History Platform / Crunchyroll

In August 2021, [[https://variety.com/2021/digital/news/crunchyroll-acquisition-sony-funimation-att-closes-1235037676/ Sony Pictures acquired Crunchyroll]] from AT&T. The following March, [[https://web.archive.org/web/20220301143736/https://help.crunchyroll.com/hc/en-us/articles/4495938340500 it was announced]] that Funimation would be rebranded as Crunchyroll, LLC and their content would move over to Crunchyroll. In August 2022, [[https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2022-08-04/crunchyroll-purchases-anime-retailer-right-stuf/.188366 Crunchyroll acquired]] Right Stuf Inc. and most of the divisions under its umbrella, such as Creator/NozomiEntertainment.

And then, in December 2020, [[https://variety.com/2020/digital/news/att-selling-crunchyroll-sony-funimation-1234850028/ it was announced]] that Funimation's parent company Sony Pictures would acquire Crunchyroll for $1.175 billion, as part of AT&T's efforts to sell non-core assets in an effort to pay down debt. [[https://variety.com/2021/digital/news/crunchyroll-acquisition-sony-funimation-att-closes-1235037676/ The sale was completed]] on August 9, 2021. The following March, [[https://web.archive.org/web/20220301143736/https://help.crunchyroll.com/hc/en-us/articles/4495938340500 it was announced]] that Funimation would undergo a rebrand as Crunchyroll, LLC and their content would move over to Crunchyroll. In August 2022, [[https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2022-08-04/crunchyroll-purchases-anime-retailer-right-stuf/.188366 Crunchyroll acquired]] Right Stuf Inc. and most of the divisions under its umbrella, such as Creator/NozomiEntertainment.

[[http://www.crunchyroll.com Crunchyroll]] is a video streaming site with a focus on anime, as well as being a licensor.

On July 1, 2016, at Anime Expo, [[http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2016-07-01/crunchyroll-to-dub-release-anime-on-bd-dvd/.103876 Crunchyroll announced that would start to do its own home video releases for some of their licensed titles, and that it would be commissioning dubs for them as well]]. Two months later, on September 8, they announced that they entered a deal with Creator/{{Funimation}}, [[http://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2016/09/08/crunchyroll-and-funimation-partner-to-expand-access-to-anime in which they would allow cross-streams for shows both companies had licenses to, and that Funimation would handle home video releases, in addition to also creating dubs for them]].

And then, in December 2020, [[https://variety.com/2020/digital/news/att-selling-crunchyroll-sony-funimation-1234850028/ it was announced]] that Funimation's parent company Sony Pictures would acquire Crunchyroll for $1.175 billion, as part of AT&T's efforts to sell non-core assets in an effort to pay down debt. [[https://variety.com/2021/digital/news/crunchyroll-acquisition-sony-funimation-att-closes-1235037676/ The sale was completed]] on August 9, 2021. The following March, [[https://help.crunchyroll.com/hc/en-us/articles/4495938340500 it was announced]] that Funimation would undergo a rebrand as Crunchyroll, LLC and their content would move over to Crunchyroll. In August 2022, [[https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2022-08-04/crunchyroll-purchases-anime-retailer-right-stuf/.188366 Crunchyroll acquired]] Right Stuf Inc. and most of the divisions under its umbrella, such as Creator/NozomiEntertainment.

Creator/{{VRV}}, an over-the-top streaming service launched in 2016, also featured Crunchyroll as a channel. On October 11, 2023, Crunchyroll [[https://variety.com/2023/digital/news/crunchyroll-anime-free-streaming-channel-1235751199/ launched]] a free 24-hour streaming channel in the U.S.

Creator/{{VRV}}, an over-the-top streaming service launched in 2016, also featured Crunchyroll as a channel.

* {{Freemium}}: Crunchyroll's free service offers anime up to 480p with limited advertisements, along with the most recent chapter of their simulpublished manga. In Canada, free users were only able to watch series that were being simulcasted. Premium subscribers in all countries get ad-free series/access to the entire Crunchyroll catalog up to 1080p (when available), along with a back catalog of all their manga. Starting in October 2022, only a select number of series can be watched for free.

Two years later, on October 18, 2018, Crunchyroll and Funimation [[https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2018-10-18/funimation-crunchyroll-end-content-sharing-partnership/.138330 announced the formal end to their business partnership]]. This was mainly because Funimation was acquired by Creator/SonyPictures, while Otter Media became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Creator/WarnerMedia after AT&T bought out all remaining ownership stakes in August 2018, including that of The Chernin Group. Under their owners, a curated selection of Crunchyroll licensed anime was also made available on Creator/HBOMax. As for home video releases, Crunchyroll [[https://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2020/09/05/crunchyroll-and-sentai-filmworks-announce-home-video-distribution-partnership announced in September 2020]] they would work with Creator/SentaiFilmworks.

Creator/{{VRV}}, an over-the-top streaming service launched in 2016, also features Crunchyroll as a channel.

While mainly being a licensor of anime, Crunchyroll has been part of production committees of some titles, including ''LightNovel/TheRisingOfTheShieldHero'', ''Manga/MagicalGirlOre'', and ''Literature/MagicalGirlRaisingProject''. Crunchyroll would later place titles they either co-produced or directly produced under their Crunchyroll Originals banner and has been collaborating with then-corporate sibling Creator/AdultSwim on some of these titles.

** Crunchyroll added content warnings to ''LightNovel/GoblinSlayer'' after they accidentally mislabeled the first episode as PG-13 and received complaints. Only [[RRatedOpening the first episode]] ''really'' needs it, since the sexual violence and {{gorn}} are significantly toned down (although still present) afterwards. Amusingly, it even shows up on {{Breather Episode}}s with little if any violence:

** Crunchyroll added a content warning for the 10th episode of the ''LightNovel/SwordArtOnline'' anime's third season, showcasing the AttemptedRape of two female characters:

* {{Freemium}}:
** Crunchyroll's free service offers anime up to 480p with limited advertisements, along with the most recent chapter of their simulpublished manga. In Canada, free users are only able to watch series that are currently being simulcasted. Premium subscribers in all countries get ad-free series/access to the entire Crunchyroll catalog up to 1080p (when available), along with a back catalog of all their manga.
** Starting in October 2022, only a select few anime can be watched for free. The large majority can only be watched with a premium account.

* VirtualYouTuber: Crunchyroll has hired one, who hosts livestreams as their mascot character, Crunchyroll-Hime.

** Starting in 2022, only a select few anime can be watch for free. The large majority can only be watch with a premium account.

While mainly being a licensor of anime, Crunchyroll has been part of production committees of some titles, including ''LightNovel/TheRisingOfTheShieldHero'', ''Manga/MagicalGirlOre'', and ''LightNovel/MagicalGirlRaisingProject''. Crunchyroll would later place titles they either co-produced or directly produced under their Crunchyroll Originals banner and has been collaborating with then-corporate sibling Creator/AdultSwim on some of these titles.

!!Crynchyroll Originals series:

* {{Freemium}}: Crunchyroll's free service offers anime up to 480p with limited advertisements, along with the most recent chapter of their simulpublished manga. In Canada, free users are only able to watch series that are currently being simulcasted. Premium subscribers in all countries get ad-free series/access to the entire Crunchyroll catalog up to 1080p (when available), along with a back catalog of all their manga.