The Sony owned Funimation Global Group has completed its acquisition of the anime platform, Crunchyroll from AT&T in a deal that closed out at $1.175bn.
Finalising a deal that was first detailed in December 2020, it now sees the Crunchyroll business welcomed into the Funimation fold – a partnership made up of Sony Pictures Entertainment and Sony Music Entertainment Japan.
The deal – valued at $1.175bn – arrives in recognition of the pace at which the popularity of anime is growing among audiences the world over.
“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,” said Kenichiro Yoshida, chairman, president, and chief executive officer, Sony Group Corporation.
“We look forward to delivering even more outstanding entertainment that fills the world with emotion through anime.”
Crunchyroll is an anime direct to consumer service that boasts more than five million SVOD (streaming video on demand) subscribers, offering mobile games, manga, events merchandise and distribution to over 120 million users worldwide.
“Crunchyroll adds tremendous value to SOny’s existing anime business, including Funimation and our terrific partners at Aniplex and Sony Mucis Entertainment Japan,” said Tony Vinciquerra, chairman and chief executive officer, 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 key partners, publishers, and the immensely talented creators to continue to deliver their masterful content to audiences around the world.
“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.”
