Sony to buy Crunchyroll in $1.175BN deal
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| 10 December 2020
Further corporate moving and shaking from AT&T as just days after announcing that all of its Warner Brothers films for 2021 will see launch on streaming platforms at the same time as theatrical releases, it has decided to sell off its Crunchyroll anime streaming division to Funimation Global Group.
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A joint venture between Sony Pictures Entertainment and Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) subsidiary, Aniplex, Funimation is taking control of the premier anime direct-to-consumer service within AT&T’s WarnerMedia segment, with more than 3 million SVOD subscribers, in a deal valued at $1.175 billion.

Crunchyroll serves 90 million registered users across more than 200 countries and territories offering AVOD, mobile games, manga, events merchandise and distribution. Sony sees the combination of Crunchyroll and Funimation provides the opportunity to broaden distribution for their content partners and expand fan-centric offerings for consumers.

“We are proud to bring Crunchyroll into the Sony family,” said Tony Vinciquerra, chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment. “Through Funimation and our terrific partners at Aniplex and Sony Music Entertainment Japan, we have a deep understanding of this global artform and are well-positioned to deliver outstanding content to audiences around the world. Together with Crunchyroll, we will create the best possible experience for fans and greater opportunity for creators, producers and publishers in Japan and elsewhere. Funimation has been doing this for over 25 years and we look forward to continuing to leverage the power of creativity and technology to succeed in this rapidly growing segment of entertainment.”

“The Crunchyroll team has done an extraordinary job of not only growing the Crunchyroll brand but also building a passionate community of anime fans. Crunchyroll’s success is a direct result of the company’s culture and commitment to their fans,” added WarnerMedia chief revenue officer Tony Goncalves. “By combining with Funimation, they will continue to nurture a global community and bring more anime to more people. I’m incredibly proud of the Crunchyroll team and what they have been able to accomplish in the digital media space in such a short period of time. They’ve created an end-to-end global ecosystem for this incredible art form.”