Forum Settings
Forums

Funimation Global Group Acquires Crunchyroll

New
Dec 9, 2020 6:31 PM
#1

Offline
Mar 2017
353

AT&T Inc. (AT&T) and Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. (Sony Pictures Television) announced on Wednesday an agreement to sell AT&T's Crunchyroll to Sony Pictures Entertainment's Funimation Global Group, LLC (Funimation). The declared US$1.175 billion sale price will be subject to adjustments and regulatory approvals.

Variety reported in August that WarnerMedia—an AT&T subsidiary—was looking to sell Crunchyroll for an estimated US$1 billion, which belonged to Warner Media's Otter Media division at the time. The entertainment news outlet speculated that Sony Pictures Entertainment was a potential buyer.

Funimation and Crunchyroll formed a distribution partnership in September 2016 to increase their respective catalogues by sharing licensed properties. The partnership ended in October 2018, shortly after AT&T acquired controlling interest in Otter Media from Chernin Group.

Crunchyroll is a California-based video streaming service founded in 2006 that has since expanded to include licensing, manga, mobile games, merchandise, and original animation production. Its streaming platform serves over 90 million registered users and 3 million paid subscriptions in over 200 countries. The company currently offers over 1,000 anime titles and 30,000 episodes, a figure it claims gives it the largest selection of anime in the world. Crunchyroll expanded its global reach when it acquired a majority stake in the VIZ Media Europe Group in September 2019.

Funimation is a Texas-based entertainment company founded by Gen Fukunaga in 1994 that specializes in the licensing, distribution, and dubbing of East Asian media—primarily anime. On its official website, the company claims it has "tens of millions" of users worldwide.

Sony Pictures Television acquired a 95% stake in Funimation for US$143 million in July 2017. The group of investors that previously owned Funimation included Fukunaga, who retained a 5% ownership and remains the company's president.

Funimation acquired UK distributor Manga Entertainment in May 2019. In September of the same year, Sony Pictures Television merged Funimation with Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc. subsidiary Aniplex's France-based Wakanim and Australia-based Madman Anime Group. Prior to the consolidation, Funimation's catalogue was purported to consist of over 600 titles representing over 10,000 hours of content.

Source: Press Release
ImperfectBlueMar 1, 2022 9:45 PM
Pages (2) [1] 2 »
Dec 9, 2020 6:56 PM
#2

Offline
Nov 2012
1372
Does this means more low-q live actions?

My Candies:


Dec 9, 2020 6:56 PM
#3
Offline
May 2015
2216
With this news, I hope it goes back to the days where they used to be partners and I didn't have to worry about who's grabbing what license. That was honestly one of the best aspects from CR and Funi's partnership. When I saw CR grabbing an anime then it was a guarantee that Funi was going to do the English Dub for that show. The way their partnership worked was:

- Crunchyroll would have the English Sub of a show
- Funimation would then dub it

....and I LOVED it.

When their partnership ended, I was so bummed out but it looks like Sony buying CR is going to take us back to the good ol' days. I also hope they take it a step further by making it just one service with Funimation and Crunchyroll's anime titles on it. I know some people wouldn't like this step because of "monopoly" but the way I see it, I don't have to pay 2 separate subscriptions just to watch anime. As of right now, I'm paying $70 a year for Crunchyroll and $80 a year for Funimation and I'd prefer to just pay for 1 subscription
jc9622Dec 9, 2020 7:00 PM

Dec 9, 2020 7:03 PM
#4
Offline
Jun 2020
2644
Good thing these two are not yonko level that would prevent me from becoming the pirate king.
Dec 9, 2020 7:09 PM
#5
Trickster

Offline
Jun 2011
2033
A lot of questions come with what’s arguably the biggest move in the history of the western anime licensing industry.

Will Crunchyroll cease to exist? Very doubtful. Crunchyroll is too popular to just simply dissolve. But obviously now they, Funimation, and Aniplex will all share titles. Which most likely means they’ll rollout a subscription plan that covers both Funimation and Crunchyroll, while also leaving the option to only subscribe to one or the other.

What about Crunchyroll Originals or the partnership between them and Webtoon? Will they also continue California dubbing? I sure hope so, it adds variety to the dub scene.

What’s truly worrying is the effect it will have on the industry. While this isn’t a total monopoly, it’s close. Sentai Filmworks and Viz Media still remain, as well as *shudder* Netflix.

Hard telling what’s going to happen, but I believe they will save the details for some time early next year. Not sure when the merge will take place, could be the beginning of next quarter or at the beginning of the year.
Dec 9, 2020 7:21 PM
#6

Offline
Oct 2020
400
F Crunchyroll

- Brazilian Otaku
Read light novels!
2023 Update: Do NOT read light novels. Regular novels are better. Glory to Haruki Murakami!!!
Dec 9, 2020 7:32 PM
#7

Offline
Sep 2008
4091
where low effort translations and agendas meet, our story begins!
馬鹿げた倫理 全部ガラクタで
Dec 9, 2020 7:41 PM
#8
Offline
Jun 2020
79
This is the next step in the master plan of Sony "Global" to censor and Americanize anime and thus Japanese culture. It was fortunate that a wrench was thrown into the globalists' plans when the Olympics were cancelled, but this is the next logical step for them.
Dec 9, 2020 7:45 PM
#9

Offline
Sep 2018
9675
Hopefully with the unison there will be more simuldubs in the future.
Dec 9, 2020 7:46 PM
Offline
Jul 2018
564646
didn't funimation and crunchy split up before?

so they realized they're still in love with each other and got together again huh.

not a bad ending I'd say. wondering if a third wheel will come. I fucking hate love triangles.
Dec 9, 2020 8:01 PM

Offline
Oct 2015
816
left anime is coming sjw agenda is coming
Dec 9, 2020 8:14 PM

Offline
Nov 2008
27784


Start using Animelog and sailing the high seas, because Sony is going give us censored garbage and bad CG anime.


Dec 9, 2020 8:33 PM
Offline
May 2016
1855
I actually like this, there are major concerns like the monopoly, or incredibly minor concerns like agendas and whatnot

But frankly, I like this because I hope I'll have access to both catalogs without having to pay for both.

I also want CR shows to get boy rays, as CR doesn't release blu rays, and while Funi's blu rays are borderline robbery, I still get a blu ray worg an uncut dub and marathon mode.

I want Gintama on boy ray
I want to watch Dr. Stone in sub
I want to watch laid-back camp season 2
Etc.
Dec 9, 2020 8:57 PM

Offline
Nov 2008
995
Big Brudder all the way
AnimeThemes.moe <- the largest collection of anime Openings & Endings on the Web
AnimeMusicQuiz.com <- guess an anime from your list by it's Opening/Ending music browser game
Dec 9, 2020 9:11 PM

Offline
Apr 2014
1144
This could be a good and bad thing depending on how things go. Many people are worried about censorship. But I think that is highly unlikely I seen their shows on Funimation dub now and then. Nothing is really censored so far. In terms of English dub language it seems more mature than the subtitles now and then. Though we all know that Crunchyroll has their own English dubbing of certain series they license too. Maybe the dubbing might be different now, or it will only happen on some shows if Sony allows it. There might not be multiple languages of dubbing anymore as Sony may be in control of that now.

Another thing people are worried about is that crunchyroll Original anime may not be around anymore. Maybe RWBY might be booted out. Or no more webtoon anime originals. Who knows.

As for games which crunchy roll has been good at lately from what I have been researching. That may not be a thing anymore. I do not know. It is all up to Sony.

They could make one big subscription and hopefully provide better service. Or Sony may shut down Crunchyroll for good as some people were concerned about. Which I think could be highly unlikely. Hopefully.

Maybe Crunchyroll Expo can be more bigger than before, and possibly have more improvements and combine it with Funimation. Or it can be discontinued, and there will one less anime convention I would be going too, and will be missing because they do a fantastic job if memory serves me correctly in/on 2019.

Like I said it can be a good and bad thing at the same time. What is your guys' take on this? If anything I do not know how it will go economically since I am not good at that. But I listed my concerns and hopefully I can discuss this further with y'all. Like I said and repeating myself again.I think this is a good and bad thing possibly. This depends on how Sony wants to operate.



Dec 9, 2020 9:19 PM

Offline
Aug 2015
1495
Hamazura said:
left anime is coming sjw agenda is coming


Since Netflix stuffed their nose we have seen some left stuff in recent anime. So this is just solidifying it.

What I hope is that they still put the effort into globalizing anime, because I understand the reason Funimation only works in NA, but damn, if they cut the other regions then I´ll just pirate everything again, like how it was some years ago.
Dec 9, 2020 9:21 PM

Offline
Sep 2020
935
This maybe a good thing but my gut worms tells me that this is going to be one hell of a diarrhea.
Dec 9, 2020 9:24 PM

Offline
Feb 2017
162
Sony's attention to Latin America is horrendous, it will surely neglect that side of the pond as it happened with Locomotion and Animax ...
Well at least the original shows to come won't be as horrendous as the Crunchyroll originals.
The truly intelligent person is one who can pretend to be a fool in front of a fool who pretends to be intelligent.
Dec 9, 2020 9:28 PM
Offline
Jul 2018
564646
I don't know whether this is good decision but I will support them.
Dec 9, 2020 10:12 PM

Offline
Feb 2019
7915
LETS GOOOOO. Funi and CR in one subscription is going to be amazing. Yea, we had it somewhat before with VRV, but this makes it one company. Hype.
Dec 9, 2020 10:35 PM
Offline
Nov 2020
10
Crunchyroll is better than Funimation app wise so is Funimation(app) going to get better or is Crunchyroll(app) going to get wrost
Dec 9, 2020 10:44 PM
Offline
Dec 2018
5
the 2 worst things ever become 1
Dec 9, 2020 10:48 PM

Offline
Dec 2017
191
I guess having more access to anime on one service might be an advantage, but i really can't be too happy about sony and netflix having the majority of western anime licenses.
Objectivity? In my anime scoring? Of course not...
Dec 9, 2020 10:57 PM

Offline
Jul 2019
15151
man, you should see how much I care.
Dec 9, 2020 11:09 PM

Offline
Oct 2017
23504
RIP Crunchyroll.
Dec 9, 2020 11:36 PM

Offline
Jan 2009
91610
if this means better pay for the CrunchyRoll translators then good since i heard Funimation pays their translators good
Dec 10, 2020 12:08 AM

Offline
Jul 2015
10960
How does it affect someone who avoids dubs like a fire and watches mostly p*rated anime?

Dec 10, 2020 12:11 AM
Offline
Feb 2009
1
I wonder what does it mean for Europe... In my country legal sources are very limited. Even on Crunchyroll a lot of titles are not available because of licensing. If it means that Funimation will be available (at all) with library of both Crunchyroll and Funimation, then go for it! <fingerscrossed>
Dec 10, 2020 12:15 AM

Offline
Jul 2017
273
deg said:
if this means better pay for the CrunchyRoll translators then good since i heard Funimation pays their translators good
Oh, that's something I hadn't thought of! Translation is something that's super important and I take it for granted all the time. Fingers crossed that all the CR employees get increased wages.
Dec 10, 2020 12:26 AM

Offline
Oct 2019
112
If they make this payed only I’m gonna lose it. I also hope that funimation is just gonna do nothing. Cr is perfect the way it is and there no need to change it. Well maybe the player and the availability of shows in Europe are places to work on, but the platform itself is not worth changing.
Dec 10, 2020 1:17 AM

Offline
Dec 2007
11
I have subscribed to both Crunchyroll and Funimation for a long time now, and have to say the only time I've ever been tempted to drop one has been Funimation... (which I have been tempted to do several times). Reason mainly being due to Funimation Apps being pretty terrible. Crunchyroll on the other hand is perfect imo. I can only hope that either nothing changes, or Funimation apps improve. If Crunchyroll App ends up taking a dive, I'll end up sobbing into my Hime body pillow.
Dec 10, 2020 1:37 AM
Arch-Degenerate

Offline
Sep 2015
7664
I don't like what this means for ecchi. Too much piracy is rooted in CR and Funi is anti-ecchi, i.e. if they don't refuse to work on the series outright they gut their dubs in ways that make them come off as inaccessible/hostile/condescending to the target audience for this type of thing. I feel like they draw their line quite clearly as a business and that they don't leave a lot of room for interpretation on matters like this.

I never minded Funi doing this since I don't really watch dubs or care about them, and almost nobody I know watches ecchi dubbed as far as I know, but I hope that doesn't translate into what CR picks up since that'd be a *lot* more impactful than Funi just being shitty people about it. That's my concern.

CR is already a bit too prudish for my liking, but credit where it's due, as much as I hate 'em they were way more lenient and willing to work with ecchi than Funi. If they're Funi's lapdog now, that scares me.

Not like it matters either way. Sony's also fucking terrible and I had reasons to be concerned as soon as I heard their involvement in this when this rumor mill started working.
ManabanDec 10, 2020 1:44 AM

Dec 10, 2020 1:54 AM
Offline
Jan 2016
428
blech I think I just threw up in my mouth a bit
I'd rather die a free man then live under the rules of idiots
Dec 10, 2020 2:57 AM
fanservice<3

Offline
Mar 2012
12071
i hope this encourages people to move to anilog

and i really hope this isn't RIP anime
EcchiGodMamsterDec 10, 2020 3:12 AM
Dec 10, 2020 3:07 AM
Offline
Oct 2017
8
Two shit companies merge into one big shit.
Dec 10, 2020 3:15 AM

Offline
Mar 2015
113
Dreadful news. Funi's heavy into political localization, shit app service, and actively disdaining fans. Crunchy's only going to suffer from this, and I'm saying this as someone who doesn't really care for Crunchy either.
Dec 10, 2020 3:33 AM

Offline
Jan 2009
91610
minniemoon said:
deg said:
if this means better pay for the CrunchyRoll translators then good since i heard Funimation pays their translators good
Oh, that's something I hadn't thought of! Translation is something that's super important and I take it for granted all the time. Fingers crossed that all the CR employees get increased wages.


ye fingers crossed indeed because one major criticism of capitalism is labor exploitation anyway
Dec 10, 2020 3:50 AM

Offline
Sep 2011
9876
deg said:
if this means better pay for the CrunchyRoll translators then good since i heard Funimation pays their translators good
Yet their translations are fucking top-tier garbage lmao. Let's not even get into their editing of said subtitles either.
Dec 10, 2020 4:16 AM

Offline
Aug 2013
5322
Tyrel said:
deg said:
if this means better pay for the CrunchyRoll translators then good since i heard Funimation pays their translators good
Yet their translations are fucking top-tier garbage lmao. Let's not even get into their editing of said subtitles either.

Right? That's the irony. CR subs (when done by themselves, so excluding sentai and aniplex) are actually the only good official subs.
Dub = fake crap. Always.
Dec 10, 2020 4:18 AM
Offline
Jan 2018
4711
If an anime is censored in japan it's going to be censored on funimation or Crunchyroll
Dec 10, 2020 4:43 AM

Offline
Jul 2020
478
So monopolism, no competence and hitting employees is going to be more usual... hm. I just hope this doesn´t mean they will extorsionate the studios because they are the only one in the market. This can be great or incredibly wrong. AT&T will make us find out
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Check my latest web novel on Our Greatest Comeback🦊⛩️ and please drop a like or comment if you liked it!
Dec 10, 2020 5:23 AM

Offline
Sep 2013
22818
almost 2 BILLION
Streaming money is huge, it must make tens of millions with 1 ep for the top earners or this doesn't add up at all.
Dec 10, 2020 5:35 AM

Offline
Nov 2020
95
I hope we can still watch stuff here on the Mal site.

I'm level on MAL-Badges. View my badges.

Dec 10, 2020 6:28 AM

Offline
Jan 2019
145
Be interesting to see what the subscription model looks like. VRV probably leaving my back account though.
Be happy with what you have to be happy with
Dec 10, 2020 6:34 AM

Offline
Oct 2019
2629
Definitely a major move on behalf of Funimation.
Dec 10, 2020 6:38 AM

Offline
Aug 2009
20023
Pay US$1.175 billion for an ex pirate site, still have shit translators that dont like anime for shitty subs.

Thank god fansubs arent completely dead yet.
Dec 10, 2020 6:57 AM
Offline
Dec 2017
243
I kinda saw this coming when they started promoting racist, sexist and bigoted content activists. Instead of actually promoting actual content creators. At that moment, I knew the original creators of Crunchyroll were long gone and all that was left were some modern virtue signaling bigots. I'm not surprised at all.
Dec 10, 2020 8:19 AM

Offline
May 2012
170
Crunchyroll was always a shitty legal alternative. 1 billion is overpriced as hell as the hype for Crunchyroll has died down. Even Domics doesn't get sponsored by them anymore.
I am sad that Horrible subs had to go down because of Covid situations, they were way better than Crunchyroll subs were by translators who were working low wages with a limited amount of work to go around and strict deadlines, of course, its gonna be not up to par. Plus they saw the need to improvise the translations to be politically correct. Fuck Crunchyroll!!
Dec 10, 2020 8:35 AM
Offline
Jan 2009
347
If AT&T and Sony Pictures are smart, the former will give VRV and Rooster Teeth to the latter and keep the stuff as is. Given that Crunchyroll has been streaming Rooster Teeth content for how ever many years and I believe even before the original Crunchyroll/Funi alliance started, that would make sense to include RT and VRV as part of the deal. Also, I don't think Sony should be opposed to keeping VRV and the licensing stuff as is the same. For example, their are classic Nickelodeon cartoons channels on VRV. Nick is owned by ViacomCBS. I also hope that HIDIVE/Sentai get all their anime streaming rights back and that HIDIVE/Sentai come back even bigger and stronger.
Kadmos1Dec 11, 2020 8:02 AM
Dec 10, 2020 9:02 AM

Offline
Nov 2020
90
fullmetalpower said:
Crunchyroll was always a shitty legal alternative. 1 billion is overpriced as hell as the hype for Crunchyroll has died down. Even Domics doesn't get sponsored by them anymore.
I am sad that Horrible subs had to go down because of Covid situations, they were way better than Crunchyroll subs were by translators who were working low wages with a limited amount of work to go around and strict deadlines, of course, its gonna be not up to par. Plus they saw the need to improvise the translations to be politically correct. Fuck Crunchyroll!!


I'll just correct one minor thing. Horriblesubs didn't actually sub anything they just rip the stream and the subtitles from legal source.
Pages (2) [1] 2 »

More topics from this board

» 'Yuru Camp△' Season 3 Announces Additional Cast

Nioxys - 31 minutes ago

0 by Nioxys »»
31 minutes ago

» 'Dungeon Meshi' Second Cour Reveals Additional Cast, Theme Songs, Third Promo

DatRandomDude - 4 hours ago

3 by Playcool »»
3 hours ago

» 'Kusuriya no Hitorigoto' Second Season Announced

Nioxys - Mar 23

18 by Adnash »»
5 hours ago

» 'Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest' Unveils Main Staff, Summer 2024 Premiere

Vindstot - Mar 11

25 by Juventinoaymen »»
6 hours ago

» 'Ookami to Koushinryou: Merchant Meets the Wise Wolf' Reveals Additional Cast, Staff, Third Promo

DatRandomDude - Mar 21

19 by HloFrndz »»
8 hours ago
It’s time to ditch the text file.
Keep track of your anime easily by creating your own list.
Sign Up Login