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Anime Sols Has Successful Launch, Now Conducting Survey for New Titles to Stream and Crowd Fund

New website Anime Sols (animesols.com) launched on May 14th, successfully raised over $10,000 in less than a week

TOKYO, JAPAN – (May 27, 2013) – Anime Sols LLP, consisting of member companies Yomiuri Telecasting Corporation, Yomiuri-TV Enterprise Co., Ltd., ADEC Co., Ltd., Tezuka Productions Co., Ltd., Tatsunoko Production Co., Ltd., Pierrot Co., Ltd., and Quarkpro LLC, successfully launched their new anime streaming and crowd funding platform animesols.com on May 14th. Already the site has raised more than $12,000 in pledges towards official DVD releases of classic anime titles.

Available in North America, users can visit animesols.com to stream for free full episodes of classic anime series including Tekkaman, The Space Knight, Bander Book, Creamy Mami, the Magic Angel, Yatterman, New Yatterman, Blue Blink, Ninja Robots Tobikage, and Black Jack TV.

At the same time, they can select from a number of support packages to pledge money towards the creation of DVD Box-sets for these shows. Each set has its own goal and deadline, and when a goal is reached everyone's pledges are charged and Anime Sols will begin the manufacture and distribution of the DVD Box-sets.

“Our hope is that Anime Sols we become a new location for people to discover and rediscover classic anime, and give them a great way to show their support by pledging,” says Quarkpro LLC Senior Partner and site co-founder Sam Pinansky.

Also, on May 27th, Anime Sols began conducting a user survey on which further titles anime fans would like to see streamed and crowd funded on animesols.com. Listing a great number of shows from the catalogs of Tezuka Productions, Tatsunoko Production, Pierrot, and Yomiuri TV, fans can vote for which shows they want to see or pledge for, as well as give their opinions on the Anime Sols website and which special items they would like to see made available.

"User feedback is crucial for our site to grow and to provide important information about the customers directly to the Japanese animation studios. Anime Sols strives to be as transparent as possible about the process and money involved, and this is one method to get closer to the fans and their needs," says Hiroaki Tanaka, Yomiuri TV Enterprise Project Manager.

Tekkaman、The Space Knight (1975) – 26-episode sci-fi anime series in space with robots and battle armor, produced in 1975. The plot was influenced by the social problems such as environmental pollution at that time. It was aired in US by syndication in 1984. 20 years later a new derivative was created from the original, as "Tekkaman Blade (a.k.a. Teknoman)" which was also very popular. The earth has entered the 21st century and it is in peril. The project to purify the earth has been abandoned and scientists look to the stars to find a “Second Earth”. The exploration team on its mission, was attacked by a group of aliens and the hope of all mankind almost faded. Dr. Amachi manages to create the “Tekset” system, designed to combat the aliens by transforming a human into a Tekkaman, an enhanced strength super-human. Test pilot, Joji Minami, along with his colleagues, fight against aliens as Tekkaman to keep the hope of mankind to reach a new home for humanity.

Yatterman (1977) – Heroic kids battle bumbling crooks in this classic parody anime full of wacky mechs! After Gan builds a rescue-dog robot named Yatterwan, he and Ai naturally decide to fight crime as Yatterman! Meanwhile, the mysterious Dokurobei orders Doronjo and her two henchmen, Boyacky and Tonzler, to find pieces of the Skull Stone, in exchange for half of the gold that a complete Skull Stone will reveal. The Doronbo Gang start a series of bad businesses to build mechs and search the globe for Skull Stones, but Yatterman is always there to stand in their way with their toy-based fighting skills!

Bander Book (1978) – This 90 minute movie was made to air during 24 Hour Television, Japan's biggest charity telethon. By combining completely original stories and characters with familiar Tezuka character archetypes, they signaled the second coming of Osamu Tezuka's animation studio, and achieved TV ratings over 20%. Bander Book is a story based on the theme for 24 Television, “Love Saves the World”, and it tells the story of the human Bander, who was raised by aliens, and how he travels back to earth to reunite with his parents.

Creamy Mami, the Magic Angel (1983) – Yu is a precocious 10-year-old girl who likes Tosiho, a boy, 3 years older than her. One day, Yu runs into aliens that have trouble with their damaged spaceship. In appreciation for helping them repair the spaceship, the aliens give Yu a magical stick with one condition; she must keep it secret, otherwise she would lose the precious power. In order to attract Toshio, Yu decides to transform herself into an attractive 17-year-old girl! Yu, with the 17-year-old figure, happens to be discovered as an idol singer and makes her debut as “Creamy Mami”. Contrary to her expectation, Toshio starts to be attracted to Creamy Mami, not Yu herself. ”Creamy Mami, the Magic Angel” represents girl's popular dreams, an idol singer and magical power. This is the first and the most popular story of Pierrot's Magical Girls series.

Ninja Robot Tobikage (1985) – It is the year 2200. Mankind seeks out new places to live by migrating to the moon and Mars. One day, Joe, who lives on Mars, witnesses a battle between unknown aliens. Those warriors are sent by the emperor Zaboom, who is conspiring to rule the Universe. They are after a princess of Planet Radorio, who has just escaped from the emperor. Joe, who happens to be at the battle scene, wields his three mechanical devices against the warriors, but is no match for them. Then Tobikage appears, a mysterious ninja robot, and saves Joe and the princess...

Blue Blink (1989) – Journey through a universe of colorful dimensions in Tezuka's last anime! Kakeru saves a blue colt named Blink, who turns out to be a Lightning Beast from his father's fairy-tale series. Unfortunately, the villain of the series is also real, and kidnaps Kakeru's father! Now it's up to Kakeru, Blink and the friends they meet on a dimension-hopping bus to find and rescue him!

New Yatterman (2008) – A remake of the 1977 classic, this anime tells the story of a bumbling trio of thieves, the Dorombo gang, who travel the world in search of the mysterious Skull Stones, believing they will find the location of the largest gold deposit on earth. Yatterman are a duo who ride a giant robot and constantly foil the evil villains plans. Updated for a new generation, this remake brings the hilarious antics to the 21st century.


About Yomiuri Telecasting Corporation

Since its founding in Osaka in 1958, Yomiuri Telecasting Corporation has always been a leader in new telecasting developments, from the first color broadcast in Japan in 1960, though the 1993 construction of a state-of-the-art production studio in Tokyo, and up to the commencement of digital broadcast in 2003. In 1988, the establishment of an open television station where the commu-nity can tour the facilities and production units can utilize indoor, entrance lobby and building-front studio space in the center of Osaka Business Park secures YTV's position as an industry innovator. Staying in the forefront of technology to serve an increas-ingly savvy audience is YTV's commitment to excellence, its commitment to you. For more information, please visit: http://www.ytv.co.jp/english/

About Yomiuri-TV Enterprise Co., Ltd.

Established in 1970, Yomiuri-TV Enterprise Co., Ltd., manages domestic and international licensing rights for a variety of famous animation properties like “Inuyasha” (2000), “Beelzebub” (2011), and “Space Brothers” (2012), as well as musical artists like Yumi Miyagami and Maiko. For more information, please visit: http://www.yte.co.jp/

About ADEC Co., Ltd.

Established in 1999, ADEC Co., Ltd. is a fully owned subsidiary of Yomiuri Telecasting Corporation. A creative workshop, ADEC provides on screen graphics creation for Yomiuri news and variety programs, as well as webpage, smart-tv contents, graphics design, video production, and video post-production services. For more information, please visit: http://www.adec.co.jp/

About Tezuka Productions Co., Ltd.

Established in 1968, Tezuka Productions Co., Ltd. was founded as the production company for Tezuka Osamu. On the 80th anniversary of Tezuka Osamu's birth, Tezuka Productions decided to follow the path he pursued. They strive to create opportunities for international communication by means of manga and animation and give children hope for the future, which they believe is their mission as the keeper of his legacy. For more information, please visit: http://tezukaosamu.net/en/

About Tatsunoko Production Co., Ltd.

“Dreams for families of the world…”

These words are the corporate motto and led to the foundation of Tatsunoko Productions in 1962. Tatsunoko made the first step into the world of animation by giving birth to “Space Ace” in 1965 and then to “Mach Go Go Go (a.k.a. Speed Racer)” in 1967. Beginning in late '60s, Tatsunoko's original animations were sweeping over the world and sending hits to every genre such as “Gatchaman (a.k.a. Battle of the Planets)" and "Samurai Pizza Cats". Tatsunoko celebrates its 50th anniversary and plans to utilize and exploit the world renowned properties to expand into the broader entertainment and services markets. For more information, please visit: http://www.tatsunoko.co.jp/english/

About Pierrot Co., Ltd.

Established in 1979, Pierrot Co., Ltd. has produced numerous successful high quality animation productions including world famous fairy tales like "The Wonderful Adventures of Nils" (1980), popular comics like "Hikaru no Go" (2002), "The Twelve Kingdoms" (2002), "NARUTO" (2002), "BLEACH" (2004) and original stories such as "Magical Girl Series" (1983-1985). With its 30-years of experience, Pierrot has firmly established itself as one of Japan's most versatile, dependable, and creative production companies. For more information, please visit: http://www.pierrot.jp/

About Quarkpro LLC,

Established in 2012, Quarkpro LLC is a Japanese Goudou Kaisha founded by translator and anime fan Samuel Pinansky. Quarkpro will invest in the Japanese animation industry to come up with creative new methods to market and monetize anime internationally and promote Japan's vast media landscape abroad, as well as engage in licensing and localization assistance.

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