Crunchyroll is on a mission to bring viewers even more original anime, as the streaming giant just announced a new partnership with Aniplex to develop more shows. While streamers like Netflix, Prime Video, and Apple TV+ all vie for the top spot when it comes to regular TV and movies, Crunchyroll is the undisputed king of anime streaming, especially after the absorption of Funimation in 2022. Crunchyroll has already funded over a dozen original anime series (with varying degrees of success) but the new partnership will take that to the next level.
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According to a new report from Deadline, the new partnership will be titled Hayate Inc., which roughly translates to “sound of the wind” — and is also the name of characters in anime like Naruto, Fullmetal Alchemist, Hayate the Combat Butler, and Street Fighter EX2.
Hayate Will Produce New Original Anime
Hayate Inc. will be comprised of staff from Crunchyroll and Aniplex, both of which are subsidiaries of Sony Group. The company will be led by Aniplex’s Masanori Miyake and Leo Watanabe. According to the report, Hayate will produce and fund new anime, but animation will still be outsourced to various studios.
The report reads, “Hayate will produce premium content for anime fans worldwide using Aniplex’s production know-how cultivated over the years through its partnerships with a wide range of creators and studios as well as Crunchyroll’s development, marketing, and distribution capabilities built upon its strong ties to the anime community and passionate fandom.”
In a statement following the announcement, representatives from Crunchyroll and Aniplex said, “With its diverse stories, characters, and expressions, anime’s popularity as entertainment content and a lifestyle is spreading even further around the world.”
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What This Means for Anime Fans?
So Crunchyroll and Aniplex just launched a new joint venture and threw a lot of business jargon out in a statement. But, what does this actually mean for us fans who consume and enjoy anime? Well, on the one hand, it means that more money is being pumped into producing anime for us to enjoy. While the Crunchyroll Originals label doesn’t have the greatest track record in terms of quality, it has produced such hits as The God of High School, TONIKAWA: Over the Moon for You, and Tower of God.
However, from an industry perspective, it could have a serious impact. Sony is currently on a mission to monopolize the anime industry. In 2024, it was reported that Sony was attempting to purchase Kadokawa. While they are primarily known as a video game production company, Kadokawa is also behind hit anime like Re: Zero and Delicious in Dungeon.
Ahead of that report, Crunchyroll’s president revealed that the streamer (which is owned by Sony) is looking to purchase even more anime services. “We feel like, structurally, we’re in the right place. We are in the right holding company so that we can go and attack the opportunity that’s in front of us. Will there be potential inorganic opportunities to add to our current growth? Yes,” he said. While it may not have an immediate effect on fans, history has proven that a monopolized industry is detrimental to all consumers, be it via pricing, lack of innovation, or drops in quality.
H/T: Deadline
