The Funimation website and streaming app are officially shutting down this spring, as the anime streaming service is nearing the completion of its merger with a similar video-on-demand platform, Crunchyroll.
What is Funimation?
Funimation was an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service specializing in anime and other foreign entertainment properties. Launched in 1994, it was one of the leading distributors of anime in North America, boasting a vast library of popular series like Dragon Ball, Attack on Titan, My Hero Academia, and many more.
When will Funimation end its services?
In February 2024, Funimation Entertainment announced that the Funimation website and the Funimation app would sunset on April 2, 2024.
Why is Funimation ending?
Funimation isn’t technically “ending”. As previously mentioned, Funimation has started to merge with Crunchyroll. The unification of the two streaming services was first announced in March 2022 by their parent company, Sony Pictures Entertainment. For a couple of years, both services have existed simultaneously as Crunchyroll gradually absorbed Funimation. Funimation’s shutdown date means the merger is about to become official.
Here are the key reasons for the merger:
Consolidating libraries: Both Funimation and Crunchyroll had vast libraries of anime, but some shows overlapped. Combining them under one platform creates a single, even larger library for anime fans.
Streamlining resources: Running two separate platforms can be expensive and require a lot of resources. Merging them allows for more efficient operations and resource allocation.
Strengthening market position: By combining their user bases and content libraries, the merged platform (Crunchyroll) becomes a much stronger competitor in the anime streaming market.
Creating a unified user experience: With everything in one place, users no longer need to juggle multiple subscriptions and platforms to access their favorite anime.
While Funimation is no longer its own platform, most of its content is still readily available on Crunchyroll. So, fans can still enjoy their favorite shows and discover new ones without any significant disruption.
“Rest assured, this transition will not impact your access to the vast library of anime available on Crunchyroll We remain committed to delivering the best anime streaming experience and will continue to expand our offerings to cater to your diverse interests!” Funimation said in a press release.
Will my Funimation subscription migrate automatically to Crunchyroll?
Yes, your Funimation subscription will be automatically transferred to Crunchyroll. To access Crunchyroll subscriptions, users will need to log in to Crunchyroll using the same credentials they used for Funimation. The transfer, however, may vary depending on your specific payment platform, subscription type, and region.
As for the subscription fees, these will be reflected in the next billing cycle through Crunchyroll or the third-party access platform, following Crunchyroll’s pricing.
If you have logged in to Crunchyroll using your Funimation credentials, and you are not seeing any prompts to transfer your Funimation data, or if your subscription is not showing up, reach out to Crunchyroll’s customer support team.
How do I transfer my Funimation streaming data to Crunchyroll?
Funimation users without a prior Crunchyroll account will see a confirmation message that their Watch History and Watch lists are on their way to be transferred. Meanwhile, Funimation users with an active Crunchyroll subscription or a Crunchyroll free account will need to confirm the changes first with the three quick steps below:
- Log in to Crunchyroll using your Funimation credentials
- You will be prompted with three options to sync your account:
- Combine Funimation and Crunchyroll data
- Replace my Crunchyroll data with Funimation data
- Save Crunchyroll data only
- Confirm the changes by selecting YES, I AM SURE.
Please note that merging your Crunchyroll and Funimation accounts is possible only if you use the same email address for both accounts.
If the language of the dubbing or subtitles that you were watching on Funimation is not available on Crunchyroll, the latter will automatically default the content to the available language in your region. But you always have the option to change the language of the audio or subtitles from the video player.
Is all the Funimation content now available on Crunchyroll?
Most of the titles in the Funimation catalog have already been migrated to Crunchyroll, but the migration is still ongoing to bring more content to users.
It’s worth noting, however, that Crunchyroll will not support Funimation digital copies. “We understand that you may have concerns about your digital copies from Funimation. These Digital copies available on Funimation were a digital access to the content available on the DVDs or Blu-rays purchased,” the site said in an extensive Q&A about the Funimation-Crunchyroll migration. “Please note that Crunchyroll does not currently support Funimation Digital copies, which means that access to previously available digital copies will not be supported. However, we are continuously working to enhance our content offerings and provide you with an exceptional anime streaming experience. We appreciate your understanding and encourage you to explore the extensive anime library available on Crunchyroll.”
How do I cancel my Funimation subscription?
If you don’t want to migrate to Crunchyroll, you can cancel your Funimation subscription from your Funimation account settings before April 2, 2024. After this date, you can cancel your Funimation subscription from your Crunchyroll account settings. You can contact Crunchyroll’s support team to see the available refund options based on your payment method.
To find out more about Funimation’s end of services and your account’s migration to Crunchyroll, you can read the full press release here.