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On Thursday, July 20, 2023, Crunchyroll, the most popular streaming website for anime, conducted its first-ever special screening in India. With that, the company aims to bolster anime's presence in the country and expand its market to untapped sections of society.
As part of the expansion, the streaming platform had already released Hindi dubs of several anime, including My Dress-up Darling, Demon Slayer: Swordsmith Village arc, and Fire Force season 2. Now, with the impending release of the Jujutsu Kaisen season 1 and Chainsaw Man Hindi dubs, fans have a lot to look forward to.
Crunchyroll conducts fan-filled event attended by brand partners Tiger Shroff and Rashmika Mandanna
Following the onboarding of Tiger Shroff and Rashmika Mandanna to Crunchyroll India, the company conducted its first special screening at Maison PVR in Mumbai.
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The event was filled with animw fans who were excited for the premiere of Jujutsu Kaisen season 1 Hindi dub premiere. As soon as they entered the event, they were greeted with goodie bags and cosplayers, helping them get into the mood of the event. Additionally, several celebrities attended the event, including Dragon Ball Z Goku's Hindi Voice Actor, Ankur Javeri, and comedian Sahil Shah.
The premiere event began with a word from Crunchyroll CEO Rahul Purini, who explained to fans about Crunchyroll's plan of expansion.
- Jujutsu Kaisen season 1 Hindi and Tamil dub is set to begin premiere on July 28, 2023, with three episodes released every week.
- Chainsaw Man Hindi dub anime will begin premiering on July 29, 2023.
- The streaming platform is set to add 40 new series by the end of the year, most of which will be available in Hindi.
- Tamil and Telugu dubs will be introduced on the platform by the end of the year.
Additionally, the CEO also announced how the company is actively working on bringing more anime films to get theatrical releases in India, starting with Psycho-Pass Providence film.
Following that, brand partners Tiger Shroff and Rashmika Mandanna arrived at the event and shared their love and views on anime with fellow fans at the event. Tiger Shroff shared how his favorite anime are Dragon Ball Z, Naruto, and Naruto: Shippuden. He emphasized how he did not like Boruto anime and wished that a series curtailing to Naruto's story before Boruto was born should have been created.
Tiger also listed down his favorite anime characters, which included Goku, Minato Namikaze, and Itachi Uchiha, and antagonists Akaza, Madara Uchiha, and Orochimaru. The actor also shared how he loved the moment Nezuko began to speak in Demon Slayer season 3 and the underdog themes that anime often portray.
As for Rashmika Mandanna, she revealed her extensive love for the Naruto franchise. She loved all the characters from the series, giving special mentions to the protagonist Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, Madara Uchiha, and the entire Akatsuki organization.
Rashmika shared how she felt inspired by Naruto for being all alone yet never giving up on his dream and becoming the Hokage one day. When asked, the actress even revealed how she would one day want to cosplay as Hinata Hyuga. Additionally, she revealed that if she was to only watch one series for the rest of her life, she might choose Hunter x Hunter, Fullmetal Alchemist, or Bleach.
The event then saw the premiere of Jujutsu Kaisen season 1 episode 1 and 2 Hindi dub. There was a great reception from fans as many claimed that it was better than they expected it to be. Several dialogs and moments hit right with the fans as they responded well, be that an action or comedic scene. While several fans found some translated words questionable, the overall Hindi dub got a positive reaction.
Additionally, Crunchyroll's Chief Marketing Officer, Gita Rebbapragada, and Senior Vice President of Global Commerce, Mitchel Berger, also shared some insights about the company's expansion plans with the media.
They explained how Crunchyroll is currently working on making anime merchandise available to fans in India. With that, they assured that Indian fans can soon expect further announcements on the same by the company.
The company is currently targeting an audience with the age range of 16-24 years. To accommodate such an audience, they are planning to add UPI payment options in the Crunchyroll application for a smoother subscription experience. As part of their attempt to target their audience, they have also created social media handles, specifically catering to India. With that, they are also willing to work with influencers. However, they have no such new partnerships planned for now.
Given that Crunchyroll's primary attempt at expanding its audience in India is through its Hindi dubs, they are actively trying to learn through audience feedback, and are trying to better the quality with every new release.
Lastly, Gita Rebbapragada and Mitchel Berger also added how they love working with SONY considering that the company understands anime culture. They are also working with them to fight against piracy. As part of their own efforts, Crunchyroll has already lowered the cost of their subscriptions to as low as ₹79 per month to help fans avoid resorting to piracy.
