Now, watching popular anime series like Studio Pierrot's Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War is getting more expensive following the latest price hikes by major US anime streaming services Disney+ and Hulu.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Hulu and Disney+ will increase prices for their streaming services on October 17, 2024. Hulu's ad-supported plan will increase from $7.99 to $9.99, while its ad-free plan will increase from $17.99 to $18.99. Disney+ will increase by $2 to $9.99, while its ad-free plan will increase by $2 to $15.99. ESPN will also see its price increase from $10.99 to $11.99. These changes are likely to push customers to the combined Hulu and Disney+ package, which, despite also increasing by $1 to $10.99, is still a better value than buying the subscriptions separately.
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Demon Slayer's Swordsmith Village Arc Finally Gets a Toonami Release Date
Adult Swim's Saturday night anime show Toonami has announced the release date for the third season of the popular Demon Slayer series, Swordsmith Village Arc.
Streaming Services Bundle Like the Return of Cable TV, Including for Anime Fans
Many fans have argued that the bundling of services feels like a return to cable—a sentiment that has become more undeniable with Disney+’s new “Playlists” feature. Playlists will feature linear programming focused on a specific theme. “Whether it’s news, kids’ content, popular genres, hit shows, or blockbuster movies, there’s something for everyone in a comfortable viewing experience based on seasonality and interest,” Disney+ president Alisa Bowen added. Anime streaming service Adult Swim, for example, continues to see huge success with its Toonami block of linear programming; the launch of Toonami Rewind was a direct result of this, featuring older anime like Sailor Moon, Dragon Ball Z, and Naruto. Adult Swim is owned by Warner Bros. Discovery also owns the streaming service Max, which recently announced a new bundle with Disney and Hulu for $16.99 monthly or $29.99 ad-free.
Hulu Now Ranks as America's Second Largest Anime Streaming Service
While Hulu's catalog is much more limited than Crunchyroll's, it surprisingly still ranks as the second-largest anime streaming service in the United States behind Netflix (via Polygon's 2023 survey). The platform recently added English-dubbed episodes of Boruto and Naruto and is streaming all episodes of Attack on Titan. While it hasn't been officially confirmed, Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War Season 3 is expected to return exclusively to the platform when it launches in October 2024.
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Bleach: Rebirth of Souls Reveals Action-Packed Debut Gameplay Trailer
Bandai Namco released the first gameplay trailer for Bleach Rebirth of Souls — the first game developed for consoles since Bleach Brave Souls in 2016.
Ahead of Bleach's October release, fans can catch up on the series and watch the latest trailer, produced by Studio Pierrot's PIERROT FILMS. The series is officially described as follows: “When a new enemy appears, Soul Reaper Ichigo Kurosaki jumps back into the battlefield with his Zanpakuto to help those in need.”
Bleach: The Thousand Year Blood War
The peace is suddenly shattered when sirens sound throughout Soul Society. Residents disappear without a trace and no one knows who is behind it. Meanwhile, a darkness is approaching Ichigo and his friends in Karakura Town.
Release date October 11, 2022
Seasons 2
Creator Tite Kubo
Source: The Hollywood Reporter