Funimation Merges With Crunchyroll | The Rise of the Anime Monopoly 

I hope the animator gets a better salary...

Sony: The Anime

*the world now enter great age of pirates* .

1:50 its perfect Sasuke is purple and Naruto is orange exactly their aura colors

As long as Crunchyroll Doesn't Disappear and Doesn't decline in quality, I'm perfectly okay with it.

Finally! Thank you! There's so much fear mongering about this, but I don't think this is a big deal. Here's why: Cutting down multiple paywalls will make anime much more accessible and much more attractive to new fans. One of the biggest instigators of piracy is the multiple paywalls. As great as it is to be able to watch anime legally now, it's incredibly frustrating and ridiculous that anyone should have to buy HIDIVE for Made in Abyss, Crunchyroll for A Place Than The Universe, and Funimation for Kaguya-sama for example. It's understandable that this would lead to the concern of a monopoly, but the anime industry isn't like EA and sports games. The anime industry is a global phenomenon. The fans have a lot more power over Sony due to size of the anime community, and mostly Netflix, but also Hulu and Amazon, are still around to take advantage if Sony screws up. The fandom will force Sony to innovate. I also don't think that the companies will merge like the general consensus implies. I think they will see a reunited union of the former Crunchyroll x Funimation partnership, but on a much greater scale with VRV, which includes HIDIVE, being thrown into the mix. I do think that the apps will be combined somehow, but I think they will work as separate entities, but in one big union under Sony as the boss. This is will lead to better content as we won't have to worry about some anime getting dubs and others not, or even worse, a Sentai Filmworks dubs. So long as the scripts aren't altered for the sake of censorship or forcing politically correct leftist agendas down our throats, than every anime would get good subs from Crunchyroll with a good dub from Funimation just like how it used to be. This union would also lead to underrated gems like Girls' Last Tour finally getting the attention they deserve on this super platform for everyone to see. And honestly, my biggest concern is what will happen to My Anime List now. In conclusion, if Sony does this right, this will be a huge innovation for making anime fully mainstream. P.S. I'm probably dreaming, but I absolutely love to see Funimation use this to make a 24/hour anime TV network. There's a special magical hype to weekly runnings, so having a 24/hour anime network just like you have 24/hour cartoon networks for kids, but on Fubo and Sling would be a dream come true! 😭 Apparently, Funimation used to have one before actually? It was called the Funimation Channel, but apparently it bombed. That's what someone told me in a RU-vid comment.

I'm currently working on a new anime recap video (5x bigger & better) but when I saw this news I couldn't wait to hear your guys' opinions on this deal so please let me know your thoughts in the comments!

I am late to the party, but here's why I think Sony could never become a proper monopoly and artificially jack up prices because of the lack of competitors-- Piracy. Anime is distributed digitally, and as soon as Sony starts raising prices they'll lose a lot of the potential customer base. On top of that Crunchyroll used to be notoriously region locked. In my country crunchyroll does not stream JOJO for some reason. Let's just say I had to 'sail the high seas with a hook and a eyepatch' for that one.

you never had to pay Crunchyroll to watch 90% of anime to begin with. Funimation on the other hand required you to pay for half their library

Funiroll more like **Funeral** Goodbye guys- cya later in the afterlife

I want them to merge actually i hate paying seperate services and watch different shows instead i will be watching it

I was so pissed when i heard about this now i dont feel the need to support crunchyroll and will now probably start pirating

One thing I really hope that comes out of this is that certain anime’s that aren’t on Crunchyroll and are on funimation (lucky star, cowboy bebop) are released onto crunchyroll.

I don't see what the big issue is I use to pay for VRV when it had funimation and crunchyroll together now I pay more money to have both. I'm glad that they are back together

Yeah I’m with you. I thought people were super biased about the issue too. “Bunch of CR fans” were my exact thoughts regarding the discussion online. I’m fine with the merger. It’s worth being worried about potential monopolies, but CR and Funi were already together before. This just puts them together again. If some big company has to own the services I’d rather it be Sony. My opinion was basically we can revisit this discussion after there’s actually legit reasons to call this a monopoly on anime. I didn’t know about Sony owning Aniplex. Thanks for informing me.

Hidive , anilog and rooster teeth should team up against the monopoly that is funiroll

No. The biggest concern is the fact that you can no longer "try out" anime via crunchy roll for free.

Not sure why people blame and bash Funimation for this. Crunchyroll was owned by AT&T, it was them that for months and months and months went out begging "Please, someone buy Crunchyroll from us!". Funimation/Sony just finally decided "Sure, we'll buy it!". If people should be mad at anyone it should be with AT&T since they are the ones that gave up on Crunchyroll.

Will there still be a free with ads version

Wow, funimation and Crunchyroll. Lol, i dont use either xD, i alr got websites i watch anime on

I wish ViacomCBS could acquire an anime distributor.

Well personally, I never really supported any legal streaming websites except for crunchyroll and I always have been watching anime/reading manga on pirated websites so I don't really got much to say about this lol

great points made in this video

Is there going to be a joint streaming site soon is it worth getting a subscription for either ?

I just want to know if there will still be a free mode

The two biggest streaming services out there, if they combine the two libraries in one service that’s just awesome for me, have been paying for both for a year now 😅

Crunchyroll does have a good service... Funnimation has been crap since 2012.

Dont know exact details but i feel like everyones forgetting about the japanese animation companies creating some type of joint youtube channel to publish their anime shows for free. Again not spot on details but it shows that the way we get access to LEGAL anime is changing anyways. So how much will this merger actually affect in the long run ? Just something to think about

Perhaps now crunchyroll will be worth subscribing too, and they won't take down animé in the middle of watching, as happened when they had their "agreement".

Sooo... it’s basically the old VRV, on steroids?

Disney : already a monopoly Fans : yeah we'll just ignore that Sony : buys 80% of anime Fans : what a monopoly so unfair Me: hypocrite

A year later, what you said happened

Two Days away from the internet : Anime industry's Biggest deals!!!! Week away from the internet: Anime doesn't have the name Anime.....

When will the merge happen?

I just hope funimations player gets better like come on. I have to keep stopping and restarting the damn player because it just stops playing

VRV is so nice it would be so nice to just replace hidive with funimation ik it’s like bad for the industry but it would be nice

I think higher prices will happen but not much else that wouldn't happen if it didn't happen

1.175 BILLION?!

Fuck this. Am I wrong in assuming I can't watch the free version of crunchy roll?

I wonder when they will merge so i can get more animes in denmark

Personally, I don't belie they will merge together, why doing that then raise the price when you can keep both at the same price subscription. But hopefully, they will go back to sharing content like before, ideally subs for Crunchyroll and dubs for FUNimation, I'm tired of having to jump between websites and plans fo watch my favorite shows, especially when one has the 1st season and the other have the 2nd. What I really care is if they'are gonna include FUNimation in VRV and if VRV will be available outside US, since I'm not in the States. Tbh, both of them don't have good reputation for trans and what not, so I really don't hope for better quality, just not dropping it is good enough.

Anime fans: We pirate anime because there are too many legal anime streaming websites. Also anime fans: Sony buying CR and monopolising anime streaming is bad! Here in Australia, we have AnimeLab which is owned by Funimation and the AnimeLab website and video player is way more better than CR and Funimation.

Yahollo ma dude

I'm hoping funimation will be on vrv so I can for anime once a month instead on twice

Funimation and Crunchyroll have formed to become an unholy abomination. Where else does our hope lie?

I wonder if Microsoft should Buy Bell System Bell Telephone AT&T alphabet Google Android Apple Sony Warner media Viacom Disney Amazon Nintendo if they can't buy each other maybe they can merge with each other is it possible? Is it legal? PS should Amazon buy Walmart and Dollar General?

Crunchyroll can’t even upload tonikawa over the moon for you and and jujutsu Kaisen on time . Why is it late EVERY FRIDAY. If I had a computer I would probably try an find the shit but I been using chrunchyroll I like it for everything else

Just buy the Blu Ray

I'll just steal shit. And if it's good I'll buy it.

I am going to laugh if Microsoft starts buying streaming services like hidive to compete with Sony.

God, please no censorship

Literally who care long as I can watch sub and dubs

U forgot the worst thing. Many of The subtitle have their original meaning changed. And they purposely change it instead of directly translating it

i prefer sub, my games dub.

In my opinion Crunchyroll was doing awesome on it own but this is good news that they team up with funimation. Good discussion dude💪💯

Since crunchyroll was purely American I'm kinda glad its now owned by japan. Lesser the American influence the better.

This is Sony's game plan for anime: asia.nikkei.com/Business/Media-Entertainment/Sony-sets-out-to-conquer-entertainment-world-with-anime "Sony unit Aniplex is behind "Kimetsu no Yaiba," or "Demon Slayer," an anime series that stormed Japan and has now launched abroad. The conglomerate aims to make anime a new growth engine through multichannel sales of not only the productions but all intellectual property associated with them." "Unlike specialized streaming services and other content providers, the Sony group blankets the entire anime sector: Aniplex is a production company; Sony Interactive Entertainment sells PlayStation; Animax Broadcast Japan is the country's largest fee-based anime channel; and Funimation is the biggest Japanese anime distributor in the U.S. Meanwhile, Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) has an exclusive label for anime songs." -Funimation acquires Crunchyroll with Sony's backing -SIE sells PlayStation, won't even bother with anime games -Aniplex is the production company of the anime sector. Aniplex dropped a bomb in April by announcing Demon Slayer for PS4 developed by CyberConnect2. Expect acquisitions very soon. Another point to bring up. Yasui-san created Freedom Wars with SCE but left Shift after God Eater 2 Rage Burst and God Eater Resurrection. He was credited as lyricist for one of TrySail's songs on their first album. vgmdb.net/artist/18216 He was also heavily involved with song production for idol songs in Freedom Wars performed by these three girls who are now TrySail under Sony Music Entertainment Japan's exclusive label for anime songs (Sacra Music) where LiSA is signed too. If Yasui-san disappeared in the gaming industry then this can explain why he has been gone for so long. Aniplex is planning to expand their business to PlayStation. They have no ground when it comes to game studios focus on anime games. Acquisitions are inevitable along with a organic studio. Funimation acquires Crunchyroll to expand globally. Bilibili in mainland China and Animax Broadcast in Japan. Aniplex is building a army of studios from both anime side and gaming side. I think Aniplex will acquire Ufotable after the success of Demon Slayer movie breaking all box office records for a movie made in Japan. That means Aniplex will have A1-Pictures, CloverWorks and Ufotable. On the gaming side which is a new market for Aniplex to enter: -Acquisitions -Organic studio (where Toshiyuki Yasui is now) This is a quite strategic move from Sony I must say. SIE has already given up on the domestic market by laying off more than half of their marketing team in Japan. This could bolster PlayStation's presence in Japan a lot despite the purpose is to make loads of money off worldwide audience.

When will the merge happen?