Platform hits new milestone as it expands brands to include Anime Digital Network, Anime on Demand, KAZÉ and Eye See Movies while extending reach with HBO MAX, Adult Swim, and TNT Germany distribution deals.
The popular anime brand and digital platform, Crunchyroll, has announced it has reached a new milestone, crossing three million paid subscribers globally and over 70 million registered users. This comes on the heal of their majority acquisition of VIZ Media Europe Group, expanding the platform’s suite of consumer brands to include streaming services Anime Digital Network (in partnership with Citel, a subsidiary of Média-Participations) and Anime on Demand, DVD and manga publisher KAZÉ, and live action content distributor Eye See Movies.
“Crunchyroll’s global growth has been incredible,” commented Crunchyroll GM, Joanne Waage. “We launched in 2006 and it took us about 10 years to hit one million subscribers. It took us only two years after that to break two million, and even less than that to hit three million subscribers where we are today. But we don’t just measure success based on paying subscribers. We have an active and growing AVOD community of over 70 million registered users. Our goal has always been to grow the love of anime globally, and these numbers show our labor of love is paying off -- and this is just the beginning.”
In addition to Crunchyroll’s European expansion, the brand has reached new heights across its 360-businesses including:
- Crunchyroll Originals - Earlier this year, the inaugural slate of Crunchyroll Originals was announced - 12 total series so far. The first two originals Tower of God, a Crunchyroll and WEBTOON Production, and The God of High School, have both set new viewership records on the platform, trending worldwide at launch and becoming some of the top series during their respective anime seasons.
- Ecommerce - More than 20 Crunchyroll Loves collections have been launched, the brand’s in-house streetwear line, featuring rapper, songwriter and singer Megan Thee Stallion, the iconic franchise GODZILLA, and legendary horror manga artist Junji Ito, alongside series Mobile Suit Gundam Wing, and DARLING in the FRANXX to name a few.
- Crunchyroll Games - Crunchyroll has helped launch seven games to date, reaching more than a combined 500,000 monthly players, with more to come. The most recent game, Mass for the Dead, released at the end of April with strong fan engagement, is based on the anime series Overlord.
- Distribution - Earlier this year, Crunchyroll and HBO Max teamed up to bring fans more anime. Crunchyroll currently curates the Crunchyroll hub on HBO Max, bringing select fan-favorite titles to the platform each quarter. Crunchyroll has also announced several linear TV partnerships, including curating anime for the Toonami block on Adult Swim and for a special anime block for TNT Comedy in Germany. Crunchyroll EMEA also distributed the popular sports series Captain Tsubasa across eight countries on more than 40 linear TV channels.
- Consumer Products - Crunchyroll currently manages merchandising rights for more than 350 anime titles, working with more than 100 global licensees to provide anime fans with the lifestyle, fashion, and home goods products from their favorite series.
- Events - In 2019, Crunchyroll participated in more than 190 events across 18 countries, reaching more than 22 million fans. This year, it has participated in 21 virtual events across Crunchyroll, Anime Digital Network, Anime on Demand, and KAZÉ. Crunchyroll also hosts the Anime Awards, the brand’s yearly celebration of the best in anime, reaching more than 11 million votes this year (up from five million the year before), with more than half coming from international fans. It also hosts an annual anime convention, Crunchyroll Expo, and will introduce a Virtual Crunchyroll Expo this Labor Day weekend.
- Community - Crunchyroll serves the global anime community, managing more than 350 social channels that cater to more than 40 million anime fans. This also includes the publication of Crunchyroll News, the owned and operated editorial arm of Crunchyroll read by more than two and a half million fans per month, connecting the global anime community with breaking industry news, in depth features, and cultural commentary focused on Japanese animation, manga, and more.
“Crunchyroll is a pioneer in the direct-to-consumer space, who for the last 14 years, has shown the industry first-hand what it takes to build a successful DTC business with a die-hard, passionate fan base supporting it,” noted Otter Media CEO, Tony Goncalves. “I am so proud of the entire Crunchyroll team for this incredible accomplishment and for their continued focus on harnessing the global anime community through authentic storytelling. It’s what makes Crunchyroll so much more than a DTC – it’s the preeminent Anime brand globally.”
Founded in 2006, Crunchyroll, part of Otter Media, a WarnerMedia company, offers fans the world’s largest anime library with more than 1,000 titles and 30,000 episodes, with select series simulcast in 8 languages day and date with premiere in Japan. It is available in more than 200 countries and territories to more than 70 million registered users, three million subscribers and more than 40 million followers across social
