Sony Pictures Entertainment Launches Crunchyroll Storyworks, Aiming To Boost Japanese Anime’s Reach

Sony Pictures Entertainment has unveiled a new division of its Crunchryroll anime subsidiary, Crunchyroll Storyworks.

The new unit, which will be led by Tohru Iokibe, a 25-year veteran of Sony Corp., will aim to deepen ties between Crunchyroll and the Japanese anime community and boost its global profile.

Sony Pictures closed its $1.2 billion acquisition of Crunchyroll in 2021, combining it with its Funimation anime outfit to create a dominant player in the burgeoning world of anime. Crunchyroll’s streaming service and related suite of merchandise, events and manga, have continued to grow, surpassing 21 million subscribers earlier this year.

The announcement came during Wednesday’s Crunchyroll Anime Future Forum, an all-day conference held at North Javits Center on the eve of New York Comic Con.

Crunchyroll said Storyworks will adapt global stories into anime, and Japanese anime into live action, working with Japanese creators to preserve and center the original creative vision. The division will operate within Crunchyroll’s content group and seek to deliver greenlight-ready projects for HAYATE, Crunchyroll’s joint venture with Aniplex.

SPE CEO Ravi Ahuja delivered brief remarks during the forum, saying the Storyworks venture would amplify the “global force” of anime but also pay homage to its Japanese roots.”

As anime grows, Ahuja said, “we have a responsibility to protect and amplify what makes it special while always keeping creators’ visions at the center. That’s the goal of Storyworks.”

Iokibe will report to Crunchyroll Chief Content Officer Asa Suehira. The new division will “build a creative bridge between Japan and storytellers around the world,” Suehira said in a statement.

Iokibe, who has recently led IP initiatives connecting SPE and PlayStation Productions, said Storyworks would honor stories, creators and audiences across cultures and formats. “The best adaptations begin with respect for the original work, and it’s a privilege to help these exceptional stories reach even more fans around the world,” he said.