Crunchyroll Studios
| File:Crunchyroll logo 2012.png | |
| Formerly | Ellation Studios (2018–2020) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Animation |
| Founded | August 22, 2018 |
| Defunct | Template:End date and age |
| Fate | Closed following Sony's acquisition of Crunchyroll |
| Successor | Hayate Inc. |
| Headquarters | Burbank, California, United States Tokyo, Japan |
Number of locations | 2 |
Key people | Margaret M. Dean (studio head) |
| Parent | Crunchyroll |
Crunchyroll Studios—initially known as Ellation Studios—served as the internal animation division of Crunchyroll, producing exclusive content for both Crunchyroll and the VRV platform until its closure in August 2021, a consequence of Sony's acquisition.
History
In December 2013, The Chernin Group purchased a controlling share in Crunchyroll for roughly $100 million, while management and TV Tokyo maintained substantial ownership. By April 2014, AT&T partnered with The Chernin Group to form Otter Media, a joint venture capitalized with over $500 million to acquire and develop OTT video platforms, becoming the primary owner of Crunchyroll.
Otter Media introduced Ellation in August 2015 as a parent brand encompassing its subscription streaming services, such as VRV, aimed at specialized audiences including gamers and fantasy enthusiasts. In January 2018, Otter Media completed the acquisition of Ellation, folding it into its Consumer Division. Midway through 2018, AT&T acquired The Chernin Group’s stake in Otter Media for an estimated $1 billion.
On August 22, 2018, Ellation launched Ellation Studios, operating studios in Burbank and Tokyo dedicated to developing original programming for Crunchyroll and VRV. That same year marked the announcement of its inaugural original series, the anime-inspired High Guardian Spice. The concept originated from creator Raye Rodriguez’s initial pitch in 2013 and progressed through development from 2017 to 2019 despite encountering delays and mixed audience reactions that affected its release schedule.
Toward the end of 2018, Otter Media underwent restructuring that resulted in layoffs affecting approximately 10% of employees; Machinima was reorganized under Fullscreen while Ellation consolidated Rooster Teeth, Crunchyroll, and VRV operations.
Following WarnerMedia’s corporate reshuffle in March 2019, Otter Media was integrated into Warner Bros. Entertainment and later WarnerMedia Entertainment overseeing HBO Max. In September 2019, Crunchyroll acquired a majority interest in Viz Media Europe, rebranding it as Crunchyroll SAS. Subsequently, Ellation transitioned from Otter Media’s Consumer Division to become a subsidiary under Crunchyroll based in Moldova; concurrently VRV was rebranded as a Crunchyroll service.
On February 25, 2020, Crunchyroll unveiled seven new series under its Crunchyroll Originals label—anime or animated productions either co-produced or fully produced by the company. Although the studio had previously engaged in co-productions, these marked the first officially branded original titles. Following Sony’s acquisition of Crunchyroll, the Originals label was quietly phased out alongside the shutdown of Crunchyroll Studios.
Throughout its existence, Crunchyroll Studios concentrated on broadening its portfolio of original animated content to enhance its standing within the anime streaming sector until strategic corporate changes prompted its closure.
Productions
| Title | Premiere Date | Finale Date | Number of Episodes | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Onyx Equinox | November 21, 2020 | December 26, 2020 | 12 | Original creation developed by Sofia Alexander. |
| High Guardian Spice | October 26, 2021 | October 26, 2021 | 12 | Original series conceived by Raye Rodriguez. |
| FreakAngels | January 27, 2022 | January 27, 2022 | 9 | Adapted from the webcomic authored by Warren Ellis and Paul Duffield. |
| Meiji Gekken: 1874 | January 14, 2024 | March 24, 2024 | 10 | Original production by Tsukasa Sakurai and Naoki Tozuka; marks the studio's final project. |