New Weekly Podcast Dives into All Things Anime and Its Influence and Impact of The Medium on Pop Culture

Culver City, CA (January 30, 2024) Crunchyroll, the ultimate anime destination for global fans, and Sony Music Entertainment are launching Crunchyroll Presents: The Anime Effect, a weekly roundtable podcast spotlighting anime’s influence on the broader cultural zeitgeist. The Anime Effect will be available worldwide in English on all major podcast platforms beginning February 16, with new episodes every Friday.

You can watch/listen to the trailer and subscribe to get notified when episodes drop here.

As anime has exploded in global popularity, its influence can be seen on the screen and in fashion, sports, gaming, music and beyond… and not just on Crunchyroll. With coverage from the award-winning Crunchyroll News team as a throughline, Crunchyroll Presents: The Anime Effect goes beyond specific shows and popular characters just on Crunchyroll to delve into anime’s growing impact across popular culture. 

The weekly podcast is hosted by Crunchyroll’s own in-house, resident anime experts – Nicholas Friedman, LeAlec Murray, and Leah President. The show is a lively mixture of roundtable news and discussion with Crunchyroll hosts and special guests as they debate hot topics, provide recommendations, and tackle fan questions. 

“The Anime Effect is a natural extension of our current Crunchyroll News program and a place where fans can dive deeper into everything anime and celebrate it regardless of what platform or service it is on,” said Gita Rebbapragada, Crunchyroll’s Chief Operating Officer. “Whether you watch anime everyday or a casual viewer, this podcast is a must-listen.”

Crunchyroll Presents: The Anime Effect is available at launch as an audio show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and anywhere else you get your podcasts, and as a video show on Crunchyroll and YouTube with additional platforms – including the Crunchyroll Channel –  coming in 2024. Crunchyroll Premium subscribers will also be able to watch the ad-free video show weekly on the Crunchyroll app. 

Podcast Hosts: 

Nicholas Friedman (he/him) is a career journalist who lives in the anime world. As Publisher of Crunchyroll News, Nick sits at the center of the anime culture conversation, from the latest breaking updates to the deepest dives into what fans are talking about. 

LeAlec Murray (he/him) is a podcaster and pop culture enthusiast. With 15+ years of experience in the anime and gaming industry, he lives his life one pixel at a time. LeAlec currently works as a Brand Manager at Crunchyroll, helping to bring to life the anime you see every day.

Leah President (they/them) is a writer, editor and longtime acolyte of geek culture. From a background as a broadcast producer (but with a secret soft heart), they would rather be crying over shojo manga or picking only the “good” options in an RPG. Leah works as a Partnerships Manager, bringing fans from all over the world home to Crunchyroll.