Crunchyroll the largest anime streaming platforms in the world, is facing new accusations about its corporate culture. A former employee said she was fired after reporting a hostile work environment.
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Shawn Hoffman Crunchyroll senior software-engineer , has revealed that he has suffered reprisals being dismissed after requesting an adaptation according to the law of Americans with disabilities (ADA) due to his diagnosis of anxiety and depression. In the same period, he faced a delicate moment with the aggravation of his mother's terminal illness, making the situation even more challenging.
According to Hoffman, after his request, he was treated with hostility within the company. On one occasion, a manager, who was not even his direct superior, would have cursed and made an obscene gesture for him. Claiming to have documented the occurrence and reported to HR, he noticed a change in his treatment in the company. Shortly thereafter, being fired under the justification of “violation of politics”, while the manager remained in the team. Hoffman also claimed that they offered him a financial agreement to keep confidentiality about the case.
In just two months of company, Hoffman contributed significantly to the platform, developing an advanced video coding pipeline, fighting piracy, helping to hire, solving critical incidents and ensuring a stable infrastructure for the transmission of the fourth season of Demon Slayer .
Hoffman's contributions at Crunchyroll
These allegations appear in a turbulent moment for Crunchyroll. According to Bloomberg, the company has undergone three rounds of layoffs since it was purchased by Sony in 2021. The troubled transition, replacing several executives with former Funimation officials and external hiring. Employees reported that the new management is disconnected from both the team and the Otaku community.
In addition, Crunchyroll is facing difficulties to reach its “25 by 25” goal, which aims to win 25 million subscribers by the end of 2025. Competition with Netflix , Disney and Amazon , added to challenges in expanding to new markets, impact directly this goal. The investment in games and merchandising has also suffered setbacks, resulting in cuts in these sectors.
Another controversial point addressed by Bloomberg is the accusations against Markus Gerdemann, senior vice president of the company. He would have promoted an exclusionary environment and inappropriate behavior, affecting the morale of the team. Although there are two formal complaints, an internal investigation concluded that there were no irregularities.
Sony acquired Crunchyroll in 2021 and later merged the platform with Funimation . Recently, the company has signed a billionaire agreement with Kadokawa , acquiring 10% of the company. In addition, it announced a new manga app, further expanding its presence in the market.
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