Sony's Funimation completes $1.175 billion Crunchyroll acquisition
It's official: Crunchyroll and Funimation are now both under Sony's banner following the completion of the latter's acquisition of AT&T's anime business.
First announced last December, the $1.175 billion acquisition gives the company access to Crunchyroll's extensive anime library with more than 1,000 titles and 30,000 episodes.
"The deal provides the opportunity for Crunchyroll and Funimation to broaden distribution for their content partners and expand fan-centric offerings for consumers," Sony said in a statement.
Founded in 2006, the U.S. animation-streaming service is a premier anime direct-to-consumer platform that boasts more than five million SVOD subscribers and serves 120 million registered users across more than 200 countries and territories. The anime streaming service also offers AVOD, mobile games, manga, events merchandise and distribution.
Funimation's streaming services, on the other hand, has a growing catalog of over 700 anime series and 13,000+ hours of content available on 15 platforms and in 49 countries.
"The two brands you know and love will be working together, and we believe this is a great thing for fans and the industry, alike! Both teams are knowledgeable, passionate, and have been committed to the anime community for decades. We couldn’t ask for better partners," Crunchyroll said in a separate statement.
“We are very excited to welcome Crunchyroll to the Sony Group,” Sony Group Corporation president and CEO Kenichiro Yoshida said. “Anime is a rapidly growing medium that enthralls and inspires emotion among audiences around the globe. The alignment of Crunchyroll and Funimation will enable us to get even closer to the creators and fans who are the heart of the anime community. We look forward to delivering even more outstanding entertainment that fills the world with emotion through anime.”
Meanwhile, Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. chairman and CEO Tony Vinciquerra said Crunchyroll "adds tremendous value to Sony’s existing anime businesses."
"With the addition of Crunchyroll, we have an unprecedented opportunity to serve anime fans like never before and deliver the anime experience across any platform they choose, from theatrical, events, home entertainment, games, streaming, linear TV—everywhere and every way fans want to experience their anime. Our goal is to create a unified anime subscription experience as soon as possible," he said.