Crunchyroll and Starz Launch Discounted Streaming Bundle on Prime Video
The bundle marks a strategic pairing of an anime-focused platform with a general entertainment service, leveraging Prime Video Channels as a distribution hub to reduce churn and expand each service's reach beyond their core audiences.
Key Facts
- Crunchyroll and Starz announced a bundle available through Amazon Prime Video in the U.S. on July 29, 2026.
- The bundle costs $16.99 per month, or $15.99 per month after a seven-day free trial, according to Cartoon Brew.
- The bundle includes Crunchyroll's anime catalog (One Piece, Solo Leveling, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba) and Starz programming (Outlander, Power franchise, rotating films).
- Crunchyroll raised its U.S. subscription prices in February, with the Fan tier now $9.99, Mega Fan $13.99, and Ultimate Fan $17.99 per month.
- Crunchyroll is a joint venture between Sony Pictures Entertainment and Aniplex, both subsidiaries of Sony Group.
Reporting from 2 sources: Anime News Network, Cartoon Brew.
Crunchyroll and Starz announced a new bundle on Wednesday that combines both services through Amazon's Prime Video in the U.S. The bundle costs $16.99 per month and is available now. Cartoon Brew reports the package is offered through Prime Video Channels at $15.99 per month after a seven-day free trial, which represents a 27% discount compared to subscribing to Crunchyroll's Fan tier at $9.99 and Starz at $11.99 individually. The bundle gives subscribers access to Crunchyroll's anime catalog, including One Piece, Solo Leveling, and Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, alongside Starz programming such as Outlander, the Power franchise, and a rotating selection of films. The deal is the latest example of streaming companies using bundling to combat cancellations and make their services more attractive in a crowded market. Prime Video Channels has become a hub for such packages, allowing subscribers to manage multiple services and watch content through a single platform. For Crunchyroll, the partnership provides another route for anime to reach mainstream streaming audiences, while Starz gains access to Crunchyroll's large and engaged anime fanbase.
- Crunchyroll raised prices across all U.S. subscription tiers last February. The Fan tier went from $7.99 to $9.99, the Mega Fan tier from $11.99 to $13.99, and the Ultimate Fan tier from $15.99 to $17.99.
- The Fan tier includes no ads and same-day simulcast episodes. The Mega Fan tier adds offline viewing, four simultaneous streams, and a 10% discount on select Crunchyroll Store items with free shipping over $50.
- The Ultimate Fan tier offers six simultaneous streams, a 15% store discount, free shipping, an annual swag bag, and access to member-only merchandise.
- Crunchyroll ended its free ad-supported streaming tier on December 31.
- Crunchyroll is an independently operated joint venture between Sony Pictures Entertainment and Japan's Aniplex. Sony's Funimation Global Group bought Crunchyroll from AT&T on August 9, 2021, for $1.175 billion in cash.
- Cartoon Brew notes the pairing is "somewhat surprising," since it combines a Sony-owned anime platform with a cable network's film and TV lineup.
- Cartoon Brew frames Prime Video Channels as a modern equivalent of cable, letting subscribers manage multiple services through one platform.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 2 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.