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Sony Continues Its War on Physical Media With Shock Crunchyroll Decision

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Sony has been going through so much criticism lately. When it was announced that PlayStation would phase out its physical releases by 2028, the internet picked up its pitchforks, to the point that some game developers ensured that their upcoming games, like Wolverine and God of War: Laufey, would have a physical disk. But PlayStation is not the only Sony brand changing how it handles physical merchandise.

Another company under Sony’s umbrella is Crunchyroll, the streaming service known for its extensive library of anime content. The streaming platform was founded in 2006, but by 2020, Sony had become the streaming service’s new owner, buying it from WarnerMedia for nearly $1 billion. As of writing, the anime streaming giant has 15 million subscribers and over 2000 titles under its belt, like Demon Slayer, Spy x Family, and Solo Leveling, to name a few. However, it’s not accessible in every region, such as Japan. Due to this, some of its exclusive content, like Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, is available on other platforms like Netflix, but only in those affected areas due to licensing agreements.

Not only does Crunchyroll stream anime content, but it is also a storefront for those wanting to purchase official merchandise for their favorite shows, including physical copies of shows released on other platforms like Arcane. Recently, Crunchyroll announced that its storefront, Crunchyroll Store, will change and be available only to its paid subscribers in the Mega and Ultimate Fan tiers, which cost $13.99 and $17.99 per month, respectively. The website claimed it would give paid subscribers a “new curated experience” and access to Crunchyroll-exclusive merch. This change will take effect this August, and in preparation, the store is holding a Summer Sale with 50% off selected items. If you’re after a good deal, especially if you’re after physical anime content, now is a good time to purchase before buying merch and DVDs goes behind a paywall. Once the changes occur, users will still be able to access their accounts and order history, their purchases will still be fulfilled, and support will still be able to assist with existing orders. However, gift cards will no longer be supported by August 14, 2026.

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🧙Harry Potter

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Just Like PlayStation, Crunchyroll Fans Not Happy With The Crunchyroll Store Change

Crunchyroll logo on a tv screen

The reaction amongst anime fans to this upcoming change to the Crunchyroll store was backlash. Some pointed out that Crunchyroll is asking fans to pay them to “pay the company more”. Others claim that the streaming services are punishing those who can’t afford subscriptions or are in the lower tiers and are urging fans to purchase their anime media and merchandise elsewhere. One even compared the Crunchyroll store’s August update to a Costco, but worse.

Thanks to this recent announcement, consumers believe this is another attack by Sony to eliminate physical media, as seen with the recent PlayStation announcement. That the changes to the storefront would deter fans from buying physical content and, in turn, would lead Sony to claim “no one is buying physical anime anymore,” just as it made similar claims about physical video game sales.

The Crunchyroll Store is still accessible to everyone. The cutoff date for when users can make their purchases has yet to be announced.

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Release Date

September 29, 2023

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Network

Nippon TV, YTV, FBS, Chukyo TV, RNB, FCT, STV, KNB, HTV, YBS, RAB, TVI, YBC, UMK TV Miyazaki, TSB, MMT, TeNY, RNC, NIB, KKT, KTK, NKT, ABS, JRT, Daiichi-TV, FBC, RKC, KYT, KRY

Directors
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Kento Matsui, Kota Mori, Takahiro Natori, Morio Asaka, Lim Ka-hee, Taku Kimura, Ken Ando, Hirotaka Mori, Ayaka Tsuji

Writers

Tomohiro Suzuki

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  • Atsumi Tanezaki

    Frieren (voice)

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  • Kana Ichinose

    Fern (voice)

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