Anime brand Crunchyroll recently unveiled a new brand identity today. The new look, feel, and sound looks to reflect the joy that anime brings to fans, tapping into an ethos of fun and celebration.
Crunchyroll continues to bring anime to fans in several ways across streaming, theatrical, events, games, music, news, consumer products, collectibles, and more. Central to Crunchyroll’s growth has been a focus on connecting fans and creators in celebration of their shared passions.
The updated and recharged Crunchyroll brand identity will be rolled out across all fan touchpoints of the organization over the next year.
The updated brand identity includes a modernised logo with a balanced eye symbol and revamped wordmark; a new font set called Crunchyroll Atyp that blends classic and modern elements for improved readability; and a vibrant colour system featuring orange, black, white, and taupe to reflect anime’s dynamic nature. The new glyph system has over 139 anime and manga-inspired characters, adding depth and personality. A new seven-second audio-visual mnemonic captures the immersive Crunchyroll experience with anime-inspired sound design and playful elements. Collaboration and co-creation with Japanese artists on new textures and patterns further enhance the brand’s authenticity and immersive storytelling.
Medianews4u.com caught up with Markus Gerdemann, senior VP – Marketing, Crunchyroll
Q. What factors prompted Crunchyroll to rebrand? How long did the exercise take?
Firstly, we view this moment as a touchpoint in our overall ‘brand evolution’ rather than a simple ‘rebrand.’ Anime has captivated global fans for years, and it is now more accessible than ever, becoming a mainstay in pop culture and a significant economic force.
Since our last update, we’ve grown to over 14 million subscribers, and with the simultaneous growth of anime and our brand, this feels like the perfect time for a refresh. As the popularity of anime grows, so does Crunchyroll, and our new brand identity reaffirms our commitment to making anime accessible globally and providing fans with the ultimate experience for all things anime.
Q. How has Crunchyroll benefitted from the Sony acquisition in 2021 by leveraging its various divisions like movies, and music?
Being part of the Sony family has created tremendous opportunities to better serve our growing anime community by offering even more immersive experiences. Crunchyroll is known for distributing top-tier anime films worldwide, including massive hits like Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, fan favourites like SPY x FAMILY, and critically acclaimed masterpieces like Makoto Shinkai’s Suzume. Additionally, fans can now enjoy over 245 hours of music content from Sony Music Entertainment Japan on Crunchyroll.
Q. Is the main TG for anime content Gen Z and millennials?
While anime is universally beloved, it particularly captivates young, diverse audiences, with over 42% of Gen Z watching weekly. Nearly two-thirds of these viewers emotionally connect more with anime than traditional media, finding comfort, strength, and excitement in its unique storylines and characters. Best of all, anime fans don’t “age out”—their fandom endures, often shared with the next generation,
Q. When you look at the Japanese way of storytelling which is what anime is seen to be about, what is so unique about it, like flawed heroes that help build an emotional connection?
Anime, much like general entertainment, spans numerous genres—action, romance, comedy, drama, sports, and more—attracting a diverse audience. Rooted in Japanese art and culture and often adapted from manga, anime is a unique storytelling medium. Despite using fewer frames than Western animation, its hand-drawn style and principles of ancient Japanese painting make it visually stunning and distinctively anime. Many viewers find anime more emotionally compelling than any other medium, which is why it resonates so deeply with younger audiences.
Q. How important is India as a market for Crunchyroll? What are the goals for 2024 for India? How large is the anime audience in India, according to recent research done? Is it across the country? What role do dubbing and subtitles play for Crunchyroll in India? Do anime fans prefer dubs or subtitles for anime shows?
India is a leading anime market, with a vibrant youth culture embracing the medium. As the second-largest global anime audience after China, India will represent 60% of the increase in anime interest over the next few years. As of today, Crunchyroll already offers 800+ titles in India, including over 80 shows dubbed in Hindi, Telugu, and Tamil, which contribute to 65% of the total dub viewership. We’ve also collaborated with Indian celebrity superfans like Tiger Shroff and Rashmika Mandanna to further grow the love of anime locally.
Q. Is the business model in India a mix of AVod, SVod, and e-commerce?
Crunchyroll not only streams anime content but offers immersive experiences that go beyond watching and are purpose-built for fans who not only seek amazing anime but want to pursue an anime experience like no other — touching, feeling, breathing anime, through community engagements, screenings or events.
Q. Could you talk about the distribution partnerships in place with platforms like Prime Video?
The more anime, the better for fans. That includes how they want to watch it. Amazon has been an incredible partner to us, helping us connect with even more viewers globally and deliver them the top-notch anime experience Crunchyroll is known for.
Q. Anime is tightly tied to Japanese anime studios and creators. What is the plan to do content based on non-Japan IPs like ‘Solo Leveling’ so that the content can have a bigger global appeal?
Anime from Japan will continue to be the core of our offering and service, but we know anime fans like to be exposed to animation and stories that are adjacent to Japanese anime, such as donghua from China or webtoons from Korea.
Q. How did the idea for the campaign ‘Wish Your World Was Anime’ come about? Will Crunchyroll’s marketing strategy be omnichannel across traditional, digital media, and on-ground?
With its unique storytelling, action, and visual artistry, anime offers an unparalleled realm that inspires, provokes thought, and evokes emotion. Through the ‘Wish Your World Was Anime’ campaign, we aim to tap into the universal desire of anime enthusiasts to infuse their daily lives with the vibrancy, courage, and adventure of their favourite anime characters and shows. Collaborating with anime superfans Rashmika Mandanna and Tiger Shroff uniquely brought this campaign to life, leading to engaging consumer touchpoints across OOH, digital advertising, and social media.
Q. How do you see Crunchyroll and anime evolving with AI?
AI is clearly a buzzword in the industry right now. As an entertainment company, we are focused on preserving the creativity and authenticity behind anime, which includes honoring the creators, artists, voices and all of those involved in bringing it to screens big and small. Concurrently, as a technology company, we are constantly exploring innovative tools to better enhance our fan experience and expand the reach of anime audiences across the globe.
