If you are a fan of anime, you must have heard about Crunchyroll and Funimation. Both websites offer tons of anime and manga for their audiences. Both platforms offer a huge library of anime titles, from classics to new releases, exclusive originals and simulcasts. But which of these is right for you?
In this article, we’ll delve into the topic — Crunchyroll vs Funimation. We will consider various aspects, such as price, content, features, and user experience, to help you decide which suits your needs and preferences better.
Price
Crunchyroll and Funimation have different subscription plans to cater to different budgets and needs. Crunchyroll offers three plans: Fan ($7.99/month), Mega Fan ($9.99/month), and Ultimate Fan ($14.99/month). All plans include ad-free streaming, access to the entire anime library, and simulcasts. The higher-tier plans also offer benefits such as offline viewing, more concurrent streams, and exclusive merchandise.
Funimation also offers three plans: Premium ($5.99/month), Premium Plus ($7.99/month), and Premium Plus Ultra ($99.99/year). The plans include ad-free streaming and access to the entire anime library. The higher-tier plans also offer benefits such as offline viewing, more concurrent streams, and free shipping on orders over $20.
Features | Crunchyroll | Funimation |
Pricing | Fan ($7.99/month) Mega Fan ($9.99/month) Ultimate Fan ($14.99/month) | Premium ($5.99/month) Premium Plus ($7.99/month) Premium Plus Ultra ($99.99/year) |
Content | Focuses more on subtitled anime | Focuses more on dubbed anime |
Features | Crunchyroll Originals: Original anime series produced by Crunchyroll. VRV: Streaming service that bundles Crunchyroll with other channels. | Funimation Now: Allows users to watch anime episodes on the same day they air in Japan. Funimation Shop: Online store that sells merchandise and DVDs. |
User Experience | Simple and minimalist design | Colourful and vibrant design |
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Content
Both Crunchyroll and Funimation boast a large and diverse collection of anime titles, from popular shows like Naruto, One Piece, and My Hero Academia, to niche genres like horror, romance, and sports.
However, there are some differences in the type and quality of content they offer. Crunchyroll focuses more on subtitles anime, with over 1,000 titles available in Japanese with English subtitles. It also has some dubbed anime, but not as many as Funimation. Crunchyroll is known for having a wide range of anime genres and styles, from mainstream to obscure, as well as original series like Tower of God and The God of High School.
Funimation focuses more on dubbed anime, with over 600 titles available in English with Japanese subtitles. It also has some subtitled anime, but not as many as Crunchyroll. Funimation is known for having a high-quality dubbing team that produces accurate and engaging translations of anime dialogue. Furthermore, Funimation has some original series, such as Fruits Basket and Fire Force.
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Features
Both Crunchyroll and Funimation have unique features that enhance the streaming experience for anime fans.
Crunchyroll
Crunchyroll Originals showcases original anime series produced by Crunchyroll in collaboration with various studios and creators. These series are exclusive to Crunchyroll and offer a variety of genres and stories.
Furthermore, Crunchyroll offers another feature called VRV, a separate streaming service that bundles Crunchyroll with other channels like HIDIVE, Rooster Teeth, Cartoon Hangover, and more. VRV offers diverse content beyond anime, such as cartoons, gaming, comedy, and sci-fi.
Funimation
Funimation has a feature called Funimation Now, which allows users to watch anime episodes on the same day they air in Japan. This feature is available for select titles and regions and offers a fast and convenient way to keep up with the latest anime releases.
Funimation has a feature called Funimation Shop, an online store selling various anime merchandise, such as DVDs, Blu-rays, figures, apparel, accessories, and more. Funimation Shop offers a convenient way to buy anime-related products online.
User Experience
Both Crunchyroll and Funimation have user-friendly interfaces that make it easy to browse and watch anime online. However, there are some differences in their websites’ and apps’ design and functionality.
Crunchyroll has a simple, minimalist design that emphasises content rather than layout. It has a clear and intuitive navigation system that allows users to filter anime by genre, season, and popularity, alphabetically or randomly. It also has a responsive video player that adapts to different screen sizes and resolutions.
On the other hand, Funimation has a colourful and vibrant design that reflects the personality of the anime it offers. It has a dynamic and interactive navigation system allows users to explore anime by genre, mood or theme. It also has an advanced video player that offers various options such as subtitles settings, audio tracks quality settings etc.
Here’s a tabular representation of the above information:
Conclusion: Which one is better for you?
Crunchyroll and Funimation are excellent streaming services for anime fans, but they have different strengths and weaknesses depending on your preferences. If you prefer subtitled anime with a wide range of genres and styles, then Crunchyroll might be your better choice. If you prefer dubbed anime with high-quality translations and original series, then Funimation might be your better choice.
However, that being said, we would recommend you to go for Crunchyroll as new Crunchyroll subscribers will have access to the library and simulcast content previously exclusive to Funimation & Wakanim. It would be a win-win situation for you.
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