With much of popular culture becoming increasingly commodified, it’s truly sad to see RightstufAnime.com become the latest to shut down. They were recently acquired by Crunchyroll, a service that has continuously grown and diversified its portfolio, but fans understandably predicted what came next. As social media erupts with the news, it appears sad to confirm that Rightstuf, one of the most trusted services for purchasing physical media for anime fans will soon shut down on October 10, 2023, and their products will be sold via Crunchyroll.
Rightstuf Shuts Down and Moves Inventory to Crunchyroll
To say it’s a shock that Rightstuf is shutting down after its acquisition by Crunchyroll and parent company Sony Pictures Entertainment would be misleading. Fans foresaw this sunsetting after its August 4, 2022 acquisition, especially as it’s been speculated with other Sony-owned services such as Funimation.
While the products can now be found on the Crunchyroll Store, it’ll be a tough sell with the fans. Rightstuf has developed a stellar reputation in the decades since its 1987 debut as a trusted physical media seller known for the care with which it ships its products. With this development, the Crunchyroll Store will be even more of a one-stop shop, but for those who have been used to Rightstuf it’s a difficult adjustment.
We have reached out to Crunchyroll for comments as this is a developing story. Given the social media reactions to this development, it is going to be a tricky matter to communicate to the public, especially for the sake of reassuring people. However, Right Stuf Anime’s Twitter account has taken to confirming the news, with the excitement surrounding the prospect of these offerings under one roof.
It’s inevitably going to come as a blow to longtime consumers, especially for those concerned by the increasing consolidation of media and popular culture brands. We will keep this post updated with any additional statements, but for now, be sure to stop by RightstufAnime while you can.
