Toei in Digital Deal for Select Titles

SAN
FRANCISCO/TOKYO, October 28: Online media distributor Crunchyroll
is offering a number of Toei Animation’s hit anime properties through online
streaming and download-to-own options.

Titles
included in the deal are Digimon Adventure 02, about a new enemy who
appears in the Digital World; Fist of the
North Star, set against the backdrop of the Earth in ruins; Pretty Cure, following two girls who are
the guardians of the planet; and Slam
Dunk, centered on a high-school freshman and his dreams of winning the
basketball championship.

“A
deal with abovementioned titles with Toei Animation is fantastic for Crunchyroll and the anime industry in the U.S. and
international markets,” said Kun Gao, Crunchyroll’s CEO. “It is great validation to have one of
the oldest, largest Japanese animation studios using our platform to bring
anime to a much larger audience and monetize through new digital channels.”

The
director of Toei Animation’s international department, Kanji Kazahaya, added, “We are excited and thrilled to be working
with Crunchyroll on developing our digital business
with abovementioned titles. We believe that digital distribution holds the
potential to improve the economics of our studio rather than weaken it and Crunchyroll is a great company to work with because of its
reach and unique approach to end-users.”

—By
Kristin Brzoznowski