Crunchyroll CEO Stresses that Anime Must Stay "Inherently" Japanese
Crunchyroll's CEO comments on the current state of anime.
Crunchyroll has made itself one of the premiere spots for streaming anime. First opening its doors in 2006, the platform recently celebrated a major milestone in acquiring fifteen million subscribers thanks to anime's skyrocketing popularity. Thanks to the medium's popularity, entire countries are getting into the business of creating anime. North America, South Korea, and China for example have been creating examples of their own anime adaptations in recent memory. In a discussion with Crunchyroll's Chief Executive Officer,
To start, Crunchyroll CEO Rahul Purini stated that the anime medium is continuing to expand in the world of entertainment, "The popularity of anime continues to grow. It continues to grow in all regions in which we operate. According to a survey published in early 2024 by Vox Media, a digital media company, 42% of the American Generation Z watch anime every week. This coincides with our own experience, and the love of anime among Generation Z and Generation Alpha (born after the 2010s) is driving the growth. This is not just a Japan or Southeast Asian phenomenon, but a global one."
Crunchyroll CEO Talks Anime & Japan
Purini then dove headfirst into anime remaining an "inherent" Japanese medium, "I believe that anime must be inherently 'Japanese' and told from the perspective of Japanese creators. We want more anime, more diverse stories, and it's important that Japanese creators continue to be involved in them." Luckily, Rahul clarified that this didn't mean that anime could only come from Japan when all was said and done, "Stories worthy of being adapted into animation can come from anywhere, including Korean webtoons and games. Crunchyroll is always on the lookout for new trends and signs of hits. For example, we may introduce Indian IP to Japanese creators and suggest that if they turn this IP into an anime and tell a story, it might resonate with audiences in the region."
Since Crunchyroll is owned by Sony Entertainment, Purini recently touched upon the idea of the streaming service getting into the live-action anime adaptation game. "We also believe that we can take advantage of being part of Sony Pictures Entertainment. We are discussing the possibility of making live-action versions of some anime IP with our Japanese partners and parent company."
Want to see what the future holds for Crunchyroll? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook for the latest updates on the streaming service and the world of anime.
