The team also made the decision to capitalize the “C” in Crunchyroll, solidifying its status as a one-word name. “People sometimes looked at it as two words,” Rabinovich admitted. “What the process really came down to was looking at the pieces that made up Crunchyroll visually and exploring them while staying true to the core tenets of the brand.”
“It’s about grabbing onto something that’s inherently yours,” echoed Gerdemann. “Like Nike’s brand is inherently Nike—you can’t necessarily describe it, but you feel it. That’s our goal here.”
Crossing cultures
While anime has evolved into a global pop culture force, the medium is still very much rooted in Japanese artistic and narrative traditions. That’s reflected in Crunchyroll’s new glyph system, which incorporates over 139 characters inspired by personalities that appear on television screens and in the pages of manga. The distinct texture that defines those comics is also on display in the new designs, and Rabinovich said Japanese artists were brought on board as collaborators.
“It was very important for us to honor the craft that comes from Japan,” Gerdemann noted. “That was always a big discussion point.”
At the same time, the streamer also wanted to emphasize that anime is no longer the kind of niche import that was consigned to specialty stores and small shelves at Blockbuster Video in the 1980s and 1990s. Properties like One Piece are now generating live-action Netflix adaptations and in-person events like a concert tour celebrating the anime’s 25th anniversary. (Crunchyroll will stage a live “symphonic voyage” during SDCC at the Rady Shell in collaboration with Toei Animation.)
“Everyone who defines pop culture these days is inspired by anime,” said Gerdemann, pointing to artists like Megan Thee Stallion. “Anime is not niche anymore.”
