Credit: FoxHulu has decided what direction its future lies in: animation.
The Disney-owned platform has always struggled to elevate itself from Disney+, Max (formerly HBO Max), Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and all the other streaming services out there, so it seems it is going to double down on one of the things it is best known for, animated series and anime.
According to Variety, Hulu is launching a streaming service sub-brand in order to develop its reputation as a home for adult animated series, traditional animation, and anime. The new animation hub will be called Hulu Animayhem, which pretty strongly indicates that the streaming service is looking to brand itself as an edgy “animation destination.”
Related: Hulu’s Most Popular Show Is Breaking Every Record It Has
Although Hulu has had great success with some live-action series like the critically acclaimed and massively popular culinary comedy-drama The Bear, its top ten most popular series slots have historically been dominated by series like Family Guy, American Dad, Bob’s Burgers, Futurama, and King of the Hill.
It makes a great deal of sense that Hulu would look to center itself around Animayhem; reportedly, it is already looking to unveil an extensive advertising campaign around the sub-brand and will be attending San Diego Comic-Con (unlike many other companies) to promote an immersive show called “Hulu Animayhem: Into the Second Dimension.”
Hulu’s executive vice president of marketing and publicity Barrie Gruner says, “When you have the number one offering in adult animation and anime of any major streaming service, creating this destination is obvious. We know exactly where we can meet these fans, because they’re already here.”
Gruner followed that with, “I would say that this brand really cements Hulu as the ultimate streaming destination for animation and we’re not going to achieve that with single title campaigns… This is truly an intersection with our original programming and our library.”
Related: Disney+ and Hulu Will Be Combined On One App by the End of the Year
Hulu’s animation library currently holds 46 adult series (approximately 174 seasons and 2,600 episodes), while its anime collection consists of 17 films and 272 series (a whopping 35 seasons and 18,400 episodes); additionally, the streaming service is only weeks away from a much-anticipated new season of the beloved Futurama series and has a revival of King of the Hill in the works.
Animayhem, indeed.
Will Hulu Animayhem be your animation destination? Let us know in the comments below!