Leading anime subscription streaming service Crunchyroll is tapping Google as a strategic technology partner to help fuel its global growth.
The announcement came this week as Google unveiled beefed up cloud CDN tools for streaming media. The multi-year partnership covers a number of facets, and according to a spokesperson, Crunchyroll will be using CDN in the future.
Crunchyroll is now owned by Sony (operated independently as a joint venture of subsidiaries Sony Pictures Entertainment and Japan’s Aniplex) which acquired the service from AT&T for $1.17 billion in a deal that closed August 2021. It wants to scale up its direct-to-consumer business globally and will also work with Google to strengthen flexibility and audience experiences.
Google already has a partnership with Sony Pictures Entertainment, with joint work across Android, Google TV, Android TV OS, YouTube, Google advertising solutions, and Google Cloud.
The expanded Crunchyroll relationship kicks off long-term platform planning for the anime service, according to Google.
"Crunchyroll is committed to aligning with technology partners who understand the DNA of our fans – how they engage, how they enjoy and how they live and breathe anime. Having a partner like Google, who expertly knows how to use technology to enhance user interaction, will be critical in giving our fans the purpose-built experience they want. Google brings expertise to the table that immediately helps us achieve those ambitions" said Crunchyroll CFO Travis Page in a statement.
Specifically, Crunchyroll is tapping Google Cloud to improve viewer experience and content personalization with AI/ML; and utilizing the cloud giant’s know-how in data management and analytics, AI and ML to improve its use of customer and user insights to inform product development and content innovation for new fan experiences. Broad distribution is part of the picture, including content and subscription services via Google Play across Android, Google TV and other Android TV OS devices.
Google advertising tools will also be in play, supporting Crunchyroll’s continued ad-supported subscription service (AVOD), with more than 1,000 episodes available to sample. In March Crunchyroll made the decision that viewers would need a premium monthly or annual subscription to watch new and continuing simulcasts starting with the Spring 2022 season, although previously released episodes and the existing Crunchyroll library remain free to access.
The acquisition by Sony also brings together content from anime video service Funimation. Last month Crunchyroll officially announced that Funimation would be unifying under the Crunchyroll brand, along with subsidiary Wakanim, and Crunchyroll’s VRV to create one anime-focused subscription service.
"As our legacy anime businesses come together under the Crunchyroll brand worldwide, this partnership helps optimize our service as we incorporate some of Google's best-in-class solutions to diversify our platform capabilities and enrich the fan experience," commented Thomas Overton, Crunchyroll CTO, in the announcement.
Anime popularity has remained high, with data from Interpret showing the genre sustained pandemic-era viewership in 2021.
Google called out franchises like Dragon Ball, My Hero Academia, Demon Slayer Kimetsu no Yaiba and Attack on Titan as becoming more widely recognized, with more than 40,000 episodes of anime content and millions of fans in more than 200 territories and countries.
And Crunchyroll viewers in particular appear to be fans of streaming video services. Interpret’s 2022 Animeasure scorecard found Crunchyroll viewers subscribe to an average of seven video services compared to 3.5 for anime non-viewers.
As of August 2021, Crunchyroll had hit the 5 million paid users mark, with 120 million registered users globally.