Media & EntertainmentStudios scramble to secure talent as streaming services stoke demandCrunchyroll hosts the Anime Awards. The streamer is busy acquiring distribution rights for Japanese anime. (Crunchyroll)TAKAKO IWAMOTOJuly 8, 2026 06:15 JSTTOKYO -- The growing worldwide popularity of Japanese anime has driven up production costs by more than 50% over the past several years, with streaming services spending more on content in a bid to gain subscribers.