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NEWS: Crunchyroll to Halt Ad-Supported Streaming Starting With Spring 2022 Season


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BadNewsBlues



Joined: 21 Sep 2014
Posts: 5886
PostPosted: Mon Mar 28, 2022 2:25 pm Reply with quote
Zalis116 wrote:

It's anime viewers who wanted a monopoly though, as seen through all the many "I don't want multiple subscriptions" complaints and the absolutely incensed reactions they had whenever any new competitor tried to enter the market. An example of "be careful what you wish for?"


I honestly enjoyed coming on here years earlier when Anime Strike (I think that was the name) and seeing people piss all over it for things like having exclusive anime. Or people quipping about anime being in “Netflix jail”.
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Top Gun



Joined: 28 Sep 2007
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 28, 2022 3:01 pm Reply with quote
BadNewsBlues wrote:

I honestly enjoyed coming on here years earlier when Anime Strike (I think that was the name) and seeing people piss all over it for things like having exclusive anime. Or people quipping about anime being in “Netflix jail”.

"Netflix jail" doesn't just mean that Netflix has the rights to a series, it refers to Netflix's infuriating practice of acquiring series that are being broadcast weekly on Japanese TV, sitting on already-completed episodes until the whole season/series is complete, and then dumping them all at once. And there's absolutely no reason for them to do so other than "we're Netflix and we will only serve you content in a big heaping pile that we will shove down your throats because we're Netflix and we want you to gorge yourselves on disposable content." This also has the effect of killing off all the weekly buzz that drives much of anime fandom, and as a result a lot of Netflix shows don't seem to have much staying power. I'd also wager they're among the most-pirated series out there, because who wants to wait months for an artifically-imposed release date when the episodes are actively airing in Japan?
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BigOnAnime
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Joined: 01 Jul 2010
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 28, 2022 3:50 pm Reply with quote
On the topic of Anime Strike, an issue there was you had to pay for a subscription on top of the Amazon Prime subscription. After paying $100 for Prime, you had to pay $60 just to access Anime Strike. Then there's also the lack of advertising, poor searches (people couldn't find stuff via search), bad subtitles (translation and typesetting), and stuff going up late regularly. Is it any wonder why that didn't do well?
Top Gun wrote:
"Netflix jail" doesn't just mean that Netflix has the rights to a series, it refers to Netflix's infuriating practice of acquiring series that are being broadcast weekly on Japanese TV, sitting on already-completed episodes until the whole season/series is complete, and then dumping them all at once. And there's absolutely no reason for them to do so other than "we're Netflix and we will only serve you content in a big heaping pile that we will shove down your throats because we're Netflix and we want you to gorge yourselves on disposable content." This also has the effect of killing off all the weekly buzz that drives much of anime fandom, and as a result a lot of Netflix shows don't seem to have much staying power. I'd also wager they're among the most-pirated series out there, because who wants to wait months for an artifically-imposed release date when the episodes are actively airing in Japan?
Oh they absolutely are. The advent of simulcasts and thus legal streaming rips caused fansubs to become obscure and lots of groups are no longer around. However, fansubs are the most prevalent for anything Netflix licensed because they're not simulcasting. If something isn't simulcast, it's going to have fansubs and thus plenty of piracy. Many companies now flat out refuse to work with Netflix such as Kadokawa because of their business practices because they viewed them as a negative in the long-term.
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srlracing



Joined: 28 Feb 2013
Posts: 87
PostPosted: Mon Mar 28, 2022 4:01 pm Reply with quote
Long time subscriber but I hate this. Anime is unique in that it absolutely needs this low barrier of entry provided by ad-supported streaming. This is due to the young demographic that makes up the bulk of the market. I can only see this move encouraging piracy.
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BadNewsBlues



Joined: 21 Sep 2014
Posts: 5886
PostPosted: Mon Mar 28, 2022 4:39 pm Reply with quote
Top Gun wrote:

"Netflix jail" doesn't just mean that Netflix has the rights to a series, it refers to Netflix's infuriating practice of acquiring series that are being broadcast weekly on Japanese TV, sitting on already-completed episodes until the whole season/series is complete, and then dumping them all at once. And there's absolutely no reason for them to do so other than "we're Netflix and we will only serve you content in a big heaping pile that we will shove down your throats because we're Netflix and we want you to gorge yourselves on disposable content." This also has the effect of killing off all the weekly buzz that drives much of anime fandom,


I mean if I’m being honest I for one would rather have all of a show all at once than have to watch it week by week since if you get overly invested in a series you’re going to have trouble waiting for the next installment (especially if you’re factoring in preempts/delays).

Plus under that format if a show starts showing signs of veering into the territory of irredeemably bad/questionable writing it’s far more easier to bail on the show rather than watch it to completion via the week by week format (which can take months for longer shows) and come off feeling you wasted a good amount of time just to get screwed over.
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ANN_Lynzee
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 28, 2022 5:13 pm Reply with quote
This update was added to the article today (03/28/22)

Quote:
Update: Crunchyroll reached out to ANN with a comment stating that episodes of anime prior to this spring season will still be available to watch for free with ads. The company added that it will continue to "make new content available for free with ads" and that it is "only stopping the automatic free availability of all simulcast content."

Crunchyroll previously allowed free ad-supported streaming for simulcast titles one week after an episode premiered.

Funimation and Crunchyroll announced on March 1 that that Funimation and Wakanim's anime library and simulcast content have moved to Crunchyroll. Sony's Funimation Global Group completed its acquisition of Crunchyroll from AT&T on August 9 last year. The purchase price was US$1.175 billion, and the proceeds were paid in cash at closing.

Thanks to Link20XX for the news tip.

Update: New comment from Crunchyroll added.
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Top Gun



Joined: 28 Sep 2007
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 28, 2022 5:16 pm Reply with quote
BadNewsBlues wrote:

I mean if I’m being honest I for one would rather have all of a show all at once than have to watch it week by week since if you get overly invested in a series you’re going to have trouble waiting for the next installment (especially if you’re factoring in preempts/delays).

Plus under that format if a show starts showing signs of veering into the territory of irredeemably bad/questionable writing it’s far more easier to bail on the show rather than watch it to completion via the week by week format (which can take months for longer shows) and come off feeling you wasted a good amount of time just to get screwed over.

If you'd rather watch a show all at once, then you're certainly free to wait until the whole season/series is finished and watch it that way then, just as you could with a show on any other service. But the problem is that Netflix isn't giving anyone a choice: it's imposing that model even on those of us who would far rather watch week-to-week. Remember, we're not talking about Netflix originals that don't exist anywhere else before a batch of new episodes goes live...these are shows that in some cases have been airing for months on Japanese TV, and would certainly be simulcast on other services like Crunchyroll or HIDIVE. But Netflix chooses to impose a one-size-fits-all model for its content releases, so it's either their way or the highway...and a lot of anime fans are happy to tell them just where they can shove their model and take the highway instead.

I mean, to be frank, I personally loathe the bingeing model of viewership. Some of the best experiences I've ever had with anime have involved following a show week-to-week and getting blown away by a brutal cliffhanger, only to spend most of the week chewing over it and theorizing about what will come next. I feel like blowing through an entire season in one or two sittings cheapens the experience, that it treats the content as something disposable, to be rapidly consumed and just as quickly forgotten. I think it's noteworthy that most of Disney+'s big prestige projects have followed a more traditional weekly release model, as they must think it's a better way to maintain positive buzz about a series for longer.
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Mune



Joined: 20 May 2004
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Location: Minnesota
PostPosted: Mon Mar 28, 2022 5:33 pm Reply with quote
ANN_Lynzee wrote:
This update was added to the article today (03/28/22)

Quote:
Update: Crunchyroll reached out to ANN with a comment stating that episodes of anime prior to this spring season will still be available to watch for free with ads. The company added that it will continue to "make new content available for free with ads" and that it is "only stopping the automatic free availability of all simulcast content."

Crunchyroll previously allowed free ad-supported streaming for simulcast titles one week after an episode premiered.

Funimation and Crunchyroll announced on March 1 that that Funimation and Wakanim's anime library and simulcast content have moved to Crunchyroll. Sony's Funimation Global Group completed its acquisition of Crunchyroll from AT&T on August 9 last year. The purchase price was US$1.175 billion, and the proceeds were paid in cash at closing.

Thanks to Link20XX for the news tip.

Update: New comment from Crunchyroll added.



I'm a bit worried that the damage has already been done, and that this clarification is too late.
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PipimiOden



Joined: 26 Mar 2022
Posts: 177
Location: Pennsylvania, USA
PostPosted: Mon Mar 28, 2022 5:33 pm Reply with quote
ANN_Lynzee wrote:
This update was added to the article today (03/28/22)

Quote:
Update: Crunchyroll reached out to ANN with a comment stating that episodes of anime prior to this spring season will still be available to watch for free with ads. The company added that it will continue to "make new content available for free with ads" and that it is "only stopping the automatic free availability of all simulcast content."

Crunchyroll previously allowed free ad-supported streaming for simulcast titles one week after an episode premiered.


That's still gonna kill off hype for the new stuff for anyone that's broke and watching legally.
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Villain-chan





PostPosted: Mon Mar 28, 2022 7:39 pm Reply with quote
Having read someone's post here (recent post) I realized something, how will Japanese publishers and those that have any say on this matter handle CR/Sony's new practice? I don't think that's something anyone has said yet (And I've read every post so if it was said, I forgot it). I mean, if they see this as handful to the anime fandom and or themselves then they don't have to continue (once contracts and such expire) doing business with CR/Sony. So, who gets anime then? I don't think any of the pubs left (bbig name ones) are really suited to handle anime, sadly. (Netflix maybe if they didn't have the binge model and didn't make their own "anime" and just streamed the anime weekly but they don't sooo lol) Smaller named ones and mid size ones might just see a groth spurt if this sitch comes to pass.

I do wonder though, how likely is this to happen?

Casperian wrote:

I would say that piracy definitely kick-started the popularity of anime in the west and quite likely still does, although people these days are more likely to search out (paid) streaming services rather than downloading it through other means.
Actually, this isn't limited to the US, its the same for Japan. If u think anime is what Japan was all about u'd be very mistaken, its only in more recent years that Japan is starting to embrace anime and promote it, where as b4 they more or less either scoffed at it, made fun of u and or just didn't think it was a big deal (Always has been a big deal lol) Piracy likely world wide if possible is likely a core factor for why anime has grown and most likely always will be imo. (I am not saying anyone should pirate fyi) but as for the US, there was another factor that helped make anime so popular, rather, what kick started its popularity and that was, the major anime shows such as Sailor Moon, Pokemon, Digimon, DBZ and more as well as Toonami. They like me, saw the appeal and success of anime decades b4 it would reach the lv its currently at, and honestly, anime has room to grow SO MUCH MORE. Its potential is infinite, I truly believe this and look forward to the day when its truly everywhere on this planet. Beloved by almost if not everyone. I'd argue its like Hatsune Miku in how it can bring a smile to your face and so much more.

BigOnAnime wrote:
On the topic of Anime Strike, an issue there was you had to pay for a subscription on top of the Amazon Prime subscription. After paying $100 for Prime, you had to pay $60 just to access Anime Strike. Then there's also the lack of advertising, poor searches (people couldn't find stuff via search), bad subtitles (translation and typesetting), and stuff going up late regularly. Is it any wonder why that didn't do well?
Top Gun wrote:
"Netflix jail" doesn't just mean that Netflix has the rights to a series, it refers to Netflix's infuriating practice of acquiring series that are being broadcast weekly on Japanese TV, sitting on already-completed episodes until the whole season/series is complete, and then dumping them all at once. And there's absolutely no reason for them to do so other than "we're Netflix and we will only serve you content in a big heaping pile that we will shove down your throats because we're Netflix and we want you to gorge yourselves on disposable content." This also has the effect of killing off all the weekly buzz that drives much of anime fandom, and as a result a lot of Netflix shows don't seem to have much staying power. I'd also wager they're among the most-pirated series out there, because who wants to wait months for an artifically-imposed release date when the episodes are actively airing in Japan?
Oh they absolutely are. The advent of simulcasts and thus legal streaming rips caused fansubs to become obscure and lots of groups are no longer around. However, fansubs are the most prevalent for anything Netflix licensed because they're not simulcasting. If something isn't simulcast, it's going to have fansubs and thus plenty of piracy. Many companies now flat out refuse to work with Netflix such as Kadokawa because of their business practices because they viewed them as a negative in the long-term.
Wish one of those fan subbing groups would sub the poor crappy machine translation only Yatterman 2008 (or 2009, can't recall which year it was) anime. Funny we got official subs for Yatterman Night I think the name was, but not for the remake of the OG series that Night was the sequel too... Heck, I'd ask for the owners to sub it but thats not likely to happen given the rest hasn't been subbed via official means to my knowledge and if the owners won't sub it, fans have a right to fan sub imo. (Though thats just my personal belief)

ANN_Lynzee wrote:
This update was added to the article today (03/28/22)

Quote:
Update: Crunchyroll reached out to ANN with a comment stating that episodes of anime prior to this spring season will still be available to watch for free with ads. The company added that it will continue to "make new content available for free with ads" and that it is "only stopping the automatic free availability of all simulcast content."

Crunchyroll previously allowed free ad-supported streaming for simulcast titles one week after an episode premiered.

Funimation and Crunchyroll announced on March 1 that that Funimation and Wakanim's anime library and simulcast content have moved to Crunchyroll. Sony's Funimation Global Group completed its acquisition of Crunchyroll from AT&T on August 9 last year. The purchase price was US$1.175 billion, and the proceeds were paid in cash at closing.

Thanks to Link20XX for the news tip.

Update: New comment from Crunchyroll added.
And this changes what exactly? Nothing... why? becus u'r asking them to wait a minimum of 3 months and if u'll notice, they never said ALL anime would be made avail that they stream going forward nor did they give a when they'd make it avail. Those that refuse to wait for a min of 3 months on a hope that their show (or all shows if thats what they'll do) will be added to the can watch for free with ads model will likely just pirate as a single week is much more ok than longer, esp significant;y longer. And who wants to miss out on discussions with their groups/friends/fam/acquaintances etc. just cus they can't afford the sub? The answer is still the same, sadly, this changes nothing...

Edit: Still thanks for reporting it and sorry if that came off as why bother reporting cus thats not my intention with what I said. (Only just realized it could come off that way) Basically think of my reply not to u/ANN but to CR/Sony.
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Amaranth Sparrow



Joined: 10 Mar 2009
Posts: 97
PostPosted: Mon Mar 28, 2022 8:04 pm Reply with quote
I don't really see how this helps them. It's already so incredibly easy to pirate anime, all they're doing is losing ad revenue from the people who didn't mind waiting a week to get their fix.

Feels like a big step back in the fight against piracy.
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Cardcaptor Takato



Joined: 27 Jan 2018
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 28, 2022 8:12 pm Reply with quote
Quote:
The company added that it will continue to "make new content available for free with ads" and that it is "only stopping the automatic free availability of all simulcast content."
I'm confused by what this means because this sounds entirely vague.
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Mune



Joined: 20 May 2004
Posts: 374
Location: Minnesota
PostPosted: Mon Mar 28, 2022 8:32 pm Reply with quote
Cardcaptor Takato wrote:
Quote:
The company added that it will continue to "make new content available for free with ads" and that it is "only stopping the automatic free availability of all simulcast content."
I'm confused by what this means because this sounds entirely vague.


My thoughts exactly...

Is this going to be like the Game of Thrones model? Where many don't subscribe at all during the airing, but then, when the season is over, pay or in this case, watch for free with ads, once it is all available, then leave afterwards. For those unaware, this happened with GOT on HBO. Many wouldn't watch while airing, but once it was finished for the season, many people would subscribe for one month, then cancel immediately after they finished catching up.

When will this "new content" be made available? At the end of a season, when the next season starts, or later? Regardless, any later than 1 week is still going to piss off people.
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Covnam



Joined: 31 May 2005
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PostPosted: Mon Mar 28, 2022 8:35 pm Reply with quote
Cardcaptor Takato wrote:
Quote:
The company added that it will continue to "make new content available for free with ads" and that it is "only stopping the automatic free availability of all simulcast content."
I'm confused by what this means because this sounds entirely vague.


I imagine that's the point Laughing

My interpretation is that unlike before where all series went free w/ ads after a fixed time, only a selection will do so going forward and when is undetermined. Presumably shows they want to promote for one reason or another (low numbers, cross promotions, tie-ins etc).
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Villain-chan





PostPosted: Mon Mar 28, 2022 8:57 pm Reply with quote
All their new announcement is is PR and damage control. they KNOW fans ain't happy and this is their "attempt" to try and fix it while still keeping their new plan in place. Basically they're trying to use pretty words to quiet down the masses they've upset while not really changing much if anything and hope fans stop being upset with em. Do not fall for this tactic, its been done time and time again and many times fans are dumb enough to fall for it. (I'm sorry but its the sad truth)

Whether fans are dumb enough to fall for this and lessen their voice about the change or not is something we'll have to see, though, hopefully fans don't stop voicing their voice about what CR/Sony is trying to do to the anime fandom.
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