Hulu anime distribution and licensing strategy
Hulu is a generalist streamer with one of the largest anime libraries among non-specialist platforms, anchored by a multi-year Funimation partnership.
Published: 2026-08-19. Updated: 2026-08-19.
Short answer: Hulu's anime distribution strategy centers on a multi-year output partnership with Funimation, signed in December 2018. The deal gave Hulu a first look at U.S. streaming video-on-demand rights to future anime series produced and released by Funimation beginning in 2019, and it made Hulu and Funimation co-exclusive premiere destinations for certain new subtitled anime series day-and-date with their Japanese broadcast. Hulu also said at the time that it would add more than 20 seasons per year of new Japanese anime series, plus dubbed versions, and that it offered nearly 400 anime titles.
How Hulu distributes anime
Hulu distributes anime as part of its broader subscription streaming library in the United States. Unlike dedicated anime platforms, Hulu does not brand itself around anime, but it has used anime as a retention and acquisition tool within a general entertainment bundle. The service offers both subtitled and dubbed versions of many titles.
Hulu's anime offering is built primarily through licensing partnerships rather than original production. The largest of these partnerships was with Funimation, which supplied a high volume of subtitled and dubbed anime to Hulu's catalog.
The Funimation output deal
In December 2018, Hulu and Funimation announced a multi-year partnership and output deal that Hulu described as its largest agreement for anime programming to date. The deal granted Hulu a first look at U.S. streaming video-on-demand rights to future anime series produced and released by Funimation beginning in 2019. It also made Hulu and Funimation co-exclusive premiere destinations for certain new subtitled anime hits day-and-date with their worldwide premiere in Japan, with dubbed versions following later.
At signing, Hulu said it would add more than 20 seasons per year of new Japanese anime series. The deal broadened an existing agreement under which Hulu and Funimation were the only U.S. platforms to stream all subbed and dubbed episodes of top series including Attack on Titan, My Hero Academia, and Tokyo Ghoul.
Summary of the December 2018 Hulu-Funimation anime output deal.| Deal element | What it provided |
|---|
| Term | Multi-year partnership starting 2019 |
| Rights granted | First look at U.S. SVOD rights to future Funimation titles |
| Exclusivity | Co-exclusive premiere with Funimation for certain simulcasts |
| Volume commitment | More than 20 new seasons per year |
| Notable titles | Attack on Titan, My Hero Academia, Tokyo Ghoul, Naruto Shippuden |
Catalog versus exclusive strategy
Hulu's anime strategy has been catalog-heavy. At the time of the Funimation deal, Hulu said it streamed nearly 400 anime titles, which it called the biggest anime lineup among non-anime-specific streaming platforms. The catalog included long-running franchises such as Naruto Shippuden, Boruto, One-Punch Man, Sailor Moon, and Sword Art Online.
The exclusive component was narrower: co-exclusive simulcast windows for certain new Funimation titles. This let Hulu compete for seasonal anime viewers without requiring Hulu to bid title-by-title against Crunchyroll or Funimation in the open market.
Disney ownership and the Hulu question
Disney became the controlling shareholder of Hulu through its acquisition of 21st Century Fox assets, which closed in 2019. Disney's broader content strategy has emphasized franchise brands and cost discipline, raising questions about how much Hulu will continue to invest in licensed anime as Sony consolidates Funimation and Crunchyroll under one roof.
Because Sony now controls Crunchyroll and Funimation, it has incentives to keep more anime exclusives within its own streaming ecosystem. Hulu's 2018 Funimation deal was signed before that consolidation, so its renewal terms and current anime volume are not publicly known.
Where public evidence stops
Hulu does not publish anime-specific subscriber data, content spend, or current title counts. The 2018 Funimation deal remains the most detailed public statement of Hulu's anime distribution strategy. Later anime additions and removals can be observed on the service, but Hulu has not issued a comparable public strategy update since the Sony consolidation of Crunchyroll and Funimation.
This means the best available evidence describes Hulu's strategy at the time of its major Funimation partnership, not its current priorities.
Timing note: The most authoritative public details of Hulu's anime strategy date from December 2018. Subsequent changes in ownership and the streaming market mean current Hulu anime licensing practices may differ from what was announced then.
Frequently asked questions
How does Hulu get anime?
Hulu licenses anime through distribution partnerships, most notably a multi-year output deal with Funimation signed in 2018 that gave Hulu first-look U.S. SVOD rights and co-exclusive simulcast windows.
Does Hulu have exclusive anime?
Hulu had co-exclusive premiere rights to certain Funimation simulcasts under the 2018 deal, meaning new subtitled episodes premiered day-and-date on both Hulu and Funimation.
How many anime titles does Hulu have?
At the time of the 2018 Funimation deal, Hulu said it streamed nearly 400 anime titles. Current counts are not publicly disclosed.
Is Hulu's anime strategy changing under Disney?
Disney's control of Hulu and Sony's consolidation of Funimation with Crunchyroll create structural pressure on Hulu's anime licensing. No major post-2018 public strategy update has been issued.