Anime Streamer Crunchyroll Secures Rights to BTS Animated Series from K-Pop Super Group
Crunchyroll is about to join the A.R.M.Y. According to an exclusive report from Deadline, the anime-dedicated streaming service has reached a deal to distribute “Bastions,” the animated superhero adventure show from the hugely popular Korean pop (K-pop) supergroup BTS.
Crunchyroll will begin airing the five-part series on Saturdays starting May 13, with one episode per week. The streamer secured distribution rights to the show in all major territories except China, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, North Korea and South Korea.
“Bastion” follows a group of young superheroes, who compete for global popularity. The team becomes widely famous after exposing a villain responsible for polluting the Earth, and continue to battle the forces of evil in the name of justice. The show is a blend of both animation and K-pop, suggesting that audiences might just get to hear a song or two when they’re watching.
“BTS is expected to provide an overwhelming sense of immersion to the emotions and action scenes of the series by singing the theme song in perfect harmony,” Thymos Media, which produces “Bastions,” said of the show in a statement.
BTS is one of the most beloved and well-known music groups in the world, and its content is a big draw for streamers. Disney is well aware of that fact, which is why it signed a deal with the Korean entertainment conglomerate HYBE last summer to distribute K-pop content, including recordings of several BTS concerts, on its streaming service Disney+.
“Crunchyroll has an extraordinary opportunity to introduce fans to more animation styles from Asia, and this exciting new series from Korea does just that, and having the music of so many K-pop stars really broadens the appeal of Bastions, said Asa Suehira, Crunchyroll’s Chief Content Officer.
Cruncyroll offers three subscription tiers, and each offers ad-free streaming. It recently got a new infusion of content when it acquired fellow anime streamer VRV in early April, enlarging its already-impressive library of anime titles. In addition to video streaming, Crunchyroll offers thousands of digital manga titles and much more.
Crunchyroll
Crunchyroll is a subscription video streaming service catering to fans of anime with over 30,000 episodes. Viewers can see new episodes of shows one hour after they air in Japan, and read hundreds of chapters across dozens of manga titles. Some of their more popular titles are Dragon Ball Super, Attack on Titan, and Fire Force.