Mar 27, 2017 07:28 AM EDT
Funimation Entertainment announced that the popular anime, "My Hero Academia" Season 2, will be aired simultaneously on the streaming giants Hulu and Crunchyroll starting April 1, 2017. Crunchyroll also announced that it will stream "My Hero Academia" Season 1 in selected territories before April 1.
According to Anime News Network, "My Hero Academia" Season 2 will be streamed in English dub and in Japanese with English subtitles. However, Funimation Entertainment revealed that the English dub will only be available on its streaming service, Funimation Now. That said, the Japanese with English subtitles will be aired via Crunchyroll and Hulu on the same day.
Fans will have the opportunity to catch up with "My Hero Academia" Season 1 just before "My Hero Academia" Season 2 premieres. Crunchyroll is reportedly streaming the first season of "My Hero Academia," with English subtitles, in selected countries including the USA, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. Meanwhile, the first season of the anime is already being streamed on Hulu.
Comic Book reports that the episodes of "My Hero Academia" Season 2 will be aired the same day that an episode will be shown in Japan. However, this same day broadcast doesn't necessarily mean that it will air at the same time.
"My Hero Academia" Season 2 will be aired every Saturday on 5:30 p.m. via Nippon TV and Yomiuri TV. "My Hero Academia" Season 1 included 13 episodes, all of which were aired on the MBS/TBS channel last April 2016.
This simulcast airing of "My Hero Academia" Season 2 could be a start of a new trend with regards to making popular anime available to more viewers worldwide. Gen Fukunaga, CEO and founder of Funimation Entertainment states "We're pleased to partner with both Hulu and Crunchyroll to bring 'My Hero Academia' Season 2 to both their streaming services."
Mike DuBoise, COO of Funimation Entertainment, also voiced his excitement with regards to their partnership with Crunchyroll and Hulu. "We're excited to make 'My Hero Academia' Season 2 accessible to more and more anime fans through this partnership with Crunchyroll and Hulu, fans can look forward to another great season of 'My Hero Academia' beginning April 1," says DuBoise.
It is indeed exciting times for anime followers, specifically for "My Hero Academia" Season 2 fans. Not only will a new adventure for Izuku and the gang be aired, this partnership between 3 streaming companies may signify that the battle for exclusive streaming rights will be dumped and it can be replaced by partnerships.
If that is indeed the case, these Funimation Entertainment executives would be right on at least one thing: anime would be more accessible. At least, for "My Hero Academia" Season 2 that is.