“I’m as mad as hell, and I’m not going to take this anymore!” — the quote immortalised by Peter Finch in the 1970s classic Network — feels uncomfortably appropriate right now.

Last Year Crunchyroll announced that its free viewing option was goning. Not “changing.” Not “evolving.” Gone. And, just to really sweeten the deal, this week, they’ve also decided to increase subscription prices.

Now, to be clear, I’m not clutching my pearls over the increase itself. It’s $2 in the US and £1 in the UK. Pocket change. Barely worth mentioning. Everything costs more now — that’s just how late-stage capitalism works. The new prices apply immediately to new subscribers, while existing users will see the increase hit their billing cycles after March 4.

Where I do start rolling my eyes so hard I can see my own thoughts is the timing.
Crunchyroll bought its biggest rival, Funimation, a few years ago — a move that mysteriously resulted in a price hike not long after. Then, at the end of last year, they quietly killed off the free-to-watch option altogether. And now? Another increase. Totally unrelated events, I’m sure. Pure coincidence. Nothing to see here.

To be fair — because I’m nothing if not generous — it wasn’t all bad news. We got teen profiles and PIN protection, multiple profiles, Skip Intro/Credits (because who wouldn’t want to skip the anime opening?), expanded device compatibility, and Crunchyroll Manga, a digital-only service bolstered by partnerships with Viz Media and Square Enix.

There’s also talk of even more “synergy” with Sony in upcoming projects, which is always reassuring language and never ominous corporate speak at all. But here’s the thing: Crunchyroll has been extremely profitable for years and remains so today. Which does raise a very small, very reasonable question — did they actually need to raise prices?

For a company that started out as a pirate site for weebs like me to share and watch anime, this feels less like growing pains and more like a straight-up heel turn. Especially at a time when everything else in life is already getting more expensive, this just feels like another “thanks for your loyalty — now pay more” moment.