Wakanim history and shutdown: from French anime pioneer to Crunchyroll consolidation
Wakanim was one of Europe's earliest anime streaming services. Its closure was the final step in a consolidation that began when Sony brought Funimation and Crunchyroll together.
Published: 2026-08-19. Updated: 2026-08-19.
Short answer: Wakanim was a French anime streaming service founded in February 2009. Aniplex acquired a majority stake in March 2015, and the service expanded to Germany, Austria, and Switzerland in September 2017. On March 1, 2022, Sony announced that Funimation, Wakanim, and Crunchyroll would unify under the Crunchyroll brand, with new series releasing only on Crunchyroll. Wakanim stopped adding new titles for more than a year and officially shut down on November 3, 2023.
Wakanim's origins and ownership
Wakanim launched in France in February 2009 as a video-on-demand service focused on anime. In March 2015, Aniplex, a Sony Music Entertainment Japan subsidiary, acquired a majority stake, giving Sony a controlling interest in the platform early in its international anime expansion.
The service expanded beyond France in September 2017, launching in Germany, Austria, and the German-speaking parts of Switzerland. It offered both subscription plans and individual episode or season purchases.
The Sony consolidation begins
In September 2019, Sony Pictures Television and Aniplex formed a joint venture involving Wakanim, Funimation, and Madman Anime Group. The move was part of Sony's broader effort to consolidate the anime services it owned under one operational structure.
On March 1, 2022, Sony announced that the anime content from Funimation, Crunchyroll, Wakanim, and Animax would be unified under the Crunchyroll brand. From that point forward, newly licensed anime series and films were released exclusively on Crunchyroll rather than on Wakanim.
Why Wakanim shut down
Wakanim's shutdown was the practical consequence of brand consolidation. Because new anime was no longer being added to Wakanim after March 2022, the service existed primarily as a back-catalog platform for more than a year and a half.
On September 22, 2023, Wakanim announced that it would close on November 3, 2023. Customers with subscriptions extending past that date received automatic refunds, and users with unused credits were also offered refunds. Purchased titles could be downloaded until the shutdown date, after which downloads were no longer available.
Digital ownership caveat: Wakanim's closure illustrates a risk common to licensed streaming services: purchased episodes and download rights depend on the platform staying operational. After November 3, 2023, Wakanim users no longer had access to previously purchased downloads.
What happened to Wakanim subscribers and content
Sony directed Wakanim subscribers to Crunchyroll as the surviving service. Existing subscriptions were not automatically transferred at the same price; subscribers needed to sign up for Crunchyroll plans. Regional availability and catalog varied by country.
The Wakanim brand, website, and apps ceased to operate after November 3, 2023. The closure followed the broader pattern of Sony folding its acquired anime services, which also included the end of the Funimation app and website on April 2, 2024.
Wakanim's place in European anime streaming history
Wakanim was one of the first dedicated anime streaming services in Europe and helped establish the market for legal simulcasts and subscriptions in France and the German-speaking region. Its acquisition by Aniplex and later integration into Sony's anime group made it a stepping stone rather than a long-term independent brand.
The service's shutdown left Crunchyroll as the primary Sony-owned anime streaming option in most of Europe, though regional competitors and broadcaster-owned services remain active in France and other markets.
Wakanim timeline based on its official shutdown notice and press reports.| Date | Event |
|---|
| February 2009 | Wakanim founded in France |
| March 2015 | Aniplex acquires majority stake |
| September 2017 | Expansion to Germany, Austria, and Switzerland |
| September 2019 | Joint venture with Funimation and Madman Anime Group |
| March 1, 2022 | New anime releases move exclusively to Crunchyroll |
| September 22, 2023 | Shutdown announced |
| November 3, 2023 | Wakanim service closes |
Frequently asked questions
When did Wakanim shut down?
Wakanim officially shut down on November 3, 2023. The closure was announced on September 22, 2023.
Why did Sony close Wakanim?
Sony consolidated its anime services under the Crunchyroll brand. New anime had been released only on Crunchyroll since March 2022, making Wakanim redundant as a back-catalog service.
What happened to Wakanim subscribers?
Subscribers were directed to Crunchyroll. Wakanim offered automatic refunds for subscriptions extending past November 3, 2023, and refunds for unused credits.
Sources and methodology
- Streaming-Dienst WAKANIM wird abgeschaltet, Anime2You. September 22, 2023. Reports Wakanim's November 3, 2023 shutdown, refund policy, founding date, Aniplex acquisition, and Crunchyroll consolidation timeline.
- Funimation End of Services, Crunchyroll Help. Official Crunchyroll support article confirming the March 2022 unification announcement and April 2, 2024 Funimation closure.