Today, the anime fandom was given a grim reminder, and it had nothing to do with Attack on Titan. Not long ago, reports informed the world Funimation and Crunchyroll were ending their partnership. And, as you can imagine, fans are taking to social media to mourn.
Videos by ComicBook.com
According to a post by Variety, Funimation and Crunchyroll are going their separate ways. The decision stems from the former being recently acquired by Sony Pictures Television. With the parent company hoping to turn Funimation into a global brand for subtitled and dubbed anime, its content relationship with Crunchyroll has ended, and fans are feeling distraught.
As you can see in the slides below, the grieving process is hitting fans at all different stages. Some are in denial. Others are ready to bargain with both services, and then there are those trying to figure out which site they will continue subscriptions with.
At this point, there is no word on the titles being effected by this split. In a recent memo obtained by Variety, the CEO of Funimation said hundreds of subtitled anime will be moving back to it streaming catalog once the partnership dissolves in full.
“We have enormous respect for the relationship we forged with Crunchyroll and will be working with them closely over the next several months to ensure a seamless transition in terms of our respective catalogs and offerings. That said, there will be some immediate changes ahead as we unwind the partnership,” Gen Fukunaga explained.
“On November 9, 2018, our subscribers will have access to several hundred subbed titles when our catalog reverts to Funimation, while a handful of dubbed titles will no longer be available on FunimationNow. All the titles licensed during the partnership will continue to be shared with Crunchyroll and available to FunimationNow subscribers.”
A released statement by Crunchyroll seconded the announcement and reassured fans all home releases pre-ordered as part of the partnership with Funimation will be upheld. The service also told fans on-going simulcasts started under the team-up will continue, giving fans of My Hero Academia and Attack on Titan some good news. To top things off, a new report also confirmed Crunchyroll’s sister site VRV will be adding Hidive as a channel in the coming weeks, giving users the opportunity to binge series like Legends of the Galatic Heroes.
So, how do you feel about the deal’s dissolution? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics and anime!
Markets Gone Wild
This is a good observation. There was a very real threat, a couple of years ago, that Netflix and/or Amazon could’ve just decided to push CR and Funi out of the market they’d created– they had the leverage and capital to do that. Good thing Amazon Strike sucked lol!! https://t.co/jxJLRCKEKd
โ Mike Toole (@MichaelToole) October 18, 2018
Let The PR Battle Begin
Variety: “According to Fukunaga, the deal with Crunchyroll โended amicably this month.โ”
โ The Tomb of Zacula (@ActionZacku) October 18, 2018
Crunchyroll: “Unfortunately, Funimation has decided to go their separate way, and this partnership will be winding down on Friday, November 9th.”https://t.co/MhcBm9jABE
Anime Titans Unite
โ Arara | ไธญ้็ฎก็่ทใขใฉใฉ (@arara_) October 18, 2018
Alexa, Play Us A Sad Song, Yeah?
Not only is Funimation breaking up with VRV, but Crunchyroll as a whole as well. What the fuck happened?
โ Noah โจ??โโ๏ธ (@OnelnLemillion) October 18, 2018
Baby, Come Back!
it was so much better with the partnership; crunchyroll for subs and funimation for dubs. It was easy to understand and very easy to find what you wanted to watch on VRV T-T crunchyroll and funimation was such a good partnership i hope youโll go back to it ;-;
โ Sora!! (@PiplupGoku) October 18, 2018
Step Back Into The Past
Very disheartened by this. Really loved getting basically every new show dubbed by @FUNimation. Disappointed itโs reverting back to how it used to be ?
โ Craigs68 (@craigs68) October 18, 2018
Hulu, The Dark Horse of Anime
Here’s my response to Crunchyroll and Funimation no longer being partners:
โ BlueEyes (@BlueEyed1412) October 18, 2018
I have Hulu.
Drake Goes In For Otakus
Crunchyroll-hime: Do you love me?
โ YonkouProductions (@YonkouProd) October 18, 2018
Funimation: Only partly, I only love my bed and my Sony I’m sorry.
And The Custody Battle Begins
It looks like @Crunchyroll and @FUNimation are having a divorce. Time to cancel my CR subscription since most of their good shows were from Funimation anyway.
โ Del Rey Amontillado (@Con_Impunidad) October 18, 2018
It Was Too Good To Last
With Sony in control of Funimation the split with them and Crunchyroll makes more sense now it’s a damn shame though I really liked VRV it was the best of both worlds but it looks like that subscription will have to end and go back to dual subs to both again man this really blows pic.twitter.com/tcGncfE6j7
โ iSoH Spooky (@JustiSoH) October 18, 2018