Hulu Getting Serious About Anime
With simulcasting and the proliferation of digital distribution both legal and otherwise, it comes as no surprise that Hulu has finally decided to take anime seriously. While US distributors are losing the constant battle for shelf space with brick & mortar retailers, companies like CrunchyRoll, Netflix, and Anime News Network have worked to expand their online catalog. While Hulu has managed to ink deals with companies like Funimation and Aniplex to stream several of their titles in recent months, on July 3rd the company will begin to stream the upcoming second season of Nura: Rise of the Yokai Clan a mere 3 hours after its Japanese broadcast. Sure, it’s not quite a simulcast, but its impressive.
We’re also left wondering what this means for Viz Media, who currently hold the license for the first season of the series and has made those episodes available for streaming via their own website. As it stands, Hulu also hosts the first season so there may be a chance that these streams could appear on both sites. Still, it remains to be seen as to whether Hulu will continue to push for simulcasts. This latest deal might be viewed as an experiment of sorts, and for all our sakes, I hope it works out.
found via anime news network
Tim is a pro-blogger and freelance writer out of San Diego, California. In addition to Fanboy.com, several outlets he’s written for include the Japanese culture and entertainment blog, Japanator, and the collectible toy culture site Tomopop. For more information, follow him on twitter, or check out TimSheehy.com.