Sony makes acquisition deal with Funimation

Peter Paltridge

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Peter Paltridge submitted news

Could Funimation Be Purchased By Sony?
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Zeether

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I do not want this to go through. Sony's in bad enough shape as is and if they sunk while owning Funimation, we'd be out one of the largest anime companies in the US.
 

Daikun

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I really hope Sony doesn't get them. They already own Aniplex, and chances are they'll inflate FUNi's home releases as badly as their own.
 

Zeether

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I don't think Fukunaga is going to want to have a big company purchase Funimation after they split from Navarre. They're probably smart enough to not take them up on the offer.
 

GWOtaku

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Funimation has an official post on this up. The short version is that the FAQ brings up every conceivable aspect of their business and says that nothing they do is going to change.

https://www.funimation.com/blog/201...s-acquired-sony-pictures-television-networks/

And no, this doesn't mean Aniplex USA 2. In addition to what's noted above that business model is not designed to sell discs in actual stores, whereas Funimation is not only successful there but managing growth at a time the general DVD market is in decline - which is a reason they became attractive enough to buy in the first place. To wit: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...orter-funimation-said-to-tempt-universal-sony

The Aniplex model has gone as far as it's going to go already. They sell what they sell to collectors, Funi and Sentai Filmworks got in on this after it was proven with various choice collector editions in addition to standard releases. But outside AUSA no one is under any delusions that we're going to adopt the spending habits of the Japanese market.
 
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TheVileOne

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Funimation has an official post on this up. The short version is that the FAQ brings up every conceivable aspect of their business and says that nothing they do is going to change.

https://www.funimation.com/blog/201...s-acquired-sony-pictures-television-networks/

And no, this doesn't mean Aniplex USA 2. In addition to what's noted above that business model is not designed to sell discs in actual stores, whereas Funimation is not only successful there but managing growth at a time the general DVD market is in decline - which is a reason they became attractive enough to buy in the first place. To wit: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/arti...orter-funimation-said-to-tempt-universal-sony

The Aniplex model has gone as far as it's going to go already. They sell what they sell to collectors, Funi and Sentai Filmworks got in on this after it was proven with various choice collector editions in addition to standard releases. But outside AUSA no one is under any delusions that we're going to adopt the spending habits of the Japanese market.

When company's say business as usual after a merger or buyout like this, it usually means the exact opposite. I hope no one gets fired.
 

Magmaster12

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Sony spent the equivalent of 1/4 of Spiderman Homecoming's International Gross on this.
 

Weatherman

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*crawls out from his hiding place* Bwuh?! I seriously though Universal would be the buyer. This is....odd. I'm not sure how this will work out since it doesn't seem to involve Sony's theatrical divisions at all.
 

AdrenalineRush1996

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*crawls out from his hiding place* Bwuh?! I seriously though Universal would be the buyer. This is....odd. I'm not sure how this will work out since it doesn't seem to involve Sony's theatrical divisions at all.
Well, Sony is no stranger to anime since they have both Aniplex and Animax.

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GWOtaku

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When company's say business as usual after a merger or buyout like this, it usually means the exact opposite. I hope no one gets fired.

On the other hand, Marvel Comics hasn't experienced a revolution in its typical editorial policies or business model since being acquired by Disney in 2009. It's certainly possible ownership means significant change, but by my lights this is far from obvious.

Also worth noting this isn't the first time. For a time Funimation was owned by Navarre from 2005 - 2011.
 
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Fukunaga has wanted to be big stuff since the inception of his company. He demanded Dragon Ball despite having no money or talent and even used his uncle's connections at Toei Company to get the biggest, most prized franchise from the animation side. He then partnered with Saban (which didn't last long), Turner, Navarre (which didn't last long) and even futilely wanted his own channel (which didn't last long). Then we had a collaboration with a certain crazy politician. It seems to me Fukunaga and FUNimation in general suffer from some extraordinary egomania and every time I see them trying to partner up with someone big to make themselves the center of the Japanese animation narrative I always have to shake my head.
 

AdrenalineRush1996

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On the other hand, Marvel Comics hasn't experienced a revolution in its typical editorial policies or business model since being acquired by Disney in 2009. It's certainly possible ownership means significant change, but by my lights this is far from obvious.

That's because Isaac Perlmutter is still CEO of Marvel even after the Disney acquisition. I am hoping that Marvel changes its editorial policies and business model once Perlmutter steps down.

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