Studio Rikka famed for their earlier production, Pale Cocoon originally screened their highly anticipated short series Time of Eve (Eve no Jikan) at the Tokyo International Anime Fair back in March with much applause.
Crunchyroll.com will be streaming the unreleased English subbed episode 2 online on October 2, 2008 at 1 AM PDT.
There will also be a live online question and answer session with the director of the series Yasuhiro Yoshiura in November.
If you are looking for something a little more though provoking with some amazing visuals, I highly recommend watching this series. You can watch the first episode here.
More information and full press release after the jump.
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 (?????) 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.