Crunchyroll Adds Google as Strategic Technology Partner to Help in Global Growth of Anime

Partnership Kicks off Long-Term Platform Planning for the Anime Service

Google and Crunchyroll, the world’s leader in anime fan experiences, today announced a new, multi-year strategic partnership to accelerate and support Crunchyroll’s global scale ambitions. Today’s announcement builds on Google’s existing partnership with Sony Pictures Entertainment that includes collaboration across Android, Google TV and Android TV OS, YouTube, Google advertising solutions, and Google Cloud. Crunchyroll is an independently operated joint venture between US-based Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Japan’s Aniplex, a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc., both subsidiaries of Tokyo-based Sony Group Corporation.

In the last few years, viewership and engagement of anime has reached record heights, making Crunchyroll the ultimate anime experience for fans. Anime franchises such as Dragon Ball, My Hero Academia, Demon Slayer Kimetsu no Yaiba and Attack on Titan are becoming broadly recognized along with the over 40,000 episodes of anime content and millions of fans in more than 200 countries and territories. Through this new dynamic multi-tiered partnership, Crunchyroll will work with Google as it looks to strengthen its direct-to-consumer business for scale, flexibility, and audience experiences that are truly next level.

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With Google as one of its strategic technology partners, Crunchyroll will:

• Improve Viewer Experience with Content Personalization: Google Cloud will enhance Crunchyroll’s ability to engage and retain audiences, building on its established technology and privacy-first content personalization powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies.
• Inform Product and Content Innovation: Utilizing Google Cloud’s expertise in data management and analytics, AI and ML, Crunchyroll will be able to better use customer and user insights to inform the development of new fan experiences and future development.
• Reach Audiences Around the World: Crunchyroll will be able to achieve broad distribution of its content and subscription services with Google Play across Android, Google TV and other Android TV OS devices.
• Connect Fans to Content and Fuel Growth: Through Google advertising solutions, Crunchyroll will continue to be able to offer a unique ad-supported video on demand (AVOD) experience for fans, offering more than 1,000 episodes for fans to sample. This will drive a broader reach, bring together key audiences, and grow its platform with a seamless ad experience.

“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 Travis Page, Crunchyroll’s Chief Financial Officer.

“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,” added Thomas Overton, Crunchyroll’s Chief Technology Officer.

“Crunchyroll continues to meet the growing demand for anime by delivering transformative and entertaining streaming experiences to audiences around the globe,” said Thomas Kurian, CEO, Google Cloud. “We are thrilled to partner with Crunchyroll across Google Cloud, Android, and Google advertising solutions to help the company deepen relationships with subscribers and drive efficiencies across its operations.”

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