World’s biggest anime platform stops free streaming of new episodes in South Africa
Crunchyroll has announced that it will end its ad-supported free streaming service for new releases.
Previously, free users could watch episodes a week after release in Japan. Paid subscribers get new episodes within an hour of airing on Japanese TV, and can watch ad-free.
As part of its “spring seasonal sampler”, Crunchyroll is offering the first three episodes of the following shows for free:
- Trapped in a Dating Sim: The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs (3 April)
- Tomodachi Game (6 April)
- The Greatest Demon Lord is Reborn as a Typical Nobody (6 April)
- Skeleton Knight in Another World (7 April)
- The Dawn of the Witch (8 April)
- Shikimori’s Not Just a Cutie (10 April)
- Spy x Family (9 April)
- A Couple of Cuckoos (24 April)
Similar to before, these shows will be available with ads one week after their initial premiere date (in brackets) until 31 May.
If users want to watch more than the first three episodes of these animes, they will have to buy a premium subscription.
Crunchyroll’s premium plans include the Fan package at $7.99 (R116.84) per month, the Mega Fan subscription at $9.99 (R146.08) per month, and the annual Mega Fan offering at $79.99 (R1,169.70) per year.
This new policy change follows Sony’s acquisition of Crunchyroll in August last year and the recent announcement that the company would be merging with Funimation.
Crunchyroll has reassured free users that it would “continue to offer free content going forward” and that they can still enjoy all previously added shows with ads.
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