Funimationhas announced that English simuldub releases of its popular anime series will be delayed due to the coronavirus. In a statement released by the compnay,Funimationstated that it is adjusting its dub-production schedule so that its employees can work from home. Simuldub production is being “paused” for the “remainder of the current and upcoming seasons,” and it stated that it will let fans know if that will change.
A full list of the impacted Funimation shows can be found below, but arguably the highest profile delays will be forMy Hero AcademiaandBlack Clover. TheMy Hero AcademiaEpisode 84 English dub for the episode “Deku vs. Gentle Criminal,” originally set to air on Saturday, March 21, is being delayed.Black Clover’s delay will start on March 24, impacting Episode 124. It should be noted that theMy Hero AcademiaEnglish simuldub release had already been delayed previously in the season, meaning that the English dub is now multiple weeks behind the Japanese version of the show.
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It’s unclear exactly how long these delays will last. It’s possible that the English dub ofMy Hero AcademiaEpisode 84will come next Saturday instead and the show will only be pushed back by a week, but that’s just speculation at this time. Fans will have a better idea of what to expect come next weekend.
On the bright side, those that watch anime with subtitles won’t be impacted by any delays. It’s been confirmed that new subtitled episodes will still arrive on time. So those who don’t care for English dubs of anime series can still watch new episodes of their favorite shows as they air.
Funimation’s anime schedule is far from the only thing that’s been delayed in the wake of the global coronavirus pandemic. Many other television programs have had to postpone production entirely, includingseason 2 ofThe Witcherand virtually every other live-action TV show that was filming prior to the coronavirus outbreak.
The video game industry has also been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. For example,Amazon has delayed someAnimal Crossing: New Horizonspre-orders, and other physical releases are also expected to be in short supply. Many game development teams are working from home, and big events like E3 have been canceled. From video games to anime, the coronavirus is having a wide-ranging impact on the entertainment industry as a whole.
