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Crunchyroll Adds Miracle Train, Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu 2 (Updated)

The Crunchyroll media-distribution website has confirmed that it will begin simulcasting Aniplex and Yumeta Company's Miracle Train - Ōedo-sen e Yōkoso television anime series this Sunday, October 4. The website has also confirmed that it will begin simulcasting YTV and diomedéa's Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu: Purezza television anime sequel this Monday, October 5.

The Miracle Train project anthropomorphizes several heavily travelled train stations in Tokyo into young handsome male characters. in particular, the Miracle Train - Ōedo-sen e Yōkoso television series will feature characters inspired by the stops on the Ōedo subway line — Fumi Roppongi (KENN), Rintarō Shinjuku (Ryōtarō Okiayu), Izayoi Tsukishima (Daisuke Ono), Iku Shiodome (Yūki Kaji), Saki Tochō (Tomokazu Sugita), and Itsumi Ryōgoku (Masakazu Morita). Crunchyroll's video streams will be available in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, and the United Arab Emirates. Crunchyroll's subscribed Anime Members can see each episode, in 480-line progressive resolution, within 24 hour of its Japanese premiere. Other users can see the same episode in standard definition one week later.

Like the first Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu series that ran in 2008, Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu: Purezza adapts Yūsaku Igarashi's otaku romance comedy light novel about a boy who discovers that his high school's most unattainable girl is a secret otaku. Mamiko Noto and Wataru Hatano lead the cast by reprising their roles as the girl, Haruka Nogizaka, and the boy, Yūto Ayase, respectively. Similarly, director Munenori Nawa (D.C.S.S. ~Da Capo Second Season~, Kiss×sis), series script supervisor Tsuyoshi Tamai (Inukami!, Strike Witches), and character designer Satoshi Ishino (Excel Saga, Puni Puni Poemy) all return from the first series.

Crunchyroll's Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu: Purezza video streams will be available in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand. Like with Miracle Train - Ōedo-sen e Yōkoso, Crunchyroll's subscribed Anime Members can see each Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu: Purezza episode, in 480-line progressive resolution, within 24 hour of its Japanese premiere. Other users can see the same episode in standard definition one week later.

AnimeOnDVD forum user ChibiGoku noted that Crunchyroll's online list of simulcasts briefly included these two titles and one more unannounced title — Fairy Tail — on Thursday morning. When asked to comment on these titles on Thursday, Crunchyroll responded that it "will be announcing the simulcast titles of our Fall 2009 line up as soon as we can and we thank our fans and members for their patience and support."

Images © Miracle Train Project
© Yūsaku Igarashi/ASCII Media Works/Nogizaka Haruka no Himitsu Production Committee

Update: More background and story information added.