Amazon shuts down Anime Strike channel, rolls it over into Prime Video

By Mark Austin Published April 25, 2023

anime strike — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Less than a year after it premiered, Amazon is shutting down its Anime Strike channel, which offered more than 1,000 episodes and movies for fans of the Japanese animated style. In addition to classic hits like Tokyo Godfathers and Paprika, the channel was also home to streaming exclusives for the U.S. market like Scum’s Wish, Onihei, The Great Passage, Vivid Strike!, Crayon-Shin Chan Gaiden: Alien vs. Shinnosuke, and Chi’s Sweet Adventure.

The news will come as a double-edged katana for anime fans, however, as all the content from Anime Strike will be moved under the umbrella of Prime Video, along with the niche Bollywood channel Heera.

Recommended Videos

“We have decided to move the curated catalogs of Anime Strike and Heera into Prime Video so that more customers can enjoy this content as part of their Prime membership,” an Amazon spokesperson confirmed to Kotaku.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

Forbes reports that all active Anime Strike memberships have been discontinued as of January 5. “Amazon has notified subscribers that content from Anime Strike is now available in Prime Video and included with their Amazon Prime membership. Amazon also automatically canceled their Anime Strike subscriptions, refunding any portion of their final monthly payment that extends beyond Jan 5th,” the company said.

Despite its impressive lineup, Anime Strike never caught on with fans when it was launched to compete with Crunchyroll, Funimation, and Netflix’s own anime offerings. A primary objection was the double-whammy tier pricing — on top of the $99 yearly Prime membership, Anime Strike cost an additional $60 per year ($5 per month). Many viewers complained that there was no ad-supported free viewing option.

In addition, the search function was unwieldy, and it was difficult to find shows amidst the clutter of manga and related merchandise in the Amazon store. Anime Strike was also only available in the U.S.

It’s unclear what this means for the future of anime on the platform, as Anime Strike was the first branded on-demand subscription service for Amazon. It was obviously spending some money for all those exclusives, and as recently as a few months ago, was touting the popularity of the channel.

“Anime Strike is performing great. Signups are higher than initial projections as we add more content and more features,” Amazon told Forbes in May. “Besides new episodes every week and new shows every season, we’ve been able to introduce new things that anime fans weren’t able to get before.”

So if you didn’t have an Anime Strike account, now’s the perfect time to click over to Prime Video for some anime binge watching.

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Mark’s first encounter with high-tech was a TRS-80. He spent 20 years working for Nintendo and Xbox as a writer and…

Entertainment

The best thrillers on Amazon Prime Video right now

Channing Tatum and Naomie Ackie in Blink Twice.

Thrillers are great for fans looking for a riveting and even thought-provoking time, and Amazon Prime Video has some of the best movies in the genre. From classics to modern hits, the platform has plenty to keep audiences entertained. Prime Video’s thriller catalog delves into various subgenres as well, including sci-fi thrillers, action, psychological thrillers, and everything in between. Fans have even more options when considering Prime's optional premium channels, like Max and Starz, that can be added.

Movies like debut director Zoë Kravitz's Blink Twice and the Academy Award-winning Captain Phillips are among this month’s highlights. And while the streamer's selection can be a bit overwhelming, this guide is updated monthly and focuses on some of the best thriller movies on Prime Video right now.
Amazon Prime may have a robust catalog, but it doesn't have everything. Luckily, we've also curated roundups of the best thrillers on Netflix and the best thrillers on Hulu. Need more recommendations? Then check out the best new movies to stream this week, the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Max, and the best movies on Disney+.

Entertainment

Check out this great movie before it leaves Amazon Prime Video next week

A woman points a dagger at a man in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

We're thankfully living in an era when more and more foreign movies and TV shows can become genuine phenomena in the U.S. Thanks to the increasing use of subtitles, and the global distribution of many of these movies, we can see the best of what cinema has to offer from all around the world.

Amazon Prime Video is home to many of these titles, as well as a broader selection of great movies that cut across every imaginable genre. If you're struggling to find just one movie to watch, you should start with Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. The movie was a major phenomenon in the U.S. in an era when few international movies got that treatment, and it's also leaving Prime Video at the end of May. Here are three reasons you should check it out.
It stars Oscar-winner Michelle Yeoh

Entertainment

5 great Amazon Prime Video movies to watch in the spring

Nicholas Galitzine and Anne Hathaway in The Idea of You.

If you want proof that 2024 is flying by, stop and realize that spring is almost over. The season of flowers, perfume, cheer, and a fresh start is about to end, so you should definitely make the best out of these last weeks. Luckily, there are more than a few movies to enjoy during these last few days of bliss.

The best movies on Amazon Prime include everything from romantic stories, exciting adventures, and a few bittersweet tales. These movies are perfect for the last days of spring, capturing the feeling of bittersweetness for what is ending and excitement for what's coming. So say goodbye to April showers and pollen with these movies, which will help you go into the summer with a new outlook.
The Idea of You (2024)