Sony Unveils Ambitious Plans in Online Meeting for Fiscal 2024: Introduces AnimeCanvas Software and Highlights Overseas Success with Crunchyroll
During an online meeting on the 23rd, Sony’s top executives led by Representative Executive Officer and Chairman Kenichiro Yoshida outlined the company’s management strategy for fiscal 2024. Central to their presentation was the unveiling of Sony’s proprietary animation production software, AnimeCanvas, aimed at revolutionizing the creative process.
Dividing their efforts into three key phases – “creation,” “development,” and “expansion” – Sony emphasized maximizing the value of intellectual properties (IPs) in the entertainment sector. They showcased AnimeCanvas as a cornerstone in enhancing production efficiency and quality, with plans to initially deploy it within Sony’s group companies, including Aniplex’s renowned studios A-1 Pictures and CloverWorks. Future prospects include extending this service to external studios to further bolster the anime industry’s capabilities.
Additionally, Sony celebrated the remarkable growth of Crunchyroll, the English-language anime streaming platform under its ownership, surpassing a staggering 13 million subscribers. Following its acquisition by Funimation in 2020, Crunchyroll’s user base soared from 5 million to over 12 million within just two years, fueled by exclusive distribution deals such as the hit series “Kimetsu no Yaiba.” This recent milestone underscores Sony’s dominance in providing end-to-end anime services, from planning and production to global distribution and beyond.
Looking ahead, Sony pledges to nurture overseas anime talent through strategic collaborations with industry partners, with Aniplex and Crunchyroll leading the charge. The company also hinted at potential initiatives to establish educational programs, signaling a commitment to fostering the next generation of creative talent in the anime sphere.
