Funimation and Crunchyroll’s billion dollar merger with Sony is complete

Last year, AT&T announced his considering selling Crunchyroll, its anime streaming service, to Sony, the entertainment mega-corporation which also owns Funimation. This happened after years of collaboration between the two companies to publish their respective programs on each other’s digital platforms. The synergy between the two companies is nothing new, but now they are on the verge of a definitive merger.

Today, Sony and AT&T announced that the ink finally dried on the $ 1.175 billion deal Crisp part of Sony’s larger portfolio of localized and dubbed animation content for which it owns the distribution rights. In a statement, Sony said the move was part of the company’s plan to strengthen its offering to consumers. “Crunchyroll adds tremendous value to Sony’s existing animation businesses, including Funimation and our great partners at Aniplex and Sony Music Entertainment Japan,” said Tony Vinciquierra, CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment. “With Crunchyroll and Funimation, we are committed to creating the ultimate anime experience for fans and presenting a unique opportunity for our major partners, immensely talented editors and creators to continue delivering their masterful content to audiences around the world.

When Sony and AT&T first announced plans to Crisp, there were understandable concerns about antitrust and monopolies considering the size and dominance of Funimation and Crunchyroll in the anime space. Like the edge Note, in addition to producing anime, Crunchyroll also publishes manga, hosts anime conventions, and has bought out anime production companies, firmly establishing it as one of the powerful players in the industry. This deal will only make Funimation’s footprint even bigger and, in theory, encourage anime fans to flock even deeper to yet another walled garden within the larger one in progress. streaming wars.

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