I was also just informed that Crunchyroll has stopped their convention outreach program as well. I get that video programming is not a priority at most cons these days, but as someone who ran a con’s video programming dept for 11 years, this cuts off a lot of new and classic titles to share at con
As Funimation, they did… I remember Adam and Lance and Justin and Sully and Tara being absolutely indispensible in helping me secure rights to show Funimation titles. As media started shifting more toward streaming, things started getting more complicated once Sony bought Funi and eventually CR
Do you now if this specifically for conventions that aren't "powered by Crunchyroll"? That would cut off most all conventions outside of ANYC, Anime Frontier and maybe a few others.
I believe that is correct. Places like Anime NYC / Crunchyroll Expo / and such don't count. I am curious about something - would contacting the Japanese counterparts work around that restriction?
Probably not, given that CR holds the rights specifically for the region of the convention. If you contacted the original JP license holder, they would defer you to CR.
Some Crunchyroll titles are sublicensed through companies like Aniplex USA, Toei USA, Pony Canyon USA (do they still exist?) or Discotek Media - would this be worth trying?
Crunchyroll notoriously stopped sublicensing anime out to other companies years ago, and only recently has made exceptions for Viz & Anime Limited (plus I guess Aniplex of America, though they're both under the overall Sony umbrella).
For Germany & Austria I can confirm that anime conventions - aside from AnimagiC that is heavily sponsored by Crunchyroll - at least no longer screen Crunchyroll titles. Well, Anime Messe Babelsberg aquired a premiere screening directly through Japan including guests
I've also read some complaints that Crunchyroll Australia started handling things differently than Madman did regarding AU / NZ conventions, but can't remember details.
That went out the door awhile ago - I programmed a video room at a con around this time last year, couldn’t find any contact info related to it outside of a [email protected] email address, and the email I sent wound up being redirected to a generic customer support person
I did twelve years of on-and-off convention video programming, at Arisia and Katsucon and Anime Boston. Admittedly, my last one was in 2017. Never once did I hear, from any publisher great or small, that they just didnt do that or there was no screening permission program. So this is new, haha
things varied a lot - some publishers sent valuable commercial discs and swag, others burned DVD-Rs. some lent live product, but then asked for it back afterwards. late on, some publishers sent permission forms, but advised me to buy my own discs. and some transitioned to online screeners only.
But back in the 2010s, Crunchyroll had this: sign an agreement to include their brand in the program. Theyd made the con a login, and you could screen _anything_ on their portal. Probably a BITCH to administer with JP, but got a roku/projector? You're cleared to push their wares at a live audience.
Yep. Once streaming started getting more prominent, I started incorporating Roku and Apple TV devices in 2 of our video rooms at Katsu. We got permission from Funimation and Crunchyroll and got con-specific logins much like how you described.
Katsu is always on Presidents Day weekend, and by then I’d have an idea on what were the hot titles of that season and the previous year. It always warms my heart to see the streaming rooms packed during popular shows, esp. One Piece and Dragon Ball Super on Sunday mornings like in Japan.
I have to imagine, as they got more popular, the catalog got deeper, contracts more complex and valuable, this got real tough to manage. I'd understand the need to limit it. But just stop doing it completely??? Sheeeesh.
also fwiw i still routinely encounter small cons screening torrented fansubs.
I’m curious if it’s related to the tariff thing since Trump just announce that EO including media produced outside the US as well. I’m sure at the end of the day it’s just CR wanting their bag but now I’m just vaguely wondering about if their foreign licensors are getting spooked.
wasn't it just for filming or creating movies outside of the country to push towards more projects done in the States? Since the anime titles are licenses and not produced by the companies, I wonder if that's a getaway since they're digital foreign properties.
CRX 2022 had this strange system where they would air premiers of streaming shows at the con itself. People were herded into screening rooms like cattle. It kinda rubbed me the wrong way, although it could have been motivated by the pandemic. Let's see how Anime Frontier does it this year.
At the con I used time help with, we made a Crunchyroll room and had it just automatically playing stuff at random (I think with a ratings filter?). It was very nice and they were super helpful. Pretty much all anime companies were helpful in the 00s and 10s if you were organizing a con.
I think the program I encountered (they made you a login and you could screen whatever) morphed into this as the site grew. Either way, it's an extremely easy, frictionless way to provide entertainment for congoers and draw them to their brand. An extremely easy win/win. Oh well..!
the theatrical vertical is only worth it for theatrical films in that narrow exclusivity window before the inevitable Japan home video release and sloppy fansub on The Cat Site. 😸
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also fwiw i still routinely encounter small cons screening torrented fansubs.