The anime streaming site, Crunchyroll, has been chugging quietly along going about its business for several months, but in the last week it has swooped back into the news with a big string of announcements.

One of the major pieces of news is its new partnership with Media Blasters, the New York-based media producer and distributor. Several of that company's most popular anime and live action programs will now be streamed on Crunchyroll, watched by subscription, or acquired on a download-to-own basis.

Two 12-episode series, Girls' High and Ramen Fighter Miki, will be available via streaming, subscription, or download-to-own for US $1.99 per episode. Four other titles will be subscription or dowload-to-own only: the anime epic Kite Liberator (US $5.99), and live action original productions Flesh for the Beast, Shadow: Dead Riot, and Machine Girl, all costing US $5.99 to download.

Meanwhile, GDH continues the partnership it began with Crunchyroll several months ago, by granting the streaming site the digital-only rights for distribution of several more titles. These GDH K.K. series, like previous GDH/Gonzo titles, will be available for free streaming, with a download-to-own option (US $2-$3).
Among the titles coming to Crunchyroll this time will be Kaleido Star and Peacemaker Kurogane.

And another distributor has decided to join the ranks of companies forming Crunchyroll partnerships: ADV Films will begin running eleven of its animated series and feature films, as well as one live action film, on that site around the end of August 2008. These titles, again, can either be viewed for free, via subscription, or downloaded to own. Among the series to be streamed are such titles as Angelic Layer, Best Student Council, and Saiyuki. Animated features will include Lady Death and Parasite Dolls. And the live action feature will be Yesterday.

Finally, Tokyo-based T.O. Entertainment is set to premier its animated film, Egg Man, in the early autumn on Crunchyroll. The company began its leadup to the debut of that film last month, by releasing a trailer on the site. The buildup will increase through the rest of the summer, with further trailers, clips, and behind the scenes footage, until the premier of the film along with the availability of exclusive merchandise. Egg Man is based on the Japanese book, Monologues of Universal Transverse Mercator, by Yumeaki Hirayama.

Crunchyroll is certainly building its internet reputation as an online community for Asian entertainment. One wonders what developments they might have up their other sleeve in the future.