A lot is changing for anime fans. Though streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video are curating increasingly varied anime catalogs, services like Funimation and Crunchyroll have always come out on top, offering a larger variety of both famous and obscure anime. Going forward, though, Crunchyroll is taking over completely.
Did Funimation and Crunchyroll merge?
In 2020, Crunchyroll and Funimation announced a merger that was meant to benefit all avid anime consumers. In the past, Crunchyroll and Funimation both had access to different exclusives, and the merger brought their libraries together, giving subscribers access to more titles at no extra cost. But change is on the horizon.
On Wednesday, February 7, Crunchyroll reported that the Funimation website and app will be shutting down on April 2, 2024. As such, Funimation subscribers have less than two months to either cancel their subscriptions, migrate their accounts over to Crunchyroll, or merge their Funimation account with an already existing Crunchyroll account (as long as the two accounts are tied to the same email address). In both cases, subscribers will be given the option to maintain their Funimation watch history and queue data.
Though many subscribers will be pleased to finally find all of their favorite anime on one platform, the Funimation shutdown does come with one major downside. Unlike other anime streaming services, Funimation allowed subscribers to purchase additional digital content from DVDs and Blu-rays as digital files. However, once Funimation shuts down, those files will no longer be supported.
This has, understandably, caused outrage on social media, and it’s an ongoing issue in today’s online media landscape. Purchasing something digitally is no guarantee that you’ll be able to access it forever, though it arguably should be.
There are also growing concerns about Crunchyroll (which is owned by Sony) monopolizing the anime distribution industry. What need is there for it to stay competitive if it’s the only legitimate anime streaming platform left? How will that affect consumers going forward?
What is the Crunchyroll price increase?
Some Funimation subscribers will experience a price hike once their accounts are transferred over to Crunchyroll.
Those who were locked into legacy Funimation subscriptions—in other words, consumers who were allowed to keep their subscriptions at the same price point as when they first signed up—will experience a major cost increase.
The official Funimation press release regarding the shutdown reads as follows: “As part of our transition to Crunchyroll, the price of your new Crunchyroll plan will increase on your next billing cycle and charge your current payment method on file. Future billing will be provided by Crunchyroll. You will receive an email with more information.”
One X (formerly Twitter) user shared that their new Crunchyroll plan will increase from $54.95 a year to $99.99 a year from January 2025 onwards.
Currently, it is unclear whether existing Crunchyroll subscribers will be affected by price hikes, too. The cheapest Crunchyroll plan available in the U.S. at the moment costs $7.99 a month, while the premium options cost $9.99 a month or $14.99 a month. Other streaming platforms, including Netflix, Disney+, Max, and Prime Video, have all increased their standard subscription prices in the last few months, including tiers with ads as their newest, cheapest options. What’s to stop Crunchyroll from doing the same now?
(featured image: Sony/Funimation)
