Full-Time
Video Playback Services Software Engineer 3
Playback Services
Posted on 8/18/2026
Crunchyroll
1,001-5,000 employees
Subscription-based streaming for anime content
No salary listed
San Francisco, CA, USA
Hybrid
 Software Engineering (1) |
|---|
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- Have 5+ years of professional software development experience building backend services in production environments.
- Have strong experience with backend programming languages such as TypeScript, Go, or similar.
- Have hands-on experience with cloud platforms like AWS or GCP and be comfortable working with distributed systems in production.
- Understand video streaming fundamentals, application programming interfaces, backend service architecture, and the operational realities of delivering playback at scale.
- Be able to independently own well-scoped projects from design to deployment and make sound technical decisions with the right stakeholder input.
- Be comfortable working in systems related to content protection, entitlement, secure content access, or adjacent playback security concerns.
- Be able to debug moderate to complex service issues and improve systems through testing, documentation, observability, and maintainable design.
- Communicate clearly, collaborate effectively across functions, and proactively surface risks, trade-offs, and dependency concerns.
- Be motivated by improving delivery velocity, strengthening operational coverage, and helping build redundancy in critical technical domains.
- Design, build, and improve backend services and application programming interfaces that support secure, reliable video playback.
- Take ownership of projects that improve content protection and security services, playback latency, streaming security, content publishing, and availability testing.
- Deliver well-scoped projects from design through deployment while balancing speed, quality, and long-term maintainability.
- Collaborate with product, quality assurance, and adjacent engineering teams to ship high-quality features and operational improvements.
- Strengthen the team’s ability to support and evolve content protection and security-related systems by contributing in a specialized area critical to future roadmap execution.
- Participate in on-call and incident response, helping expand coverage and improve response effectiveness over time.
- Debug and resolve moderate to complex production issues related to video delivery, entitlement, configuration, service health, or content protection and security flows.
- Contribute to code reviews, design discussions, testing practices, and technical documentation to improve overall engineering quality.
- Identify technical risks and dependency gaps early, then work with the appropriate stakeholders to drive them to closure.
- Help increase delivery velocity through pragmatic solutions, dependable execution, and durable service improvements.
Crunchyroll streams anime, manga, and Asian dramas to a global audience. It runs a subscription-based service with a free, ad-supported option and premium memberships that offer benefits like early episode access, exclusive content, and high-definition streaming. It also earns revenue from merchandise and produces original anime to attract and retain subscribers. What sets Crunchyroll apart is its dedicated focus on anime and Asian pop culture, fostering a loyal community around its niche content, rather than competing broadly with general streaming platforms. The company's goal is to provide easy access to popular and niche anime content worldwide while growing its brand, subscriber base, and exclusive offerings.
Company Size
1,001-5,000
Company Stage
Acquired
Total Funding
$26.9M
Headquarters
San Francisco, California
Founded
2006
Get referred to Crunchyroll
See people who can refer or advise you
Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- July 29, 2026 bundle pricing lowers churn and widens household penetration fast.
- August 11, 2026 Shinkai rights win keeps premium film pipeline aligned with fans.
- August 2026 new titles and Game Vault launches deepen engagement beyond episodic streaming.
What critics are saying
- March 2026 breach litigation exposes 6.8 million emails and support-ticket data.
- VPPA claims over Braze disclosures threaten statutory damages and tighter ad-tracking controls this year.
- Sony can starve Crunchyroll if theaters, games, and anime rights shift to direct bundles.
What makes Crunchyroll unique
- Crunchyroll owns anime-first distribution, merch, games, and theatrical rights like Shinkai’s 2026 film.
- Its 2026 bundle with STARZ on Prime Video expands reach without diluting anime focus.
- Appning in-car streaming puts Crunchyroll inside BMW and Mini dashboards across 40 brands.
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Benefits
Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
Life Insurance
Disability Insurance
Health Savings Account/Flexible Spending Account
Unlimited Paid Time Off
Flexible Work Hours
Paid Vacation
Paid Sick Leave
Paid Holidays
401(k) Retirement Plan
401(k) Company Match
Performance Bonus
Employer Paid Commuter Benefit
Parental Leave
Pet Insurance
Growth & Insights and Company News
6 month growth
↑ 0%1 year growth
↑ 0%2 year growth
↑ 0%Crunchyroll won't release Solo Leveling Season 3 until after 1 major event. Solo Leveling is changing up its release style, with an entirely new project coming soon. Crunchyroll is holding Solo Leveling Season 3 under lock and key until this major event. Aniplex and A-1 Pictures launched the anime in January 2024, with a 12-episode first season tracking Sung Jinwoo's climb from the weakest hunter alive to a superpowered sorcerer who summons the dead. Season 2, titled Arise from the Shadow, followed in January 2025 with 13 more episodes. Since the source webcomic runs 179 chapters, producers have mapped out multiple seasons (up to six), and Season 3 is already confirmed under development. At Anime Expo 2026, Crunchyroll and Aniplex used their showcase to reveal the real Season 3 holdup: a theatrical film called Solo Leveling: Beyond the System. The movie picks up immediately where Season 2 left off and tells an original story that bridges directly into Season 3, diving into the psychological toll of Jinwoo's transformation and the deeper mysteries behind the System itself. Capitalizing on a popular anime with a wide theatrical release has become more than just a trend. Leading the recent surge is the Demon Slayer franchise, whose Infinity Castle film in 2025 earned $136.9 million in the U.S. alone. Alongside the announcement, Crunchyroll released a concept video on YouTube for Beyond the System. It isn't traditional footage so much as a mood-driven preview of the film's tone, displaying unique 3D computer graphics visuals, mixed in with moments of Cha Hae-In and Jinwoo. The video's credits confirm the return of cast members, including Taito Ban and Aleks Le reprising Jinwoo, alongside Rebecca Wang, Makoto Furukawa, SungWon Cho, Haruna Mikawa, Daisuke Hirakawa, and Ian Sinclair. The bridge-movie approach isn't unique to Solo Leveling, either; a handful of major anime have leaned on standalone films to cover connective material without spending TV episodes on it, and Beyond the System looks built the same way, leaning on original scenes rather than manhwa chapters to set the stage for Season 3. No release date has been locked in, though multiple reports point to a 2027 window for the film, meaning Season 3 will have to wait. In fact, D&C Media, the publishing company that owns Solo Leveling's IP and sits on the anime's production committee, added an update into its own fourth-quarter earnings report, confirming the season and attaching a window of "2027-2028." On the surface, a three-year gap between seasons doesn't sound great, but hopefully, the theatrical experience will pay off for fans, especially if both are released in the same year, Notably, that earnings disclosure came just weeks before Anime Expo 2026, where Crunchyroll and Aniplex unveiled Beyond the System, making it seem like the two updates were coordinated rather than just coincidental. Crunchyroll President Rahul Purini also didn't add much of an update, stating that he had "nothing to announce" when asked about Solo Leveling. "Nothing to announce, but we are just as eager as the fans for the next show! We know the creators are actively working on it, so hopefully we can announce something soon." With Beyond the System coming, there's plenty of Solo Leveling stories ahead for fans, and they've still got plenty to cover from the source material. What chapters could Solo Leveling Season 3 cover? Warning - There are potential future spoilers for Solo Leveling in this section Season 1 adapted roughly the first 45 chapters of the manhwa (Korean comic) over 12 episodes, and Season 2 picked up the pace considerably, closing out its 13-episode run around chapter 110. If Season 3 holds a similar or slightly faster clip, it would pick up from chapter 111 and could plausibly push into the 160s, or further before its own finale, especially since Beyond the System's original story may absorb some connective material the anime would otherwise need an episode or two to cover. Fans may already have an early preview of what's coming, per CBR. Solo Leveling: Karma, an upcoming mobile game from Netmarble, released a trailer that includes a scene pulled straight from deep in the manhwa: the death of Go Gunhee, which occurs in chapter 152. Its inclusion all but confirms that beat will land in Season 3, giving fans an unofficial look at one of the story's most devastating moments long before the season itself arrives. While the wait continues, Solo Leveling fans looking for something to fill the gap could do worse than My Status as an Assassin Exceeds the Hero's, which has been highlighted as a fitting replacement thanks to its own gamified story.
Exclusive: new Crunchyroll collab brings anime streaming to cars. Anime on wheels? The app will soon take entertainment on the road. Senior Editor Kourtnee covers streaming services and entertainment... Read full bio August 12, 2026, 9:00 am ET Nothing like kicking back in your car to stream Daemons of the Shadow Realm, right? But instead of watching on your phone, the in-car entertainment system lets you catch the latest episodes on your BMW's dash. Crunchyroll and automotive app store Appning are partnering to bring the streamer's catalog to a selection of vehicles, starting with BMW and Mini and eventually expanding to more than 40 auto brands. The companies announced the team-up on Wednesday, sharing that the anime app will soon arrive in cars. Appning, Forvia's app store, is an in-car platform where customers can access built-in apps for YouTube, Zoom, Spotify and more. The addition of Crunchyroll's streaming service will make anime available to drivers around the world, including North America, Europe, Asia, Latin America (Volkswagen Group only) and Australia. While Appning is the hub behind the experience, TiVo's tech is surfacing titles and personalized recommendations for Crunchyroll subscribers tapping in while chilling in their cars. Using safety-first features, the venture will allow anime fans to watch more than 50,000 episodes of TV shows and movies, plus 25,000 hours of content when the vehicle is parked. So, no streaming while driving, OK? Video playback will be blocked if you attempt to watch while the car is moving. "Today's consumers expect their entertainment to be available wherever they are, including in their vehicle, said Brian McGarvey, Crunchyroll's SVP of global distribution and business development. "With Crunchyroll coming soon to global automotive partners, the anime experience will be even more accessible on every journey. Through this collaboration with Appning, we're glad to provide another way for this passionate, global fan community to enjoy their favorite anime." You will still need a paid Crunchyroll subscription to watch favorites like Demon Slayer, Solo Leveling or Gachiakuta, and plans start at $10 per month in the US. Appning, which is available in car brands such as Mercedes-Benz, Lotus and Volkswagen, is an Android-powered system that carries more than 300 apps. Kourtnee Jackson Senior Editor Kourtnee covers streaming services and entertainment. She previously worked as an entertainment reporter at Endgame 360, where she wrote about film, television, music, celebrities and streaming platforms. See full bio The latest from Kourtnee. Services and Software guides. Cybersecurity Streaming Services Web Hosting & Websites Other Services & Software
Crunchyroll to begin in-car streaming. August 12, 2026 By Nik Roseveare Crunchyroll, the anime SVoD service, has announced a collaboration with Appning by Forvia, an automotive apps distribution platform, which will allow users to stream Crunchyroll content in select vehicles starting with BMW and Mini, and expanding across BMW Group, to over 40 automotive brands. Through Appning, Crunchyroll will be available directly within connected car environments across global regions including Asia, Australia, Europe, India, Latin America and North America, expanding anime access to Crunchyroll's library of more than 50,000 episodes and films and 25,000 hours of content. In BMW vehicles, Appning powers the in-app store and broader digital ecosystem, while TiVo powers the video content discovery experience. "Today's consumers expect their entertainment to be available wherever they are, including in their vehicle. With Crunchyroll coming soon to global automotive partners, the anime experience will be even more accessible on every journey. Through this collaboration with Appning, we're glad to provide another way for this passionate, global fan community to enjoy their favorite anime," commented Brian McGarvey, SVP of Global Distribution and Business Development, Crunchyroll. Crunchyroll has additionally announced that it will be distributing the next project from celebrated filmmaker Makoto Shinkai,
Crunchyroll acquires global rights to Makoto Shinkai mystery film. August 11, 2026 Crunchyroll has acquired the worldwide distribution rights (excluding Asia, with the exception of India) to the next feature film from acclaimed filmmaker Makoto Shinkai, with Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures Entertainment to co-distribute. The director is widely regarded as one of the most influential and successful animation filmmakers working today. Plot details, along with the title and release date, for the upcoming film are not being disclosed at this time. Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures previously partnered on the global distribution of Shinkai's Suzume (2023), which grossed over $300 million worldwide and received critical acclaim, including a Golden Globe nomination. Suzume premiered in competition at the Berlin International Film Festival - the first anime feature to do so in decades - further cementing Shinkai's status as a globally recognized auteur. Shinkai's prior works - including Your Name. and Weathering With You - have achieved both major commercial success and international recognition, helping to redefine the global reach of Japanese animation. Your Name. (2016) became a worldwide phenomenon and one of the highest-grossing anime films of all time, while Weathering With You (2019) was Japan's official submission for the Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film. Makoto Shinkai was born in Nagano Prefecture in 1973. In 2002 he debuted his self-produced short-film Voices of a Distant Star, which won many awards starting with the Tokyo International Anime Fair 21. In 2004 he created his first full-length movie The Place Promised in Our Early Days to great acclaim, which went on to win Best Animated Film at the 59th Mainichi Film Concours. In 2007 he released 5 Centimeters Per Second, which won Best Animated Feature Film at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards, as well as the Lancia Platinum Grand Prize at Italy's Future Film Festival. In 2011, Children Who Chase Lost Voices was released in theaters nationwide and presented internationally as a work unlike the world had ever seen before, winning the "Golden Monkey King" Award at the 8th China International Cartoon and Animation Festival. In 2012 he received a Letter of Appreciation from the Cabinet Secretariat's National Policy Unit as one of the "Global Messengers of Japan". In 2013 he released, The Garden of Words, which won Best Anime Feature Film at Germany's Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film. Also that year, he was awarded the Shinmai Select Prize. In 2016, Your Name. was released to great commercial success, becoming the second-highest-grossing Japanese film. At the 40th Japan Academy Film Prize, it won Excellent Director of the Year and Screenplay of the Year, a first for an animated film. Also critically acclaimed overseas, Your Name. won many awards including Best Animated Feature Length Film at the 49th Sitges Film Festival, as well as Best Animated Film at the 42nd Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards. In 2019, Weathering With You won Animation of the Year at the 43rd Japan Academy Film Prize and was selected as the Japanese entry for Best International Feature Film at the 92nd Academy Awards. 2022's Suzume marked his third film in a row with over 10 million domestic attendance. It also received high domestic and international regard, being selected for competition at the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival and nominated for Best Animated Feature Film at the 81st Golden Globe Awards.
Crunchyroll, Sony Pictures Entertainment to release Makoto Shinkai's next movie. Crunchyroll, Sony Pictures Entertainment previously partnered on the release of Suzume in 2023. Crunchyroll is announcing today that it has acquired the worldwide distribution rights (excluding Asia, but including India) for Makoto Shinkai's next feature film, with Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures Entertainment to co-distribute. Additional details about Shinkai's next movie, including the title, release date and further story information, were not revealed at the time of the announcement. Shinkai's previous theatrical directorial works include The Place Promised in Its Early Days (2004), 5 Centimeters Per Second (2007), Children Who Chase Lost Voices (2011), The Garden of Words (2013), Your Name (2016), Weathering With You (2019) and SuzumeOpens in a new tab (2022). Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures Entertainment previously partnered on the worldwide release of Suzume in 2023. Crunchyroll currently streams Shinkai's latest film, and describes the story: When high schooler Suzume Iwato runs into mysterious and devastatingly handsome out-of-towner Souta, her whole world changes. Intrigued with what he's up to, she discovers an abandoned building with a mysterious door holding a dark supernatural force inside it. To her surprise, these mystical entrances are opening across Japan, in more of its long-forgotten regions. Able to see the supernatural forces that others can't, she teams up with Souta to save Japan by finding the doors and closing them. Before long, doors open one after another across Japan. Guided by the mysterious doors and Daijin, Suzume's journey to lock the doors leads her across the country's islands. What awaits on her mission is unexpected help in the form of a forgotten truth. Kyle Cardine is the Global Editor-in-Chief for Crunchyroll News.