Crunchyroll is facing significant community backlash after announcing that its official online store will soon become an exclusive perk for “Mega Fan” and “Ultimate Fan” subscribers. Moving forward, customers will need to pay a minimum of $13.99 per month just to access the store to purchase merchandise.
While an official transition date has not yet been confirmed, the platform is moving toward a “curated experience” model. This shift follows Crunchyroll’s previous decision to end free, ad-supported anime streaming in late 2025, further fueling frustration among users already wary of the company’s evolving business model under Sony’s ownership.