which anime streaming service

by Dean Runolfsdottir DVM 5 min read
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Which anime streaming service is best?

Streaming service Entry-level price
Netflix $8.99/mo.
Hulu $5.99/mo. (w/ ads)
Funimation Free (w/ ads)
Crunchyroll Free (w/ ads)
May 14 2022

The best anime streaming services: Reviews & Recommendations
  • Best overall: Crunchyroll.
  • Best for dubs: Netflix.
  • Best for retro: RetroCrush.
  • Best curated: HIDIVE.
  • Best free: Tubi.
May 17, 2022

Full Answer

Which is the best paid streaming service for anime?

Best Anime Streaming Services. Netflix: Best for Anime Beginners. Hulu: Best for Classics. Funimation: Best for Anime Enthusiasts. Crunchyroll: Best for Anime Subs. VRV: Best for Anime Addicts. Now, as we’re getting started, big shout out to r/anime, the subreddit was a big help as I was getting started researching this one.

What are the best anime streaming websites?

The Best Anime Streaming Sites (Free & Premium)

  • Crunchyroll. Crunchyroll is one of the most popular anime streaming sites on the internet today. ...
  • Funimation. Funimation is another excellent site when you want to watch anime. ...
  • Animixplay. Animixplay has an excellent layout. ...
  • VRV. At VRV, you need to create an account to use the site. ...
  • Anime-Planet. ...
  • Animelab. ...
  • Animedao. ...
  • Anime Kisa. ...
  • MyAnimeList. ...
  • Anime Fever. ...

More items...

Is Crunchyroll the best anime streaming platform?

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Best anime streaming service overall

Because of its robust stable of content, Crunchyroll has become the global destination for anime streaming. Launched in 2006, the brand boasts over 100 million registered users and more than 5 million subscribers.

Runner-up overall, best for dubs

A former Crunchyroll rival, Funimation shares a lot of major titles with the anime giant. Where the two differ lies in their respective libraries. Funimation possesses over 13,000 hours' worth of content and claims the entire Dragon Ball Z collection. Crunchyroll has some, but not all of the popular franchise.

Best mainstream hub for anime

If you're on the fence about Crunchyroll or Funimation subscriptions, Hulu boasts more than 300 anime titles and is a prime stop to watch hits My Hero Academia, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, Tokyo Ghoul, Attack on Titan, Soul Eater, Bleach and more.

Mix of popular anime and original creations

As a pioneer in streaming TV, Netflix has grown its anime offerings though it lacks the fresh installments and simulcasts of Hulu. Currently, there are dozens of Japanese imports on the platform as well as Netflix originals Castlevania, Yasuke, Cannon Busters and Devilman Crybaby.

Best for uncensored content and anime movies

A service for the 18 and older crowd, Hidive streams content to fans around the globe, including simulcasts. Not only will you find curated anime from all subgenres, but there's an assortment of live-action adaptations too.

What's the difference between dub and sub?

In the anime community, the terms dubbed and subbed are used to describe the difference between a piece of content that streams in Japanese with subtitles or an English-dubbed (or other language) version. It's a matter of personal preference, but some fans like one type over the other.

Why can't I find certain anime content on some streaming services?

Due to licensing agreements, some streaming providers' anime lineups will change. This also depends on which country you live in, as various content may only be available in Japan, the US, or other regions.

Crunchyroll

What Netflix is to streaming, Crunchyroll is to anime streaming. If you want the biggest library of titles, with a mix of both classic titles like Captain Harlock and new hits like Jujutsu Kaisen, you can’t do much better than Crunchyroll.

Funimation

While we wait to see what the Funimation/Crunchyroll merger ends up looking like, Funimation remains the other biggest player in anime streaming. Though you can subscribe to both Funimation and Crunchyroll, there is enough library overlap that you’re probably better off picking one or the other.

HIDIVE

If you want something more grown-up than the teenage-aimed action shows that other streamers focus on, HIDIVE is the service for you. This streamer prides itself on offering edgier or more cultured shows like Redo of a Healer and Elfen Lied, but also Made in Abyss and the earlier Lupin the Third seasons.

RetroCrush

Enough about all these mainstream shows with clean animation and formula-heavy stories; take me back to the good ol’ days! If that’s you, then RetroCrush is your streamer.

The mainstream services great for watching anime

Hulu’s anime hub, home to new simulcast anime like Attack on Titan and classic films like Akira . Photo: Hulu

Netflix

At this point, do you really need someone to pitch you on Netflix? What you may not know, however, is that it has a pretty great anime library too.

Hulu

If you are new to anime or simply don’t want to commit to a dedicated streaming service just for that medium, then consider Hulu. Rather than license exclusive titles to try and compete with other streamers, Hulu hosts a collection of shows and movies from Crunchyroll, Funimation, and even HIDIVE.

How many seasons of Attack on Titan are there?

Due to licensing costs and issues, though, you won’t always get the latest or most complete series. Attack on Titan only has one of its three seasons, and anime not produced by Netflix tends to land a good while after release.

Does Crunchyroll have Dragon Ball?

One thing Crunchyroll doesn’t have , however, is the full roster of Dragon Ball TV shows, with Funimation hosting Dragon Ball Z, Z Kai, Super, and GT alongside the original series (albeit only in the US). Like Crunchyroll, there's a free, ad-supported version or a premium subscription option with higher video quality.

Is Hulu a Funimation?

Hulu signed a partnership deal with Funimation back in 2018, so you re getting a lot of the biggest Funimation shows to help pack out the catalogue here. However, much like Netflix, not all these seasons are complete, and it doesn’t have the breadth of a dedicated anime service.

Is Neon Genesis Evangelion on Netflix?

There’s also some real prestige in Netflix managing to get the iconic 90s anime Neon Genesis Evangelion onto its service, which had been missing from any sort of streaming service for years (we expect it was expensive). Due to licensing costs and issues, though, you won’t always get the latest or most complete series.

Is anime a niche?

Anime is no longer the niche proposition it was even a few years ago , thanks to the boom in online streaming expanding audiences for Japanese animation all over the world, and production ramping up to cater to those new viewers. Whether you’re a new recruit to anime TV series, love yourself some Studio Ghibli movies, ...

Does Amazon have anime?

Honestly, Amazon doesn’t have that much going for it in terms of anime, especially since its Anime Strike platform closed down. There are however some brilliant feature-length anime films on the Amazon Prime Video service to stream like The Red Turtle or Your Name, and even Grave of the Fireflies (a Studio Ghibli movie Netflix doesn't have the rights to).

Can you stream anime without Crunchyroll?

You can’t begin to talk about streaming anime without Crunchyroll. The American website has a vast catalogue of nearly 1,000 popular anime shows and films, – as well as manga and foreign drama – though it’s mostly subtitled rather than dubbed (when the original audio is replaced by US voice actors).

What streaming service has anime?

Of all the major streaming services, six are the traditional go-to for anime fans. Three of them ( Crunchyroll, Funimation, and Hidive) are specifically geared toward anime. The other half of the list ( Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Hulu) are geared more toward live-action programming, but they also happen to have fairly fleshed-out anime ...

What anime is inspired by manga?

That means you can find all the major shonen anime inspired by manga series on the service, such as Dragon Ball, My Hero Academia, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, and Black Clover, as well as slice-of-life and isekai, the latter of which has dominated the anime industry for the past year.

Is Crunchyroll based on anime?

Several Crunchyroll Originals are based on webcomics from around the world as opposed to manga, light novels, or video games--meaning Crunchyroll is one of the few services that offers anime and anime content that aren't solely focused around Japanese culture. Of all the anime streaming services in this guide, Crunchyroll is the only one ...

Is Hulu good for anime?

So though Hulu is the best subscription for getting your feet wet when it comes to anime, it's unlikely to keep you satisfied for more than a year if watching anime becomes a regular hobby.

Does Hulu have anime?

Hulu doesn't have any notable original or exclusive anime. Instead, it hosts both Japanese audio and English dub versions for several mainstream, experimental, and adult-oriented series. Regardless of where you are in life, Hulu likely has an anime that will appeal to you.

Is Funimation the best streaming service?

Funimation is not the only streaming service to offer dubs of anime, but it is probably the best. You can find shows in their original Japanese audio too, though in terms of unique content, Funimation doesn't stand toe-to-toe with other services.

Can I watch anime on Hulu?

It's also very easy to find new anime on Hulu, as the service probably does the best job out of all the ones on this list when it comes to recommending new shows based on what you've watched in the past, making it easy to intermingle popular anime with a TV series or movie on the weekends.

How much is VRV for anime?

They are good . . . but if you’re an anime addict, or if you suspect you might become one, then you can get VRV for $10 and Funimation for $6. That’s $16 a month for more anime than you could ever possibly consume if you’re also a functioning and contributing member of society.

Is Funimation on Hulu?

If Hulu and Netflix are for the casual fan, then Funimation is for the more serious anime obsessive. It’s more narrowly focused for anime fans. Funimation has got a deeper library than Hulu, tons of Dragon Ball content for instance, plus you get simulcast, so you don’t have to wait around for the next season of Fire Force to drop before you can watch it with everybody else.

Is Crunchyroll a dubbed anime?

It’s slightly different though. While both services provide both subbed and dubbed shows, Funimation holds a lot of exclusive rights to dubbed content while Crunchyroll is more of a destination for subbed stuff.

Crunchyroll

Crunchyroll is a streaming service known for its vast catalog of popular anime shows and films. The website also features Asian dramas and manga. However, most of Crunchyroll’s content is subtitled rather than dubbed, so that’s something to think about.

Funimation

Funimation is a Sony-owned entertainment company that’s been a long-time distributor of anime series in the U.S. The streaming service is focused on anime fans and has a deep library of old and new series. Anime enthusiasts looking for old, popular anime series definitely enjoy Funimation’s content.

HIDIVE

HIDIVE is a streaming service that offers subscribers anime simulcasts and niche content. Most of the shows from the discontinued streaming service, Anime Network Online, went to Hidive. As such, shows from Section23 and Sentai, like “Akame ga Kill!” and “Non Non Biyori,” are exclusive to Hidive.

Netflix

Netflix is the platform for you if you want to stream anime movies and shows — and much, much more. Needless to say, Netflix is a good place to start if you’re in the anime discovery stage. It’s also one of the most versatile platforms to watch anime and other TV series.

Hulu

Hulu is an on-demand video streaming platform that boasts around 2,500 movies and over 40,000 episodes from thousands of TV shows, including comedy, drama, and anime. Hulu’s partnership deal with Funimation in 2018 made it a contender in the anime department because subscribers get the biggest Funimation shows in the catalog.

What anime is Crunchyroll?

Crunchyroll is the home to “My Hero Academia,” “Naruto, “Full metal Alchemist: Brotherhood,” “Fate,” and more. Crunchyroll has kept its crown as our top choice for streaming anime, and for most fans, it’s all you’ll ever need.

Is Crunchyroll free?

Still the largest hub of anime movies and tv series to date, Crunchyroll is inexpensive (free if you don’t mind ads) and has various premium subscription levels that allow for its users to tailor the service to their preference.

Does Amazon Prime have anime?

The service has some notable anime titles such as “Nichijou: My Ordinary Life,” “Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress” (also available on HBO Max), and “Cowboy Bebop.” Amazon Prime still doesn’t have the same reputation for its anime catalog as the earlier marks on our list, but they’ve developed a solid mix of classic anime along with some lesser-known gems.

Which is the largest streaming service in the world?

Netflix. Getty Images. Far from the days of mailing DVDs in red sleeves, Netflix is still the largest streaming service in the world, with over 180 million subscribers. If you aren’t one of those customers, it may be time to consider the monthly plans.

What is the best channel for the Handmaid's Tale?

Photo:Hulu. Though its most buzzed about original hits are the The Handmaid’s Tale and Cruel Summer, Hulu is now the perfect place for her to keep up with her favorite TV shows from almost all the major broadcast and cable networks, save CBS.

How much is Disney Plus with Hulu?

If you want to take advantage of the streaming bundle deal, you can also get the Disney+ Welcome Bundle with Hulu, ESPN+ and Disney+ for $13.99 a month.

What is Apple TV Plus?

Apple got into streaming video in 2019, giving subscribers to its Apple TV Plus service access to original programming like The Morning Show, with Reece Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston, and the critically acclaimed Ted Lasso, as well as more than 40 other shows and movies. And though Apple offered a glut of free one-year subscriptions when the service launched, you can still take advantage of this deal with the purchase of a new iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Apple TV 4K or Mac. Or, if you just want to add Apple TV Plus to your existing smartTV or streaming device, you can simply pay the current price of $4.99 a month.

How much is Netflix monthly?

Current monthly plans range from $8.99 for basic (one device, standard definition) to standard $13.99 (two screens at a time, with downloading options, in HD) to premium for $17.99 (four screens at a time, and Ultra HD 4K capabilities). But be advised, Netflix is no longer offering free trials.

Is CBS All Access still available?

So, yes, after March 4, CBS All Access will no longer exist but all the shows you know and love will now be available on Paramount+, including Star Trek: Discovery , The Good Fight, and Why Women Kill. If you already have CBS All Access, then it should automatically convert to Paramount+ on the launch date.

Do you have to watch Frozen and Toy Story?

In addition to ad-free movies and series from the Walt Disney collection, it also gives parents and fans of all ages access to Pixar, plus the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Wars, National Geographic and even 20th Century Fox content like The Simpsons. So yeah, you do have to watch Frozen and Toy Story. A gain.

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