While streaming is still the dominant platform for anime lovers, Crunchyroll’s theatrical arms saw great success in 2025 with “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba — Infinity Castle,” taking in $136 million domestically. The film grossed $793 million worldwide.Now, they’re reteaming with heralded Japanese anime director Makoto Shinkai (“Suzume”) on his latest, yet to be titled, feature. Crunchyroll has taken worldwide rights, excluding Asia but including India, and will distribute with Sony Pictures. In 2023, “Suzume” took in some $10 million at the North American box office.They also recently announced they’re partnering with Sony Music-owned Aniplex on a new theatrical anime film “Solo Leveling: Beyond the System,” based on the popular Korean novel and webtoon series. The film is now in production.“Theatrical has always been an important part of our model overall, and we have quite a few movies that we’re really excited about coming up on our future slate,” says Donaton. “Certainly, ‘Demon Slayer’ was an amazing film for us last year. We recently released it on DVD as well on streaming, and the reaction has been tremendous from fans.”And while verticals are exploding right now, the Crunchyroll team views that platform through the eyes of its fans.“We’re always looking at ways that new technologies and new formats” can better serve “our fans and to tell stories,” Donaton says. “There are certainly things that we’ll explore. I think it’s — to some degree — no different from figuring out our presence on TikTok and YouTube; what do fans expect and what are they consuming and loving in each medium and each platform? If we think we have something that we can offer there that will serve that fandom, we will be there”For Crunchyroll, it all comes back to the fans, he says: “Any place that anime fans want to gather, including in theaters, we want to be there for them.”More to Come“KPop Demon Hunters” became a global phenomenon for Netflix last year that helped introduce anime to the uninitiated. But the popularity of the medium and the heat of the fandom have driven top platforms to bring anime content into their programming mix.“Anime fans bring exactly what every streamer wants: passion, curiosity and a willingness to go deep. They explore every facet of the genre, and Tubi has the breadth and depth of content — and the personalization — to enable that kind of exploration,” says Adam Lewinson, chief content officer for Tubi. “Anime is more than a content category; it’s a fandom, and it’s one we’ve served for years. There isn’t one kind of anime viewer, which makes it particularly well-suited for Tubi, where we can serve a broad fandom while creating a highly personalized experience for each fan.”Sony Pictures’ Crunchyroll streaming platform is the undisputed central hub of anime fandom thanks to its broad menu of content and global reach. Here’s a rundown of other top outlets that have moved into the anime business in the U.S. and beyond.

Netflix“KPop Demon Hunters” cast a golden glow on the streaming giant’s anime slate. Netflix also has the beloved epic “One Piece,” various “Pokemon” titles and “Record of Ragnarok,” to name a few.Tubi

Fox Corp.’s free streaming platform has tapped into a deep well of anime fandom with such established series and characters as “Naruto,” “JoJo Bizaree Aventure,” “Vampire Knight” and “Yu-Gi-Oh!”

AMC Networks has gone big on anime in the U.S. and beyond with its Hidive channel, fueled by a content pact struck in 2023 with Japan’s Sentai Filmworks and Mainichi Broadcasting System.Disney+Anime is a natural for the Mouse House’s streaming platform. Disney+ is home to iterations of the “Dragon Ball Z” franchise as well as “Jujutsu Kaisen” and “One Punch Man.”HuluDisney’s adult entertainment streamer has invested in edgier anime originals including “SandLand: The Series,” “The Yozakura Family” and “Tokyo Revengers.”Samsung TV PlusThe free streaming service operated by the electronics giant has more than a dozen channels devoted to anime. “Sailor Moon” runs 24/7 on a branded outlet, as does “Naruto” and “Hunter x Hunter.”Cynthia Littleton contributed to this report.