Crunchyroll CEO Steps Down In Favor of Funimation Veteran
Crunchyroll and Funimation have been titans in the anime industry for decades, and their recent merger is now impacting their upper leadership. After being integrated under Sony, a new report has confirmed the CEO of Crunchyroll is stepping down. Colin Decker is making way for new leadership at the joint company as one of Funimation's veterans prepares to take his place.
The information was shared today with Sony Pictures employees courtesy of Keith Le Goy. Decker is described as someone who "championed and played a key role" in the acquisition of Crunchyroll last year.
For those unfamiliar with the situation, Crunchyroll was previously operated by AT&T before being sold to Sony last year to the tune of $1.175 billion USD. The properties are now being integrated with Crunchyroll becoming the face of anime streaming globally. In the last month or so, much of Funimation's anime catalog has been moved to Crunchyroll for streaming, and future integration plans are still on the table.
As for Purini, the new president shared their excitement with employees to set Crunchyroll into a new era. "It is an honor and a privilege for me to take on this new role, and to drive the next chapter of Crunchyroll forward," Purini shared in a new statement. "Having spent the last seven years involved in nearly every facet of the business, and seeing how far we've come – the opportunity ahead is bright, and I look forward to what we will do together next."
READ MORE: Food Wars and Several Huge Shows Are Leaving Crunchyroll Soon | Crunchyroll to Rebrand Funimation's YouTube as Dub-Centric Channel | Crunchyroll to No Longer Offer Free Ad-Supported Streaming for New Releases
This new shift in leadership promises to expand Crunchyroll to new heights, and the anime industry is watching the company carefully. With the acquisition merging the service with Funimation, Sony Pictures Entertainment has a massive global reach with anime audiences. As of last fall, Crunchyroll hit a milestone by collecting five million paid subscribers and 120 million site users overall. There is no doubt the number will increase under Sony's guidance, but as the anime industry becomes more lucrative, competition will inevitably arise. Crunchyroll has already experienced this with HIDIVE, a streaming competitor operated by AMC. The service recently became the exclusive home of Sentai Filmworks projects following their exit from Crunchyroll earlier this year.
What do you make of this latest Crunchyroll-Funimation shift? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.
