Crunchyroll and Shueisha Open The Book of Bantorra

Adaptation of Shueisha's Fantasy Light Novel Series Coming to Crunchyroll Starting October 2nd

San Francisco, CA and Tokyo, Japan (October 1, 2009) — Crunchyroll and Shueisha announced today the addition of THE BOOK OF BANTORRA to Crunchyroll's Fall 2009 Anime Lineup. Adapted from the SUPER DASH Bunko light novel series by Ishio Yamagata and animated by David Production, THE BOOK OF BANTORRA features fan-favorite anime voice actress Romi Paku in the lead role as Hamutz Meseta. More information can be found at http://www.Crunchyroll.com/bantorra.

“THE BOOK OF BANTORRA is packed full of action,” said Rob Pereyda, Crunchyroll's Vice President of Licensing. “This fantasy otherworld will be one that anime fans everywhere will be talking about for a long time to come.”

THE BOOK OF BANTORRA will be available in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Brazil, and Portugal, in standard definition free of charge to all visitors of Crunchyroll's website and across the Crunchyroll network one week after airing in Japan. Crunchyroll's Anime Members will receive early access to the program in 480P within one hour after its Japanese airing, starting October 2nd.

THE BOOK OF BANTORRA joins over 20 other titles to form Crunchyroll's Fall 2009 Anime Lineup. Find out what else will be simulcasting at http://www.Crunchyroll.com/lineup today.

All fans can enjoy all content on the site for free, but Crunchyroll Anime Members benefits include higher quality streams of all shows (in some cases at 720p High Definition Video) with no advertisement and early access to all simulcast shows as early as one (1) hour after its Japan Broadcast. Crunchyroll Anime Membership costs as little as $5 a month and goes directly towards supporting Japan Animation companies. More information, including a two week free trial membership can be found at http://www.Crunchyroll.com/freetrial.

Title Synopsis:

THE BOOK OF BANTORRA

In a world where the dead are transformed into books…

When a person dies, the body is divested of the soul, and when the soul departs from its body, it is crystallized into a book. Written in that book are all the memories of that soul's life. For anyone who touches that book, the dead person's past can be relived….

It is in the Library of Bantorra, created by Bantorra, the God of the Past, that all excavated books are stored. It is run by an elite organization known as the Armed Librarians. Under the direction of Acting Chief Librarian Hamutz Meseta, all Armed Librarians possess an extraordinary combination of encyclopedic knowledge and fighting skill. For this reason, it is said, the Armed Librarians are the most difficult profession to enter in the world.

About Crunchyroll
Crunchyroll is the largest online community and video site for the very best in Japanese Anime and Dramas from Asia. Crunchyroll's content is provided by Asian media leaders including TV TOKYO, Shueisha, d-rights, Fuji Creative Corporation (FCC), Media International Corporation (MICO), Pony Canyon, Yomiuri Telecasting Corporation, Toei Animation, Gonzo, Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation America and many others.

Crunchyroll was founded in June 2006 and has offices in both San Francisco and Tokyo. Crunchyroll is a pioneer and innovator within the Japanese anime industry and the only video service in the world to offer hit programs like NARUTO SHIPPUDEN, GINTAMA and many others online to its subscribers within one hour of its Japanese broadcast. Crunchyroll is a member of the Association of Japanese Animations (AJA) and the Licensing International Merchandisers Association (LIMA) and is funded by leading venture capital firm, Venrock. More information can be found at its website http://www.Crunchyroll.com .

The statements made in this press release that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements." These forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties. The Company cautions readers of this press release that a number of important factors could cause Crunchyroll.com's actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in any such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, without limitation, product delays, industry competition, rapid changes in technology and industry standards, protection of proprietary rights, maintenance of relationships with key personnel, vendors and third-party developers, international economic and political conditions. The Company may change its intention, belief or expectation, at any time and without notice, based upon any changes in such factors, in the Company's assumptions or otherwise. The Company undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.