A fan-favorite initiative by Crunchyroll has ended unexpectedly at the worst possible time. Backlash towards the anime streaming giant remains strong, as an official end-of-service announcement has yet to be issued.
A viral online post on X (formerly Twitter) revealed that Crunchyroll has ended its library outreach program. This program gave library members affordable access to the streamer’s anime catalog. Andrew Hodgson (@/DistantValhalla) shared the disappointing update on X. «Sad to hear Crunchyroll is ending its library outreach program and leaving community anime clubs high and dry. The fact that they told a librarian who reached out to buy a personal account is pretty absurd, too.»
Crunchyroll Continues to Paywall Many of Its Formerly Free Anime Features
“This change comes as our community outreach efforts evolve and we are identifying alternate strategic ways to better deliver broad access to the Crunchyroll service to anime fans everywhere,” a Crunchyroll representative wrote to the user featured in the viral online post. “We deeply value the role libraries play in expanding access to content to anime communities and are actively exploring alternative ways to support community initiatives that adhere to local guidelines and align with our platform’s commitments and resources.”
The Crunchyroll representative suggested that the user subscribe to the streaming service to continue accessing new and previous anime titles or watch the free ad-supported series available on the service. However, «Crunchyroll’s AVOD and Fan Tier subscriptions are intended for personal, non-commercial use only. Crunchyroll accounts may not be used for public screenings such as those hosted by a library, community organization, etc, and the acceptable uses of Crunchyroll accounts are detailed in our Terms of Use.»
An official announcement of the program’s discontinuation has yet to be posted. However, online search results that previously led to Crunchyroll’s page detailing its library outreach program have been scrubbed. CBR contacted Crunchyroll about the end of its library outreach program and will update when a response is provided. This controversial move comes as Crunchyroll continues to paywall or remove many of its formerly free features, such as drastically limiting free ad-supported access to its most popular shows like One Piece, while raising subscription fees.
prices of anime merchandise and video game hardware, accessories, and games are about to skyrocket due to the recent imposition of President Donald J. Trump’s tariffs. President Trump suggested tariffs on films produced outside the U.S., but according to the White House, an official decision has not yet been made.
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