The Man Behind “Your Name” Returns: Crunchyroll Locks In India Rights To Shinkai’s Next Masterpiece

Some filmmakers don’t need a title or release date to get anime fans buzzing — just their name is enough. That’s exactly the case here. Crunchyroll has officially acquired the India distribution rights to the next feature film from legendary director Makoto Shinkai, with Sony Pictures Entertainment co-distributing. No plot details, title, or release date have been revealed yet — but given Shinkai’s track record, expectations are already sky-high.

What We Know So Far on Crunchyroll ?

Why This Announcement Matters

Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures previously joined forces to distribute Suzume, which grossed over $300 million worldwide, earned a Golden Globe nomination, and became the first anime feature in decades to premiere in competition at the Berlin International Film Festival. That success cemented Shinkai’s reputation as one of the most influential animation directors working today.

His filmography speaks for itself. Your Name. (2016) became one of the highest-grossing anime films ever and made history at the Japan Academy Film Prize. Weathering With You (2019) was Japan’s official Oscar submission for Best International Feature. And Suzume (2022) marked his third consecutive film to cross 10 million domestic admissions.

A Filmmaker Decades In The Making

Shinkai’s career stretches back to 2002, when his self-produced short film Voices of a Distant Star won multiple awards. Since then, he’s picked up honors at the Mainichi Film Concours, the Asia Pacific Screen Awards, Italy’s Future Film Festival, and Germany’s Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film — a résumé few animation directors can match.

With Crunchyroll behind 12 of the top 20 best-performing anime films in U.S. box office history, this latest partnership signals another major theatrical push for Shinkai’s work — and Indian audiences won’t have to wait for an international release to catch it on the big screen.

For more anime news and release updates as they’re announced, check out our entertainment section on TechnoSports.

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