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Crunchyroll CEO recently made a statement during Anime Expo 2024, that has become a hot topic in the anime community. The CEO expressed his views on the origin of anime and how it’s cultural essence should always remain intact. Fans are trying to infer what was meant by the statement and if there was any substance to it.
By not addressing the real issue in the Japanese animation industry and answering as vaguely as possible, the CEO has enraged fans, who have taken to reddit to voice their frustrations.
Crunchyroll CEO’s Statement: A Mere PR Move?
Anime has become extremely popular over the last few years. Compared to a few years ago, anime has become more easily available and that has definitely contributed to its worldwide popularity. Crunchyroll is one of the leading streaming platforms preferred by fans to watch anime legally.
“Promote better pay and scheduling for the workers”: Crunchyroll’s CEO Ignored a Disturbing Problem While Saying Anime Should Stay Inherently Japanese
Upon being asked about the measures being taken to ensure maximum popularity in the future, considering the past failures, Crunchyroll CEO shared (via Nikkei) thatanime is inherently Japaneseand that is something that should never change.
I believe that anime must be inherently ‘Japanese’ and told from the perspective of Japanese creators. We want more anime, more diverse stories, and it’s important that Japanese creators continue to be involved in them.
This statement enraged fans as they claimed that it lacked substance. As we already know, many times non-Japanese creators also work on famous anime in leading positions, like Sunghoo Park’s direction inJujutsu Kaisen. So even if he is not a Japanese creator,Jujutsu Kaisenis still undeniably an anime. Furthermore, fans called the statement a PR move to stay in business by capitalizing on what is in demand.
In the thread, fans pointed out the different problems with what the CEO said. It’s common knowledge that cultural aspects have played a significant role in the rising popularity of anime. Similarly, different Asian countries have their own labels for the animation they produce to keep the boundaries intact, like ‘Hanguk Aeni’ from Korea and ‘Donghua’ from China. So, when there’s a clear distinction and respect for the cultural references and origin of anime, the CEO’s statement doesn’t seem as thoughtful.
A Call for More Variety in 2D Animation
As anime began to garner attention from the international audience, more animated shows that are either anime-inspired or replicate the style of anime have emerged. Moreover, as a result of the rising demand, a huge chunk of anime is produced in Japan every year. This has made some fans express the need for more variety.
While anime gains more prominence with every passing day, there’s a severe lack of good animated works from other regions around the world.
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Plus, it’s way easier to find older anime, compared to older Western animated shows. Anime has exposed a huge number of people to Japanese culture and brought Japan’s world-class animation quality to the world.
Similarly, it would be great if we get to experience different cultures and techniques from around the world. And this is only possible through animation if different styles get the necessary attention from these companies, which aren’t just replicas of anime.
Laveena Joshi
Anime Writer
Articles Published :926
Laveena is an anime content writer at FandomWire. Having written more than 800 articles, she’s an expert in mainstream shonen series, ranging from the bizarre world of JoJo’s to the expansive worldbuilding of One Piece.With her formal education in Journalism and Mass Communication, she explores entertainment journalism through the lens of anime and manga, from mainstream and classic titles to niche and obscure ones.
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