Latest news with #Funimation
Straits Times
17-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Demon Slayer live concert coming to Singapore on Oct 18
The series is set in a fictional world where humanity battles the threat of demons. PHOTO: OLLIE DIXON PHOTOGRAPHY SINGAPORE – Fans of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba can look forward to a live concert featuring music from the Japanese anime and manga franchise on Oct 18. Held at Esplanade Theatre, the show will be performed by an 18-piece orchestra, while scenes from the anime (2019 to 2024) are projected onto a full-sized cinema screen. The series is set in a fictional world where humanity battles the threat of demons. It centres on a teenager, Tanjiro Kamado, who endeavours to become a demon slayer to avenge his family, who were killed by a demon. One of his sisters was turned into a demon, and Tanjiro hopes to find a remedy to turn her back into a human. The 120-minute performance promises to capture the series' emotional depth and cinematic grandeur in a live setting. It will focus on the anime's first season, titled Tanjiro Kamado, Unwavering Resolve Arc . In 2019, American streaming service Funimation named Demon Slayer 'animation of the decade'. In 2020, the series won the Animation of the Year prize at the Tokyo Anime Awards, as well as the Anime of the Year accolade at the Crunchyroll Anime Awards. Tickets to the concert can be purchased via BookMyShow from June 19 at 11am. Demon Slayer In Concert Where: Esplanade Theatre, 1 Esplanade Drive When: Oct 18, 7.30pm Admission: $71 to $179 via BookMyShow Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Gizmodo
02-06-2025
- Business
- Gizmodo
‘Shin Godzilla' Is Getting the Re-Release It Deserves
When Shin Godzilla hit US shores back in 2016, its home releases were a bit of a mess—especially after it exited theaters in what was, before the release of Godzilla Minus One at least, a historic run for the franchise. But, almost a decade later, the film is now stomping back to theaters… and beyond that, finally getting the home release scenario it deserved in the first place. As revealed by Variety today, GKids has acquired the U.S. distribution rights to Shin Godzilla (which had previously been owned by Funimation, who released the film back in 2016 as the first Japanese Godzilla film to hit US theaters since Godzilla 2000). GKids will release a new 4K version of Shinji Higuchi and Hideaki Anno's modernized spin on the kaiju icon in theaters starting August 14, but crucially the studio will also be releasing a new, UHD home release of the film in 4K, the first time the film will have been made available in the format in the U.S. Something has surfaced in Tokyo Bay. Newly remastered in 4K, SHIN GODZILLA from directors Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi returns to North American theatres starting August — GKIDS Films (@GKIDSfilms) June 2, 2025 Beyond the remastering, the new home release will also restore the stylized text cards that were removed in subtitled versions of Shin Godzilla's previous U.S. home release. Part of the film's commentary on the administrative absurdity of Japanese governmental bureaucracy, giving officials and projects overtly long and formalized titles, the theatrical release displayed the text captions in a stylized manner alongside the original Japanese, but home releases instead ran a clean version of the film removing them, replacing the titles with default subtitling. Sure, the commentary still came across, but it just didn't look anywhere near as good, and arguably made for an even worse subtitling experience. But after the runaway success of Godzilla Minus One in 2023, it's good to see Toho and GKids capitalizing to do justice to another entry in the Godzilla saga that remains just as timely as it did a decade ago. Shin Godzilla will return to American theaters from August 14, with the new 4K home release set to follow at a later date.
Time of India
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Too good to skip: Meet Kotarou, toddler who's winning hearts in ‘school babysitters'
Credit-Crunchyroll Looking for a comforting and emotional anime series, School Babysitters anime ( Gakuen Babysitters ) is a must-watch. Blending themes of family, caregiving, and emotional growth, this slice-of-life anime offers a unique viewing experience that touches the heart. With its wholesome storytelling and lovable characters, it has become a favorite for fans who prefer feel-good anime over action-heavy plots. Credit-Crunchyroll What is School Babysitters Anime About? The story follows Ryuuichi Kashima, a high school boy who loses his parents in a tragic plane crash. He's left to care for his baby brother, Kotarou , becoming both brother and guardian overnight. Their lives change when the chairwoman of a prestigious academy, who also lost a family in the crash, takes them in. However, there's a condition—Ryuuichi must serve as a babysitter at the school's daycare, caring for the children of the school staff. Why is 'School Babysitters' so popular? The anime is loved for its emotional storytelling, adorable child characters, and realistic portrayal of caregiving. It gently explores themes of loss, healing, and responsibility. Ryuuichi's journey as a caregiver shows how love and patience can help overcome grief. The relationship between Ryuuichi and Kotarou is especially touching. It reflects the real struggles and joys of being a young caregiver. The anime also introduces other teenage babysitters and toddlers, each with unique personalities, making it relatable and engaging for viewers of all ages. Credit-Crunchyroll Perfect for fans of slice-of-life anime If you're a fan of anime like Barakamon, Usagi Drop, or March Comes in Like a Lion, you'll appreciate the quiet beauty of School Babysitters. It's a slice-of-life anime that celebrates small moments—birthdays, first steps, shared snacks—and shows how these moments build connection and comfort. Where to watch School Babysitters Anime You can stream School Babysitters anime online on popular platforms like Crunchyroll and Funimation . It has 12 episodes, making it a short and sweet series to binge over a weekend.
Forbes
08-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Inside Crunchyroll's Latest Plans To Expand The Anime Universe
Image from "The Beginning After the End," an anime series debuting on Crunchyroll, April 2025. Back in the late teens when many streamers were consolidating their niche brands and channels to reach the widest possible audience, Sony took the opposite path, combining their existing Funimation service with new acquisition Crunchyroll in a bid to dominate the large but narrow international market for Japanese anime. Now, after a pandemic boom-and-bust that has shaken up the streaming landscape, Crunchyroll's strategy of sinking deep roots is paying off. The company announced it had topped 15 million subscribers worldwide in July, 2024, up 50% from December, 2022, and a 5x increase since July 2020. Those seem like big numbers and crazy growth for a service that focuses exclusively on a single offering, but that conclusion underestimates both the range of anime content and the broad lifestyle appeal to its audience. 'We know this audience is very passionate,' explains Rahul Purini, CEO of Crunchyroll in an exclusive interview last week. 'Even though it is considered niche, it is a gigantic niche. And anime is a medium, not a genre. It contains dozens of genres; there is something there for every fan.' Crunchyroll CEO Rahul Purini, 2025 Purini, who came out of a tech and engineering background before assuming leadership over the company, helped lead Crunchyroll's transformation from a traditional media entertainment business to a direct-to-consumer model. He says the company is now expanding beyond streaming its vast library of video content to provide a one-stop shop for fans of Japanese pop culture in multiple dimensions including gaming, merchandise and publishing. He says Crunchyroll's focus on serving the needs of anime fans beyond just streaming content has been crucial in maintaining its growth trajectory. 'It is a lifestyle for this audience, especially the younger audience,' says Purini. 'So we bring in anime music videos because we know music is a big part of their lifestyle. We make games available through our game world we set up IRL. We go to and produce live events. We create collectibles, merchandise, apparel that they like to wear. We bring them to movies in theaters. Our strategy is to create these amazing experiences across the touch points in their lifestyle for anime and then continue to work with creators to tell these real and different stories, and do it globally.' At CES, Crunchyroll revealed a new collaboration with Anaplex, PlayStation Studios, and Sony Music Entertainment to adapt the popular game Ghost of Tsushima into an anime. Purini believes it will be a popular followup to the company's massive game-oriented hit Solo Leveling, which recently launched its second season. The company also announced the introduction of digital manga to its offerings, in addition to the popular print editions of manga sold in its online store. 'Our fans have said they would like manga to be available as part of their membership or as part of Crunchyroll's offering, and we announced that we would be bringing digital manga to fans this year,' says Purini. Manga has emerged to become a leading driver of growth in the comics market in North America over the past decade, according to the industry site ICv2. Crunchyroll's efforts to become the full spectrum destination for anime fans reflects its competitive strategy against other streamers like Netflix, Hulu and Max, which have also invested significantly in the acquisition and production of anime, but only as part of its broader streaming media business model. LiSA from Crunchyroll Concert Series at San Diego Comic Con 2024 Purini says Crunchyroll's singular focus on both content and lifestyle keeps it more closely connected to the tight-knit – and often vocal – anime fan community. "We spend a lot of time interacting with fans, listening to them, understanding what they're saying and taking that feedback not only back to our creators in Japan but also internally to determine how we can better serve them,' Purini says. This interaction fosters a strong relationship with fans and helps Crunchyroll adapt its offerings based on audience preferences. One thing the company is hearing, especially as it expands deeper into fast-growing emerging markets like India, Mexico and Brazil, is that fans want their own stories told in the anime style, employing the signature production values and aesthetics of Japanese studios. Purini says this approach has led to successful adaptations like Solo Leveling, which has gained popularity across multiple territories. "We set out to source stories that are Indian, for example, and take them to creators in Japan to see if there is interest in telling these stories. This enriches the stories that anime can tell, making them global narratives told by Japanese creators.' The company's recent debut, The Beginning After The End, is one example of this approach, adapting a story by a Korean-American creator, published on a South Korean platform, and produced by Japanese animators for global consumption. Image from Solo Leveling, the hit anime series running on Crunchyroll, 2025 Purini acknowledges competition with deep-pocketed mainstream services remains a challenge, and the global battle for anime fans will continue, which is why Crunchyroll remains committed to explore new markets and new models as they evolve. Crunchyroll rose to popularity as a subscription-based, ad free service, but now offers ad-supported tiers to attract new users. Purini believes that providing a free option helps introduce potential subscribers to anime, encouraging them to upgrade for full access. "We offer an ad-based video on demand offering which is free, but it is a limited portion of our content," Purini explains. This approach aims to expand the audience while maintaining a focus on quality content. Crunchyroll also offers FAST channels available on most mainstream systems like Pluto, offering real-time streaming programs with ads to cater to one of the fastest-growing segments of the over-the-top video delivery market. On the hot-button issue of AI, Purini said the company stands with creators in Japan and elsewhere striving to maintain authenticity in production. 'We are not considering AI in the creative process, including our voice actors. We consider them to be creators because they are contributing to the story and plot with their voice.' He added the company is looking at AI and machine learning in back-end systems to improve content discoverability, recommendations and personalization, but only as ways to improve the customer experience and not touching on the content itself. As to the prospects for an American-based company offering Japanese content to a global audience in an era of escalating international tensions and tariffs, Purini says the company is 'actively monitoring what's going on.' He observed that the company sells merchandise in its stores sourced from many countries worldwide, which could be impact by tariffs. Looking ahead, Purini says he is excited about upcoming content debuting later this spring, as well as partnerships with some of the bigger manga publishers. 'Our hope is that we would be able to work with most of the publishers in Japan,' he says. Crunchyroll is also hosting the Anime Awards in Tokyo May 25th, and looking to connect with fans at live events and conventions over the summer. Fans at the Demon Slayer Takeover in Times Square, NY, 2023
