Crunchyroll Announces Direct Publishing Agreement with Microsoft for Zune Marketplace

Launch titles include soccer action Giant Killing, sci-fi comedy The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya and magical school anime Yokuwakaru Gendai Maho

July 8, 2010

San Francisco, Calif. – Crunchyroll, Inc., announced today the commencement of a direct publishing relationship with Microsoft for the Zune Marketplace, one of the leading living room-based video services in North America that spans Xbox 360, Zune HD and Windows-based PCs, to release Japanese anime starting immediately. Launch titles include fan-favorites The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya and Yokuwakaru Gendai Maho as well as a near-simulcast of currently-airing soccer action title Giant Killing.

The release of the titles onto Zune Marketplace marks the first time any of the titles have ever been available for digital download purchase. Topical soccer title Giant Killing, which currently airs during prime time on HD satellite channel NHK BS in Japan, is available in both standard and high definition the same week it airs in Japan. All titles are available in the United States and Canada through the Zune Marketplace on XBox Live. For more information on Zune, please visit http://www.zune.net.

Crunchyroll VP of Licensing Rob Pereyda said: “It is a crucial component of our ever-expanding distribution platform to be able to let anime fans consume media when and where they want. By publishing directly onto Zune Marketplace, we now give anime fans a familiar way to enjoy some of the very best in Japanese anime – through their television. We look forward to both this and future slates of titles being enjoyed by anime fans all over.”

About Crunchyroll, Inc.

Crunchyroll is a leading global video network and developer of social media applications for Japanese anime and Asian media. Through applications like Crunchyroll for iPad and Naruto Shippūden Official, set top boxes, affiliate websites and its own site, Crunchyroll delivers officially-licensed content from leading Asian media producers directly to consumers.

Crunchyroll has offices in San Francisco, Calif. and Tokyo, Japan, and is a member of the Association of Japanese Animations (AJA) and Licensing International Merchandisers' Association (LIMA). Founded in 2006, Crunchyroll is funded by leading venture capital firm, Venrock, Japanese entertainment giant TV TOKYO, digital publishing leader Bitway and a group of angel investors representing some of the brightest and most successful entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley. More information can be found at http://www.crunchyroll.com .

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