Tag: crunchyroll

Spotify and Crunchyroll Present the Sounds of Anime

August 19, 2024

The world of anime is rapidly expanding, finding fans all over. On Spotify, global streams of anime music have surged by 395% since 2021, and there are 6.7 million user-generated anime playlists—proving that listeners enjoy being fully immersed in the audio of their favorite series and movies. Now, Spotify is teaming up with global anime brand Crunchyroll to bring fans epic listening adventures on a whole other level. 

Within Spotify’s Anime hub, fans will find custom Curated by Crunchyroll playlists including: 

  • Crunchyroll Anime Essentials: A brand-new anime season has arrived on Crunchyroll this summer! Listen along to the music behind the lineup.
  • The Broody Black-Haired MC: Anguished with a tragic past, this character’s demeanor may intimidate some, but deep down they just need a hug.
  • The Bubbly Pink-Haired BFF: Always close at hand when a friend is in need, this character brings light, positivity, and an often underestimated strength.
  • The OP White-Haired Sensei: Underneath their cool, unbothered exterior, this character is an enigma to be unraveled.
  • The Journey Begins: You are the main character of your own story. The fate of the world depends on you … and of course there are side quests.

Crunchyroll will also have a dedicated shelf of content within the hub, including the brand’s recently released podcast Crunchyroll Presents: The Anime Effect, which digs into the latest anime headlines and features guest stars like rapper Denzel Curry and J-Pop icon LiSA.

“We are thrilled to partner with Crunchyroll to bring listeners a new curation of anime music to explore,” shared Kyota Onishi, Head of Music in Japan at Spotify. “On Spotify, global streams of anime have surged over the past few years, and we hope the Anime hub will become an indispensable part of anime culture.”

The Anime hub also includes an editorially curated lineup of playlists like Anime Now, Anime On Replay, and Women of Anime.

If you’re looking to bolster your own playlists with new tracks or artists, take some inspiration from what we’re seeing from listeners on Spotify. When looking at global user-generated anime playlists, top songs added include “紅蓮華” by LiSA, “unravel” by TK from Ling tosite sigure, “ブルーバード” by Ikimonogakari, “Kaikai Kitan” by Eve, and “シルエット” by KANA-BOON. LiSA takes the reign as the top artist added to user-generated anime playlists on Spotify, followed by Linked Horizon, 7 Minutoz, Hiroyuki Sawano, and FLOW, respectively. 

To get started listening, check out the Anime hub here.

High Streams on the High Seas as Spotify Launches the Official ‘One Piece Film: Red’ Playlist

November 17, 2022

Anime fans rejoice! The release of One Piece Film: Red, the 15th film in the massively successful One Piece franchise, has finally made it to North American screens. One Piece is the iconic manga and anime series that has been going strong since the late 1990s. From movies, countless spin-offs, toys, video games, and even live-action series, it is unquestionably an international sensation.

Spotify has done our part to share the love for one of Japan’s largest media exports by launching the official collaboration playlist, ONE PIECE FILM RED, to celebrate the release of the film.

The One Piece series follows Monkey D. Luffy, a young man made of rubber. Inspired by his childhood hero, the pirate Red-Haired Shanks, he sets off on a journey to find the mythical treasure known as the One Piece and proclaim himself the King of the Pirates. Along the way he makes a crew of friends and more than a pirate’s share of enemies. 

Featuring the life and adventures of the world diva Uta, One Piece Film: Red also has a heavy musical component that Spotify Japan was able to highlight with the launch of the film’s official enhanced playlist. In addition to the soundtrack, the playlist features audio liner from Monkey D. Luffy, seven songs sung by the main character Uta (accompanied with 8-second looping videos), and a storyline that shows the link between the film’s song and story. Additionally, Spotify original podcast Spotify ANIZONE discusses the film in special features included in the playlist.

Featuring songs from Ado, BUMP OF CHICKEN, and Avril Lavigne, the playlist received a lot of attention in Japan, but Americans proved to be even hungrier for One Piece content. New Yorkers were hyped to see a billboard at Penn Station ahead of the film’s release, and streams in the playlist have risen  32.7 times in the U.S. as of November 5. 

A photo of a billboard advertising the One Piece Film: Red Spotify playlist outside of Penn Station in New York City

Since its Japanese debut in August, One Piece Film: Red has become the highest-grossing film of the One Piece series and the sixth-highest-grossing anime of all time in the country. North American audiences were similarly wild for the movie upon its release from the anime streaming site Crunchyroll earlier this month.

Have a taste for treasure? Set sail for adventure with the official One Piece Film: Red playlist: