Patrick Macias
February 2, 2011 Ok, so here we are… another week, another episode of OTAKU-VERSE ZERO. But this one comes with a difference. A very big difference indeed! That’s because with episode 10, the OTAKU-VERSE expands to begin streaming at Crunchyroll!
Do I even have to tell the assembled readers of OTAKU USA what the heck Crunchyroll is? Surely, most, if not all of you are aware of them as the web’s leading source for the latest and greatest in streaming anime. Naruto Shippuden, Bleach, Super Robot Wars (featuring the vocal talents of a very bold voice actress named Yuu Asakawa) and Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt are but a few of the must-see shows that Crunchyroll offers its members. And now there’s a new kid on the block… namely, US!
As of this writing, we’re still in the process of moving into our new home at casa del Crunchyroll, but folks can start viewing our previous episodes—as well as feverishly hitting the refresh button until new content appears—at this link right here. And for all you folks who are following the show at YouTube, no worries, we’ll continue updating OTAKU-VERSE ZERO there as well!
And now onto the behind the scene stuff… the first thing about this episode that should be noted is that it was actually filmed back at the dawn of time, in late December 2010. Back then, our in-studio guest Rob Pereyda was indeed the VP of Licensing and Senior Director at Crunchyroll. So imagine our shock that Rob soon announced that, as of Jan. 28, he’d be leaving the company! I don’t know what changed in-between the breathless and dizzying pep talk he gives us here (the highlight of this episode for me are the cutbacks to Yuu and my dazed expressions) and his decision to leave the company, but something tells me we’ll be crossing paths with Mr. Pereyda again… just probably not at a ramen shop!
In any event, OTAKU-VERSE ZERO’s new partnership with Crunchyroll implies big things for the future, and indeed we do have a few surprises up our sleeves, including a site redesign and some new characters you’ll be meeting soon. In the meantime, I better get to packing… I’m off to Tokyo next week to begin filming Season Two of OTAKU-VERSE ZERO! Wish me luck!
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Patrick Macias is the editor in chief of Otaku USA magazine. His blog can be found online at www.patrickmacias.blogs.com
