You can sync up with friends and watch anime together, even if you’re miles apart. Algorithms keep an eye on what you watch and toss out recommendations—sometimes it’s a hidden gem from Good Smile Company, sometimes it’s just more of your favorite genre. Romance and slice-of-life genres are also catching on, especially with younger viewers. Streaming platforms now have personalization features, so you get recommendations based on what you already like. Viz Media is a major distributor of anime and manga in North America. While the Viz website does offer free manga chapters (as well as physical volumes), you’ll only find physical releases for anime.
Crunchyroll: Features and Library
- These sites offer copyrighted anime content for free, which we don’t support.
- I tested Animefreak for its ability to stream the latest anime episodes.
- It lets you watch anime for free online and browse or search by day, week, or month.
- On top of that, there are plenty of movies and exclusive documentaries available, too.
If you’re looking for free anime or more niche content, check out Muse Asia and Ani-One on YouTube. Slow internet speeds and content restrictions might make things tricky, but mobile-friendly services are trying to make things easier. Access to anime streaming isn’t the same everywhere in India and Africa. Licensing agreements and local content rules shape what you can actually watch.
The best sites and apps to stream anime right now.
Most anime comes in 1080p traditionally, but premium platforms like Netflix now offer some 4K anime movies and series with HDR. HIDIVE does have some episodes available to watch for free, but it lacks popular anime on this list. HIDIVE supports two subscription plans with monthly as well as yearly subscriptions.
- Beyond Viz Media’s official channel, there’s a treasure trove of free anime on YouTube.
- Overview and DisclaimerAnimeDao has gained attention for providing quick and consistent updates of new episodes in subbed and dubbed formats.
- 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.
- So, this might be the ideal moment to get a Crunchyroll membership.
VRV (Ad-Supported Content)
Such technology becomes valuable especially when you watch visually rich anime with detailed artwork or vibrant colors. Anime-Planet is another legal streaming platform that lets you watch anime for free. They don’t give away access to their complete anime library for free. But they do have popular anime such as Naruto Shippuden, Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure, Noblesse, Tower of God, etc., which you can stream for free. As mentioned before, this anime streaming service is the greatest option for newcomers. When compared to other platforms, Netflix’s sole drawback is how pricey its premium plans are, but you also get access to the best Netflix movies and TV shows along with anime.
MaxFocus makes Crunchyroll better with quick previews, sidebar options to organize shows, and focused modes that cut out distractions. Roll Together lets friends watch shows in sync, so everyone stays on the same frame no matter where they are. The MAL-Sync extension updates your watch progress automatically across different streaming sites. The media player should let you customize video quality, subtitles, and dark mode. Quick loading times matter too—top anime websites load fast to give you smooth streaming without delays.
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. Once a close partner with Crunchyroll, with both services sharing sections of their libraries with each other, they have since gone their separate ways. An entertainment writer with a passion for analyzing and sharing insights on movies, shows, and anime. Sites like MyAnimeList.net and MAL alternatives like LiveChart.me, and anime online JustWatch.com are your best friends when it comes to tracking down where a specific anime is legally available.
ADN simulcasts many of the latest series, making it a great choice for staying up to date with Japan. Only available in the U.S. and Canada, RetroCrush is dedicated to vintage anime, stuff that shaped the industry but might not be on modern streaming platforms. BiliBili (also known as Bstation in some regions) is already a massive platform in China, and now it’s expanding its anime streaming arm across Asia. If you’re already using Hulu for other shows, anime fans will find a lot to like here too. With partnerships involving Funimation and other distributors, Hulu offers a huge variety of anime, from popular hits to hidden gems, available in both subbed and dubbed versions. Gone are the days of risky, low-quality fan sites with too much annoying ads.