Crunchyroll & FUNimation: a match made in Heaven?

The world of anime streaming just got a whole lot better.

This week Crunchyroll.com and FUNimation announced a partnership the likes of which we’ve never seen before! The fusion of Crunchyroll, known for its streaming & broad selection of subtitled anime, and FUNimation, one of the leading English dub providers, will mean “a bounty of video releases, English dubs, catalog titles, and shared simulcasts” (Crunchyroll and Funimation Partner to Expand Access to Anime!). Thanks to the combined powers of these industry leaders, fans will get the best of both worlds with access to both sub & dub versions of the series.

Better together funimation and crunchyroll

D’awww. I ship it.

Now according to Kotaku’s interview with FUNimation COO, the companies are not merging; they are entering into a limited distribution partnership that will share select titles as they come from Japan. As with Gotenks, there’s no telling how long this fusion will last. But we’re already seeing the benefits of such a partnership. FunimationNow, FUNimation’s paid streaming service, has lowered their subscription fee. Crunchyroll.com announced a solid list of formerly exclusive titles now available for viewing on their website.

Now available on Crunchyroll.com:

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Crunchyroll requires only a streaming license to provide its service, so FUNimation’s acquisition for dub DVD releases won’t be automatic. Afterall, not all series get a dub. Sometimes that’s a result of an infringement on original creator’s rights or if the Japanese studio stands to lose money in the transaction. But if Crunchyroll already has an ‘in’ on the subtitled series license, you can bet your bottom dollar that FUNimation is going to get dibs on the dub license.

If these two tanks are compatible working together, we could see an evolution in the industry with other companies rushing to jump on the bandwagon. So grab your Pocky and stay tuned, kids. We’re in for quite the show!