Wow I was totally planning on doing a review of Gunslinger Girl today but this is something that I feel like I should have posted about the day off because it is HUGE for the anime community. Besides I've got the rest of the year/ until the Internet finally explodes to talk about Gunslinger Girl so like what's the rush?
If you haven't heard the news yet (and if you're a fan of anime HOW haven't you??) it was announced at the end of last week that Funimation and Crunchyroll were going to enter a partnership to benefit both of their core audiences. Funimation has blogged about it on their website so if you want further details I suggest you go check out that site for the article.
Basically, the deal is this: for a CHEAPER service, Funimation and Crunchyroll are bringing their core audiences more of what they want. Crunchyroll is known for it's huge swath of subbed anime, and Funimation is known, primarily, for it's English dubbing (perhaps not abilities, but it is the premiere source for dubbed anime online). The two are huge in the community, with some having Crunchyroll memberships and not Funimation ones and vice versa. Well now it seems like it's the best of both worlds.
Like your anime subbed? Go to Crunchyroll! Like your anime primarily in a dubbed format? Go to Funimation!
What's so great about this is the simple concept that sharing is caring. There are certain series that have come out this season alone that I have been dying to check out but just cannot because I can't afford a Crunchyroll membership on top of my Funimation one (I like my dubs, what can I say). But it's so exciting to hear that Mob Psycho 100 and 91 Days are coming to Funimation with Broadcast Dubs! Not to mention that Crunchyroll members are going to have more access to Funimation's huge library of exclusive anime, though in a subbed format.
Some of you may be thinking, "great, now all those subs I like on Funimation won't be there." And yeah, you're right. They're just going to be over on Crunchyroll.
In reality, the deal is changing little. There are so few dubbed anime up on Crunchyroll compared to Funimation, but there is also such a much smaller collection of anime available on Funimation each season compared to Crunchyroll. Exclusive shows won't exist between the two, basically, and you get to pick how you want to watch these shows. For the first time it feels like you can have all the anime you want from a season, or from past seasons maybe, all in one place of your choosing.
Obviously, Netflix, Daisuke, and Toonami are still a thing. But when people think of online anime, they think of these two colossal titans (hey, a show that both of them shared anyway!). Funimation has been making huge leaps in the anime industry, pumping out pretty good Broadcast Dubs four or five weeks after the series premieres in Japan. Now they might cut that down to three, maybe two, weeks for a lower price than what we're paying. That's incredible. And Crunchyroll adding more to it's huge library, are you kidding me?
What's so great about this is the way that the anime community is reacting. It's overwhelming positive. In a world where companies are battling over where their shows can be streamed because they don't want to be seen with "those" people (looking at you, Netflix) it's so refreshing to see two companies just essentially say, "We love our fans." That's what this is all about, man. It was such a surprise but it was such a good surprise! I'm sure many would suspect something more along the lines of Crunchyroll trying to get their own dubs out as fast as Funimation to increase competition...but no. Partnering with them was a genius idea. Share the series, share the rights, but use them effectively to fit your own purposes.
It's almost like treating your fans with respect is...a good thing?? Collaboration can WORK?
What Bizarro world have we entered into where two titans of an industry can come together peacefully and just have a little fun? Why can't they just bicker and take shots at one another saying one is better than the other when both are sort of crippling themselves creatively and both just sort of equate to an overall "meh" and really disrespect the fans by treating their stories like an after-thought?
Wouldn't THAT make more sense?
But in all seriousness, this is probably the best news the anime industry is going to receive for a while (like, until we get a Dragon Ball Super English dub/ release announcement). It's a very exciting time to be an anime fan and I really encourage you to check out the details of this announcement. The quality of anime might not be terrific but there's going to be more access to it than ever in both of its major forms so even if you don't like how shows are made now, you'll finally be able to watch...I don't know, the subbed version of Cowboy Bebop over on Crunchyroll and the English dub of Mob Psycho 100 on Funimation. That's awesome!
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