Getting access to the latest Anime wasn’t always as easy as it is now—thankfully, the days of trying to search down communities that subtitled the latest Anime on VHS are long gone.
Each season, we now have the option of streaming new and old Anime from a variety of services, each with its own set of advantages.
What they provide varies widely depending on where you are in the world, but we believe Crunchyroll provides the greatest, most complete platform for watching Anime, with Funimation (Crunchyroll’s erstwhile partner turned competition) a close second.
Crunchyroll is an Anime-focused streaming service that debuted in 2006, years before Netflix.
It offers a massive Anime library, and you can even watch episodes one hour after they air in Japan. It has now grown to include some live-action dramas and Manga titles.
In this article, we’ll go over what makes Crunchyroll so good at providing access to Anime that many people around the world want to watch, and why it’s our favorite way to watch Anime today.
What is Crunchyroll?
Crunchyroll, founded in 2006, is an on-demand streaming service largely focused on Japanese anime.
It boasts the largest licensed anime streaming portfolio and is unrestricted globally. There are currently 120 million registered users and 5 million paying customers. What distinguishes Crunchyroll from the competition is that the majority of its programming is available for free.
You may watch your favorite anime series and movies by creating a free account. Don’t worry if you don’t know Japanese; anime series and movies are translated and subtitled or dubbed in a multitude of languages. In addition, new anime TV episodes are available on the site within an hour of their debut in Japan.
Can I watch Anime on the Crunchyroll website?
Crunchyroll’s collection is divided between Anime and dramas, with the former comprising the majority of the content.
The genres of shows include action, adventure, humor, drama, fantasy, music, mystery, romance, and science fiction.
A Place Further Than the Universe, In/Spectre, and The Rising of the Shield Hero are among the original Anime programs produced by Crunchyroll. Other Crunchyroll originals, such as Onyx Equinox, set in Mesoamerica; Meiji Gekken: Sword & Gun; set in 1870s Japan; are planned to premiere soon.
There are far too many shows on Crunchyroll to list them all here. Instead, you can find a full list on their all-shows page.
Is Funimation a subsidiary of Crunchyroll?
Crunchyroll formerly competed with Sony’s rival anime-centric streamer Funimation; however, from March 1, 2022, all Funimation programming that is not currently on Crunchyroll will be transferred to Crunchyroll.
Sony announced in early December 2020 that its Funimation anime subsidiary would purchase Crunchyroll for $1.175 billion. The agreement was authorized and signed in 2021.
It was unclear how or even whether the two services would coexist in the future, but they have now merged under the Crunchyroll brand. It is unknown when Funimation will completely close operations.
Is it safe to watch on Crunchyroll?
Crunchyroll is completely secure and has been for many years. You can enable your ad-blocker just to be careful, but it has never been infected with malware.
For the record, Crunchyroll has been completely legal since roughly 2009, thus your chances of getting anything from there are no lower than those of YouTube or Hulu.
Account hackings are probably no worse than on other sites; Crunchyroll is just not as good at dealing with the fallout. You’ll be alright if you use a secure password.
Also, are you in the United States? If this is the case, you should choose VRV instead. It’s newer and features a better player, as well as 99% of Crunchyroll’s collection, Hidive, and a few more channels.
What is the best website to watch Anime?
Yep. It is the safest location to watch Anime and read Manga because it owns the rights to the episodes available on the web.
You must pay a monthly subscription price if you want to view shows without advertising every few minutes. Crunchyroll is the Anime equivalent of Netflix.
Crunchyroll is probably one of the safest and best websites to stream Anime. It has over 5 million paid customers as of 2021, with access to over 1,000 shows from Japan and East Asia.
Crunchyroll has a free version as well as a paid subscription. The service’s “Premium” edition includes different tiers, with “Fan” allowing users to stream video without advertisements and “Mega Fan” allowing users to stream content without ads and offline viewing on many devices at the same time.
Access to “subbed” and “dubbed” content is available to both free and premium accounts.
Subtitles in English and other languages will be available when users stream content that originally aired in Japan.
Those who would rather watch an Anime than read might choose a dubbed version in their language. The Japanese voice actor has been replaced by an English voice actor in the English dubs.
Can I watch free Anime on Crunchyroll?
Crunchyroll is a paid website. It offers two versions of the site: a free, ad-supported one, and a paid version that has no ads.
It will allow you to stream for free on most devices, but you will be subject to commercials and the quality will be reduced to 480p.
The number of free shows available will also be limited. If you want to avoid all of that, Crunchyroll Premium is $6.95 per month if paid monthly.
The free version has its set of pros, but the main reason to pay (apart from helping the Anime industry) is for simulcasts.
Simulcasts are Anime that are currently on the air in Japan. If you use Crunchyroll free, you will be a week late on anything Simulcasting.
This is significant if you are active on the internet since you risk spoilers and watercooler talk about the Anime in the issue.
If neither of those is a deal breaker for you, free will suffice. Currently, Crunchyroll offers the following levels of memberships:
| Packages | Fan | Mega Fan | Ultimate Fan |
| Charges | $7.99 a month | $9.99 a month | $14.99 a month |
| Perks | Ad-free viewing and unlimited access to the library, and mangas. | offline viewing; first access to special Crunchyroll Expo events and lotteries; and $15 off $100 purchase in Crunchyroll Store every 3 months. | all of the Mega Fan perks plus $25 off $100 purchase in the Crunchyroll Store every 3 months; an annual swag bag; and exclusive access to rare, members-only merchandise. |
| Usage | Can be used on one device at a time. | stream on four devices at once | You can stream on six devices at once |
Is Crunchyroll available worldwide for streaming Anime?
Crunchyroll provides Anime and Manga lovers in over 200 countries and territories with their favorite materials and experiences.
Crunchyroll serves the Anime community with events, theatre, games, consumer products, collectibles, and manga publishing, in addition to free ad-supported and subscription premium content.
Anime aficionados may watch one of the largest collections of licensed Anime on Crunchyroll, which is translated into numerous languages for people all over the world.
Viewers can also watch simulcasts, which are top shows that are available immediately after their Japanese broadcast.
Crunchyroll is available on over 15 different platforms, including all gaming consoles.
Is Crunchyroll better than Netflix?
If you simply want to subscribe to one streaming service and watch Anime, movies, sitcoms, dramas, documentaries, reality TV, and a variety of other series, Netflix is the way to go.
It contains almost everything you need in one location. It is the world’s most popular streaming service for a reason.
On the other hand, Netflix is more expensive than Crunchyroll. While it has a lot of amazing Anime shows, it can’t compete with Crunchyroll’s Anime catalog. So, if you’re on a tight budget or simply enjoy Anime, Crunchyroll is the better option.
What are the names of some Crunchyroll original Anime?
In addition to releasing Anime from Japanese companies, Crunchyroll originals provides a slate of original content.
Launched last year and produced by Crunchyroll Studios, the company has distinguished itself from competitors by delivering content unique to its site rather than depending primarily on licensed content.
Originals on Crunchyroll include:
- FreakAngels
- Onyx Equinox
- High Guardian Spice
- Noblesse
- Meiji Gekken: Swords & Guns
- In/Spectre
- High School God
- Tower of God
Conclusion
- Yes, it certainly is the safest platform to stream your favorite shows and it is much cheaper than Netflix.
- Crunchyroll has a massive library dedicated to Anime only from shonen, and seinen to slice-of-life and thrillers every type of content is available in top-notch audio-visual quality.
- Crunchyroll also has a free version with some content limitations for those who cannot afford the premium versions.