Crunchyroll, Sony’s anime subsidiary, has reached an agreement with Amazon to offer its subscription streaming outlet through Prime Video Channels.
The hub for a range of subscription services like Max, Starz and Paramount+ with Showtime is a powerful subscriber acquisition engine. Crunchyroll has already picked up steam in this space, with nearly 11 million subscribers at the start of the year, double what it had just a few years ago. Sony acquired Crunchyroll from AT&T in 2021 for $1.2 billion and merged it with Funimation to create a dominant provider of anime fare.
The new deal will bring two tiers of Crunchyroll’s subscription offering (Fan and Mega Fan) to Prime Video channels in the US, Canada, Sweden and the UK this week. Additional areas will be introduced in 2024. Both subscription levels are ad-free and include new episodes shortly after their release in Japan. The Mega Fan tier also allows subscribers to download titles for offline viewing. Crunchyroll’s library of streaming anime programming is the largest in the world, according to a distribution deal announcement. It includes 24,000 hours, 46,000 episodes and more than 1,300 series and movies.
“Crunchyroll offers an anime adventure for every type of fan. From sports to romantic comedy, from horror and action to slice-of-life, even the anime-curious can immerse themselves in our library,” said Terry Li, EVP of emerging Crunchyroll. “We look forward to welcoming new fans to the anime community through our launch on Prime Video Channels.”
Amazon’s streaming strategy includes original movies and television titles from Amazon Studios, as well as content from third parties, either through subscriptions to Prime Video channels or as rentals or purchases through the Prime Video Store. Matt Cohen, head of content acquisition and partnerships at Prime Video Channels, said the addition of Crunchyroll will mean Prime members can now “easily stream anime content on Prime Video.”
Source: Deadline
Elizabeth Cabrera is an author and journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a talent for staying up-to-date on the latest news and trends, Elizabeth is dedicated to delivering informative and engaging articles that keep readers informed on the latest developments.
