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Crunchyroll, Fuji TV, and Slow Curve + Ultra Partnership Kicks off with New Anime Titles

Companies shared new programming details at last week’s +Ultra event in Tokyo; previously announced ‘Estab Life: Great Escape’ to debut in April 2022 with newly revealed title ‘Ooyukiumi No Kaina’ coming in January 2023.

Crunchyroll, Fuji TV, and Slow Curve shared new details on the previously announced Estab Life: Great Escape and newly announced Ooyukiumi No Kaina (working titles) anime series, premiering April 2022 and January 2023, respectively, as part of the +Ultra programming partnership between the three companies. The announcement was made at last week’s +Ultra event from the Fuji TV Multi Theater in Tokyo, Japan.

Estab Life: Great Escape:

An original anime title by hit producer and chief director Goro Taniguchi (Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion), Estab Life: Great Escape takes place in the experimental city "Tokyo," which is managed by artificial intelligence and home to a mix of various human races.

The anime series will premiere in April 2022 on Fuji TV’s +Ultra block and will be simulcast on Crunchyroll worldwide outside of Asia. Directed by Hiroyuki Hashimoto (Is the Order a Rabbit?) with composition and screenplay by Shoji Kato (Full Metal Panic!), character design by Yusuke Kozaki (Pokemon Go), and animation is by Polygon Pictures (Knight of Sidonia).

Square Enix (Dragon Quest; Final Fantasy series) will develop the Estab-Life Unity Memories tie-in mobile game. The theatrical anime feature, Estab-Life Revengers’ Road, will tell a new story, building on the anime series and the mobile game, with Goro Taniguchi set to direct and write the script.

Ooyukiumi No Kaina:

An original new story from popular manga artist Tsutomu Nihei (Aposimz, Knight of Sidonia, BLAME!), Ooyukiumi No Kaina follows the journey of Kaina and Liliha (working name). Two young people from different worlds, whose journey to save the world begins with their introduction.

The anime series will debut in January 2023 on Fuji TV’s +Ultra block and will be simulcast on Crunchyroll worldwide outside of Asia. Hiroaki Ando (Listeners; Ajin: Demi-Human) will serve as director with Polygon Pictures developing the animation.

A manga of the series will be drawn by Itoe Takemoto (The Beast Player) and published in “Monthly Shōnen Sirius” by Kodansha beginning February 26, 2022. Kodansha will be making the English manga simultaneous publication available on Crunchyroll.

The two series mark the first from the +Ultra programming partnership between global anime brand Crunchyroll, Fuji TV, and company Slow Curve. The partnership, announced in 2021, includes the joint co-development and co-production of anime series for broadcast in Japan on Fuji TV’s +Ultra programming block and for streaming on Crunchyroll in more than 200 countries and territories.

Crunchyroll will exclusively stream each series day and date with the premiere on +Ultra, Fuji TV’s midnight anime block that launched in October 2018. Crunchyroll will also manage the licensing and consumer products rights for each title worldwide outside of Asia.

Source: Crunchyroll

Debbie Diamond Sarto's picture

Debbie Diamond Sarto is news editor at Animation World Network.