Future Voice vol. 5: Cross-cultural Animation Potential 

Prologue

What possibilities does AFEELA offer as a new mobility entertainment medium that’s neither TV nor mobile content? Terry Li, Executive VP of New Business and GM of the Games Division at AFEELA partner Crunchyroll, believes that AFEELA will empower animation as it transcends content boundaries. 

Contents

1. Will mobility create a new market for content?
   ・Crunchyroll
   ・Mobility and Anime
2. The potential of AFEELA to empower anime culture
   ・AFEELA can empower Anime Culture
   ・Synergy between AFEELA and Anime

Will mobility create a new market for content?

―First of all, tell us about Crunchyroll. It’s a streaming service that offers a range of services for anime fans, right? ―

Crunchyroll started as an anime streaming service. Today, we have about 50,000 episodes with more than 25,000 hours of content, adding around 60 anime titles to our lineup every season and makes anime accessible to worldwide fans by offering series dubbed and subtitled in more than 12 languages, in more than 200 countries and territories. Also, we have more than 15 million paying subscribers and half of the top 20 highest grossing animated films in US history are available on our platform.
Our third-party products and merchandise are available at our online store, as well as at live events, cross-promotions, and theatrical releases across the globe. We’re involved in all areas of anime from lifestyle to ecosystem building, which also includes games and podcast productions.

―What kind of interactions do you expect to see when animation culture and storytelling meet mobility?―

I’m excited to see what kinds of trends in media content consumption emerge in this new mobile viewing environment. For example, what kind of person watches anime in the vehicle and for how long at each stretch? This could lead to rethinking episode lengths for example. However, I doubt that a new platform or media type will change animation intrinsically. People love its themes and creative storytelling.

AFEELA Can Empower Anime Culture

―What influences has anime had on society and the global and US markets? ―

Anime culture is pervasive worldwide, mainly because its themes and motifs are broad and inclusive. Anime has a multitude of categories within the genre alone, each with a different focus. It can resonate with anyone regardless of culture or identity. That’s what makes anime so interesting.
One example is how certain anime films transcend the program and project the spirit of the times. When an American athlete poses as an anime character during a game, anime fans recognize it. For them, anime is something beyond animation; is a part of their life.

―One element that makes anime more enjoyable is that it can bridge cultures globally. How do you think AFEELA can empower anime?― 

  When people watch anime, they shouldn’t feel that they are a part of a subculture, but instead a part of a zeitgeist. It’s our hypothesis, but one of AFEELA’s great strengths is that it’s a platform that allows entertainment segments to reach new markets and attract different consumer demographics. It creates opportunities for entertainment consumers to access animation more easily, facilitating the spread of anime while integrating its fans into mainstream culture. In this sense, AFEELA has enormous potential.