Funimation, one of the most popular anime streamers, has announced that as part of its merger with Crunchyroll in March 2022, its app and website will end service on April 2, 2024. The platform states that it's sunsetting to provide fans with "an exceptional streaming experience and access to the largest anime library in the world. The collaboration between Funimation and Crunchyroll allows us to continue delivering on that mission and bring you the best of anime content."
While Funimation customers may lament the news, this has been a long time coming for the streaming service. After its merger, Funimation has been slowly rolling back features, announcing in December 2023 that downloading content and offline viewing wouldn't be allowed going forward. They encourage users to complete the move to Crunchyroll and have already migrated most accounts over. Funimation subscriptions will be replaced by Crunchyroll ones, with fees following the latter's pricing, and measures have been put in place to transfer Watch History and queues to the new Crunchyroll accounts. Customers facing any issues with migrating are encouraged to contact Crunchyroll's customer support.
While the measures put in place are exhaustive, customers have been advised that account transfer may vary based on "specific payment platform, subscription type and region." Furthermore, differences between Funimation and Crunchyroll libraries mean that not all content will be transferred across. For example, Funimation Digital copies aren't supported on Crunchyroll, and users will thus lose access to these. The FAQ does not mention whether refunds will be provided. Canadian, Chilean, Legacy and Roku Pay subscribers are strongly encouraged to check the official announcement.
Crunchyroll remains one of the largest streamers in the world, revealed to have passed 13 million paid subscribers last month. The acquisition of Right Stuf means the company is also now among the top go-to destinations for anime merchandise. Crunchyroll's expansion over the last few years has seen it increasingly finance some of the biggest anime titles, such as Solo Leveling and Metallic Rouge. The debut of a new Crunchyroll podcast -- The Anime Effect -- later this month will be quickly followed by the Crunchyroll Anime Awards in March.
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