Inside Sony’s Anime Empire: How Aniplex, Crunchyroll, And Its Studios Fit Together

Sony has become one of the world’s most powerful anime companies, with businesses spanning animation production, streaming, theatrical distribution, gaming, and merchandise.

In a new corporate blog post, the company provides a rare, behind-the-curtain look at how its expanding anime operations fit together. Here’s a breakdown of the company’s key assets and where each one fits into its corporate structure.

Two-Headed Dragon

• Aniplex: Based in Japan and operating under Sony Music Entertainment Japan, Aniplex develops and produces anime, manages franchises, and expands properties into games, music, merchandise, and live events.
• Crunchyroll: Based in the U.S., Crunchyroll handles international streaming, theatrical distribution, localization, merchandise, and fan engagement. It’s a joint venture between Aniplex and Sony Pictures Entertainment.

Animation Studios

Sony’s anime production operations include several prominent Japanese studios:

• A-1 Pictures: Founded by Aniplex in 2005, with credits including Sword Art Online and Solo Leveling.
• CloverWorks: Established as a separate studio in 2018 after originating within A-1 Pictures. Its credits include Spy x Family and Bocchi the Rock!.
• Hayate: Established jointly by Aniplex and Crunchyroll in 2025 to develop anime for international audiences.

Crunchyroll By The Numbers

Sony’s global anime distribution platform has grown into an enormous operation:

• 21 million-plus paid subscribers as of March 2026.
• 200-plus countries and territories served.
• 17-plus languages supported through localization.
• 100-plus events worldwide in which it participates.

Crunchyroll also handles theatrical distribution, dubbing, merchandise, gaming, and events, including the Crunchyroll Anime Awards.

How It Comes Together

Sony’s strategy connects anime production in Japan with a global distribution and merchandising network, allowing its entertainment divisions to collaborate on individual properties. The goal is to build franchises that generate revenue well beyond their original television or theatrical releases.

Demon Slayer is a perfect example. With Aniplex producing the franchise and Crunchyroll distributing its films internationally, Sony can also capitalize on the property’s popularity through music, merchandise, games, and other entertainment businesses.

The upcoming Ghost of Tsushima: Legends adaptation is another strong example of Sony’s cross-company approach. The project brings together Crunchyroll, Aniplex, Sony Music, and PlayStation Productions, connecting an established gaming property with Sony’s anime production and distribution operations.

Hayate’s 2025 creation adds another layer to the company’s crossovers by bringing Aniplex and Crunchyroll together under a dedicated production company. Rather than simply distributing Japanese anime overseas, Sony is increasingly developing projects with international audiences in mind from the very begining.

The Bottom Line

Sony isn’t just investing in anime production or streaming. It’s building an interconnected business that can develop a property, produce its animation, distribute it worldwide, and generate additional revenue through music, games, merchandise, and live events.

The increasingly close relationship between Aniplex and Crunchyroll puts more of that process under one corporate umbrella.