Whats up everyone,

While we get ready to launch more of our upcoming simulcast titles for the 2013 winter season, we thought it would be a nice break to release some new MOVIES to Crunchyroll!! Woot~

First, let's kick it off with Hula Girls today for premium members in the US and Canada. As usual, free members able to view it under ad-supported streaming one week later.

From 2006-07, feature-film Hula Girls topped the film charts by raking in a gaggle of awards including Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actress at the 2007 Japanese Academy Awards; as well as multiple awards at the 2007 Blue Ribbon Awards, the 2007 Kinema Junpo Awards, and at the 2006 Hochi Film Awards. The film also features music by ukulele superstar Jake Shimabukuro!

Hula Girls, based on a true story, is a heartwarming comedy about coal miners daughters who took a once-in-a-lifetime chance to escape their monotonous lives, only to become unwitting heroes to their depressed mining town as well as the whole of Japan.

Also today, all your lucky premium members will be able to view "DOCUMENTARY OF AKB48: TO BE CONTINUED!". Unfortunately, this will be available exclusively to premium members and exclusively for US and Canadian audiences only.

For those that don't know about this introspective look into to the hottest group from Japan right now, here's a little sampling of what you can expect to see with this film:

""DOCUMENTARY OF AKB48: TO BE CONTINUED!" follows the unstoppable all-female Japanese idol group, AKB48. With a complicated balance of competition and friendship among the members, their bond is strong. The footage was taken from over 1000 hours of recorded videos throughout 2010 and includes personal interviews with select members revealing each of the girls' struggle, joy, growth, and dream."

Hope you all enjoy these films over the New Years holiday!

¬.¬! a DOCUMENTARY OF AKB48 all we need XD dont kill my lovely DOCUMENTARY'S of knowledge

ewww

Now if only you guys could grab AKBingo.

D: you should give them a try
xD so horrible for a wota seeing this and not able to watch(I'm from Mexico :p)
Edit:also being able to Watch akBINGO would be awesome XD

i have but i feel they are to plastic and replaceable

Aww man, and I would have paid good money to watch both of these. Non-UK licenses SUCK

What I would like to see is AKB0048 First or Next Stage...

With a name like Hula Girls, its got to be good!

I liked the anime, but I dont think I could get into the real group.

America only eh? What a shocker CrunchRoll. Glad you went the extra mile this time and got international rights. Oh hang on, you couldn't be bothered, sorry.

Huh, I might watch that documentary (though honestly I have no interest in the group). I'd love to see more movies and documentaries here

AKB48!!!!!!!!

Thank you, that's awesome! I would be nice to see the whole thing from the beginning.

Good deal, this might be cool. I am totally all for experiencing foreign films, i really only ever watch anime or TV series from Japan, rarely any actual live action stuff, so this might be a nice treat.

I actually just watched "My way" a really great World War Two movie about a 19th century Japanese imperialist aristocrat and a Korean servant, and how they go through three different army factions before they finally reach freedom. It is a heart warming film with a great message, WAR IS BAD! Anyway, i am sure a ton of you have heard of this movie, but for those who have not seen it, i really urge you to give it a try.

Peace

I was excited for about 10 seconds till I realised they were both US and Canada only