Other Sony Plans To Add Anime As One Of Its Major Pillars

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Read from Nikkei:

Sony will leverage the combined strength of group companies to expand its animation business overseas, making it the fourth pillar of its entertainment portfolio after music, movies and games.

"Our group wants to contribute to delivering Japanese anime to fans worldwide," said Sony President Kenichiro Yoshida at a strategy meeting on May 19, describing animation as a "business that embodies the 'One Sony' concept."

Sony unit Aniplex is behind "Kimetsu no Yaiba," or "Demon Slayer," an anime series that stormed Japan and has now launched abroad. The conglomerate aims to make anime a new growth engine through multichannel sales of not only the productions but all intellectual property associated with them.

Aniplex Online Fest revealed parts of Sony's global strategy: It was streamed on YouTube and Chinese video-sharing website Bilibili. Sony has worked with the latter on content distribution and decided in April to invest $400 million in the platform. Distribution in English and Chinese -- two languages guaranteed to reach consumers around the world -- will maximize export potential.

Sony is not just looking at the entertainment side of anime, but at residuals too. Successful productions generate loyal fans, making for intellectual properties that rivals cannot exploit. Related merchandise, such as movies, games and music, can turn into vast revenue streams. "A hit anime series creates a large and long-lasting fan base, allowing us to profit from diverse sources," says Yoshinori Saito, senior general manager in charge of entertainment.

Sony group blankets the entire anime sector: Aniplex is a production company; Sony Interactive Entertainment sells PlayStation; Animax Broadcast Japan is the country's largest fee-based anime channel; and Funimation is the biggest Japanese anime distributor in the U.S. Meanwhile, Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) has an exclusive label for anime songs.

Now Sony is banking on "Demon Slayer" for even greater success. Aniplex President Atsuhiro Iwakami wants to make the series a showpiece of Aniplex's prowess. It has already turned the manga into a successful anime, and will now follow with a movie version due out in theaters this summer. Units of Sony will also morph the anime into games for mobile and PlayStation 4, with the possibility of promoting it abroad.

Sony hopes its investments will lay the groundwork for more anime content and a larger fan base while supporting Epic Games' global expansion. Similarly, investment in Bilibili is intended to develop Sony's presence in the Chinese anime market.

Technology is another important tool. Sony and Animax are jointly developing a system that enables voice actors to dub remotely. Dubbing is usually done with several people in a soundproof chamber. The coronavirus pandemic has made this impossible, causing delays in production.

Yoshida wants Sony to "evolve as a technology-backed creative entertainment company." Part of this entails haptic technology, which can infuse anime with a sense of touch. Sony has already developed this to the point where users can feel raindrops fall or notice a tap on the shoulder. Now, Sony and Animax are working on ways to allow voice actors and fans to interact via haptics.
 
Same here, especially if it means more good anime jrpgs coming too and not just quick anime jrpg games cashgrab thing in the process...
 
read from pushsquare on, Sony buying Crunchyroll:

AT&T has attached a $1 billion price-tag to anime streaming service Crunchyroll, with Sony Pictures Entertainment believed to be a potential buyer. The Japanese giant already owns rival Funimation, but is looking to dominate the anime sector. Earlier reports from The Information suggested AT&T was seeking $1.5 billion for the company, but Variety reports that the asking price is likely to be lower.
 
cm2 said:
read from pushsquare on, Sony buying Crunchyroll:

AT&T has attached a $1 billion price-tag to anime streaming service Crunchyroll, with Sony Pictures Entertainment believed to be a potential buyer. The Japanese giant already owns rival Funimation, but is looking to dominate the anime sector. Earlier reports from The Information suggested AT&T was seeking $1.5 billion for the company, but Variety reports that the asking price is likely to be lower.
Click to expand...

yeahahahahah! No, CR is good, but not 1.5 billion good.
 
Read an update from Nikkei Asia:

Sony has entered into final negotiations to acquire U.S. anime-streaming service Crunchyroll, Nikkei learned on Friday, a deal that could catapult the Japanese icon into a global battle with the likes of Netflix.

Sony could end up spending more than 100 billion yen ($957 million) on the U.S. streamer, gaining its 70 million members around the world.

Sony has its own popular anime like "Kimetsu no Yaiba" ("Demon Slayer"), but has been licensing it to streaming services. Sony's Aniplex, the studio behind "Kimetsu no Yaiba," has a variety of content, including movies and music, that is mainly distributed by overseas companies.

If the acquisition is realized, global competition for content among companies like Netflix and Hulu will intensify.
 
It's official now:

AT&T to Sell Crunchyroll to Sony’s Funimation Global Group | Sony Pictures Entertainment

Culver City, CA and Dallas, TX, December 9, 2020 — Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc.
www.sonypictures.com www.sonypictures.com

Culver City, CA and Dallas, TX, December 9, 2020 — Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. and AT&T Inc.* (NYSE:T) today announced that AT&T agreed to sell its Crunchyroll anime business to Funimation Global Group, LLC. Funimation is a joint venture between Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. and Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc.’s subsidiary, Aniplex Inc.

Crunchyroll is a premier anime direct-to-consumer service within AT&T’s WarnerMedia segment with more than 3 million SVOD subscribers and growing. It serves 90 million registered users across more than 200 countries and territories offering AVOD, mobile games, manga, events merchandise and distribution. The combination of Crunchyroll and Funimation provides the opportunity to broaden distribution for their content partners and expand fan-centric offerings for consumers.

“The Crunchyroll team has done an extraordinary job of not only growing the Crunchyroll brand but also building a passionate community of anime fans. Crunchyroll’s success is a direct result of the company’s culture and commitment to their fans,” said Tony Goncalves, Chief Revenue Officer, WarnerMedia. “By combining with Funimation, they will continue to nurture a global community and bring more anime to more people. I’m incredibly proud of the Crunchyroll team and what they have been able to accomplish in the digital media space in such a short period of time. They’ve created an end-to-end global ecosystem for this incredible art form.”

“We are proud to bring Crunchyroll into the Sony family,” said Tony Vinciquerra, Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment. “Through Funimation and our terrific partners at Aniplex and Sony Music Entertainment Japan, we have a deep understanding of this global artform and are well-positioned to deliver outstanding content to audiences around the world. Together with Crunchyroll, we will create the best possible experience for fans and greater opportunity for creators, producers and publishers in Japan and elsewhere. Funimation has been doing this for over 25 years and we look forward to continuing to leverage the power of creativity and technology to succeed in this rapidly growing segment of entertainment.”

The purchase price for the transaction is $1.175 billion subject to customary working capital and other adjustments, and the proceeds will be paid in cash at closing. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals.
 
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