Funimation to Acquire Crunchyroll (Crunchyroll to swallow Funimation content)

[BigOnAnime]

Did the spine change the SKU from FN-10618 to FG-10618?

Wonder what else they'll reprint like this. Still wouldn't take my chances on hoping stuff will get re-released or reprinted with the Crunchyroll logo as you never know what is going to happen.

[MOONPHASE]

Originally Posted by FullmetalClover

I was looking on eBay and I noticed two listings for My Hero Academia Season 5 Part 1 that doesn't include the digital copy, and any mention of Funimation now says Crunchyroll. I guess this is what we can expect to see going forward.

Funimation (from Right Stuf):

[Show spoiler]

Crunchyroll (from eBay):

[Show spoiler]

Makes sense since Funimation has a separate App from Crunchyroll and is also the better app between the 2 despite all of the faults with Funimation’s app.

[TThomas]

Originally Posted by BigOnAnime

Did the spine change the SKU from FN-10618 to FG-10618?

Wonder what else they'll reprint like this. Still wouldn't take my chances on hoping stuff will get re-released or reprinted with the Crunchyroll logo as you never know what is going to happen.

Same happened with 2 Volumes of High School DxD S1 in Germany - for which the Kazé-license expired some time ago, but was recently reprinted with Crunchyroll logos (after license reneval) using the old EAN.

[gloomranger]

https://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-ne...ng-crunchyroll

EDENS ZERO, UQ Holder and Other Manga Are Leaving Crunchyroll

Due to changes to the following titles’ distribution program, Crunchyroll has a handful of manga chapters and series that will soon leave the platform. The following titles will be leaving the service on January 31, so give them a read while you can.

• A Sign of Affection
• Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card
• Drifting Dragons
• EDENS ZERO
• Fairy Tail
• Farewell, My Dear Cramer
• Fire Force
• In/Spectre
• Space Brothers
• That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime
• The Ghost in the Shell: The Human Algorithm
• The World of Summoning
• To Your Eternity
• Toppu GP
• UQ HOLDER!
• Wave, Listen To Me!

Kodansha also released the following statement to Crunchyroll News:

"Due to forthcoming changes in Kodansha’ simulpub distribution program, we are suspending simulpub updates until further notice. For now, the best way to keep up with your favorite series will be by following the collected volumes. We at Kodansha are deeply sorry to those of you who have kept up-to-date through the simulpub format, and while we can’t divulge any details at the moment, we have exciting announcements to make about simulpubs in the coming months."

[Taikero]

I picked up MHA: World Heroes Mission on Blu-ray, and it's the first MHA movie to not come with a digital copy code. Disappointing to see that the merger is resulting in worse overall product quality/value for the same price. If series releases also go the same way (which it sounds like they're somewhat pushing that direction), it's going to drive down their relative value by quite a bit.

[Glorian]

Originally Posted by Taikero

I picked up MHA: World Heroes Mission on Blu-ray, and it's the first MHA movie to not come with a digital copy code. Disappointing to see that the merger is resulting in worse overall product quality/value for the same price. If series releases also go the same way (which it sounds like they're somewhat pushing that direction), it's going to drive down their relative value by quite a bit.

Really? They were just for a free viewing on Funi's site; not even worth as much as a real digital copy, I'd say. It really isn't much of a loss; those things were pretty much worthless. With Funi discontinuing their site and moving to CR, the access for those will be lost in the not so distant future anyway. So they're almost completely pointless to include now, which is why they aren't being done anymore. The 'relative value' will be pretty much unaffected for most people, I'd say.

[Girls With Guns]

Yet another instance of digital copies just going away, it's all just basically vaporware in the end. Digital copies were always such a useless concept to me to begin with. I've never used a single digital copy from any of my anime or live action Blu-rays. Why would I even need them if I have the Blu-ray it came with? I watch all my video at home, not on portable devices.

[neoz]

I bet all those Kodansha titles if there is an anime for them end up on Hulu and then Disney+ outside the US.

[segapluto]

Originally Posted by Girls With Guns

Yet another instance of digital copies just going away, it's all just basically vaporware in the end. Digital copies were always such a useless concept to me to begin with. I've never used a single digital copy from any of my anime or live action Blu-rays. Why would I even need them if I have the Blu-ray it came with? I watch all my video at home, not on portable devices.

They're really not a reliable outlet for owning stuff. I remember one of my funi codes from a sealed Gintama bluray they released a few years ago didn't work. Similar thing happened to me with WB's digital codes on vudu for Batman TAS. I put the code in on my vudu account and at first I had access to the Batman TAS eps I owned digitally but later on when I signed back into the site months later I no longer had access to them anymore.

[Taikero]

Originally Posted by Glorian

Really? They were just for a free viewing on Funi's site; not even worth as much as a real digital copy, I'd say. It really isn't much of a loss; those things were pretty much worthless. With Funi discontinuing their site and moving to CR, the access for those will be lost in the not so distant future anyway. So they're almost completely pointless to include now, which is why they aren't being done anymore. The 'relative value' will be pretty much unaffected for most people, I'd say.

While their app isn't perfect, Funimation has an app for Android and Android TV, which makes viewing relatively convenient from a phone, tablet, or Android TV set-top box. Yes, Blu-ray is better, but free moments don't always arise while able to sit down and watch on your primary screen.

In any case, when it comes to digital streaming, I generally prefer "owning" a digital copy rather than needing to subscribe or watch ads (or both, in some cases). It's the least-evil option, which makes it rather unfortunate when developments like this occur.

[Girls With Guns]

Ugh, I would probably end up slitting my wrists If I ever had to watch anime on a mobile phone or tablet, for me that would totally suck donkey danglings. I hate using a mobile phone for anything but voice calls and maybe some text messaging, and I've never owned a tablet, so I really don't have any use whatsoever for digital copies. I have a theater in my basement where I prefer to watch my anime on a 120" projection screen; after experiencing that on a regular basis, a phone or tablet screen is not even remotely a palatable option. I'm patient enough to wait until I have free time at home to watch my anime up on the big screen in my theater. I haven't even purchased a single live action movie in the past 5 years, since 2018, only anime - so all those hundreds of digital copies in my hollywood movie Blu-rays are long expired.

[starsteam]

When we were stuck with >1mbps internet I had no choice but to watch anime on my phone using my >5mbps cellular data. Eventually they bumped our internet up to 5mbps but the Playstation app for Crunchyroll was awful and the ads would always play in maximum quality so they often would take minutes to buffer through or crash the app. Even with a paid subscription I'd get annoying skips while watching something. I only paid for Funimation and didn't have as many problems.

They eventually upgraded the wires in the area, bumped the speed to 100mbps and I bought a Roku. Glad those caveman days are behind me.

[LexInHD]

Watching stuff on my Fire HD 10 isn't a bad experience, but it's not the sort of tablet you can really take with you in most instances. I primarily use it when I'm laying in bed at night or relaxing in a bath, propping it up on my PillowPad for viewing.

[Bobo1313]

I have a fire tablet with its main purpose being streaming. My eyes aren't in the best shape and its nice to be able to watch stuff without glasses on. It's good tablet for that purpose, especially for the price, I think I paid $50 for it.

[BoopityBoop]

I don't mind watching streaming stuff on my phone, but would never watch a streaming copy of something I own physically. Digital copies I also typically ignore, but some of my digital copies have been upgraded to 4K since the 4K versions released, so that's a nice perk for non-anime titles I don't feel like double-dipping on.

[Lum]

I don't seek out digital copies, but I usually redeem them when I've got em.
Too bad few anime includes codes. (my small slate of digital titles isn't awful mind you. there's Back to the Future, Ghostbusters, etc)

[veritas]

I would say digital copies are really nice to have anytime you aren't at home. A digital copy is very nice to have anytime you have a 12 hour car ride or long plane flight. You can also end up just being away from home sometimes for long periods.

[veritas]

As far as digital copies go. I don't buy digital copies but at the same time the price I am willing to pay for a release can change rather drastically depending on if the release actually comes with a digital copy. I could buy soul 4k for around 8 dollars used and I probably would have bought it by now if I didn't want the digital copy also.

Overall crunchy roll not including digital copies will lower my target price point by 25% to 33% probably.

[briwas101]

Originally Posted by Taikero

I picked up MHA: World Heroes Mission on Blu-ray, and it's the first MHA movie to not come with a digital copy code. Disappointing to see that the merger is resulting in worse overall product quality/value for the same price. If series releases also go the same way (which it sounds like they're somewhat pushing that direction), it's going to drive down their relative value by quite a bit.

It's unfortunate that the codes are leaving. I also noticed it with Attack on Titan final season part 2. This was kind of expected though, as crynchyroll releases didn't come with codes, so with everything going under the crynchyroll name going forward it was assumed that digital copies would no longer be included.
They want their bluray releases to *supplement* their streaming service, not compete with it or diminish its value. People who buy enough of their blurays (like me) could build a large enough digital collection that a monthly subscription isn't necessary. People could also sell off the codes or go halfsies (one person gets discs, one person gets code) which reduces demand for their streaming subscription.
My assumption: legacy bluray/dvd combos will be retired to bluray only, and bluray/digital combos will be retired to bluray-only. It looks like initial releases are still getting the bluray/dvd treatment, but they will probably later release bluray/only versions as they move away from DVD.

[briwas101]

Originally Posted by Girls With Guns

Ugh, I would probably end up slitting my wrists If I ever had to watch anime on a mobile phone or tablet, for me that would totally suck donkey danglings. I hate using a mobile phone for anything but voice calls and maybe some text messaging, and I've never owned a tablet, so I really don't have any use whatsoever for digital copies. I have a theater in my basement where I prefer to watch my anime on a 120" projection screen; after experiencing that on a regular basis, a phone or tablet screen is not even remotely a palatable option. I'm patient enough to wait until I have free time at home to watch my anime up on the big screen in my theater. I haven't even purchased a single live action movie in the past 5 years, since 2018, only anime - so all those hundreds of digital copies in my hollywood movie Blu-rays are long expired.

Many of those digital codes still work. Some studios retire the codes on the expiration date, and some even retire them early (wtf?), but most will work years later. Just recently I redeemed codes that 'expired" 10 years ago. Not only that, but codes that told you to redeem them at websites that don't even exist anymore still mostly work.

Try them yourself, or give them to your daughters. Lots of those codes are still valid