Anime Expo LA Caps Crunchyroll's Boom With 21M Subs
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- Crunchyroll disclosed in May that its subscriber base hit 21 million, a gain of 4 million in a year, with the biggest recent growth markets including Brazil, India, the U.S., and the Middle East.
- Sony Pictures and Crunchyroll scored a September 2025 box office smash with "Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle," whose creators earned a Golden Globe nomination, a BAFTA shortlisting, and Oscar-season conversation.
- Netflix's "K-Pop Demon Hunters" debuted June 20, 2025, set viewership records for the streamer, and toured the international awards circuit, spotlighting the hand-crafted artistry of anime production.
- Competitors from AMC Networks to Netflix to Tubi to Hulu have been ramping anime investment as the medium proves valuable for binge-watching, socially engaged audiences prized by subscription platforms.
- Anime Expo drew tens of thousands to downtown L.A. over the four-day holiday weekend, where Crunchyroll staged an upfront-style showcase at the 7,000-seat Peacock Theater spotlighting director Yuichiro Hayashi and emerging Nagoya creator Raiki Murao.
- Dave Grohl endorsed a Crunchyroll licensing deal that places Nirvana's 1991 song "Breed" in upcoming anime "The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn't a Guy At All," saying "Kurt would have loved this."
Why it matters: Crunchyroll's 21M subscriber base — up 4 million in a year — anchors anime's mainstream breakthrough, evidenced by "Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle" earning a Golden Globe nomination and Oscar conversation. With Netflix, AMC, Tubi, and Hulu all ramping anime investment, Crunchyroll's lead is now actively contested by every major streamer chasing the same binge-and-social-engagement audience.
