Announcement regarding the launch of the anime production business ~ First installment "Teekyu" available for rental on July 3rd, with five works to be released within the fiscal year ~

2013.07.03 Press Releases
Culture Convenience Club Co., Ltd. Entertainment Business Division

-From production development to distribution using the "SPA model" in the entertainment field-

The Entertainment Business Division of Culture Convenience Club Co., Ltd., which operates TSUTAYA stores nationwide, has begun an anime production business through its subsidiary, Earth Star Entertainment Co., Ltd. (Head office: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Kazuhiro Makunouchi), and will be renting the DVD of its first work, "Teekyu," as a private brand (PB) title at TSUTAYA stores nationwide from July 3rd.

"Teekyu" is a popular tennis comedy anime that has become a hot topic among anime fans for its unprecedented "super-fast animation" that packs 12 pages of the original manga into each short 90-second episode, making it "too chaotic!"Over the coming fiscal year, five titles are scheduled to be released, including the much talked about female pro-wrestling anime "I Want to Become the Strongest in the World!", which will be broadcast this fall, "Encouragement of Mountains," a story about a group of high school girls climbing mountains, "Blood Type-kun," and "Manga-ru!"

Culture Convenience Club Co., Ltd.'s Entertainment Business Division not only operates TSUTAYA stores, but also procures and develops entertainment content both domestically and internationally. As a result of its past achievements, TSUTAYA has been using its marketing database to acquire Korean TV dramas, which have been expanding their audience among young women, under the Culture Publishers label since April 2010. The company also handles the procurement, theatrical distribution, and DVD sales of foreign films.

With regard to the production of anime works, the Business Division handles everything from planning and publishing comic magazines based on the original comics, to selling rights for television broadcasts of the comics or anime works, and releasing DVDs and distributing them for rental in stores. In addition to being a consistent business model in the entertainment field that vertically integrates everything from planning to manufacturing and retail, similar to the SPA (Specialty Store Retailer of Private Label Apparel) model in clothing sales, the company will also handle distribution for magazines, books, and DVDs, with TSUTAYA at the core.

In addition to developing the SPA model in the entertainment field, the Entertainment Division will continue to bring more entertainment to everyone through initiatives such as re-releasing out-of-print titles in collaboration with manufacturers, as represented by "TSUTAYA Unearthed Good Products."

List of upcoming anime releases

"Tekyu" Rental starts July 3, 2013
This popular tennis comedy anime has become a hot topic among anime fans for its unprecedented "super-fast animation," which packs 12 pages of the original manga into each episode in just 90 seconds, making it "too chaotic!"
The high-energy, high-tempo exchanges of jokes and retorts, which leave no time for laughter, have garnered immense support from internet users. The second season of the TV anime will begin airing on Tokyo MX on July 7th.

"Encouragement of Climb" available for rental from October 2013
"Encouragement of Climb," a "soft and laid-back outdoor adventure comic for girls only" drawn by popular illustrator Shiro, has been made into a TV anime with a delicate touch. Aoi is an indoor enthusiast who is afraid of heights, while Hinata loves mountains and is always causing trouble for those around her. The two childhood friends decide to try mountain climbing in order to see the sunrise they saw together from the top of a mountain when they were little. We had a cooking competition using mountaineering equipment, or climbed a small mountain nearby... Little by little, I gained knowledge and made more friends who joined me in mountain climbing. When will I be able to see the sunrise I saw that day?

"Blood Type-kun!" Rental starts in November 2013
The hit comic essay series "Blood Type-kun!" is being made into a TV anime!
A stellar cast of voice actors, including Jun Fukuyama, Yuichi Nakamura, Akira Ishida, and Tetsuya Kakihara, will star as characters with the same blood type as you! Observe the "Blood Type Guys!", each with their own unique characteristics (A, B, O, and AB), in a variety of situations! Discover all the tendencies and characteristics of each blood type, including personality, strengths and weaknesses, love life, and lifestyle. You can even analyze your own close relationships in this unprecedented variety anime that explores blood types!

Manga! December 2013
An animated four-panel comic that depicts the "laid-back" daily lives of an all-female editorial department of a manga magazine (Monthly Comic Earth Star Editorial Department). A meta comedy based mostly on true events, packed with behind-the-scenes stories from the comic and anime industry!

"I Want to Become the Strongest in the World" scheduled for release in January 2014
A much talked about women's professional wrestling anime that will be broadcast on TV this fall. The center vocalist of a national idol group suddenly turns to women's professional wrestling!?
The most agonizing anime ever, packed with powerful fighting scenes and idol scenes full of beautiful girls!
Sakura Hagiwara, the center vocalist of the national idol group "Sweet Diva," is forced to compete in a serious match against a female professional wrestler after encountering some trouble during a TV program recording...

Teekyu © Roots / Piyo / Earth Star Entertainment / Kameido High School Tennis Club
Encouragement of Climbing the Mountains © Shiro / Earth Star Entertainment
Blood Type-kun! ©LEEONSMART/Earth Star Entertainment/Blood Type-kun! Production Committee
Mangaru! ©Earth Star Entertainment
I want to be the strongest in the world! ©ESE / I want to be the strongest in the world! Production Committee

About Culture Convenience Club Co., Ltd. Entertainment Business Division
Culture Convenience Club Co., Ltd. (CCC) Entertainment Business Division operates the nationwide franchise of "TSUTAYA," Japan's largest brick-and-mortar store chain in terms of sales and number of stores for book and magazine sales and DVD and CD rentals. It is also a comprehensive entertainment business division that handles everything from content production to distribution in the video, music, and publishing fields, including film distribution, DVD production, publishing, and distribution. It oversees CCC's entertainment subsidiaries, including Earth Star Entertainment Co., Ltd., and also operates its own labels, including Culture Publishers. In addition, as part of TSUTAYA's founding philosophy of being a "place for proposing lifestyle ideas," we not only offer entertainment content, but also plan and develop stationery and miscellaneous goods, and offer cafe services.

Materials related to this matter
Announcement regarding the launch of the anime production business ~ First installment "Teekyu" available for rental on July 3rd, with five works to be released within the fiscal year ~

Inquiries regarding this matter
Culture Convenience Club Co., Ltd. Entertainment Business Division　
Public Relations Officer: Yuta Takahashi
TEL: 03-6800-4764