Crunchyroll and Directions Join for New Digital Media Partnership

Online Media Distribution Leader to Feature the Highly Anticipated Anime TIME OF EVE and Live Online Question & Answer Session with Director for Fans

San Francisco, CA and Tokyo, Japan (September 23, 2008) – Online media distribution leader Crunchyroll, and DIRECTIONS, Inc. today announced a comprehensive digital media partnership with official availability of acclaimed director Yasuhiro Yoshiura's breathtaking 2008 episodic anime masterpiece TIME OF EVE (イヴの時間) episodes 1 and 2 on October 2, 2008. More information can be found at <www.crunchyroll.com> .

“DIRECTIONS represents exactly the kind of creative company we strive to work with,” states Rob Pereyda, senior director at Crunchyroll. “Mr. Yoshiura has created a truly thought-provoking piece of science fiction that transcends traditional Japanese animation with TIME OF EVE. He is a true talent and rising star.”

Each TIME OF EVE episode will be available on Crunchyroll through its advertising-supported streaming and DRM-free download-to-own (DTO) platforms. In addition to the video offerings on its media platform, Crunchyroll will also be offering limited-edition Crunchyland virtual goods to users who visit the Crunchyroll TIME OF EVE official online group.

“We are very excited to use Crunchyroll as a distribution platform for our TIME OF EVE series, but also being able to utilize the highly popular Crunchyland MMO as an additional storytelling medium for this and other future series,” states Tom Nagae, chief producer of DIRECTIONS. “Mr. Yoshiura and our other creators are, what we see as, the first of an 'anime 2.0' generation of directors, and Crunchyroll is the perfect place for them.”

Both official episodes of TIME OF EVE will launch simultaneously across North America (1:00 am PDT and 10:00 am CEST, October 2nd) and Europe (3:00AM CEST, October 3rd) in English and French coinciding with the launch of Crunchyroll's partnership with renowned European anime distributor, Dybex (<www.dybex.com> ).

In addition, Crunchyroll presents a live online “Question & Answer” session with TIME OF EVE director scheduled for November, 2008 via the website (www.crunchyroll.com).

Title Synopsis:
The future, probably Japan.
Robots have long been put into practical use, and androids have just come into use.

Influenced by the Robot Ethics Committee, it's become common sense for people to treat androids like household appliances. Their appearance - indistinguishable from humans except for the ring over each android's head – has lead some people to empathize unnecessarily with androids. Known as “android-holics,” such people have become a social problem.

Rikuo (Jun Fukuyama), a high school student, has been taught from childhood that androids are not to be viewed as humans, and has always used them as convenient tools. One day Rikuo discovers some strange data in the behavior records of his family's household android.

Rikuo and his friend Masaki (Kenji Nojima) trace Sammy's (Rie Tanaka) movements, only to discover a mysterious café that features a house rule that “humans and robots are to be treated the same” . . .

Streaming: Free. Download-to-own: $2/episode only for PC; $3/episode for PC plus badge bonus; $5/episode for PC, iPod, PSP plus virtual item and badge

Cast and Staff

Rikuo Jun Fukuyama
Masaki Kenji Nojima
Sammy Rie Tanaka
Nagi Rina Sato
Akiko Yukana
Koji Michio Nakao
Rina Miki Ito
Shimei Motomu Kiyokawa
Chie Miyuki Sawashiro
Setoro Tomokazu Sugita
Naoko Yuko Mizutani
Dr. Ashimori Yuriko Yamaguchi

Story, Script, Director Yasuhiro Yoshiura
Character Design, Key Animation Supervisor Ryusuke Chayama
Assistant Director Nobuyuki Ando, Shuichi Akui
3D Modeling Assistance Osamu Ono, Yasufumi Matsumoto
Art Direction Assistance Kodama, Kazuhiro Hotchi
Color Design Akiko Inoue
Key Animation Check Kumiko Ohtani
Animation Assistance Code
Painting Assistance Wish
Music Tohru Okada
Sound Effects Kazumi Ohkubo
Sound Mixing Masashi Furuya
Production Supervisors Yuya Maie, Yuji Abe
Producer Tom Nagae
Animation Production StudioRIKKA Production
DIRECTIONS, Inc.

About DIRECTIONS, Inc.
Tokyo-based DIRECTIONS is recognized by the anime industry and fans alike as a visionary innovator of unique media content, including original animation productions, children's content, and art projects. Working with a team of vibrant new creators, DIRECTIONS has ignited the passion of fans in North America, Europe and Asia, and has earned acclaim at the industry's top film festivals worldwide, including competition selection at Annecy. Visit the Directions website for more information: http://directions.jp/english/

About Crunchyroll
Headquartered in San Francisco, California – Crunchyroll is hailed as a leading online entertainment brand with the largest international online community and destination focused on Asian entertainment including anime, drama, music in addition to electronic entertainment and auto content. Crunchyroll's distribution channel and partnership program delivers content to over four million passionate fans worldwide. Crunchyroll is funded by the premiere group Venrock. More information can be found at its website http://www.crunchyroll.com.

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