Crunchyroll Inks Deal With Japan’s Kadokawa

Mark Schilling

TOKYO – U.S.-based animation streaming platform Crunchyroll and Japanese publishing conglomerate Kadokawa are partnering to distribute Kadokawa anime titles through Crunchyroll worldwide, the two companies announced on Monday.

Crunchyroll will also underwrite upcoming Kadokawa anime titles and help Kadokawa market its print publications and merchandise in North America. Other avenues of cooperation are also being discussed.

Crunchyroll is the biggest digital distributor in North America of anime and other Japanese content. It claims more than 20 million users worldwide, outside Asia.

Kadokawa is a major publisher of best-selling fiction in Japan, but has long since branched out into anime and live-action film production. Exact titles to be distributed or marketed under the new partnership have not yet been announced.

Related stories

Japan's Gaga Enters Production, TV Anime Sectors

Fuji TV Shows to Stream on Amazon

Crunchyroll Brings Its First Anime Holiday Special to Late-Night TV

Get more from Variety and Variety411: Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Newsletter