Anime fans rejoice because Sony (owner of Funimation) has completed its acquisition of Crunchyroll from AT&T for a total of $1.175 billion. This was made possible through the joint venture with Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc.’s subsidiary Aniplex, according to a company press release. This new deal will allow Sony to have access to the two streaming platforms. It will also broaden its range to how both Funimation and Crunchyroll will now share content.

Courtesy of David Eckstein-Schoemann

Sony recently stated in a press release that it plans to combine both Funimation and Crunchyroll to create one mega streaming platform. This is big news for anime fans, as they will have an even bigger supply of anime to binge on. For example, Crunchyroll has 5 million subscribers along with 120 million registered users, with access to 1,200 titles in over 200 countries. They also own the rights to exclusive series broadcast in Japan such as “Naruto: Shippuden” and “Jujutsu Kaisen”. On the other side of the anime market, Funimation has 800 titles, with the app being available in 49 countries on 15 different platforms. They are also distinct from their counterpart, as they give fans the option to watch their shows on Simuldub. Meaning fans can watch series such as “Demon Slayer” and “My Hero Academia” in English. With these two streaming services, Sony will control the mass majority of the anime market. 

Courtesy of Funimation.

Sony Pictures  CEO Tony Vinciquerra stated that the company intends to “create a unified anime subscription experience as soon as possible.” Vinciquerra later added:

“We are committed to creating the ultimate anime experience for fans and presenting a unique opportunity for our key partners, publishers, and the immensely talented creators to continue to deliver their masterful content to audiences around the world.”

Courtesy of Crunchyroll.

Anime is a medium that has been constantly evolving and growing for the past decades. It has given us layered heroes, deep villains, and stories that push the boundaries with how their stories are told. With multiple series containing hundreds of episodes, the amount of content involved is nothing short of astounding.

As someone who enjoys watching aliens, ninjas, sorcerers, etc., this sounds like a deal any anime fan can get behind.

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