Crunchyroll Hits Big with Anime Adaptations and New Movie Trilogy

LOS ANGELES, CA – President Rahul Purini expressed optimism about the future of Crunchyroll‘s programming on May 1, 2025. He highlighted the success of the new *Solo Leveling* series and upcoming *Demon Slayer* movies as key components in the streaming service’s strategy.

*Solo Leveling* became Crunchyroll’s most popular series in 2024 and continued to dominate in early 2025 after the launch of Season 2 in January. With over 15 million subscribers, the anime has captivated audiences. Purini attributed its success to its roots in a widely loved manhwa, high-quality visuals, and strong storytelling.

“The most important thing is the theme of the story,” Purini said. “It has many gaming elements. RPG and first-person shooter players see themes they understand. When they encounter this in a narrative format, it feels new and compelling.”

When asked about the potential for a Season 3, Purini mentioned the creators’ desire to expand their projects. “Anime is really popular, so there’s a lot of demand. We have to find the right time to start on the next season,” he noted.

Purini also discussed how the success of *Solo Leveling* influences Crunchyroll’s broader programming, citing *Ghost of Tsushima*, based on the popular PlayStation game. “We want to take more experiments. This game IP is something gaming fans love, hence the desire to adapt it to anime,” he explained.

Scheduled for release in 2027, *Ghost of Tsushima* is a collaboration between Crunchyroll, Aniplex, Sony Music, and PlayStation Productions. Furthermore, the *Demon Slayer* franchise continues to thrive, with the latest installment, *Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle*, set to premiere in September.

Purini expressed high expectations for the film, suggesting it plays a crucial role in concluding the saga for fans. “The trilogy movies are the final arc; for fans to finish the story, they have to watch them,” he added. While details on release dates for future films remain under wraps, industry predictions suggest they will be spaced out evenly after the first movie.