The year has only just started, and already I can tell one thing for sure: This is going to be an incredible time for all of us who are fans of anime. New titles like Dimension W are showing the amazing things that can happen when anime studios and Funimation co-produce titles together. New technologies are making anime more available on more screens in more places than ever before. New fans are getting access to the shows they love, and the shows they will love, especially with major updates to our streaming service rolling out over the next several months. All of this is amazing for anime, and everyone at Funimation is honored to be a part of it.
With all this change happening so fast, it’s important to focus on what matters most: you. Our fellow fans of anime. Some of you noticed that our home video dubs were going up on streaming later than they were supposed to, and you let us know about it – thank you! We took a look at the schedule, but we also took this moment to ask ourselves “How can we make this better for ALL fans – sub fans, dub fans, and even fans who just want to buy shows so they can own them forever?”
We knew we could create a schedule that worked better for everyone, so we wanted to make that change now. Going forward, we will continue to release preview episodes of each home video dub and sub on streaming up to six weeks before the product ever hits shelves. This will give everyone a chance to sample the show, find out if they like it, and pre-order the home video if they want. Then, when the home video is released (if not earlier), we’ll post the rest of the dubbed and updated subtitled episodes to our streaming subscribers, giving them the same chance to watch the show as anyone who bought it on disc. Episodes for our Broadcast Dub shows will still be released just weeks after they air in Japan.
You can go to Funimation.com/schedule to find your favorite show, and see exactly when it will be released this year. And, we hope you’ll go to FunimationNow.com to see all of the news about our streaming platform. We have so much coming out for subscribers this year – starting with our brand new mobile apps later this month, and many more great digital experiences in the months to come!
Thank you again to all of you who love anime as much as we do. We couldn’t do this without you!
-Gen
President / CEO – Funimation
