What is Crunchyroll? What to watch, pricing, availability, and more

Stuck inside and in need of some entertainment? Look no further than Crunchyroll — one of the best dedicated anime streaming services you can find. From animated Japanese shows and movies to Asian dramas and even manga, Crunchyroll has a lot to offer even to those who are not anime fanatics.

So, how does Crunchyroll work and what subscription plans does it offer? Let’s jump in and take a closer look at everything you need to know, including updates on Crunchyroll merging with Funimation into a single streaming service.

You can sign up for the service at the link below:

What is Crunchyroll?

If you can’t wait for the next season of your favorite anime to come out, you can read the manga (Japanese comics) it is based on instead. Crunchyroll has a great library of manga and many titles are available for free.

Is Funimation part of Crunchyroll?

Crunchyroll used to compete with Sony’s rival anime-centric streamer Funimation, but as of March 1, 2022, all Funimation content not already on Crunchyroll is being migrated to Crunchyroll.

In early December 2020, Sony announced that its Funimation anime division would acquire Crunchyroll for $1.175 billion. The deal was approved and finalized in 2021.

It was unclear how or even if the two services would continue to co-exist, but now they are merging under the Crunchyroll banner. It’s unclear when Funimation will fully shut down.

For now, Crunchyroll’s pricing will remain the same, with over 50 new titles available on the service.

Current Funimation paid subscribers can get 60 days of Crunchyroll Premium for free as part of the merger process.

Funimation subscribers cannot log into Crunchyroll with their Funimation account information. They are encouraged instead to create new accounts on Crunchyroll. Funimation digital copies, watch history, and queue have not yet migrated to Crunchyroll, but the company is working on it.

Is Crunchyroll worth it?

If you are a hardcore fan of anime or manga, you should definitely sign up for Crunchyroll, especially now that it has absorbed its main competitor: Funimation.

Crunchyroll’s library of both classic and current anime TV shows is extensive, and you might also be interested in checking out the manga selection as well.

Best of all, you can watch much of its content for free, provided you can deal with commercials and low 480p resolution. Its paid subscription fees are reasonable, and you can get rid of ads and get higher resolution videos as well. Finally, canceling Crunchyroll is simple and free of hidden fees and restrictions, so it’s low-risk for those who aren’t completely sold and want to try it out.

Where is it available?

Crunchyroll claims that the service is actually available in over 200 countries. However, not every Crunchyroll anime show or movie is available in every country. That’s due to a number of factors, including streaming licensing rights that might be different in your country of origin.

Compatible Devices

The service is available on the following platforms:

• iOS phones and tablets
• Android phones and tablets
• Roku set-top boxes, streaming sticks, and smart TVs
• Amazon Fire TV streaming sticks, set-top boxes, and smart TVs
• Android TV smart TVs
• Sony PlayStation 3, 4, and Vita game consoles
• Microsoft Xbox One game console
• Nintendo Wii U game console
• Google Chromecast
• Web access via browser at Crunchyroll.com
• Windows 10 app

The service used to be available for the Microsoft Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii consoles, but those apps have now been discontinued.

Subscription plans and prices

The streaming service has four plans each with different perks. Here are the main differences and how to decide which plan is the best for you. You can sign up for all of the plans at the link below:

• Can I watch Crunchyroll for free?
  In short, yes. For casual watchers and those just getting into Japanese animation, a free membership is usually the best choice. It allows you to stream most of the available content in standard definition or 480p. This membership is ad-supported, which means you will encounter ads both when watching anime and when reading manga. You will also have to be a bit patient if you want to watch new episodes since they are not instantly available.
• Fan subscription
  Crunchyroll Fan not only removes all advertisements but also grants you access to the full catalog of anime, manga, and dramas. This includes simulcasts and simulpubs, so you can watch or read new content as soon as it comes out. The viewing experience is upgraded too — with Fan you can watch your favorites in 720p and 1080 resolution. However, you are limited to just one stream at a time. The Crunchyroll Fan subscription costs $7.99 a month, with a 14-day free trial.
• Mega Fan subscription
  This has everything in the cheaper Fan tier but increases the number of concurrent streams per account from one to four. You also get access to offline viewing of anime with this plan. Finally, you receive a $15 discount off any one-time purchase of $100 in the Crunchyroll Store every three months. The Crunchyroll Mega Fan subscription costs $9.99 a month, with a free 14-day free trial.
• Ultimate Fan subscription
  This tier has everything in the Fan and Mega Fan packages. However, you can access up to six concurrent streams per account with this tier. Every year, you will also get a special swag bag sent to you. You get a $25 discount off any one-time purchase of $100 in the Crunchyroll Store every three months. The Crunchyroll Ultimate Fan subscription costs $14.99 a month, with a free 14-day free trial.

Crunchyroll and HBO Max

HBO Max also has a number of anime shows from the Crunchyroll library to stream on its own service (both services are currently owned by AT&T). You can stream about 20 to 30 anime titles on HBO Max. This is meant to give those subscribers a taste of the Crunchyroll catalog and is not meant to replace it.

Other features

As we mentioned, the paid subscription tiers offer features like downloads of shows to mobile devices. They also support more concurrent streams per account, along with discounts to the service’s merchandise store. The service also has its own news service for general anime announcements. You can upload your own picture or any image to be your profile. Paid members can also skin their profile page with different designs.

Crunchyroll is currently running an open beta test on its website. In addition to a redesigned UI, it adds features like recommendations based on your past viewing history. You can also create your own watchlist, along with custom lists that let you organize and label anime shows in any sort of category. You can also pause a show, and then pick up from where you left off, from your three most recently watched shows.

Parental controls

Crunchyroll offers content made for kids, along with more mature anime shows and movies for adults. As of this writing, there is only one small parental control feature that’s available. Here’s how to enable it:

1. Sign into your Crunchyroll account and then click on your Profile icon.
2. Tap or click into Settings in the menu.
3. Tap or click on the Video Settings option.
4. Finally, under the Mature Content Filter box, change the box so it shows Hide Mature Content.

You can do the same thing for the selection of manga on the service. Keep in mind that if your kids know your account and password, they can just switch the controls back to showing mature content.

The best anime to watch on Crunchyroll

So, if you are convinced and want to give Crunchyroll a try, what should you watch first? You’ll be happy to know that Crunchyroll offers both quantity and quality. From little-known cult classics to worldwide smash hits, it’s got something for everyone.

But what can you watch? Crunchyroll’s catalog consists mostly of anime series. It offers a lot of classic popular shows like One Piece and Gundam, but it’s also the best place to watch new releases online. You can access simulcasts: new episodes from top series are usually available to watch only an hour after they are broadcast in Japan. Don’t worry if you don’t speak a lick of Japanese — there also are some great anime movies on Crunchyroll, but the choice there is a bit more limited. The same applies to Asian dramas since the list of available titles changes regularly.

You will find all of the action-packed long-running shonen favorites like Naruto, Bleach, One Piece, and more. They are perfect for those who enjoy long series, thanks to the immense number of episodes most of these shows have. However, you can also enjoy shorter action series that are just as excellent in One-Punch Man, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, and Attack on Titan.

Fans of fantasy, on the other hand, can check out the mysterious and captivating Mushi-shi anime. If you want to add a bit of romance into the mix, the recent The Ancient Magus’ Bride series is also a must-watch. Finally, we can’t recommend Yuri on Ice enough — a sports anime smash hit from 2016 that has captivated audiences since.

In 2020, the service started dropping all-new anime series that it produced or co-produced, under the Crunchyroll Originals label. They have includes shows like Tower of God, ONIKAWA: Over the Moon for You, and The God of High School with more in the works.

Alternatives

Crunchyroll isn’t the only streaming service that offers up some great anime shows and movies, though with Funimation exclusives now migrating to the service, it’s certainly the best and biggest.

The table above includes services that do have anime content, including Netflix, which is definitely worth checking out:

Netflix

Netflix is the biggest premiere video streaming service in the world. So, naturally,  it is also one of the biggest sources of anime. Indeed, the service has a number of exclusive shows, such as The Seven Deadly Sins, Yasuka, Ultraman, and more to stream and watch. It also has some Western-made anime series, including Castlevania, Blood of Zeus, and more. It’s even adapting classic anime series into live-action series, including 2021’s Cowboy Bebop.

Other FAQ

That’s our look at Crunchyroll. We will update this post with any new information as warranted.