Crunchyroll and Aniplex Bring Some Durarara!! Action

Baccano! Creator Ryohgo Narita's Next Big Hit Coming to Crunchyroll Starting January 8th

San Francisco, CA and Tokyo, Japan (January 6, 2009) — Crunchyroll and Aniplex announced today the addition of DURARARA!! to Crunchyroll's Winter 2010 Anime Lineup. Based on characters created by Ryohgo Narita (Baccano!) and featuring original character designs by Suzuhito Yasuda (Kamisama Kazoku, Yozakura Quartet), DURARARA!! is animated by the perrenial hit-maker Brains Base. Series features the voice of Toshiyuki Toyonaga in the lead role of Mikado Ryugamine. More information can be found at http://www.crunchyroll.com/durarara.

“DURARARA!! is the most anticipated new anime title of the winter season,” states Crunchyroll Vice President of Licensing, Rob Pereyda, “we are extremely honored that Aniplex is working with Crunchyroll to bring this superb series to anime fans.”

DURARARA!! will be available in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, and Finland, in standard definition free of charge to all visitors of Crunchyroll's website and across the Crunchyroll network one week after airing in Japan. Crunchyroll's Anime Members and All-Access Members will receive early access to the program in 480P within one hour after its Japanese airing every Saturday JST.

DURARARA!! joins hundreds of other Japanese anime and Chinese and Korean live-action drama series in one of the largest English-subtitled streaming collections of officially-licensed East Asian content in the world.

All fans can enjoy all content on the site for free, but Crunchyroll Anime Members benefits include higher quality streams of all shows (in some cases at 720p High Definition Video) with no advertisement and early access to all simulcast shows as early as one (1) hour after its Japan Broadcast. Crunchyroll Anime Membership costs as little as $5 a month and goes directly towards supporting Japan Animation companies. More information, including a two week free trial membership can be found at http://www.crunchyroll.com/freetrial.

Title Synopsis:

DURARARA!!

Ikebukuro, Tokyo.

Mikado Ryugamine is a young man who yearns for the city like no other. At the invitation of his childhood friend, Masaomi Kida, he moves to Ikebukuro and enters school there.

Masaomi tells Mikdado about some dangerous people in Ikebukuro to watch out for. There are two in particular, a brawling champion named Shizuo Heiwajima and hobbyist information broker Izaya Orihara. And then there is a mysterious organization of unknown origins known as Daraazu.

On his first day headed into the city, Masaomi sees a jet black motorcycle being driven by a headless rider. From then on, a series of random attacks and events begin to occur on the streets of Ikebukuro, and a group known as the Kikinada Gang arises as Ikebukuro begins to crumble.

About Crunchyroll
Crunchyroll is the largest online community and video site for the very best in Japanese Anime and Dramas from Asia. Crunchyroll's content is provided by Asian media leaders including TV TOKYO, Shueisha, d-rights, Fuji Creative Corporation (FCC), Media International Corporation (MICO), Pony Canyon, Yomiuri Telecasting Corporation, Toei Animation, Gonzo, Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation America and many others.

Crunchyroll was founded in June 2006 and has offices in both San Francisco and Tokyo. Crunchyroll is a pioneer and innovator within the Japanese anime industry and the only video service in the world to offer hit programs like NARUTO SHIPPUDEN, GINTAMA and many others online to its subscribers within one hour of its Japanese broadcast. Crunchyroll is a member of the Association of Japanese Animations (AJA) and the Licensing International Merchandisers Association (LIMA) and is funded by leading venture capital firm, Venrock. More information can be found at its website http://www.crunchyroll.com.

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