away for the contest. I couldn't some of the stuff Tezuka Producitons was willing to give away; it included an original script and a piece of film from the 1960s "Astro Boy".

[Mandouga]

Tezuka Productions is actually a separate firm that Tezuka also started. WBS comes from "Mushi" Productions, who is apparently co-sponsoring the contest with CR; the subtitles for the first two episodes also seem to come from Mushi themselves. Further, according to the official rules, any subtitles you submit for the 9 minute special will become the property of Mushi (i.e., and not CR). Oh yeah, Anime Nation says that Mushi is unable to give financial compensation to whoever ends up being selected to translate the rest of the series. Instead, they can only give "rare" Mushi Pro "memorabilia" as the part of the prize package I mentioned.

[GingaDaiuchuu]

The Gintama Roll Out Increases (http://www.crunchyroll.com/forumtopic-505495/gintama-roll-out-increases/) from 2 episodes to 4 episodes per week for back catalog episodes, with Anime Members being able to watch up to episode 70 and everyone else up to episode 38.

Cure Black + Cure White = Pretty Cure (http://www.crunchyroll.com/forumtopic-505660/cure-black-cure-white-pretty-cure/). That's right, we finally get the Pretty Cure blowout, and now all 49 episodes are up for everyone.

[garfield15]

YES! Been waiting for a while for this!

(I defend CR to the death nowadays)

[GingaDaiuchuu]

YES! Been waiting for a while for this!

(I defend CR to the death nowadays)

Me too.

[Sparticus]

The Gintama Roll Out Increases (http://www.crunchyroll.com/forumtopic-505495/gintama-roll-out-increases/) from 2 episodes to 4 episodes per week for back catalog episodes, with Anime Members being able to watch up to episode 70 and everyone else up to episode 38.

Cure Black + Cure White = Pretty Cure (http://www.crunchyroll.com/forumtopic-505660/cure-black-cure-white-pretty-cure/). That's right, we finally get the Pretty Cure blowout, and now all 49 episodes are up for everyone.

W00t!! And the Gintama translations have gotten pretty good too! :D

[GingaDaiuchuu]

New Video and User Profile pages~ (http://www.crunchyroll.com/forumtopic-507485/new-video-and-user-profile-pages/)
Not much else to say about it, but it's one of the biggest Crunchyroll news stories recently, almost as much as the new site design. So far I don't have any problems with it, but I haven't really done much on it yet.

Also, Crunchyroll has started sending out newsletters, which have information about currently running series, and will start being released 2 per month. The first one is here (http://www.crunchyroll.com/newsletter/20090511).

[Mandouga]

Semi-related: I was watching Galaxy Express 999 over there, and I almost got attacked by a computer virus. Fortunately, my anti-virus software was able to stop it, but the whole stress of the incident caused my browser to crash. I was barely able to get back to my desktop.

Crunchyroll needs to do something about their security. That said, I am in no way suggesting that the attempted virus attack was CR's doing. Did this happen to anyone else?

Back to the topic at hand, now that the Toei blowouts are over, I wonder what will be next for Toei Animation Inc. (the U.S. subsidiary)? Can we expect Pretty Cure Max Heart, or perhaps Doremi or some other Toei series?

[bigddan11]

Semi-related: I was watching Galaxy Express 999 over there, and I almost got attacked by a computer virus. Fortunately, my anti-virus software was able to stop it, but the whole stress of the incident caused my browser to crash. I was barely able to get back to my desktop.

Crunchyroll needs to do something about their security. That said, I am in no way suggesting that the attempted virus attack was CR's doing. Did this happen to anyone else?

Back to the topic at hand, now that the Toei blowouts are over, I wonder what will be next for Toei Animation Inc. (the U.S. subsidiary)? Can we expect Pretty Cure Max Heart, or perhaps Doremi or some other Toei series?
The Toei blowouts didn't finish until yesterday, but for people who may not know, here's the news from Crunchyroll.


Hey guys! http://img1.cdn.crunchyroll.com/i/bb/smilies/smile.gif

We’ve got another one for you today. This time it’s an AIR MASTER (http://www.crunchyroll.com/library/Air_Master) blowout, all 27 episodes launching today, May 14th at noon PDT. This is the last blowout for Toei animation (http://www.crunchyroll.com/publisher/ToeiAnimation).

Imagine being a 16 year old high school girl who gets into street fighting. Aikawa Maki is a former gymnast, who, with an enormously tall and fairly muscular built, gets a rush through fighting. With amazing power and grace, she fights opponent after opponent, repeatedly demonstrating the gymnastic talent that earns her her street name, "Air Master (http://www.crunchyroll.com/library/Air_Master)".

http://img1.cdn.crunchyroll.com/i/spire3/0d72dfdaf31eba8895cf2f931b43fa761242326404_full.jpg (http://www.crunchyroll.com/library/Air_Master)


Aikawa only feels alive when she is fighting and is eventually exposed to a fight league known as the Fukaimichi Rankings which consists of the world’s greatest street fighters and martial artists. Will a former gymnast be able to succeed in the ranks of these professional fighters? Air Master (http://www.crunchyroll.com/library/Air_Master) vs Chun-Li, who would win?

You be the judge! And let me know what your thoughts are in the art style of this particular anime!!

[GingaDaiuchuu]

Collect all 13 Shugo Charas and get a free membership! (http://www.crunchyroll.com/forumtopic-514142/collect-all-13-shugo-charas-and-get-a-free-membership/)
To get you to watch more Shugo Chara, Crunchyroll is giving out a random Shugo Chara badge for every episode you watch, and if you get all 13 different ones, you get a free one month anime membership, or a one month extention if you already have one.

Wanted: CR Library Moderators (http://www.crunchyroll.com/forumtopic-514201/wanted-cr-library-moderators/)
To get Library edits approved or disapproved quicker, Crunchyroll is enlisting the help of new library moderators, which will be chosen based on the answers you provide to their 7 questions.

[garfield15]

Well it looks like it's time for me to start watching Shugo Chara.

SHUGO CHARA MARATHON AWAAAAYYYYY!

[GingaDaiuchuu]

Three news articles since I was last on:

Get free anime membership thru CR Bucks - updated! (http://www.crunchyroll.com/forumtopic-523013/get-free-anime-membership-thru-cr-bucks-updated/)
The offers are updated to exclude non-anime-related stuff.

Anime Expo & Otakon (http://www.crunchyroll.com/forumtopic-523620/anime-expo-otakon/)
Crunchyroll will be at both of the largest American anime conventions.

Ristorante Paradiso Contest! (http://www.crunchyroll.com/forumtopic-523813/ristorante-paradiso-contest/)
The series finale, episode 11, is out today for Anime Members, and the previous episode, episode 10, is out today for everyone else, so everyone who watches either of these episodes by next Monday is entered to win both the $10 Olive Garden gift card from the last contest and merchandise signed by the director and art director of the series.

Also, if you can't tell by the banner and background taking over the home page, the entire series of Kono Aozora ni Yakusoku wo (http://www.crunchyroll.com/library/Kono_Aozora_ni_Yakusoku_wo) is out for Anime Members now, and the first 4 episodes are out for everyone else.

Click on all the links and read up for all the details.

[garfield15]

Yeah, I was all like "Oh hey, they got a new show."

Since it's only 13 episodes, I'm gonna spam it today.

[GingaDaiuchuu]

The Anime Expo panel starts now, so expect some announcements in the next hour. Until then, here are some pics from yesterday (http://www.crunchyroll.com/forumtopic-528117/more-anime-expo-pics-saturday/).

Also, newsletter 5 (http://www.crunchyroll.com/newsletter?edition=5) is out.

[garfield15]

I saw Aoi Hana and while I'm surprised that CR somehow is able to get shoujo-ai on their site, it was definitely interesting to watch.

[GingaDaiuchuu]

The first news story, courtesy of ANN:
Crunchyroll Adds Kanamemo, Yoku Wakaru Gendai Mahō, Jūden-chan (Updated) (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2009-07-05/crunchyroll-adds-kanamemo-yoku-wakaru-gendai-maho)
Already streaming: Galaxy High School (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=6539), Happiness! (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=6800) television series


The Crunchyroll (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/company.php?id=7606) media distribution website has announced at its Anime Expo panel on Sunday that it is already simulcasting (http://www.crunchyroll.com/media-531248/kanamemo-1/) the first episode of the Kanamemo (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=10644) television anime series (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2009-01-17/kanamemo-four-panel-manga-gets-anime-green-lit) (center picture). The company will be releasing the Yoku Wakaru Gendai Mahō (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=10356) television anime series (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-10-29/yoku-wakaru-gendai-maho-light-novels-to-be-animated) (right) and Charger Girl (Fight Ippatsu! Jūden-chan!! (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=10463), far right) television anime series (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-11-03/fight-ippatsu-juden-chan-to-get-anime-next-summer) at dates to be determined.
Crunchyroll has been streaming (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2009-07-01/crunchyroll-indicates-plans-to-simulcast-aoi-hana) Aoi Hana (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=10672) since last Wednesday. It also noted that it is streaming the Galaxy High School (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=6539) television series and the Happiness! (http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=6800) television anime series.
Update: More background information and images added.


That's right, Crunchyroll will be releasing Fight Ippatsu! Jūden-chan!! And lots and lots and lots of moe.

[GWOtaku]

You've got to be kidding me. Nothing in the summer season with good potential has been picked up by them yet, except maybe Aoi Hana. Very disappointing. And seriously, Juden-Chan? I guess they aren't screening for quality over there. One only hopes something halfway decent will go online later.

[garfield15]

.....Why...are they doing Juden-chan....?

[HellCat]

Do Crunchyroll decide what gets streamed or Japan? Because the fact they picked that show up.... *shakes head*

[GWOtaku]

Do Crunchyroll decide what gets streamed or Japan? Because the fact they picked that show up.... *shakes head*

They likely try to make deals with everybody. I mean, they have Gundam 00, so the range is pretty damn wide.

[Quarkboy]

Do Crunchyroll decide what gets streamed or Japan? Because the fact they picked that show up.... *shakes head*

Let's just say they take what they can get, especially if it's offered cheap.

[Mandouga]

You'll have to pardon my ignorance for a moment, but what exactly is wrong with this "Juden-chan" show?

EDIT: Never mind. I just checked Wikipedia, and I can see why. I won't be watching it that's for sure. I only watch the family-friendly stuff.

[GingaDaiuchuu]

Well, Crunchyroll has released the first 2 episodes of the anime they're calling Charger Girl Ju-den Chan. I won't even bother linking to it. I clicked on an episode to see if the inappropriate content warning came up like for some anime (well, the only time I've seen it is when you click on an episode of Steel Angel Kurumi), and, surprisingly, there's no warning.

At the top of the Crunchyroll home page is the banner from the Aoihana library page, which premiered last week, with episode 2 up today, but only for Anime Members this time. Maybe it was a mistake last week.

Anyway, they like to do that at least once for every simulcast they have, and they always use the banner from the simulcast's library page. So what about the inevitable event of them doing this for a certain "appropriate for all ages" simulcast they launched today? The banner from the library page itself is NSFW (well I guess you could argue that). Then the top of the Crunchyroll home page will be NSFW...

Also, there's been so many news stories in the past few days, there might be more that can't even fit on the front page:

New Web Support Form (problem) (http://www.crunchyroll.com/forumtopic-529143/new-web-support-form-problem/)
There's a problem reporter, but there was a problem with it. Go figure.

CrunchyPulse is here~! (http://www.crunchyroll.com/forumtopic-529397/crunchypulse-is-here/)
CrunchyPulse is Crunchyroll's news page that posts random Japanese news. There's also a page that archives the CR Newsletters.

Time of Eve Episode 5 EXCLUSIVE CONTEST prize (http://www.crunchyroll.com/forumtopic-529409/time-of-eve-episode-5-exclusive-contest-prize/)
Time of Eve Episode 4 contest winners are announced along with an Episode 5 contest. Find or make stuff that looks like stuff in Time of Eve, take pictures, and 3 people will win an original sketch signed by the director with a personal message.

Kanamemo (http://www.crunchyroll.com/forumtopic-529572/kanamemo/)
This was one of the other new (moe) simulcasts announced at Anime Expo. It premiered on Sunday for Anime Members, and episodes continue weekly on Sundays with everyone else a week behind.

Click the links for more.

[garfield15]

"Charger Girl" as they are calling it must have been pretty cheap or something because I see no reason it should even be on the site.

[creativerealms]

Let's just say they take what they can get, especially if it's offered cheap.

Yeah plus they probably get stuck with some less desirable shows in order to get the shows the really want. A package deal so to speak.