Viz Media has launched a new Website, in partnership with Hulu, to provide streaming access to its animated series. The new site, Viz Anime, was described by Viz VP Gonzalo Ferreyra as the company’s most exciting initiative for 2010 (see “Interview with Viz’s Gonzalo Ferreyra, Part 3”).
The site will display videos using an embedded Hulu player which will carry advertising. It launched with over 400 episodes, with more being added weekly.
Viz believes that streaming videos reach a different audience than television and serve to increase the popularity (and eventual sales) of the property (see “Interview with Viz’s Gonzalo Ferreyra, Part 2”).
The site also includes a variety of social networking tools allowing users to “follow” series, comment, invite friends to join, rate episodes, and make personal profile pages to track their activities on the site.
