Over the last few years, we have seen quite a few anime series released to the market without an English dub, which would have been unthinkable a decade ago where almost everything would be dubbed or otherwise not licensed/released. Funimation Entertainment is an anime publisher who still loves English dubbed anime, and unlike their competition which tend to go on a series-by-series basis, pretty much never publish a series without one.
However while there are some anime fans that enjoy watching their anime in English, there are others who almost exclusively watch their favourite series in Japanese. To cater towards this audience, Funimation Entertainment have launched a new subtitle-only subscription service via their video-on-demand website dubbed ‘SubPass’. This service grants a subscriber unlimited access to subtitled anime, including episodes that are streamed in HD right after the Japanese boardcast.
Because subscribers will not have access to any of Funimation’s English dubbed streams, this is a cheaper way of accessing anime, and may also appeal to those after a bargain. The SubPass service is available for just $4.95 USD a month, with three months at $12.95 and an annual pass for $39.95. This is compared to the All-AccessPass which is available at $7.95 per month, $18.95 for three months or $59.95 annually. Of course, there is also the option of purchasing the anime on DVD or Blu-ray when a series is published.
In an attempt to sweeten the deal, SubPass subscribers will be able to access both subbed and dubbed streams during a limited introductory period.
Do note that this deal is restricted to regions that Funimation Entertainment support. Those in other regions will need to look to their local publisher for information on where to watch and/or purchase their favourite anime.
