The international anime site and community Crunchyroll is joining forces with anime subscription box company Loot Crate to bring Loot Anime, its anime product line, to the masses.
However, it's not a one-way street: "the latest streaming content and licenses available from Crunchyroll" will be available for Loot Crate subscribers, creating, in essence, a Loot Anime subscription box paired with branding from Crunchyroll.
While the deal was announced on Feb. 18, it seems that both companies have already been collaborating publicly in some capacity — even if nothing at the time had been officialized.
"The partnership has already begun — Loot Crate joined Crunchyroll at the anime convention Katsucon last weekend in Washington D.C., where they sold Loot Anime crates in the Crunchyroll booth," said Crunchyroll Head of Brand and Community Dallas Middaugh. "[Our] branding and products will follow in the near future, along with other exclusive benefits."
The partnership will also provide an undeniable boost for Loot Anime, which only launched a few months ago in 2015. The established seniority of Crunchyroll, which, among other things, provides access to seminal anime titles like Naruto Shippuden, Attack on Titan and One Piece for audiences on a global scale, can only aid in growth.
"This partnership combines the best of both of our worlds — Loot Crate's exclusive collection of products, plus Crunchyroll's unparalleled library of streaming anime titles. Subscribers will now have a more intimate experience with the best anime," said Loot Crate CEO Chris Davis. "Crunchyroll's decision to team up with Loot Crate is a testament to our company's manufacturing and fulfillment expertise, curation approach and passionate anime community."
As the press release noted, current Loot Crate members won't see any discrepancies involving their current fees.
In addition to its collaborative efforts with Loot Crate, Crunchyroll has announced a team-up with Bioworld Merchandising to produce a line of clothing, which it has stated will be available for the spring.
Source: Crunchyroll
