Sony Pictures Entertainment has launched Crunchyroll Storyworks, a new division designed to expand the anime industry’s reach across different formats and international markets. The initiative was announced by Sony Pictures Entertainment Chairman and CEO Ravi Ahuja during the inaugural Crunchyroll Anime Future Forum in New York on October 7, 2026.
Storyworks will focus on two major areas: adapting stories from around the world into anime and developing live-action adaptations of Japanese anime. The division will work alongside Crunchyroll, Aniplex, Sony Pictures and creators within Japan’s entertainment industry, with the stated goal of preserving the creative identity of the original works.
The move comes as Crunchyroll continues expanding its international anime business. Sony’s own corporate overview highlights the platform’s reach across more than 200 territories and its growing role in global anime distribution.
TOHRU IOKIBE TO LEAD CRUNCHYROLL STORYWORKS
Tohru Iokibe, a Sony veteran with 25 years at the company, will lead Storyworks and report to Crunchyroll Chief Content Officer Asa Suehira. Iokibe previously worked on intellectual property initiatives connecting Sony Pictures and PlayStation Productions.
The new division will operate within Crunchyroll’s content group and develop projects intended to become ready for greenlighting through HAYATE, the joint venture established by Crunchyroll and Aniplex.
Ahuja said the company has a responsibility to “protect and amplify what makes it special while always keeping creators’ visions at the center.” Suehira similarly described Storyworks as a way to “build a creative bridge between Japan and storytellers around the world.”
For Crunchyroll, the initiative represents a broader push beyond streaming and distribution toward developing anime and live-action projects designed for audiences across multiple markets.
