Sony Expands Anime Reach With AI and Global Releases

• Sony is set to use AI tech to streamline anime production and boost creator efficiency.
• Hits like Demon Slayer and Solo Leveling are driving the global expansion of the organization.
• Sony invests $464M USD in Bandai Namco and $320M USD in Kadokawa to expand its reach.

Sony Entertainment Group is making anime a central focus of its future strategy, building on the success of franchises like Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle and Solo Leveling. Its 2025 corporate report highlights the use of AI to boost animator productivity and meet global demand.

Sony’s innovations include an automatic lip-sync engine and voice-recognition software, utilized in the production of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and Utano☆Princesama TABOO NIGHT XXXX. AI-driven coloring is also being implemented in collaboration with studios such as A-1 Pictures and CloverWorks. Meanwhile, its AnimeCanvas platform streamlines frame finishing, allowing animators to focus on creative work.

Anime production remains slow and labor-intensive due to its frame-by-frame workflows, multiple production processes, and high-quality demands. Therefore, Sony is leveraging AI as a practical solution to streamline processes and reduce workloads. “In the production process for games and anime, creators are pressed for time due to the multitude of manual tasks…Sony is deploying machine-learning technology to address this issue,” says the report. 

Generative AI systems like Enterprise LLM have been introduced across 200 Sony-affiliated organizations to boost “employee productivity.” Discussing AI in anime, Sony Japan CEO Shunsuke Muramatsu said in a Music Segment (SMEJ) Fireside Chat that this technology “will be used primarily in the coloring stage of anime production” and noted it “will allow for greater creativity and innovation at later stages of the process,” while also improving workplace conditions in the traditionally labor-intensive industry.

However, while Sony is actively incorporating AI into anime production, Crunchyroll has expressed reservations about AI's role in content creation. In a recent interview with The Verge’s Decoder podcast, President Rahul Purini has emphasized the importance of human involvement in subtitling and translation, stating that AI should not replace human translators but can assist in the process.

It will be interesting to watch studios like Sony integrate AI into animation, with the industry closely monitoring its impact on workflows, creativity, and the balance between automation and human artistry.

Sony’s recent success with anime releases is driving major expansion. Aniplex partnered with A-1 Pictures on Solo Leveling, which was dubbed into 10 languages and was also streamed via Crunchyroll. The show’s success led to the video game Solo Leveling: Arise and built a strong demand for a third season.  “Thriving on popular projects like this, we aim to continue to cultivate IP, help creators unleash their creativity, and build excitement in the fan community,” the report added.

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle earned ¥17.6 B Yen ($120 M USD), overtaking Spirited Away, to become Japan’s second highest-grossing film, behind only Demon Slayer: Mugen Train. It was just as successful in North America, premiered on September 12, grossing over $104.7M USD, contributing to a global total of $555M USD. 

Meanwhile, Sony also has other awaited projects like A Ghost of Tsushima TV anime set for 2027. The company is also strengthening industry influence through investments, such as a 2.5% stake in Bandai Namco ($464M USD) to co-create content globally, and 12,054,100 shares in Kadokawa ($320M USD) to boost IP creation, distribution, and subsidiary growth.

Sony is solidifying its global anime leadership by using AI to streamline production, support creators, and drive innovation, while strategic partnerships and platforms like Crunchyroll expand international reach. Together, these efforts position the company for sustained growth across anime, manga, and related entertainment markets.