Crunchyroll, Fuji TV, and Slow Curve Reveal New +Ultra Titles 'Estab Life: Great Escape' and 'Ooyukiumi No Kaina' (Working Titles)
San Francisco, Calif. - January 20, 2022 – Announced during today's +Ultra event from the Fuji TV Multi Theater in Tokyo, Japan, Crunchyroll, Fuji TV, and Slow Curve shared new details on the previously announced ESTAB LIFE: GREAT ESCAPE and newly announced OŌyukiumi no Kaina (working titles) anime series, premiering April 2022 and January 2023, respectively, as part of the +Ultra programming partnership between the three companies.
An original anime title by hit producer and chief director Gorō Taniguchi (Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion), ESTAB LIFE: GREAT ESCAPE takes place in the experimental city "Tokyo," which is managed by artificial intelligence and home to a mix of various human races. Hiroyuki Hashimoto (Is the order a rabbit?) is the series director with Shōji Katō (Full Metal Panic!) as series composition and screenplay, Yūsuke Kozaki (Pokémon Go) for character design concept, and Polygon Pictures (Knight of Sidonia) for animation. The anime series will premiere in April 2022 on Fuji TV's +Ultra block and will be simulcast on Crunchyroll worldwide outside of Asia. Square Enix (Dragon Quest; Final Fantasy series) will develop the Estab-Life Unity Memories tie-in mobile game. The theatrical anime feature, Estab-Life: Revengers' Road, will tell a new story, building on the anime series and the mobile game, with Gorō Taniguchi set to direct and write the script.
An original new story from popular manga artist Tsutomu Nihei (APOSIMZ, Knight of Sidonia, BLAME!), OŌyukiumi no Kaina follows the journey of Kaina and Liliha (working name), two young people from different worlds,whose journey to save the world begins upon their introduction. The anime series will debut in January 2023 on Fuji TV's +Ultra block and will be simulcast on Crunchyroll worldwide outside of Asia. Hiroaki Ando (Listeners; Ajin - Demi-Human) serves as the anime series director. Polygon Pictures (BLAME!; Knight of Sidonia) will be developing the animation. A manga of the series will be drawn by Itoe Takemoto (The Beast Player) and published in Monthly Shōnen Sirius by Kodansha starting February 26, 2022. Kodansha will be making the English manga simulpub available on Crunchyroll.
These series are the first of many to come from the +Ultra programming partnership between global anime brand Crunchyroll, Fuji TV and all-round creative company Slow Curve. The partnership, announced in 2021, includes the joint co-development and co-production of anime series for broadcast in Japan on Fuji TV's +Ultra programming block and for streaming on Crunchyroll in more than 200 countries and territories.
Crunchyroll will exclusively stream each series day and date with the premiere on +Ultra, Fuji TV's midnight anime block that launched in October 2018, offering world-class anime titles to viewers in Japan. Crunchyroll will also manage the licensing and consumer products rights for each title worldwide outside of Asia.
About Fuji TV
Since its establishment in 1959, Fuji Television has shared countless stories of love and friendship, good and evil. Fuji Television has maintained its position as the leading commercial broadcaster in the Japanese media industry, by delivering innovative dramas, variety shows, news, animation programs, sports programs, and motion pictures.
About Crunchyroll
Crunchyroll connects anime and manga fans across 200+ countries and territories through the content they love. In addition to free ad-supported and subscription premium content, Crunchyroll serves the anime community across fan-favorite content, social engagement, events, games, consumer products, content distribution and creation, and manga publishing.
Anime fans have access to one of the largest collections of licensed anime through Crunchyroll and Anime Digital Network (in partnership with Citel, a subsidiary of Média-Participations), translated in multiple languages for viewers worldwide. Viewers can also access simulcasts — top series available immediately after Japanese broadcast. Crunchyroll's services extend to licensing of theatrical, TV, home video, consumer product, and video game rights.
Crunchyroll's live events include Crunchyroll Expo, Anime Awards, Crunchyroll Movie Nights, and KAZÉ Anime Nights. Crunchyroll also delivers tens of thousands of consumer products to fans around the world through owned eCommerce stores and physical retail partners (Crunchyroll, KAZÉ, AV Visionen), Crunchyroll Games, KAZÉ Games, and manga (KAZÉ Manga, Crunchyroll Manga app, Crunchyroll Manga Store).
Crunchyroll was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in San Francisco, with offices in Los Angeles, Tokyo, Paris, Lausanne, Chisinau, and Berlin (AV Visionen). VRV (United States) and Eye See Movies (Germany) are also Crunchyroll brands. Crunchyroll was acquired in August 2021 by Funimation Global Group, a joint venture between Sony Pictures Entertainment and Sony Music Entertainment Japan.
About Slow Curve
Slow Curve is an all-round creative company. This group of anime-focused experts in Japan develop, produce, and promote content while also managing content-related businesses such as merchandise production. Slow Curve is known to do all of this with a “Curve & Twist.”
An original anime title by hit producer and chief director Gorō Taniguchi (Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion), ESTAB LIFE: GREAT ESCAPE takes place in the experimental city "Tokyo," which is managed by artificial intelligence and home to a mix of various human races. Hiroyuki Hashimoto (Is the order a rabbit?) is the series director with Shōji Katō (Full Metal Panic!) as series composition and screenplay, Yūsuke Kozaki (Pokémon Go) for character design concept, and Polygon Pictures (Knight of Sidonia) for animation. The anime series will premiere in April 2022 on Fuji TV's +Ultra block and will be simulcast on Crunchyroll worldwide outside of Asia. Square Enix (Dragon Quest; Final Fantasy series) will develop the Estab-Life Unity Memories tie-in mobile game. The theatrical anime feature, Estab-Life: Revengers' Road, will tell a new story, building on the anime series and the mobile game, with Gorō Taniguchi set to direct and write the script.
An original new story from popular manga artist Tsutomu Nihei (APOSIMZ, Knight of Sidonia, BLAME!), OŌyukiumi no Kaina follows the journey of Kaina and Liliha (working name), two young people from different worlds,whose journey to save the world begins upon their introduction. The anime series will debut in January 2023 on Fuji TV's +Ultra block and will be simulcast on Crunchyroll worldwide outside of Asia. Hiroaki Ando (Listeners; Ajin - Demi-Human) serves as the anime series director. Polygon Pictures (BLAME!; Knight of Sidonia) will be developing the animation. A manga of the series will be drawn by Itoe Takemoto (The Beast Player) and published in Monthly Shōnen Sirius by Kodansha starting February 26, 2022. Kodansha will be making the English manga simulpub available on Crunchyroll.
These series are the first of many to come from the +Ultra programming partnership between global anime brand Crunchyroll, Fuji TV and all-round creative company Slow Curve. The partnership, announced in 2021, includes the joint co-development and co-production of anime series for broadcast in Japan on Fuji TV's +Ultra programming block and for streaming on Crunchyroll in more than 200 countries and territories.
Crunchyroll will exclusively stream each series day and date with the premiere on +Ultra, Fuji TV's midnight anime block that launched in October 2018, offering world-class anime titles to viewers in Japan. Crunchyroll will also manage the licensing and consumer products rights for each title worldwide outside of Asia.
About Fuji TV
Since its establishment in 1959, Fuji Television has shared countless stories of love and friendship, good and evil. Fuji Television has maintained its position as the leading commercial broadcaster in the Japanese media industry, by delivering innovative dramas, variety shows, news, animation programs, sports programs, and motion pictures.
About Crunchyroll
Crunchyroll connects anime and manga fans across 200+ countries and territories through the content they love. In addition to free ad-supported and subscription premium content, Crunchyroll serves the anime community across fan-favorite content, social engagement, events, games, consumer products, content distribution and creation, and manga publishing.
Anime fans have access to one of the largest collections of licensed anime through Crunchyroll and Anime Digital Network (in partnership with Citel, a subsidiary of Média-Participations), translated in multiple languages for viewers worldwide. Viewers can also access simulcasts — top series available immediately after Japanese broadcast. Crunchyroll's services extend to licensing of theatrical, TV, home video, consumer product, and video game rights.
Crunchyroll's live events include Crunchyroll Expo, Anime Awards, Crunchyroll Movie Nights, and KAZÉ Anime Nights. Crunchyroll also delivers tens of thousands of consumer products to fans around the world through owned eCommerce stores and physical retail partners (Crunchyroll, KAZÉ, AV Visionen), Crunchyroll Games, KAZÉ Games, and manga (KAZÉ Manga, Crunchyroll Manga app, Crunchyroll Manga Store).
Crunchyroll was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in San Francisco, with offices in Los Angeles, Tokyo, Paris, Lausanne, Chisinau, and Berlin (AV Visionen). VRV (United States) and Eye See Movies (Germany) are also Crunchyroll brands. Crunchyroll was acquired in August 2021 by Funimation Global Group, a joint venture between Sony Pictures Entertainment and Sony Music Entertainment Japan.
About Slow Curve
Slow Curve is an all-round creative company. This group of anime-focused experts in Japan develop, produce, and promote content while also managing content-related businesses such as merchandise production. Slow Curve is known to do all of this with a “Curve & Twist.”