Crunchyroll announced today that Funimation’s YouTube channel would be renamed Crunchyroll Dubs as the two brands merge under one banner.
The formerly separate companies announced last month that Funimation would retire its branding and merge catalogs with Crunchyroll through the spring, while the business operations of Funimation would continue under the new name. While Funimation’s library continues to incrementally move over to Crunchyroll and new series premiere exclusively on its service, the renaming of the YouTube channel with 3.7 million subscribers is a mostly symbolic step.
The name has already changed on YouTube and features Crunchyroll branding, including a banner with mascot Crunchyroll Hime in a recording booth. The channel uploads previews of dubbed anime episodes and occasionally dubbed series as well. The channel first launched in 2007 to preview dubs on Funimation’s physical releases.
In a blog post, the company wrote: “Crunchyroll Dubs will continue providing anime clips, trailers, and full episodes of your favorite English-dubbed anime.”
Moreover, Crunchyroll seems to be aiming to attract subscribers and highlight its catalog with the channel as well, adding: “Crunchyroll Dubs will be releasing WEEKLY dubbed episode 1 drops every Saturday at 12PM PST.” The new drops begin with Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-’s first episode on April 9.
Crunchyroll’s original YouTube channel, Crunchyroll Collection, currently has over 4 million subscribers and will continue posting trailers and subtitled excerpts from episodes in its library.
Sony-owned Funimation acquired Crunchyroll from AT&T last year for $1.175 billion, joining regional anime streaming services AnimeLab and Wakanim under the Sony umbrella.