Crunchyroll is releasing its own lineup of original animated shows. The programming slate, dubbed Crunchyroll Originals, runs the gamut from family-friendly action series to dark supernatural investigations. Of the eight shows announced as part of 2020’s Crunchyroll Originals, half are co-produced shows with Japanese animation studios like Production I.G (Ghost in the Shell) and MAPPA (Yuri!! on Ice).
The move mirrors the strategies of bigger, broader appeal services like Netflix and Disney Plus for more original programs. By releasing exclusive content, companies are no longer reliant on others to produce or license shows. Initially Crunchyroll, and its anime streaming competitors like Funimation, Amazon, and Netflix, would license…