News Reporting

FunimationNow Updating Apps & Site, PS Vita Launch Planned


Even though Sony’s given up on the Vita, Funimation’s still happy to give anime fans what they want on the little handheld that could.

Earlier today, Funimation announced that they’re re-vamping their FunimationNow service. In addition to new streaming apps, the publisher will make several updates to the core service.

Apps

The company will release upgraded streaming apps on several platforms, including:

  • XBox game consoles
  • PlayStation game consoles
  • Roku
  • Apple TV

Most notable, though, is that a FunimationNow app is in the works for Sony’s PlayStation Vita.

funimationnow-apps-revamp-001-20160924

Website

For those who don’t want to go the app route, Funimation is rebuilding the company’s website and streaming portal.

The new site will include a responsive layout for a consistent experience across PC, tablet, and mobile platforms. The video player is being revamped and optimized for mobile platforms.

funimationnow-site-revamp-001-20160924

Funimation will make improvements to their search engine. The new engine will allow users to search by title, keywords, genre, and year.

The publisher will also put a new user-specific recommendation system into place. Much like Netflix, the site will suggest shows based on user viewing habits.

The new FunimationNow site will also implement measures to promote catalog content. A new Follow feature will notify users of new updates and episodes for shows of their choosing. Furthermore, Funimation will maintain curated “mood-themed” playlists, which will be regularly updated.

Source: FunimationNow

About the author

Samantha Ferreira

Samantha Ferreira is Anime Herald’s founder and editor-in-chief. A Rhode Island native, Samantha has been an anime fan since 1992, and an active member of the anime press since 2002, when she began working as a reviewer for Anime Dream. She launched Anime Herald in 2010, and continues to oversee its operations to this day. Outside of journalism, Samantha actively studies the history of the North American anime fandom and industry, with a particular focus on the 2000s anime boom and bust. She’s a huge fan of all things Sakura Wars, and maintains series fansite Combat Revue Review when she has free time available. When not in the Anime Herald Discord, Samantha can typically be found on Bluesky.

Anime Herald

Support Anime Herald

Anime Herald is brought to you through our Patrons and Ko-fi supporters. Consider backing us for as little as $1 a month to help us keep the site ad-free and pay a fair rate to our writers.

Patrons and backers can access several benefits, including Early Article Access, our members-only Discord, and the ability to suggest articles for our team to write on your behalf.



Latest Posts