Funimation acquires anime distributor Manga Entertainment
David Farnor | On 03, Jun 2019
Funimation has acquired anime distributor Manga Entertainment.
A leading distributor of anime in the UK and Ireland, Manga is based in London and serves anime fans across a wide range of channels, including Blu-ray / DVDs, broadcast, theatrical and digital. It has been a long-term partner of Funination, which is owned by Sony Pictures TV and is a global leader in sub and sub anime content.
Following the consolidation of Funimation’s UK home entertainment business, Manga will become the largest distributor of anime Blu-rays/DVDs, offering fans more than 900 hours of subtitled and dubbed entertainment – the biggest catalog of titles available anywhere in the UK and Ireland. Moreover, most of these titles will become available for streaming to fans throughout the UK and Ireland on FunimationNow over the coming months – many of them for the first time ever. These titles include hit series such as Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Naruto Shippuden, Ghost in the Shell: Innocence and Sword Art Online.
The acquisition follows the recent launch of FunimationNow on Amazon Prime Video Channels, the first time the streaming library of anime titles has been available in the UK. It also takes place in a year that marks the 25th anniversary of Funimation.
“With this acquisition, we will create a truly immersive anime experience for fans in the UK and Ireland. This begins with providing fans access to Manga’s library of titles to enjoy whenever and wherever they want on FunimationNow,” says Mitchel Berger, vice president of sales and distribution for Funimation. “Together with the Manga team, Funimation will bring its fan-first omnichannel approach to serving anime fans – engaging with them directly through the widest array of touchpoints.”
“On behalf of Manga Entertainment, we’re thrilled to join Funimation and their expanding global business,” saaddsid Jerome Mazandarani, managing director of Manga Entertainment Limited. “We’re excited for the new opportunities that lie ahead and to serve anime fans in the UK and Ireland in a bigger way than ever before.”
FunimationNow is available to Amazon Prime members as a bolt-on packages to their Amazon subscription, costing £4.99 per month with a 7-day free trial.