The news that anime streaming giant Crunchyroll has acquired Right Stuf, the popular online retailer and #1 distributor of anime and manga in North America, has set the anime industry and fandom ablaze. People are furiously discussing the acquisition and what it could mean for the anime and manga industries -- and how this could affect the medium's growth in North America.

The deal was announced to the public on August 4th; it is currently unknown how much Crunchyroll paid for the service, nor have the contract's terms been disclosed. However, it is known that this purchase includes Right Stuf subsidiary distribution company Nozomi Entertainment. Crunchyroll has said this acquisition is to increase its eCommerce product offerings.

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This merger has some anime fans very excited. At its most basic, Crunchyroll's acquisition of Right Stuf's eCommerce and logistics network and framework will make it easier than ever for fans to get physical anime merchandise. This may lead to several popular Crunchyroll shows getting their long-requested physical DVD and Blu-ray releases. It will also make it easier for fans to get other physical merchandise from their favorite franchises, including statues and posters.

Most notably, this will make it simpler for Crunchyroll to distribute physical manga, allowing it to compete with several other popular manga distributors, especially Viz Media. This will likely lead to increased corporate synergy, allowing Crunchyroll to distribute every part of the properties they license, from the anime to the manga and even the merchandise, giving it greater profits while allowing North American fans to access everything they want in one place.

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This could also lead to Crunchyroll licensing and distributing more shows per year. Right Stuf has an extensive catalog of licensed anime -- many via its Nozomi Entertainment subsidiary -- so Crunchyroll being able to leverage Right Stuf's licenses and existing relationships means the streaming platform will be able to bring more shows to audiences. Many fans will be happy to have all their favorite anime in one place, as it can get tiring needing numerous streaming subscriptions to watch one's favorite shows.

However, some are worried about one company monopolizing the anime market. Due to both the Right Stuf and Funimation mergers, Crunchyroll controls a good percentage of the North American anime and manga market. This strips consumers of choice, and this lack of options could lead to large-scale price increases as Crunchyroll no longer has to compete against other streaming and distribution platforms. A lack of competition could also lead to Crunchyroll becoming complacent, opting to not fix issues or reduce their service quality as it already has a captive audience.

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This is also bad for workers in the North American anime and manga industries; the lack of competition could drive down wages and give workers who are not employed by Crunchyroll fewer places to work, forcing them to leave the industry to support themselves. Over time, this could lead to the talent pool drying up.

It also means Crunchyroll can control what gets brought to and shown in North America, allowing it to impose its own personal standards on the medium. This is already being seen -- due to the Crunchyroll merger, Right Stuf has removed its Erotica section, forcing users who had already ordered products from this category to use a new site to complete their order.

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This has led to some wondering what other content rules Crunchyroll may implement in the future; there's a concern that it could effectively ban shows or media it dislikes, stopping these franchises from ever reaching North America. Especially as there has been a tradition of online content rules quickly growing in scope and becoming more restrictive with time. This could lead to some popular or creative franchises becoming inaccessible to American fans as these shows will have no alternative distribution options.

Only time will tell how the Crunchyroll and Right Stuf merger affects the anime industry and what Crunchyroll will do going forward. However, this acquisition shows that Crunchyroll is serious about its growth and has enough money to make some big, industry-shaking moves. Anime and manga fans can no doubt expect to see more giant motions from Crunchyroll and its competitors in the future.