A possible influence of grain boundary character distribution (GBCD) on edge crack propagation during planetary hot rolling of austenitic stainless steel is investigated. GBCD of two specimens which were selected from the edge and the middle parts of hot-rolled plate was calculated from ODF (orientation distribution function). To analyze a relationship between the structure of grain boundary network and crack propagation in the samples investigated, microcrack characteristics were analyzed in details by orientation imaging microscopy (OIM). In this investigation, it was found that the inhomogeneity of GBCD in through thickness layers is an important factor for understanding crack propagation. The cracks propagate through the areas where there is a concentration of high energy boundaries.