Apple TV Integrates Crunchyroll to Capitalize on the Global Anime Boom
Cupertino, Saturday, 28 March 2026.
Apple just integrated Crunchyroll into the Apple TV app, a strategic move boosting Apple’s services revenue while exposing Sony’s massive anime library to a broader global audience.
Expanding the Apple Services Ecosystem
As of March 26, 2026, Apple Inc. (AAPL) officially integrated Crunchyroll into its Apple TV Channels lineup [1]. The rollout, which launched simultaneously for users in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia, allows audiences to subscribe to the anime platform directly through the native Apple TV application [1][3][5]. This marks a significant addition to Apple’s Channels initiative, a program initially introduced in 2019 that aggregates premium third-party networks into a single, unified interface to keep users within the Apple ecosystem [1].
Pricing Strategy and Market Positioning
To access the service through Apple TV, new users are offered a seven-day free trial, after which the subscription automatically renews at $9.99 per month [1][3][6]. This price point mirrors Crunchyroll’s entry-level “Fan” tier on its standalone platform [4][6]. Notably, this follows a recent pricing adjustment by the streaming service; earlier this year, Crunchyroll instituted an across-the-board monthly price increase of $2 [2]. For the base tier, this represents a 25% price hike, bringing the starting cost to the current $10 threshold [2].
Sony’s Global Anime Ambitions
For Sony Group Corporation (SONY) [GPT], the parent company of Crunchyroll, this partnership is a calculated distribution play. By tapping into Apple’s hardware ecosystem—which includes devices ranging from iPhones to smart TVs and gaming consoles—Crunchyroll is positioning itself to capture a broader, more mainstream audience [5]. The platform is heavily investing in highly anticipated upcoming and returning series, such as Fire Force Season 3, Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3: The Culling Game, and Oshi no Ko Season 3 [alert! ‘exact premiere dates for these upcoming seasons are not specified in the source material’] to consistently attract and retain subscribers [4].
The Strategic Shift in Streaming
From a broader industry perspective, Crunchyroll’s willingness to join Apple TV Channels is a notable departure from current streaming trends. In recent years, many major streaming platforms have hesitated or outright refused to support aggregate channels, preferring instead to maintain strict control over the subscriber relationship, viewer data, and the overall user interface [1].