All articles tagged with #crunchyroll
Crunchyroll raised monthly prices by up to 20% across its remaining plans after eliminating the free tier at the end of 2025, with new subscribers paying the higher rates immediately and existing subscribers seeing changes after March 4. The move follows Sony’s 2020 acquisition of Crunchyroll and the Funimation merger, highlighting ongoing consolidation in the anime streaming market and a trend toward higher costs for fans.
Crunchyroll is raising its prices in the US and select international markets across all tiers (Fan, Mega Fan, Ultimate Fan): Fan goes from $7.99 to $9.99/month, Mega Fan from $11.99 to $13.99, and Ultimate Fan from $15.99 to $17.99, with existing subscribers seeing the new prices after March 4; the Fan Tier now includes offline downloads on one device, a perk previously limited to higher tiers, as streaming price hikes continue across major platforms.
‘Chainsaw Man’ The Movie: Reze Arc exceeded expectations by grossing $17.2 million in the U.S. during a slow October, with a total overseas gross of over $61 million, marking a significant success for anime at the box office and following the record-breaking performance of ‘Demon Slayer’.
The success of 'Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle,' which has become the highest-grossing Japanese film and top-earning anime feature ever, underscores the massive global popularity of anime. Crunchyroll CEO Rahul Purini highlights how this milestone demonstrates anime's mainstream appeal, its diverse audience, and the strategic importance for Sony, which has integrated anime into its core growth sectors. The film's success is expected to boost future installments, streaming, merchandising, and further solidify anime's position in global entertainment.
An official anime adaptation of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, titled Sekiro: No Defeat, has been announced, set to feature fully hand-drawn animation and debut later in 2026 exclusively on Crunchyroll outside Japan, China, and Korea. The adaptation aims to respectfully bring the game's story and aesthetic to life, with a talented cast and crew involved in its production.
FromSoftware's popular game Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is getting a fully hand-drawn anime adaptation titled Sekiro: No Defeat, set to stream on Crunchyroll in 2026, featuring a story inspired by Sengoku-era Japan and produced by ARCH and Qzil.la.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is being adapted into an anime titled Sekiro No Defeat, exclusively available on Crunchyroll, with a trailer showcasing iconic game moments, aiming to appeal to both fans and newcomers, and marking a significant step in FromSoftware's anime collaborations following Sony’s increased investment in Kadokawa.
Anime Expo in Los Angeles, attracting 100,000 fans, is a major event for Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures to connect with dedicated anime fans, promote new projects, and celebrate anime as a global art form and lifestyle. The event highlights the growing popularity of anime, fan engagement through cosplay and social media, and the importance of anime in mainstream entertainment, with Crunchyroll emphasizing its role as a comprehensive destination for anime enthusiasts.
Sony Group Corporation announced the launch of an academy aimed at nurturing anime creators for global markets, with collaboration from Aniplex and Crunchyroll.
Sony is solidifying its dominance in the anime industry by developing a new software platform called AnimeCanvas to accelerate content production and considering the launch of an anime academy to nurture new creators, as announced in a recent Corporate Strategy Meeting.
Crunchyroll announced plans to bring three anime movies, "Haikyu!!: The Dumpster Battle," "Blue Lock The Movie – Episode Nagi," and "Overlord: The Sacred Kingdom," to North American theaters, underscoring the growing mainstream appeal of anime. The move comes as anime has become increasingly important in domestic theaters, offering alternative programming amid a slowdown in studio films. Crunchyroll, which was acquired by Sony in 2021, has seen success with previous anime releases and aims to capitalize on the passionate fanbase and unique storytelling of anime on the big screen.
Fans are outraged after Crunchyroll's North American Miku Expo events featured virtual diva Hatsune Miku on a flat-screen TV instead of a hologram, leading to criticism of understocked merch vendors, expensive tickets, and a disappointing concert experience. Attendees are considering legal action, as they feel misled by event organizers who allegedly kept the use of a TV instead of a hologram a secret until the event.
Funimation and Crunchyroll are working to compensate customers who will lose their digital libraries in the upcoming merger, with options such as access to digital copies on other services or discounts on subscription services. However, the process seems inconsistent and difficult to take advantage of, with some customers receiving boilerplate responses from customer service. The merger comes after Sony's acquisition of Funimation and Crunchyroll, and customers are concerned about losing access to their digital copies. Sony customers have previously faced similar issues with their digital purchases, raising concerns about the handling of digital libraries in the entertainment industry.
Sony Pictures Entertainment's profits for the third-quarter of fiscal year 2023 surged 57% to $281 million, with revenues also rising 5% to $2.473 billion. The increase was attributed to higher television and digital streaming licensing revenues, home entertainment sales, and the success of theatrical releases like "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse." Additionally, the company noted significant increases in the Financial Services, Pictures, and Music segments, with a 16% rise in sales for Games & Network Services. Sony also highlighted the success of Crunchyroll and expects the impact of Hollywood strikes to be around $133 million.
Sony's merger of Funimation with Crunchyroll will result in the erasure of purchased digital content, causing frustration among anime fans who had expected to have access to their content indefinitely. While physical copies will still provide access, the move serves as a reminder of the impermanence of digital content and the control companies have over it.