Tokyo Ghoul anime rights and licensing: who owns and distributes it
Tokyo Ghoul's English-language path shows how one distributor's license can move across streaming services as partnerships change.
Published: 2026-08-19. Updated: 2026-08-19.
Short answer: FUNimation Entertainment acquired the North American simulcast and home video rights to the complete Tokyo Ghoul anime series in June 2014, according to the company's announcement. The title later became available on Crunchyroll through the Sony-led consolidation of Funimation's catalog, and Hulu has also streamed it under a 2018 output partnership with Funimation. The underlying rights remain controlled by the Tokyo Ghoul Production Committee and Shueisha, which publishes Sui Ishida's manga.
Who owns the anime rights to Tokyo Ghoul
The Tokyo Ghoul anime is a production-committee property. The on-screen copyright notice reads 'Sui Ishida / SHUEISHA, TOKYO GHOUL Production Committee,' which means the committee, not the animation studio alone, holds the underlying exploitation rights. Studio Pierrot handled the animation production under that committee structure.
Shueisha owns the manga copyright through Sui Ishida's original work, while the Production Committee controls the anime adaptation and its licensing. This split is standard for adapted anime: the publisher keeps manga rights, and the committee, made up of broadcasters, distributors, and production investors, manages the anime rights.
North American distribution history
FUNimation Entertainment announced on June 7, 2014 that it had acquired the simulcast and home video rights to the complete Tokyo Ghoul anime series. The series simulcast on FUNimation.com starting in July 2014, and the company later released the title on home video.
A December 2018 Hulu press release named Tokyo Ghoul as one of the top anime hits that would be available to U.S. subscribers through Hulu's expanded partnership with Funimation. The deal made Hulu and Funimation co-exclusive premiere homes for select subtitled series and broadened access to existing Funimation catalog titles.
After Sony's consolidation of Funimation and Crunchyroll, Tokyo Ghoul migrated to Crunchyroll's streaming library. The current availability depends on territory and active license terms, which can change when agreements expire or are renewed.
Tokyo Ghoul English-language distribution milestones based on company announcements.| Territory | Distributor / platform | Rights type | Source period |
|---|
| North America | FUNimation Entertainment | Simulcast and home video | 2014 onward |
| United States | Hulu | Streaming (via Funimation deal) | From 2018 |
| Select markets | Crunchyroll | Streaming | Present |
Who licenses Tokyo Ghoul today
For English-speaking markets, Crunchyroll now lists Tokyo Ghoul as part of its catalog, reflecting the post-merger bundling of Funimation titles. Crunchyroll's parent, Sony's Aniplex and Sony Pictures Entertainment, oversees the broader English-language exploitation strategy.
In other territories, local distributors hold sublicenses, but those deals are not consistently disclosed in public filings. A streaming page in one country may not indicate who holds theatrical, merchandise, or home video rights in another.
Streaming rights are territory-specific and time-limited
Anime streaming licenses are usually granted per country or region and expire after a set term. A title that is on Crunchyroll in the United States may be on a different service, or unavailable, in the United Kingdom, Australia, or Southeast Asia.
The 2018 Hulu-Funimation partnership specifically covered U.S. streaming rights. It did not transfer ownership of Tokyo Ghoul; it only granted Hulu a license to stream the series under Funimation's existing rights package.
Ownership uncertainty note: Public sources confirm FUNimation's 2014 North American license and Crunchyroll's current streaming presence, but the full chain of sublicenses for every territory is not publicly disclosed. Availability on any single platform does not prove worldwide rights ownership.
What this means for buyers and researchers
If you are looking for the current streaming home, check Crunchyroll and Hulu in the United States, and verify your local catalog. If you are researching rights ownership, the Production Committee and Shueisha are the controlling Japanese parties, with Crunchyroll/Sony handling the main English-language streaming exploitation today.
For home video, FUNimation's physical releases remain the documented North American editions, though future reissues would require a current license from the rights holders.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns the anime rights to Tokyo Ghoul?
The Tokyo Ghoul Production Committee controls the anime adaptation rights, while Shueisha holds the manga copyright. Studio Pierrot animated the series under license from the committee.
Who licenses Tokyo Ghoul in North America?
FUNimation Entertainment acquired the North American simulcast and home video rights in 2014. The series is now available on Crunchyroll following Sony's consolidation of the Funimation catalog.
Is Tokyo Ghoul on Hulu or Crunchyroll?
In the United States, Tokyo Ghoul has streamed on both Hulu, through a 2018 Funimation output deal, and Crunchyroll, which now carries the Funimation library. Availability can change by territory and license term.
Are Tokyo Ghoul streaming rights worldwide?
No. Streaming rights are typically licensed by territory. The documented U.S. deals do not apply automatically to other countries.