At last it happened! After months of waiting and an antitrust review by the US government, Sony acquired the streaming service Crunchyroll from AT&T.
The purchase valued at US $ 1,175 million, opened the doors of the orange service to be integrated into the Funimation platform in the future.
Although it is still too early to say what this purchase will bring in the future, Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. President and CEO Tony Vinciquerra revealed long ago that one of the goals was to “create a unified anime subscription.”
With the absorption of the orange service, its original projects, contracts with various video games and the support of Aniplex of America, will make Funimation the service with the greatest reach and options in the West.
If we add to that that both platforms were taking giant steps in distribution to Latin America, there is no doubt that together there will be no uncovered corners, or service that can compete on equal terms.
“Crunchyroll adds tremendous value to Sony’s existing anime businesses, including Funimation and our excellent partners at Aniplex and Sony Music Entertainment Japan,” Vinciquerra commented. “With Crunchyroll and Funimation, we are committed to creating the best anime experience for fans and presenting an opportunity for our immensely talented key partners, editors and creators to continue to deliver their masterful content to audiences around the world.”
The reaction of the fans
Now that we know that the two giants have merged, there is nothing left but to watch where the anime world is headed, especially with fans eager to know what the future holds.
As one of the largest sources of entertainment, the biggest concern lies in the payment of this new merger for the user, who every month deposits their money and trust in both brands.
The increase in the amount of the subscription is a real fear, as well as the blockage that Funimation maintains both in its official page, newsletters and content with countries in which it is not available, also going to everything related to Crunchyroll.
If they keep fans in mind, Sony could provide the best of two worlds with this merger or, failing that, the toughest hurdles for fans who want to support legal anime but don’t have the means.