Crunchyroll announced several major expansions at the inaugural Anime Future Forum, including the launch of Storyworks—an initiative that unites Crunchyroll, Aniplex, Japan’s creative community and Sony Pictures to develop global stories into anime and adapt Japanese anime into live‑action projects. The company also revealed a new digital manga add‑on, Crunchyroll Manga, expanding English‑language access to over 250 titles from publishers such as J‑Novel Club, Square Enix, Yen Press and VIZ Media in markets including the U.K., Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, India, Nepal and Pakistan.
During the event at New York’s Javits Center, chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment Ravi Ahuja introduced Storyworks and highlighted upcoming partnerships. Sony Interactive Entertainment president Hideaki Nishino announced that a dedicated anime space will be integrated into the PlayStation 5 home experience starting next spring, providing access to Crunchyroll and supporting the upcoming Ghost of Tsushima: Legends anime series. Crunchyroll’s president Rahul Purini presented the Global State of Anime Fandom 2026 study and unveiled Crunchyroll Compass, a new data and insights platform that incorporates MyAnimeList statistics for country‑by‑country performance tracking.
Leadership of the new division will fall to Tohru Iokibe, a 25‑year Sony veteran reporting to chief content officer Asa Suehira. Iokibe will oversee the effort to preserve original creative visions for Crunchyroll’s joint venture with Aniplex, HAYATE.
The forum also featured detailed footage and discussions about Spider‑Man: Beyond the Spider‑Verse. Appearances by James Gunn and Samuel L. Jackson, along with co‑director Bob Persichetti, highlighted production insights and the film’s innovative animation pipeline. Persichetti explained how the team’s “Story” system—incorporating StoryCamera, StoryPerformance and StoryLighting—has streamlined pre‑production and allowed for greater creative flexibility as the film moves toward release.
Additional panels covered franchise building, influencer collaborations and industry trends, reinforcing Crunchyroll’s focus on connecting creators and audiences across languages and cultures. The day’s announcements signal a concerted push to expand anime’s global footprint through strategic partnerships, technological tools and new content opportunities.