FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
 
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
<http://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 <http://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 Directors
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.