The Anime Effect

The Anime Effect

Sure, you like anime. But do you KNOW what's happening in the anime world? Go beyond your current watchlist and discover all there is to enjoy with your friends at Crunchyroll. Each week, we’ll dig into the latest anime headlines, examine our favorite shows, chat with guest stars, and explore how anime affects everything. The Anime Effect is brought to you by Crunchyroll and Sony Music Entertainment. To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com.

Episodes

January 9, 2026 32 mins
We’re welcoming our first ever figure skater, Amber Glenn! She’s a world champion, a 2026 Olympic hopeful, and a major anime fan. She’s sharing her favorite titles and pitching her own figure skating anime plot, only on The Anime Effect. Have a question for The Anime Effect? Ask it here. To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adch...
Mark as Played
Hosts Nicholas Friedman, LeAlec Murray, and Alex Lebl are BACK to discuss all the exciting news out of Jump Festa 2026, the INSANE anime winter season lineup, Gachiakuta season 2, the Kaguya-sama: Love Is War "Final Chapter" film, and more. Have a question for The Anime Effect? Ask it here. To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Jump Festa 2026: All the Big News from the Event! Crunchyr...
Mark as Played
The Solo Leveling Animation Producer Atsushi Kaneko and Action Director Yoshihiro Kanno are answering OUR questions today on The Anime Effect. They share how they navigated the adaptation process, what the fan response has meant to them, and their hopes for the future of Solo Leveling. Have a question for The Anime Effect? Ask it here. To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more abo...
Mark as Played
The world's most resilient VTuber Matara Kan joins hosts LeAlec Murray, Leah President, and Haley Whisennand to discuss how they define anime fandom and their journeys from being hardcore to casual anime fans and what it means to re-embrace anime today. Have a question for The Anime Effect? Ask it here. To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcast...
Mark as Played
Kei Urana and Hideyoshi Andou, mangaka and graffiti designer of Gachiakuta, are revealing their real-life inspirations for this story, how they teamed up to bring Gachiakuta to life, and so much more. Have a question for The Anime Effect? Ask it here. To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Mark as Played
Hosts Nicholas Friedman, LeAlec Murray, Alex Lebl, and Haley Whisennand are coming at you with a special holiday episode, breaking down the most memorable anime of 2025 with their 2025 Anime Superlatives! PLUS, everyone reveals their favorite anime of the year. Have a question for The Anime Effect? Ask it here. To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...
Mark as Played
The lead voice actors of Solo Camping for Two, Daiki Hamano and Mizuki Niizaki, join us to talk about the real-life camping and cooking that prepared them for these roles.  Have a question for The Anime Effect? Ask it here. To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Mark as Played
Hosts Nicholas Friedman, LeAlec Murray, and Leah President are sharing highlights from their Crunchyroll Arcs and talking about the upcoming Kaguya-sama: Love Is War anime special, the new Sentenced to Be a Hero anime, and the upcoming PSYREN anime adaptation. Have a question for The Anime Effect? Ask it here. To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Crunchyroll Arc Returns for 2025: Disco...
Mark as Played
Mori Calliope, your favorite deadbeat dad and the vocalist behind the Gachiakuta Cour 2 opening theme “LET’S JUST CRASH” is BACK on The Anime Effect to reveal why she loves Rudo, Amo and the world of Gachiakuta and how she would react to a few wild in-world scenarios. Have a question for The Anime Effect? Ask it here. To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices...
Mark as Played
Hosts Nicholas Friedman, LeAlec Murray, Alex Lebl and Haley Whisennand are of course geeking out over Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle’s Golden Globes nomination! They also had to discuss the new series from the Code Geass franchise, the latest about TRIGUN STARGAZE, the Dallas Mavericks’s Solo Leveling anime night, and who their anime crush of 2025 is! PLUS, hosts recommend the must-see anime of the 90’s in Fan Service. Have a quest...
Mark as Played
The members of SPYAIR and yama talk with hosts Nicholas Friedman and LeAlec Murray about their most iconic anime songs. PLUS yama reveals they love Hamtaro?! Don’t miss this double interview and the exclusive Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Complete Blu-ray box set unboxing. Have a question for The Anime Effect? Ask it here. To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. ...
Mark as Played
Hosts Nicholas Friedman, LeAlec Murray, and Leah President are back from their holiday break and in rare form as they discuss the new Godzilla and Reincarnated in a Mafia Dating Sim anime adaptations, the latest on Fire Force season 3 and Saga of Tanya the Evil season 2, plus the surprise awaiting you at Crunchyroll Anime Nights and the exciting Assassin’s Creed Shadows x Attack on Titan collab. Have a question for The Anime Effec...
Mark as Played
Matthew Mercer of Critical Role, The Legend of Vox Machina, Attack on Titan, and so much more is revealing behind-the-scenes moments from his most iconic anime English dub roles, disclosing his best DM (Dungeon Master) tips, and sorting a few of the characters he’s played into DND (Dungeons & Dragons) classes. Have a question for The Anime Effect? ⁠Ask it here.⁠ To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@so...
Mark as Played
Hosts LeAlec Murray and Leah President are sharing all the anime news before the holidays begin, like the first ever Dragon Ball character poll, the returning BOCCHI THE ROCK! stage play, the upcoming Super Space Sheriff Gavan Infinity Tokusatsu series, and the latest ONE PIECE collab. THEN, they share your comments and recommend travel anime in Fan Service. Have a question for The Anime Effect? Ask it here. To bring your brand t...
Mark as Played
PC Master Builder Ariel Luna from Starforge built a Solo Leveling PC in our studio, and he’s sharing all about the process. Watch this episode to see the time lapse video of the complete build! Have a question for The Anime Effect? Ask it here. To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Mark as Played
Hosts Nicholas Friedman, LeAlec Murray, and Leah President are talking about what premieres to expect from Crunchyroll at Anime Frontier 2025, the imminent [Oshi no Ko] season 3 release, the latest Death Stranding adaptation from Hideo Kojima, JUJUTSU KAISEN: Execution’s dominance in the Japan box office, and what we know about and what we hope to see in the live-action Legend of Zelda movie. Have a question for The Anime Effect? ...
Mark as Played
Imamura Leo of the band ALI shares how he created music for anime like BEASTARS, JUJUTSU KAISEN, and Dr. STONE SCIENCE FUTURE and the anime he loves to watch. Have a question for The Anime Effect? Ask it here. To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Mark as Played
We sit down with Baldur's Gate 3 actors Neil Newbon and Devora Wilde to discuss the fan response to their amazing characters, the depth of the game's storytelling, and the inclusive world the game has built.Have a question for The Anime Effect? Ask it here. To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Mark as Played
Voice Actor Kaito Ishikawa, the voice of Naofumi Iwatani in The Rising of the Shield Hero, is sharing his favorite Shield Hero moment, the character he would most want to go on an adventure with, and his hopes for the future of this anime. Have a question for The Anime Effect? Ask it here. To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/...
Mark as Played
Hosts LeAlec Murray and Alex Lebl are reporting from Los Angeles about the first ever Dragon Ball store opening in Tokyo Station, Bungo Stray Dogs returning for season 2, the OVERLORD 10th anniversary theatrical celebration, the Animal Crossing: New Horizons update, and more! Then, LeAlec and Alex discuss the anime characters they believe are the most clever and strategic. Have a question for The Anime Effect? Ask it here. To bri...
Mark as Played

Popular Podcasts

    Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

    Stuff You Should Know

    If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

    The Breakfast Club

    The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!

    Crime Junkie

    Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by Audiochuck Media Company.

    Two Guys, Five Rings: Matt, Bowen & The Olympics

    Two Guys (Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers). Five Rings (you know, from the Olympics logo). One essential podcast for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. Bowen Yang (SNL, Wicked) and Matt Rogers (Palm Royale, No Good Deed) of Las Culturistas are back for a second season of Two Guys, Five Rings, a collaboration with NBC Sports and iHeartRadio. In this 15-episode event, Bowen and Matt discuss the top storylines, obsess over Italian culture, and find out what really goes on in the Olympic Village.

Advertise With Us
Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2026 iHeartMedia, Inc.