Division includes production facilities in Tokyo, Burbank

Crunchyroll's parent company Ellation announced on Tuesday that it is launching a new division, Ellation Studios, devoted to creating new original anime-inspired shows for the Crunchyroll and VRV streaming platforms. The division includes production facilities in Tokyo and Burbank, California. Margaret Dean, former general manager of Stoopid Buddy Stoodios and current president of Women in Animation, is the head of studio for the new division.

Raye Rodriguez's High Guardian Spice will be the first "Crunchyroll Originals" animated project and will premiere in 2019. The press release advertises that the show has an all-female writer's room and a "diverse and passionate group of artists and creatives."

Crunchyroll describes the show:

In High Guardian Spice , the lives of four fierce girls, Rosemary, Sage, Thyme and Parsley, converge at High Guardian Academy, the one place where they can stumble towards adulthood while becoming the heroes they've always admired. As they master the ways of battle and sorcery, our foursome form allegiances and comical kinships, uncover legacies and betrayals, and discover their true identities while preparing to protect the world from an ominous unknown threat.

Dean, Rodriguez, and High Guardian Spice supervising director Audu Paden ( Animaniacs ) and story editor Amalia Levari will appear at Crunchyroll Expo on September 1-3 to discuss the series.

Kun Gao, founder and general manager of Crunchyroll, stated that the company plans to introduce more shows in the coming weeks.



Crunchyroll announced a "Crunchyroll Originals" line in 2015 with Hiroyuki Takahashi's HYPERSONIC music club webcomic as the first installment. Crunchyroll also serialized the original webcomic PARK Harajuku: Crisis Team! , which inspired the Urahara anime.

Earlier this month, AT&T acquired all of Otter Media, the digital holding company that operates Crunchyroll's parent company Ellation, among other video services.

Sources: Crunchyroll, Press release