Sony Expands Anime Strategy with Crunchyroll, Aniplex, and New Investments

At the 2025 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Sony Group revealed a renewed focus on anime, highlighting its potential to become a $60 billion industry by 2030.

Sony is leveraging its diverse assets, including Crunchyroll, Aniplex, and its film and gaming divisions, to drive growth in this booming sector.

Sony’s Crunchyroll has seen significant success, growing its subscriber base from 3 million in 2020 to over 15 million by mid-2024.

The company’s anime-focused strategy includes collaborations with Aniplex on major releases, such as the upcoming Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle film, expected to surpass the $473 million earned by its predecessor.

Sony’s investment in anime is driven by the global surge in anime’s popularity, particularly among Gen Z and Gen Alpha. In 2023, the global anime market more than doubled to $22 billion, with projections to reach $60.1 billion by 2030.

To tap into this growth, Sony has invested $320 million to acquire a 10% stake in Kadokawa, a major Japanese producer of anime, manga, and games.

Additionally, Crunchyroll is expanding its offerings with a new manga app for subscribers, enhancing its presence in the anime ecosystem.

Sony’s strategy also includes adaptations of popular gaming franchises, like Ghost of Tsushima, into anime series, continuing its push to create a global content powerhouse that connects anime, gaming, and music.

With competitors like Netflix and Disney investing heavily in anime, Sony’s Crunchyroll is confident in its ability to leverage its home turf advantage and strengthen its position in the market.