In-flight entertainment has improved by leaps and bounds over the years. We’ve come a long way from everyone having to watch the same bad movie to individual touchscreens with Bluetooth integration and viewing options from numerous streaming services. CNET reports that in addition to popular options like Spotify and Paramount Plus, Delta will soon bring anime to the skies, courtesy of Crunchyroll.
Anime fans already know about Crunchyroll, but for everyone else, it’s an all-anime streaming service, featuring everything from classics like “Akira” and “Initial D” to original content of inconsistent quality. It’s essentially the Netflix of anime. With over 50,000 movies and TV shows available according to Polygon, there’s bound to be something for everybody in Crunchyroll’s vast collection. Only a portion of this vast library will be available through Delta. Neither Delta nor Crunchyroll has announced exactly what feast of anime specials you’ll be able to dine on at 35,000 feet, but Anime News Network says it will be a selection of 50,000 episodes from 2,000 titles. We’ll find out more later this year.
Anime in the air
This partnership will bring anime to 169,000 seatback screens across Delta’s fleet. If you connect your device to in-flight Wi-Fi, a 24-hour Crunchyroll trial will also be available. CNET says this option will only be available to SkyMiles members, while other sites report no such limitation. Either way, no membership is necessary to enjoy Crunchyroll on the in-flight entertainment system.
Flying on Delta just became a whole lot more fun. It could be an opportunity to binge-watch “Wangan Midnight” to see if it’s as good as everyone thinks it is. Perhaps you could solve the mystery of exactly which dual-sport motorcycle keeps popping up in everything from “Kill la Kill” to “Final Fantasy VII Remake.” Or maybe you could see just how closely “éX-Driver” predicted the reality of driverless cars running amok. Whatever your preferences in the vast genre of anime, it will be great to pass the hours of your flight catching up with or rewatching some of your favorites. It sure beats in-flight gambling.