A new Sony merger is set to monopolize the anime streaming industry, as the media giant combines Funimation and Crunchyroll.
The formerly separate anime subscription services both offered up a healthy selection of fan-favorite anime, but they’re no longer in competition. After first acquiring Funimation in 2017, and then Crunchyroll in 2021, Sony’s been hard at work combining the two into one overarching anime provider.
That process is due to finish off in just a few months, and when that happens what used to be Funimation will cease to exist. The old app is set to shut down completely, leaving its former subscribers with no choice but to shift over to the new, bulked-up Crunchyroll, or to find alternate anime streaming options.
Funimation is set to disappear in April of 2024, but most of the app’s former offerings will still be accessible over on the merged Crunchyroll. Users will even be able to access their watch history, but they won’t have access to any digital downloads. So if you’re a Funimation subscriber who shelled out cash for a permanent copy of your favorite series, you’ll be losing access to it in just a few months.
There’s good news with the bad, of course, but anytime a huge company eliminates its main competition the consumer suffers. That’s on full display with the new Crunchyroll, which is seeing a major price increase from what Funimation subscribers are used to.
Funimation subscription options
Funimation, or at least the Funimation of old, is set to disappear soon, so interested anime fans are really eyeing a subscription to Crunchyroll, now merged with Funimation. Former Funimation fans were quick to point out the price discrepancy between an annual Funimation subscription and the new Crunchyroll subscription, but the major — nearly doubled — price increase isn’t actually set to take effect until early 2025.
In the meantime, people can hang onto that lower Funimation subscription, or examine the subscription options over at Crunchyroll. To start with, the service does offer a 14-day free trial, which is an excellent option for anyone looking to give the service a try without putting any extra strain on their wallets. From there, the cheapest option will run subscribers $7.99 a month, or approximately $96 a year, and provides viewers with access to the entire Crunchyroll library, ad-free. The next tier up offers the same, along with access to the Crunchyroll game vault, a small discount to purchases made at the Crunchyroll store, offline viewing, and the ability to stream on up to four devices at the same time, for $9.99 a month or around $120 a year.
The final option includes all of the above on top of streaming on two extra devices, a slightly larger discount for the Crunchyroll store — along with free shipping — and an exclusive “swag bag” if you maintain “ultimate fan” subscription status for at least 12 consecutive months. That one will run subscribers $14.99 a month, or right around $180 a year.
Funimation’s subscription cost starting in 2025
Former Funimation fans were taken off guard when, in early 2024, they learned of the major price hike in store for even long-time subscribers. Some anime fans have been subscribing to Funimation for decades now, and they’ve been paying less than $55 a year for the honor. Once the merge is complete, and 2025 rolls around, however, they’ll see that price nearly double.
Starting on Jan. 28, 2025, the cost to subscribe to Crunchyroll — even for subscribers grandfathered in — will rise to $99.99 a year — and that’s not even for the highest tier. Its a tough pill to swallow for many anime fans who, for years, have become accustomed to the relatively low cost of a Funimation subscription. The price hike will see a Crunchyroll subscription cost more than one to Paramount Plus or Hulu, and its a high price to pay for any but the most dedicated anime fans.
Published: Feb 8, 2024 01:19 pm