Sony Pictures Television subsidiary Funimation has acquired leading UK and Ireland anime distributor Manga Entertainment Ltd.
Following the acquisition, Manga will become the largest distributor of anime Blu-rays/DVDs, offering fans more than 900 hours of subtitled and dubbed entertainment. Under this acquisition, most of those titles will become available for streaming to fans throughout the UK and Ireland on FunimationNow in the coming months, including hit series such as Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Naruto Shippuden, Ghost in the Shell: Innocence and Sword Art Online.
“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,” says 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.”
