Wow. This news has us reeling a bit.
We do not have all the information as of now, but this is what we know – WWE Studios have managed to sell the idea of an anime series to Crunchyroll, and the anime streaming (and creating) giant has accepted this proposal. The upcoming web series will be hosted exclusively on the aforementioned OTT platform. Knowing WWE, we expect an anime series based on the wrestling characters under their employment.
Both anime and wrestling have had one thing in common, especially in India – it used to have a very niche following. But as time passed, the interest in both product grew, with both garnering immense international appeal, especially the Japanese art form. WWE also has one of the largest International followings within India, while anime is no longer seen as “cartoons for children” within the country (for the most part). With the perception of these products changing within India, there is a good chance that this upcoming web series will have a huge following within the country.
Crunchyroll was recently acquired by Sony Pictures for a significant price, as a means to compete against Netflix in the hugely competitive International market of anime. Netflix has got the rights to some brilliant anime, but Crunchyroll has been doing this for almost a decades with multiple well-known titles under their ownership.
WWE Studios also recently announced a new ‘Rey Mysterio’ animated series, so it makes sense that they will capitalize on the format’s popularity by collaborating with an international brand like Crunchyroll. For now, we will need to wait and see the type of anime series they will launch on this hugely popular anime streaming platform.
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