Crunchyroll's vice president pointed out that while there has always been a sizable female fanbase in the anime community, that demographic has historically been underserved. Anna Songco Adamian, Vice President of Global Consumer Products at Crunchyroll, spoke with McKenna Morgan of License Global in a recent interview during License Expo 2024.

“We are focusing on anime that speaks to a female audience.,” Adamian commented. “I think the female fandom has always been present in anime, but it's growing in numbers, and I think it's a community we really want to reach. They've been underserved, and I think they'll be really excited about what we have to offer..”

Adamian explained some of the ways Crunchyroll is catering to this audience. “We have super adorable IPs that are more geared toward female audiences or those who love the “kawaii” style, which means “cute” in Japanese. To that end, we’re focusing on series like Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun and Bananya, which is literally about a cat that lives in a banana tree..”

Additionally, Crunchyroll's current and future priorities were announced. Among them is the promotion of their newest and most popular IPs, such as. “Soil leveling“ and “Kaiju No. 8“a tenth anniversary project of “Tokyo Ghoul“and the promotion of shonen and isekai anime. Solo Leveling's importance to Crunchyroll has been evident among fans; CEO Rahul Purini revealed that the company had pushed the series to Aniplex, followed by worldwide previews of the first season and the quick announcement of the second season, "Arise From the Shadow."

Crunchyroll's confidence in “Kaiju No. 8“ was highlighted when the series became the first major anime to be streamed on X/Twitter and when English musical artist YUNGBLUD performed the opening theme. On the other hand, the isekai genre was described as “huge” among viewers and “a massive trend that we are also chasing.”

The interview came after Crunchyroll's extensive announcements for Ani-May 2024, which included new video releases and merchandise for franchises like “Jujutsu Kaisen“ and “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba“a collaboration with Hot Topic, free anime viewing options, and the chance to win VIP access to Japan Expo in Paris this summer.

With these efforts, Crunchyroll is looking to not only expand its user base, but also offer content that meets the specific demands and tastes of a female audience that is waiting to be properly recognized and served in the world of anime..

Source: Global Licensing