Updated on October 27, 2017
It’s official. The deal has closed for Sony Pictures Television Networks to acquire Funimation — and we’re incredibly excited!
We’re still the Funimation you’ve known and grown up with, and now with the power of Sony, and with Gen at the helm, we have the opportunity to bring the best anime to even more fans across the world. We’ve updated our FAQs with more details below.
Thank you for watching!
Original post
Founder Gen Fukunaga started Funimation with a vision and a mission to make anime as accessible as possible to fans across the world. In the 23 years since we began, we have been committed to creating anime experiences fans love: from bringing Dragon Ball to the U.S., to bringing the best anime to home video and theaters, to SimulDubs that bring episodes in English to fans within two weeks after they air in Japan, to the world’s largest dubbed streaming catalog on FunimationNow.
Today, we announced that Funimation has agreed to sell a substantial majority stake to Sony Pictures Television Networks (SPTN). SPTN is one of the preeminent names in entertainment, and shares our vision to deliver anime to fans globally across all screens and platforms.
You can read additional details on the press release here.
We know you have questions and we’ve answered some of them below. We encourage you to read these answers and thank you for your support and for watching!
FAQ
How does Sony Pictures Television Networks’ acquisition change Funimation?
Funimation has been bringing the best anime to fans for over 23 years and has an expertise in identifying, licensing and distributing anime to our fans, through DVDs, theatrical screenings, and with our streaming service, FunimationNow. We have had a long-held mission to reach more fans with more anime, and now as part of the Sony family we can accelerate that mission through their global footprint of television networks and existing digital offerings. Sony’s networks have been major players in the anime space for nearly two decades in Japan and worldwide. As part of the Sony family, we are excited to have more options to reach more people.
Will the Funimation team change?
Currently, our plan is for Funimation to operate as it has to date. Gen will remain CEO, and the team will continue to deliver the best anime experiences we can to you.
Is this a partnership, merger, or an acquisition?
Funimation has agreed to sell a substantial majority stake to Sony Pictures Television Networks.
What does this mean for your products and services?
Funimation remains committed to making our physical and digital products as accessible to fans as possible and we have no plans to change pricing and placement of our physical or digital product. FunimationNow will remain the same price and will be available in all of its current territories.
Will this delay the release of any content?
There will be no impact to our SimulDub, home video release or theatrical schedules.
What will Sony’s level of involvement be as it pertains to administration, dubbing, distribution and pricing of Funimation anime?
Funimation will maintain control of the operational pieces of dubbing, distribution and pricing of our anime. We know our fans best and will continue to deliver what you love, however you like to watch. Where Sony can help us be more efficient and get anime to more people around the world across devices and countries, we will work together to make that happen and are excited about the opportunity that presents to both serve our fans, and introduce anime to a new audience.
How will this affect Funimation Films’ theatrical releases?
We know that many of our fans love the experience of watching anime in theaters. Sony has a robust theatrical business and we will explore ways to work in conjunction with the team. If you want more anime in more theaters, let us know. We’ll be listening for those requests!
Sony is a Japanese company. What value does that bring to Funimation?
Funimation is a leader in bringing anime to fans across the world. Sony will further strengthen Funimation’s leadership position with expanded and more direct access to anime creators and talent in Japan, the home of Anime.
Will this affect the production or quality of dubs coming from Funimation?
Funimation will always strive to honor the intent of the Japanese creators in our productions. There will be no changes to our translation, script writing, voice actors or production staff. We will be keeping our production facilities in Texas so we can continue to bring SimulDubs to you within two weeks of the Japanese broadcast date.
Does this mean Funimation will be buying more or less anime?
Funimation remains committed to bringing you the biggest and best English dubbed anime library, along with new seasons of SimulDubs within two weeks of their broadcast in Japan.
How does this affect my FunimationNow subscription?
The FunimationNow service remains the same – there will be no change in your subscription terms, pricing or content availability.
Will the Sony acquisition accelerate expansion of the FunimationNow service to new territories?
This is one of the reasons we are so excited about this deal and about becoming a part of the Sony family. We absolutely anticipate bringing more anime to more people around the world. In addition to the US, our streaming service, FunimationNow is available in the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. Sony has a global footprint in television and on digital platforms that will help us both with launching faster in more territories and with letting people know we exist when we do launch.
Will Sony be deciding how things are dubbed?
Sony values our years of expertise dubbing anime and understands that for over two decades, Funimation has been making anime accessible to a wide audience by delivering high quality dubs working with our talented voice actors and directors.
How will the acquisition by Sony effect Funimation’s business relationships? Specifically: Toonami, Universal, Aniplex & Crackle.
There are no current plans to make any changes to our relationships with any partners or vendors, but where we can, we will take a fresh look at what will benefit fans the most. If we plan on making any changes, you will hear from us first.
Does this change your Crunchyroll/VRV partnership?
There are no changes to our existing partnership or to the content available from Funimation on either service. Crunchyroll will continue to broadcast subtitled simulcasts, and FunimationNow will continue to stream SimulDubs for most titles within two weeks after the shows original Japanese broadcast.
Does this mean Funimation content will be available on Crackle or Playstation Vue?
We have always tried to make our content accessible as widely as possible for our fans and will continue to do so. This does not change the FunimationNow service.
How is this acquisition related to Aniplex?
This transaction does not involve Aniplex.
What does this mean for fans outside of the U.S.?
We are already delivering anime to fans in the U.K., Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand through FunimationNow. Service to these regions will not change because of this deal.
How will this effect your relationship with Crunchyroll?
Based on the info given. Nothing at all will change and Funimation will still be able to operate as they see fit. They have also stated that this will not affect any current work.
Feels like you didn’t answer the biggest question: Then what is changing?
There has to be a reason y’all sought to sell a majority stake. What’s the benefit of being acquired by Sony? If things are going to stay the same as they are now, then why even bother? There has to be something beneficial to this, whether that’s more anime, quicker releases, Case Closed, something. I’m just trying to find out what.
So many “nonanswers”…….
Yeah most of these answers feel like they are dancing around a mine field of “No comments”
Wonder how this merger will effect the current deal with Crunchyroll? Also, will this more anime for Toonami?
The next time you make a FAQ don’t ask questions you think we have, and not give an answer….
There is no grey area for this. Funimation lets hope I can continue to buy your stuff at a reasonable rate.
Sony has a very bad reputation with this community and its not for no reason. I would highly suggest you take whatever steps you “can” take to keep your service the way it is, and just make it better.
Be as transparent as you can in the coming months/years. While I have had no reason to flat out push you aside currently (even with lots of questionable dubbing choices) I will not watch every decision you make and be much more critical.
Will there be a PS Vita FunimationNow app?
So basically, it’s all staying the same? What was the point of the acquisition then?
Funimation are you gonna re-released some Anime are been dubbed by Animax Asia?
So basically they put in the big bucks in the short term and the more successful you are the more profit they get in the long term, so long as you stay true to yourselves I’ll keep supporting.
Tuts sad to see the company giving most of its shares to Sony, but it makes me happy to see it in the right hands. I’m happy that Gen is still taking CEO and he’ll push the company to aim even higher with Sony. Hopefully even higher than Crunchyroll
it would have been nice it they told us what they thought would be some positives to this deal instead of just saying things will be the same for everything for now.
Does this mean that they will finally update their PlayStation app on ps4
A new PS4 app is in route! Hang in there!
Kind of curious yet afraid of the future- just will have to wait and see. ^_^;
Question is will it affect microsoft products given that it’s being bought by sony?
will it affect the xbox one app?
will it affect the windows 10 app?
Will both apps become discontinued due to sony and become playstation exclusive apps?
Sony Owns Aniplex, now they are buying funimation.
But Sony also owns Animax.
I like how the doomsayers are suddenly experts on business. I’m very satisfied with the answers given.
Will Funimation be able to distribute some of the anime that Sony Pictures TV has the licenses for? Really hoping Funimation will be able to do a release of the Cyborg 009 anime from 2002, seeing as it was dubbed in full but Sony only released 8 episodes on DVD (a DVD which has now been out of print for over ten years).
This FAQ really didn’t answer any questions. Many repeat answers and lack of any detail is concerning. Now I’m not sure if this means that nothing really is going to be different, or FUNI doesn’t want to say anything that could hurt itself.
This seems very confusing regarding the different partnerships Funimation (and Crunchyroll) have formed over the years, and how this will affect them. Sony is listed as one of CR’s partners (but so is Microsoft, so that could just refer to offering a PS app). Funimation also has a home video distribution deal with Universal, but aren’t Sony and Universal competitors (there was a Forbes article back in May that rumored both Sony & Universal were interested in acquiring Funimation)? And then there’s Sony CFO Kenichiro Yoshida saying earlier, “We have IP across Funimation, Aniplex, Animax and the PlayStation platform, the challenge is to connect them all organically.”
I think I’m going to wait for an Answerman article on ANN to offer some clarity in layman’s terms.
I hope that means I can stream Your Lie in April, on Funimation.
I find it hard to believe that nothing will change, I believe that just like the Sony CEO has stated Funimation will eventually be combined with Aniplex, and I believe the Crunchyroll partnership will come to a halt and crunchyrolls titles will start going to other worse companies again I also believe we will no longer get the more niche ecchi titles anymore which the fact that they gave those shows a chance and dub them when companies like Sentai would show heavy discrimination towards them was one of the main reasons I liked Funimation.
No it’s gonna combined with Animax not Aniplex
lcdude, I find what you claim even harder to believe.
All I can say is a cliche “don’t forget where you came from.”, although when it comes to big business it seems everyone inevitably does forget so I can only hope for the best. I was raised on DBZ back when toonami was on weekdays so I can say I do have a love for Funi. Just hope this doesn’t lead down the slippery slope of nebulous companies like Amazon who are killing shows with a double pay-wall but can just throw more money at anything… I agree with Icdude above me on many points, and hope that isn’t the case as well. I will now shamelessly declare Manyuu Hikenchou needs to be licensed in the west and directed by Jerry “alliteration” Jewell if ever dubbed. I did my duty, Peace Out.
Do you know if they’re going to release these title next year it’s called HybridxHeartMagiasAcademy and fairytail dragon cry and testament of sister new devil season two for bule ray with English dubbed
Sony gains a differentiation over its rivals, such as Microsoft in the gaming console business or new players coming into the Anime market.
Netflix and Amazon are investing heavily in Anime so Sony doesn’t want to be left behind, that.
Those are the reasons for them.
Funimation gains the monetary power of Sony, its financial strength and backup, to be able to take on bigger deals with financial institutions and therefore, get the money necessary to invest in future costly plans like entering new markets or fight new aggressive market players like the aforementioned Netflix and Amazon.
Those are probably some of the reasons for both parties.
Can’t wait you re-released Yu Yu Hakusho with 2 dubs & 1 Japanese audio 😊
Does that mean the funimation application will support Sony’s LDAC audio format?
Now that u guys are partners with sony u still going to be release. Animes right 💯🇯🇵
Is Giant Ape Media included in this?
Is Sony going to release Shin Godzilla in a DVD set with Godzilla 1998 or 2000?
It’s months later and as a new subscriber I notice that the quality of their stream is noticeably worse compared to Crunchyroll, Hulu, Fandor and even Youtube. Asking Support for solutions gets me timewasting “advice” only designed to make me go away. C’mon, Sony has deep pockets, couldn’t you guys make your stream better, or is this all some southern thing where you think garbage is all we deserve and should be satisfied with.