Crunchyroll, having mastered anime, turns its focus back to manga

Crunchyroll, the giant in the anime world, is about to change the game by introducing a manga reading app.

The big reveal happened this week at CES 2025 during Sony’s press conference, where Crunchyroll shared its exciting plans. According to their official website, the new app will serve as a premium add-on to their existing service, expected to roll out later this year. It’s set to debut as a standalone app, aptly named Crunchyroll Manga, available on iOS and Android, with a web browser version anticipated in the future. Initially, the app will launch in English, catering to users in the US and Canada, with potential for other languages and regions to be included down the line, though timelines for these expansions remain under wraps.

What’s intriguing, though, is that Crunchyroll hasn’t yet disclosed which titles users can expect to dive into. Competitors like Viz already offer their own app, showcasing popular reads such as Inuyasha and Uzumaki. Meanwhile, the Shonen Jump app gives fans access to a wide array of titles including Chainsaw Man and Jujutsu Kaisen. While Crunchyroll might collaborate with smaller publishers to expand their library, the market’s major hits are already covered elsewhere, adding an interesting twist to their entry.

Crunchyroll’s venture into the manga realm isn’t without challenges. Previously, the company did have a manga service, but it was discontinued just last month, largely due to negative feedback and a limited selection. Furthermore, there’s been ongoing criticism from users about the anime app’s less-than-ideal functionality and missing features. So, naturally, there’s a cloud of skepticism around their new project. Despite Crunchyroll’s obvious interest in the manga sphere, the big question remains: will this new app be worth the wait? Only time will tell if they can address past issues and deliver a standout product.