Crunchyroll is continuing to expand its global anime business, but the company says its strategy is not based on trying to become a streaming service for every type of viewer. Instead, Scott Donaton, Crunchyroll’s senior vice president of global brand and community, says the company is focused on becoming “everything” to anime fans by reaching them across streaming, theaters, conventions, merchandise, games, and manga.
Speaking with Variety, Donaton explained that Crunchyroll’s global growth is being driven by a fan-first strategy at a time when anime is becoming increasingly important to major entertainment companies.
“We like to say that we don’t want to be something for everyone. We want to be everything to someone, and that’s the anime fan,”
Donaton said. He added that Crunchyroll wants to serve fans across “every platform,” whether they are watching anime at home, attending a convention, buying merchandise, playing games, or reading digital manga.
Crunchyroll Says Fan Feedback Shapes Its Global Anime Strategy
According to Donaton, fan engagement remains central to Crunchyroll’s approach as competition in the anime market continues to increase. He said the company keeps “a seat saved at the table for the fan,” meaning fan feedback and community discussions play a role in how the company develops its experiences.
“That literally means bringing in fan sentiment, watching fan sentiment, talking to them all the time,”
Donaton told Variety.
“The beauty of the anime fan is they care so deeply. They love anime so much that they don’t hesitate to share their points of view.”
That relationship has become increasingly important as anime moves further into the mainstream. Major platforms, including Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, and other streaming services, have invested heavily in anime, while theatrical distributors have also recognized the growing demand for Japanese animated films.
Crunchyroll, however, has built its identity around anime specifically. Donaton argued that this allows the company to focus on the wider lifestyle surrounding the medium rather than treating anime as simply another category in a much larger streaming catalog.
The Company Is Expanding Beyond Its Streaming Service
Crunchyroll’s growth since its acquisition by Sony has also helped the company expand internationally. According to the figures shared by Donaton with Variety, the platform grew from around 5 million paid subscribers to 21 million globally following Sony Pictures Entertainment’s 2021 acquisition.
The company has also increased its localization efforts, offering subtitles or dubbed content in 17 languages while continuing to enter additional markets. Crunchyroll’s growing reach has been accompanied by new partnerships and distribution options designed to make its content more accessible to anime viewers.
The company is also betting heavily on theatrical releases. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Infinity Castle became one of Crunchyroll’s biggest recent successes, demonstrating how anime films can attract audiences on a massive global scale. The film is also now available through Crunchyroll, with the official platform listing multiple audio and subtitle options across international markets.
Crunchyroll is preparing more theatrical projects as well. The company and Aniplex have officially announced Solo Leveling: Beyond the System, which will continue Sung Jinwoo’s story in movie form, with A-1 Pictures returning to animation production.
New Formats Will Only Matter If Fans Want Them
Crunchyroll is also exploring emerging formats and technologies, but Donaton stressed that the company will approach them from the perspective of its audience. He compared the process to Crunchyroll’s growing presence on platforms such as TikTok and YouTube.
“We’re always looking at ways that new technologies and new formats”
can better serve fans and help tell stories, Donaton said. He added that if Crunchyroll believes it has something meaningful to offer anime fans on a new platform, “we will be there.”
For Donaton, the company’s long-term direction remains clear. “Any place that anime fans want to gather, including in theaters, we want to be there for them.”
