Anime Fans on Twitter Disappointed With Crunchyroll and Funimation Merger Announcement

Anime fans all over Twitter are harboring mixed feelings following the announcement of the Crunchyroll and Funimation merger.

In case you missed it: on August 9, 2021, Sony Pictures announced that they have completed their acquisition of Crunchyroll. Crunchyroll's merger with Funimation, which is also under Sony, was first announced in December 2020. According to Sony's press release, the company aims to "create a unified anime subscription experience as soon as possible".

Both Crunchyroll and Funimation have also posted the announcement on their respective websites. For the subscribers—in case you were wondering, Crunchyroll and Funimation operations remain as is until further updates.

Following this major news, fans have given their two cents on social media regarding the merger. Some see it as good news and are happy about it, seeing as they'll be able to watch their favorite shows under a single platform. While this may be good news for some, others aren't so happy. Certain Twitter users have pointed out that Sony pretty much has a monopoly over anime streaming services in the West.

Monopoly in general is never a good thing. Furthermore, some users have also pointed out Sony's history of censorship and Funimation's inaccurate translations of Japanese content.

Others have expressed their criticisms about each streaming platform, which has its respective pros and cons.

In addition, many are left wondering about their subscriptions and how the two streaming platforms will merge. A lot of fans are unhappy with Funimation's website and region locking. Meanwhile, Crunchyroll has a vast library although there are limited English dubs. It seems that the only possible good thing that will come out of this is hopefully, a unified library.

Related: Crunchyroll vs Funimation 2021: Which Is Better For Anime Streaming? Comparison of Dubs, Subs, Simulcasts, Catalog, Ads, Price Comparison and Everything You Need to Know

On the other hand, some also took this opportunity to remind people that now they have a better reason to find other ways to watch their favorite anime online. (Sailing the high seas, as they call it.)

For now, fans are hoping that the Crunchyroll and Funimation merger means that subscribers from both streaming platforms will be able to purchase a cheaper subscription fee. Hopefully, everyone working at these platforms will get paid properly as well.

What do you think of the Crunchyroll and Funimation merger? Let us know in the comments!