'Chainsaw Man' MAPPA/CHAINSAW MAN PROJECT/Tatsuki Fujimoto/SHUEISHA/Sony Pictures Share on Facebook Share on X Share to Flipboard Send an Email Show additional share options Share on LinkedIn Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share on Tumblr Share on Whats App Print the Article Post a Comment How ubiquitous is anime? It's now being used to treat lazy eye in children. Anime giant Crunchyroll has partnered with Luminopia, a digital health company that devises new treatments for significant neuro-visual disorders, for a new VR treatment for kids with lazy eye (amblyopia). This isn't just some random press release PR stunt: the therapy is FDA-approved and doctor-prescribed. Technically, what is approved and prescribed is Luminopia's treatment, which straps a VR headset on kids and forces them watch TV for one hour a day, six days a week. Crunchyroll anime is a new programming option, joining Nickelodeon, PBS Kids, Sesame Workshop and, recently, hundreds of episodes of the original Pokémon animated series. With the pre-existing lineup, it's actually a bit of a surprise that Crunchyroll took this long: Crunchyroll is a subsidiary of Sony, and Sony (through its Sony Innovation Fund) is an investor in Luminopia. Related Stories Movies Grammy Nominee Masego to Compose Score for Anime Film 'Mfinda' (Exclusive) Movies Jim Carrey in Talks to Star in 'Jetsons' Live-Action Movie for Colin Trevorrow A recent study by third-party researcher National Resource Group found that 59 percent of U.S. teens say they're anime fans. Crunchyroll commissioned the study. No matter your preferred genre, the Luminopia treatment sounds a hell of a lot more enjoyable than the old way: patching the good eye in hopes the lazy one catches up. Lazy eye affects about one million pediatric patients nationwide and is the leading cause of vision loss in children, per Luminopia. The Luminopia method encourages the brain to use both eyes together. It also encourages kids to stick with their therapy by ... letting them enjoy their therapy. "Our mission has always been to transform lazy eye treatment into something children are actually excited about," said Scott Xiao, co-founder and CEO of Luminopia. "By bringing anime content from Crunchyroll's catalog into our library, we're giving patients more shows to choose from, with the goal of making therapy as engaging as possible for every single child." "Anime takes viewers on incredible adventures, and now with Luminopia, we're glad anime can help kids' treatment journeys feel more like fun," said Mitchel Berger, executive vice president of global commerce at Crunchyroll. THR Newsletters Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day Subscribe Sign Up Live Feed 'Chad Powers' Boss on Why Season One Was So Short and If We'll See Chad's Sophomore Year Live Feed 'Only Murders in the Building' Renewed at Hulu, Moves to London for Season 6 World Series World Series 2025: Where to Stream the L.A. Dodgers vs. Toronto Blue Jays Online Without Cable Live Feed 'Nobody Wants This' Producers Reveal What Got Scrapped, Pushed and Rewritten in Season 2 Nickelodeon Nickelodeon VP Communications Lilah Kojoori to Exit After 20 Years at the Network Live Feed Cheryl Burke on What to Expect From Her 'Dancing With the Stars' Return for Halloween Night Live Feed 'Chad Powers' Boss on Why Season One Was So Short and If We'll See Chad's Sophomore Year Live Feed 'Only Murders in the Building' Renewed at Hulu, Moves to London for Season 6 World Series World Series 2025: Where to Stream the L.A. Dodgers vs. Toronto Blue Jays Online Without Cable Live Feed 'Nobody Wants This' Producers Reveal What Got Scrapped, Pushed and Rewritten in Season 2 Nickelodeon Nickelodeon VP Communications Lilah Kojoori to Exit After 20 Years at the Network Live Feed Cheryl Burke on What to Expect From Her 'Dancing With the Stars' Return for Halloween Night