Crunchyroll Guts Online Store Just As Anime Fans Feared

Key Points:

• Crunchyroll has revamped its online store, placing all content behind a paywall accessible only to Mega and Ultimate subscribers, resulting in the removal of physical manga, light novels, manhwa, danmei, and most Blu-rays previously available.
• The current store focuses mainly on anime-related merchandise such as accessories, apparel, and collectibles, with a significantly reduced selection of physical media, including fewer than 400 Blu-ray and DVD sets and limited music CDs.
• Only Blu-ray titles owned or distributed by Sony-affiliated companies like Funimation, Crunchyroll, and Aniplex remain available, intensifying concerns about Sony's shift away from physical media in favor of subscription models.
• Fans have expressed frustration over Sony's acquisition and merger of The Right Stuf International with Crunchyroll, fearing it has led to decreased accessibility and availability of physical anime products.
• While it is uncertain if the store's inventory will expand again, the current state fuels ongoing criticism of Sony’s broader strategy to prioritize digital subscriptions over physical anime sales.