Anime fans have expressed frustration online after Crunchyroll announced it won’t grant users access to Funimation digital copies when the two streaming services merge fully.
Crunchyroll’s guide explaining the merger — which will see Funimation fully absorbed on April 2, 2024, two years after it was announced in March 2022 — makes the lack of digital copy transferring clear.
“We understand that you may have concerns about your digital copies from Funimation,” Crunchyroll said. “Please note that Crunchyroll does not currently support Funimation digital copies, which means that access to previously available digital copies will not be supported.
“However, we are continuously working to enhance our content offerings and provide you with an exceptional anime streaming experience. We appreciate your understanding and encourage you to explore the extensive anime library available on Crunchyroll.”
Anime fans haven’t responded particularly well to this news, taking to social media to share their frustration. “Digital is rental. Example 2,371,” said DoesItPlay on X/Twitter. “Stop paying for streaming media,” added EposVox. “Buy things you actually own.”
“It was nice to have them. I’m glad I invested in the physical versions of these shows. I will not be switching to Crunchyroll after the shutdown,” said Lucian_B_Vash on Reddit.
There are some caveats to this, however, that point to issues with Funimation’s original system more than Crunchyroll’s absorption of the company. Funimation is primarily a streaming website that doesn’t allow users to purchase individual anime series. Digital copies were a promotion made available through the purchasing of physical DVD or Blu-ray discs, meaning a digital copy on Funimation was only available to those who already owned that anime on disc. Users could not purchase digital versions of anime directly from Funimation the same way Prime Video, for example, offers both streaming and digital purchases as separate products.
Fans have criticised Funimation’s digital copies promotion for years too, as it doesn’t actually give them digital ownership of the series but instead allows them to stream it without signing up for Funimation’s premium subscription. A Funimation account and online connection are still required.
Funimation users will need to make the decision to transfer to Crunchyroll or lose access to anime streaming by April 2. Crunchyroll is otherwise home to thousands of hours of anime and is the largest home of “simulcasts”, meaning anime that arrives in the west as soon as it’s released in Japan.
The issue of digital rights is one of the hottest topics within entertainment, and in particular in video games where downloads have become the predominant portion of game sales for many companies. Last year’s huge Xbox leak revealed Microsoft’s alleged plan to launch a digital-only mid-generation console refresh of the Xbox Series X and S. In October, a Ubisoft executive admitted physical sales will get even lower.
Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.