When Crunchyroll and Funimation merged under the banner of Sony Entertainment, anime fans knew that the medium had witnessed one of the biggest changes in its history, as both companies have become powerhouses in the universe of anime. Unfortunately, it seems as though this merger has ushered in a series of recent layoffs as Crunchyroll reportedly laid off around eighty-five employees from its company. The employees were located at offices in the United States, France, Germany, Australia, and Moldova to name a few as Crunchyroll has twelve locations at present.
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The layoffs were reported by Anime News Network, in which the outlet was able to talk with an internal source and state that an “All Staff Meeting” informed those who were laid off that the positions were being eliminated thanks to the merger. In talking with a number of sources, ANN also learned that the decision was made not to cut costs, but rather, to resolve “redundant roles”.
Crunchyroll Funimation Merger
The merging of Crunchyroll and Funimation was announced in the latter half of 2020, with the merger officially taking place on August 9th 2021. Crunchyroll previously was owned by AT&T and was purchased for $1.175 billion USD. The General Manager of Crunchyroll, Joanne Waage, had this to say when it came to the streaming platform becoming a part of Sony Entertainment:
“We are excited to embark on this new journey. Crunchyroll has built a world-class brand with a passionate fan-base of over 3M subscribers, 50M social followers and 90M registered users. These amazing fans have helped to propel anime into a global phenomenon. Combining the strength of the Crunchyroll brand and the expertise of our global team with Funimation is an exciting prospect and a win for the incredible art form of anime.”
On the flip side, CEO of Funimation Global Group, Colin Decker, commented on the merger as such:
“The union of Funimation and Crunchyroll is a win for anime fans around the world that will elevate the art and culture of this medium for decades to come. Combining these two great companies will be a win for fans, and enable us to compete at a truly global scale. I am honored to welcome the wonderful Crunchyroll team to a shared mission—to help everyone belong to the extraordinary world of anime.”
The affected staff who were laid off from Crunchyroll were primarily in the marketing and engineering sections of the company, as per the source that spoke with ANN.
