There is no denying digital media is a double-edged sword. While such content is easy to access, there is usually a catch when it comes to ownership. From music to television, most digital media is simply licensed to users rather than sold outright. This issue has sparked a war between digital and physical media that is now coming for anime. After all, Funimation is sunsetting this spring following its Crunchyroll merger, and the latter site is not going to support Funimation's digital copies.
The information went live this week as Funimation posted a press release confirming its site will shut down this April. It was there a thorough Q&A was shared, and it confirmed Crcunhyroll "does not currently support" digital copies from Funimation.
"We understand that you may have concerns about your digital copies from Funimation," the press release reads. "Please note that Crunchyroll does not currently support Funimation Digital copies which means that access to previously available digital copies will not be supported. However, we are continuously working to enhance our content offerings and provide you with an exceptional anime streaming experience."
As you can see above, anime fans who redeemed digital copies of shows and/or films will not have their libraries transferred to Crunchyroll. This is because digital content often come with terms of use that make it clear you're not actually buying content to own; Rather, you are licensing content for a personal library from a specific service. When Funimation ends its service, its digital licenses will disappear as well, and Crunchyroll has no obligation to take them over.
Obviously, netizens aren't happy about this update as you can see some of their reactions in the slides below. When it comes to media and owning entertainment, this latest blow proves physical media reigns supreme. So if you are a digital consumer, well – just know this situation can happen at any time with most any content.
What do you make of this latest streaming shift? Let us know what you think in the comments below as well as on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!