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Sony Pictures TV Networks To Acquire Majority Stake (95%) in Funimation

S

Sky Interloper

Member
This is perplexing. I really thought that everything was going to end with Ellation buying Funimation and merging Crunchyroll with it (while giving AT&T even more control over media distribution).

I wonder if Sony was the only one interested in a deal for Funi as Ellation's parent company is currently involved in a megamerger.
 
N

Neoxon

Junior Member
If this ends with Funimation getting a bigger budget, I'm fine with this. But sadly, I fear that it may not go that way.

Hopefully Funimation's deal with Crunchyroll doesn't get fucked up.
 
K

KSweeley

Member
Since I didn't see it posted, here's the Sony Pictures press release: http://www.sonypictures.com/corp/press_releases/2017/07_17/073117_funimation.html

SONY PICTURES TELEVISION NETWORKS TO ACQUIRE SUBSTANTIAL MAJORITY STAKE IN FUNIMATION

Culver City, Calif., July 31, 2017 – Sony Pictures Television Networks has reached an agreement to acquire a substantial majority stake in Japanese anime distributor Funimation Productions, Ltd., ("Funimation"), subject to regulatory approvals and certain other closing conditions, valuing the company at approximately $150 million. Gen Fukunaga, CEO of Funimation, will retain a minority stake in the business and remain CEO.

With a catalog that includes popular titles such as "Dragon Ball Z", "Cowboy Bebop", "One Piece", "My Hero Academia" and "Attack on Titan", Funimation licenses and distributes Japanese anime content in the U.S., and operates the subscription streaming service FunimationNOW, available via the PlayStation Store, iTunes Store, Google Play, Amazon Apps, Xbox Store and mobile devices. Additionally, the company sells merchandise and DVDs through its website, Funimation.com.

"Around the world, Sony's networks have been major players in the anime space for nearly two decades, and in more recent years we have rapidly increased our networks' over-the-top and digital offerings to consumers. With the acquisition of Funimation, the combined IP of ANIMAX, KIDS STATION and Funimation allows us to deliver the best anime to fans across all screens and platforms," said Andy Kaplan, President, Worldwide Networks, Sony Pictures Television.

Funimation CEO Gen Fukunaga added, "With Funimation's long-established leadership position in anime and Sony's direct access to the creative pipeline in Japan, it will be a great partnership to take Funimation to the next level."

Outgoing Chairman of Funimation, John A Kuelbs, and lead investor, Doug Deason, said, "Funimation experienced tremendous growth and success since 2011. We believe Sony, Gen and his team are uniquely positioned to lead Funimation and its fans into an exciting and entertaining future."
Click to expand...
 
K

kmax

Member
This is the sort of acquisition that I think is good for Sony as a company. It remains to be seen how it'll affect Funimation as a whole though. Should be interesting to watch.

They still need to ax the movie studio. It's been a trainwreck for years, and is hurting corporate's bottom line.
 
T

Tempy

don't ask me for codes
Half the thread have no idea what Sony Entertainment, Sony Pictures, Sony Music, or Funimation does.
 
D

Dugna

Member
Jawmuncher said:
Lets start casting for Sony's My Hero Academia live action film
Click to expand...

Its one of the few manga/anime series that would actually translate very well to a western live action movie, I mean its just good ole comics but in high school. None of the powers (so far) are so over the top that they couldn't be translated into live action and the body types aren't insane either.

Also yes I know funi being bought doesn't mean this movie could happen because of it.
 
T

TheFurizzlyBear

Member
Interesting that they don't mention their relationship with Crunchyroll by name in the FAQ. I feel that was probably the most asked about topic and they chose not to address it (at least directly)
 
R

RPG_Fanatic

Member
As someone who enjoys the work Funimation has been doing over the years, I am worried about what is going to happen now that they are under Sony's thumb. I hope things don't change on their end.
 
H

HStallion

Now what's the next step in your master plan?
Dugna said:
Its one of the few manga/anime series that would actually translate very well to a western live action movie, I mean its just good ole comics but in high school. None of the powers (so far) are so over the top that they couldn't be translated into live action and the body types aren't insane either.

Also yes I know funi being bought doesn't mean this movie could happen because of it.
Click to expand...

The Rock in a wig as All Might.
 
B

Busty

Banned
RPG_Fanatic said:
As someone who enjoys the work Funimation has been doing over the years, I am worried about what is going to happen now that they are under Sony's thumb. I hope things don't change on their end.
Click to expand...

I'd hazard a guess that Sony don't want to piss off the SVOD subscriber base and so it will probably be status quo for the near future at least.
 
B

Busty

Banned
faridmon said:
Sony Pictures and Sony Music are 2 different entities altogether despite sharing the same,
Click to expand...

This. They are even further apart than ever as Lynton previously ran the film, TV and music divisions.

The new guy (ol' Tony V) no longer has anything to do with the music side which just spurred more talk that Sony want to sell their film and TV operations at some point.

EDIT - DP. Fuck, hate that.
 
M

MegaPanda

Member
Does Sony have a movie/music/tv streaming service set up anywhere in the world? I feel like this is a step towards that
 
B

Boke1879

Member
So anything that gets distributed by Funi Sony will now be getting money from that correct?

And yea down the line I can see them integrating this into Vue or making it part of some sort of subscription on PS4 etc.
 
N

NightShift

Member
I imagine if they ever make an adaption of Cowboy Bebop, they'll just make it into a shitty Guardians of the Galaxy rip-off. Complete with no jazz whatsoever.
 
A

Akira

Member
My guess --

Phase 1: Sony is planning on making anime reach a broader mainstream audience.
Phase 2: Sony Pictures will create western film adaptations, aka their own MCU but with different franchises.

Why? Outside of Bond, Hotel Transylvania, Smurfs, and the countless number of terrible movies like Emoji -- what worthwhile franchises does Sony have? Their IPs are actually trash if you compared them to other big studios like WB, Disney, and Universal.

PS. I don't necessarily think anime adaptations will give them great franchises, but if they handle it right they have huge potential.
 
R

Ridley327

Member
Akira said:
My guess --

Phase 1: Sony is planning on making anime reach a broader mainstream audience.
Phase 2: Sony Pictures will create western film adaptations, aka their own MCU but with different franchises.

Why? Outside of Bond, Hotel Transylvania, Smurfs, and the countless number of terrible movies like Emoji -- what worthwhile franchises does Sony have? Their IPs are actually trash if you compared them to other big studios like WB, Disney, and Universal.

PS. I don't necessarily think anime adaptations will give them great franchises, but if they handle it right they have huge potential.
Click to expand...

Phase 2 isn't happening, since Funimation doesn't own anything that they license. That's why they license.
 
G

Galang

Banned
Busty said:
STOP.

There is no mainstream audience for anime.

It's the very definition of niche.

And...,



This.
Click to expand...

Eh.. Overall you're correct, but it's not like there's never been anime that acquired mainstream success before. It's not common, but once in a while it does and will happen. I don't think acquiring funimation will spur any of that growth though
 
S

Scipio

Member
NightShift said:
I imagine if they ever make an adaption of Cowboy Bebop, they'll just make it into a shitty Guardians of the Galaxy rip-off. Complete with no jazz whatsoever.
Click to expand...

Bebop as a high quality Netflix series or nothing. A movie would suck, no matter who does it.
 
R

Ridley327

Member
Galang said:
Eh.. Overall you're correct, but it's not like there's never been anime that acquired mainstream success before. It's not common, but once in a while it does and will happen. I don't think acquiring funimation will spur any of that growth though
Click to expand...

I mean, that is a pretty big reason why someone like Sony would want Funimation, since they do have distribution rights for almost every big anime title out there. About the only things they don't have are Naruto and the Studio Ghibli library. Everything else is fairly small potatoes in comparison.
 
I

Inuhanyou

Believes Dragon Quest is a franchise managed by Sony
Don't fuck over Funimation Sony. They are the most well known distributor of anime in America.

Aniplex already fucks over consumers under Sony's umbrella. Don't gimme any of that "we need to assure production values" nonsense with those kinds of prices
 
C

Crimson_Echidna

Banned
Tempy said:
Half the thread have no idea what Sony Entertainment, Sony Pictures, Sony Music, or Funimation does.
Click to expand...

giphy.gif
 
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