Funimation And Crunchyroll Separate, And Anime Streaming Service Hidive Joins VRV

Crunchyroll has announced that Funimation has decided to break off the two anime streaming services' partnership. Both Crunchyroll and Funimation have been partnered for the past two years, but the two will officially split on November 9.

While partnered, the websites have been working together to simulcast certain anime in both Japanese and English, so that viewers can choose to watch popular series--like My Hero Academia and Attack on Titan--in either language on the same day. Prior to the partnership, most anime released in Japanese with English subtitles first, and anyone who wanted to watch the series in English would have to wait weeks for it to be dubbed.

Crunchyroll has confirmed that all currently-airing "simulcasts and series that premiered during the partnership will continue to be available on Crunchyroll" and "all home video releases will be released as scheduled and all pre-orders will be fulfilled." However, after November 9, Funimation will no longer be offered as a part of the VRV bundle--a service which allows you to subscribe to dozens of animation streaming services such as Crunchyroll, Rooster Teeth, and Machinima.com for a discounted price. Also, certain series will be dropped from Crunchyoll and Funimation.

Although an official partnership with Crunchyroll hasn't been announced, Hidive is joining the VRV family. Smaller than both Crunchyroll and Funimation, Hidive has made a name for itself by streaming some of the best anime exclusives from the past two years--and the website shares series in both Japanese and English. 2017's Princess Principal and Land of the Lustrous are especially memorable, and the currently airing Bloom Into You is one of the most gorgeous anime series we've ever seen. The streaming service is owned by Sentai Filmworks so it also shares anime licensed by the company, like the critically acclaimed zombie ecchi Highschool of the Dead and award-winning Made in Abyss.

Although we reached out, Crunchyroll declined to comment on whether Hidive's induction into VRV would mean the two websites would start sharing their exclusives. Crunchyroll also declined to comment on whether Hidive would start dubbing some of Crunchyroll's shows. However, the streaming service did tease that more announcements will be shared prior to the end of 2018.

If you're looking for anime to watch on Crunchyroll, Funimation, and Hidive, check out our Fall 2018 anime watch guide. It includes every anime debuting on the three websites, as well as Netflix and Amazon, and lists the seven series that you should add to your queue.