Global anime streamer Crunchyroll is exploring the idea of shorter anime projects to suit the preferences of younger generations for short-form content, such as that seen on TikTok, according to a new interview.
Nikkei Xtrend interviewed Crunchyroll COO Gita Rebbapragada and President Rahul Purini about the latest trends concerning the anime industry. When the pair were asked how they believe anime will evolve in the future, Purini replied, “Most anime are 21-24 minutes long. Meanwhile, younger generations are used to watching short 2-4 minute videos one after the other (on TikTok etc.). We need to think about how to tell anime stories differently than we traditionally have done. The anime ecosystem itself needs to continue to evolve.”
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The Anime Industry Seeks to Appeal to Younger Generations via Shorter Content
It’s not the first time that Crunchyroll has signaled its intention to appeal to the younger generation’s tendency to watch shorter content. Speaking again to Nikkei in August, Rebbapragada said the platform was exploring short content like anime music videos, as well as promotional content through platforms like TikTok. Crunchyroll’s X (formerly Twitter) account has notably ramped up its posting of scenes from anime episodes, before inviting viewers to check out the series on its platform.
Nevertheless, Crunchyroll’s latest comments point toward going even further, potentially reducing the duration of some anime projects. The company, which grossed over a billion in 2023 from licensed goods, is far from alone in this regard. Most recently, Masayuki Ozaki, president of Bandai Namco Pictures (Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun, Gintama (2015–present), Wistoria: Wand and Sword with Actas) left the company this month to establish the new anime studio, Creadom8, specializing in shorter animation projects. Japan-based anime production studio TOKYO EPIC announced this month that it will set up an anime distribution platform and a new dedicated studio specifically for short-form content. Numerous NFT-based companies, such as Azuki, also use short anime as a launchpad to enter the space. Azuki partnered with anime legend Goro Taniguchi (Code Geass, One Piece Film: Red) and Junichi Yamamoto (Why Raeliana Ended Up at the Duke’s Mansion) for an anime earlier this year. Branded content creators like Intertrend have also seen success with anime shorts for Toyota.
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Well-Known Studio Ghibli Animator Also Pushes for Short Anime to Address Creative Drought
While a Crunchyroll-led push for more diverse anime runtimes would likely be met with backlash from some fans, several industry professionals have previously voiced its necessity for other purposes. Shigeo Akahori, a well-known regular on Studio Ghibli films, highlighted the importance of short anime, attracting “amateurs and animators who had ideas but had no place to put them to use” and addressing a creative drought. With many of the proponents for shorter anime having an eye on markets other than just Japan, those critical of certain aspects of the globalization of anime will likely find it concerning. Yomiuri reported late last year that Imagica, the parent company of Pokémon studio OLM, reached a deal to produce “light anime” to bring down production costs.
Source: Nikkei Xtrend
