iWorld
Crunchyroll launches Curated Anime playlists on Spotify
Mumbai: Crunchyroll, the ultimate brand for every anime fan, has an exclusive partnership with Spotify to present listeners with specially curated playlists and a dedicated shelf on Spotify’s global Anime Hub. The partnership comes at a time when global streams of anime music on Spotify have skyrocketed by 395 per cent since 2021, highlighting the growing influence of anime culture worldwide. Turning the daily grind into an epic adventure, the playlists present fans with a thoughtful curation of music that will further immerse them into the action-packed world of anime.
The new “Curated by Crunchyroll” playlists will be regularly refreshed with new content for listeners, setting up the ultimate anime-inspired queue:
● Crunchyroll Anime Essentials – A brand new anime season has arrived on Crunchyroll this summer! Listen along to the music behind the lineup.
● The Broody Black-Haired MC – Anguished with a tragic past, this character’s demeanor may intimidate some, but deep down they just need a hug.
● The Bubbly Pink-Haired BFF – Always close at hand when a friend is in need, this character brings light, positivity, and an often underestimated strength.
● The OP White-Haired Sensei – Underneath their cool, unbothered exterior, this character is an enigma to be unraveled.
● The Journey Begins – You are the main character of your own story. The fate of the world depends on you … and of course, there are side quests.
The shelf will also include Crunchyroll’s recently debuted hit podcast: Crunchyroll Presents: The Anime Effect Podcast, featuring high-profile guests like Oppenheimer’s David Dastmalchian, rapper Denzel Curry, and J-Pop icon LiSA.
“Anime and Japanese music are a match made in pop culture heaven,” said Crunchyroll executive vice president of emerging business & Crunchyroll Games’ general manager Terry Li. “Music is a vital part of the anime experience, and through our partnership with Spotify, we’re excited to amplify that connection and make fandom even more immersive for our fans”.
“We are thrilled to partner with Crunchyroll to bring listeners a new curation of anime music to explore,” shared Spotify head of music in Japan, Kyota Onishi. “On Spotify, global streams of anime have surged over the past few years and we hope Anime Hub will become an indispensable part of Anime culture.”
The Curated by Crunchyroll shelf is available to visit here, via Spotify’s global Anime Hub. Over 250 hours of Japanese music and performance videos from popular artists such as LiSA and Aimer can also be found on Crunchyroll.
iWorld
Prime Video to stream Tamil thriller Exam from May 15
Seven-episode series from National Award-winner A. Sarkunam streams in India and 240-plus countries
MUMBAI: Prime Video announced on April 27th that Exam, a taut seven-episode suspense drama set against the crucible of high-stakes competitive testing, will premiere on May 15th in India and across more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.
Written and directed by A. Sarkunam, a National Award-winner, the series is produced under the Wallwatcher Films banner by the creative duo Pushkar and Gayatri, who have previously delivered Suzhal: The Vortex (both seasons) and Vadhandhi: The Fable of Velonie for the platform. Dushara Vijayan and Aditi Balan lead the cast, with Abbas in a pivotal role.
The show will stream in Tamil with dubbed versions in Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam, and Kannada, and subtitles in 15 languages, including English, a distribution sweep that underscores Prime Video’s push to globalise Indian regional content.
Nikhil Madhok, director and head of originals at Prime Video India, framed the series as both timely and commercially astute. “Exam is a very timely and relevant story that captures the emotional intensity of competitive exams and masterfully transforms it into a thrilling high-stakes drama,” he said. “We believe it is a story that will resonate deeply with millions.” Madhok noted that it was a privilege to once again collaborate with Pushkar and Gayatri following the success of Suzhal and Vadhandhi.
For Pushkar and Gayatri, the series is as much a moral reckoning as a thriller. “With Exam, we wanted to dig into ambition, injustice, and those moral crossroads that people face when pushed to the edge,” the creative producers said. “At the heart of this story is a young woman who refuses to remain powerless. Her journey is not about glamorising defiance, but about exploring the emotional and ethical cost of standing up to a system stacked against her.” They described Prime Video as “an incredible collaborator” and “the perfect home” to bring the series to global audiences.
Wallwatcher Films, which Pushkar and Gayatri founded and run, has been on a productive streak with the platform. Beyond Exam, the company is also readying Vadhandhi Season 2 for Prime Video, making the duo one of the platform’s most active regional creative partners.
The real exam, it seems, is for Prime Video itself: can a Tamil drama about systemic injustice and a young woman’s defiance crack audiences from Chennai to Chicago? If Pushkar and Gayatri’s track record is anything to go by, the answer is likely yes, and the results will be out on May 15th.
