Funimation Acquires UK Anime Distributor Manga Entertainment

Sony Pictures Television's Funimation Productions, LLC (Funimation) announced a deal to acquire UK anime distributor Manga Entertainment Ltd. (Manga Entertainment) yesterday. With the deal, Funimation will become the largest distributor of anime in the UK and Ireland.

The two companies have teamed up in the past, with Funimation sub-licensing its properties to Manga Entertainment until 2016, and again from late 2018 until the acquisition. Though full details were not disclosed, the announcement indicates the two will pool their properties to bring more anime to the UK and Ireland than ever. Manga Entertainment is set to distribute Funimation titles on Blu-ray and DVD, while Funimation will begin adding Manga Entertainment's library to its FunimationNow streaming service.

Popular anime confirmed for streaming on FunimationNow in the UK and Ireland include Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Naruto: Shippuuden, and the Sword Art Online franchise. Available titles as of the announcement include the first season of Sword Art Online, Akira, Koukaku Kidoutai 2: Innocence, Toaru Majutsu no Index seasons one and two, Toaru Kagaku no Railgun, Toaru Kagaku no Railgun S, and a trio of films by Mamoru Hosoda: Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo, Summer Wars, and Ookami Kodomo no Ame to Yuki.

Manga Entertainment produces, licenses, and distributes anime, and was founded in the UK in 1987. It was a key player in popularizing anime in the West and has also dubbed anime and published manga in the UK, the latter under its Manga Books imprint. It has branches in the US and Australia, though both have been dormant in recent years and were not part of Funimation's acquisition.

Funimation, also a producer, licensor, and distributor, is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year and looks to continue to expand its presence in the global market for English-subtitled and dubbed anime. In January 2014 it began a simuldub program, allowing viewers quick access to English-dubbed anime via FunimationNow. The company claims its catalogue is comprised of over 600 titles representing over 10,000 hours of content. This content is accessible through FunimationNow in the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand.

Source: Funimation Press Release