Crunchyroll's vice president has stated that while there has always been a sizable female fan base in the anime community, this audience has historically been underserved.
Crunchyroll's Vice President of Global Consumer Products Anna Songco Adamian spoke with License Global's McKenna Morgan in a new interview at License Expo 2024. “Another thing we're really focused on is anime about the female demographic,” Adamian said. “I think the female fan community has always been supportive of anime, but they're growing in number and I think they're the community we're really going after. I think they haven't been given the attention they deserve and I think they will.” Really excited about what we have coming up.”
Related
Isekai's latest trend is for 'Exhausted Modern Women' with a “longing for conservative values”
According to professional consultant Mariko Ukiyo, women are using the isekai genre to experience the simple joys of simple family life.
Hanako-kun and Bananya in the toilet are the focus of Crunchyroll's female and Kawaii anime fans
Adamian outlined some of the ways Crunchyroll is serving its female audience earlier in the interview. “We have more super cute IPs for female demos or people who really like 'kawaii', which means 'cute' in Japanese. And to do that, we're focusing on Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun and Bananya, which are literally a cat living in a banana.”
Solo leveling, Kaiju No. 8 and Anime Isekai continue to be a big priority for Crunchyroll
Fans also get a deeper look into Crunchyroll's current and future priorities, including capitalizing on the 'newest, hottest' Solo Leveling IPs and Kaiju No. 8, a 10th anniversary project year Tokyo Ghoul is coming out, while promoting its shounen and isekai anime properties. Solo Leveling's importance to Crunchyroll has been made clear by fans; CEO Rahul Purini revealed that the company pushed the series to Aniplex, followed by worldwide previews for Season 1 and the quick announcement of the second season, 'Arise From the Shadow'. Crunchyroll's optimism for Kaiju No. 8 was demonstrated when the series became the first major anime to stream on X/Twitter and British music artist YUNGBLUD performed the opening theme. Meanwhile, isekai is described as “super big” with viewers and “a big trend we are pursuing.”
Related
Level up solo: Rise to earn an estimated $100 million in just 1 month
Solo Leveling: Arise is expected to reach an estimated $100 million in sales in just 1 month, further highlighting the franchise's massive popularity.
The interview follows Crunchyroll's expansion announcements for Ani-May 2024. This includes brand new merchandise and home video releases for franchises like Jujutsu Kaisen and Demon Slayer, the Hot Topic collaborations, free viewing offers and the chance to win VIP access to the Japan Expo in Paris this summer.
Source: Global Licensing
