Bandai and Microsoft distribute Anime

Bandai Japan and Microsoft have teamed up to distribute anime on the Internet using Microsoft's Windows Media technology. Fruits of the partnership are already becoming available to South Koreans as five titles became available for streaming download at the end of November....
The titles currently available in Korea include three Gundam movies, Z Gundam (50 TV episodes), Dirty Pair (26 TV episodes), .hack//SIGN (26 TV episodes) and Aura Battler Dunbine (49 TV episodes).

According to the Microsoft Press Release (in Japanese), the service will expand globally, with content distribution becoming available in more parts of Asia, Europe and North America by the end of 2004.

The content is being made available to South Koreans at 300 kbs and 700kbs at a respective cost of roughly $0.70 and $1 per episode, movies are slightly more expensive, costing $1.30 and $1.70. The press release and news articles do not mention what kind of prices and bandwidth customers can look forward to when the services are introduced internationally...
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EarthsMightiestAdmin
12/9/2003
Anime News Network