Which is better for watching anime: Crunchyroll vs Funimation? It’s a question many otaku ask as each new season of an anime develops. Major streaming platforms have increased the distribution of anime.
The proliferation of anime in non-anime spaces does not demean the existence of Crunchyroll and Funimation – anime-only streaming services.
These are the two biggest platforms for watching anime online, but which one provides more of what you need in an anime streaming service? Here is a detailed comparison between Crunchyroll and Funimation so you can decide. Best Tips for Amazing Family Travel With Your Kids. Traveling with your whole family for the first time can be overwhelming.
Crunchyroll vs Funimation: Comparison of Dubs
Though anime cannot teach you the way Japanese people speak, it can be a good way to practice and learn phrases. As for those who enjoy dubs, Funimation is the clear winner.
Crunchyroll has a smaller catalog primarily containing only anime in English. Crunchyroll had some dubs, but this only includes Blue Exorcist and Durarara!, whereas Funimation streaming has broader library that includes titles like Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood and Attack on Titan.
Crunchyroll states on their FAQ page that they are working to provide more dubs in the future, but most of titles offered are still only available with English subtitles.
Funimation focuses on producing anime films with English subtitles. They also operate their own streaming service, dubbed Funico and boasting a library of over 400 titles available to stream in HD. Although Covid has slowed down their dubbing activities, they are still one of the top English anime sources.
Crunchyroll vs Funimation 2021: Comparison of Subs
What about viewers who prefer to hear the original whenever possible? If you hardly ever use dubs and prefer the original Japanese, note that there’s a difference in the way Crunchyroll and Funimation display the English translated text: while Crunchyroll uses normal subtitles without the background that are customizable and generally not distracting, Funimation uses closed captions instead.
This is a problem for those who use the Funimation app, since they can’t turn off the dark background on the captions.
Crunchyroll vs Funimation: Simulcasts
Crunchyroll offers a decent amount of simulcasts – works that air on Crunchyroll at the same time as the original in Japan – showing between 4 and 10 daily, depending on the day of the week. Of course, there’s no such thing as a flawless simulcast, but Crunchyroll simulcasts will often air within an hour after the anime has been the first broadcast in Japan – not a long time, though in some cases you need to allow up to seven hours.
Funimation ia a competent competitor in the market. One of its competitive advantages is their SimulDub feature, which allows viewers to watch English dubbed episodes of certain anime as soon as they are available, usually within hours from the original release date.
There’s no contest if you’re strictly interested in anime dubbed in English. Funimation’s Simul Dub service ensures all dubbed episodes become available around the world simultaneously with the original Japanese broadcast. To make the most of your experience, you need to upgrade to a paid account.
Funimation may be a bit behind on providing simulcasts, but that’s only because their voice actors cannot provide the same quality of service as those on Crunchyroll.
Crunchyroll vs Funimation: Catalog
Crunchyroll and Funimation are both capable anime streaming services. However, when it comes to the catalogs of each, Funimation’s focus on dubs might work against them. Crunchyroll claims to offer more than 1200 anime titles, while Funimation can’t compete.
Another difference is that Crunchyroll offers anime as well as live-action TV shows like Death Note and J-dramas. While Funimation may not be the destination for live-action content, it still has plenty of anime available in both dubbed and subbed formats. Funimation offers more information about each anime, and Crunchyroll may not.
However, Crunchyroll is often listed as the preferred streaming service among anime fans due to its diverse and abundant content. Besides, Crunchyroll also has a manga and apparel store, making it the ideal place for Japanese culture fans who don t need dubs. It wins this round.
Crunchyroll vs Funimation: Ads
Both Crunchyroll and Funimation offer a free trial to new users. From there on, you can decide if you want to start paying a monthly subscription to reap all the benefits they have to offer.
However, there’s still the option to use both streaming services for free. In that case, your access is restricted and you don’t get to experience new episodes just as they come out. Moreover, those who watch Crunchyroll or Funimation for free have to put up with ads. Still, for occasional, rather than regular anime viewers, this is a handy option to legally stream your favorite titles.
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Crunchyroll vs Funimation: Price Comparison
Currently, Crunchyroll only offers two of the available options for monthly subscription rates at $7.99 per month and $9.99 per month. For $14.99 per month, users can get discounts on the MunchPak and Right Stuff Anime stores.
For Funimation, the monthly price is $5.99, but for an additional only $2 a month users get up to five simultaneous streams and deals in the store as well as offline mobile downloads. For just over $100 per year is also includes 2 rentals and an anniversary gift each year.
Funimation is a cheaper option that has fewer options, but Crunchyroll offers manga and has a more diverse catalog for a slightly higher price. Funimation is the more affordable option, with all its services cheaper than Crunchyroll. However, Crunchyroll has a wider variety of options and is close in cost.
When it comes to choosing between Crunchyroll and Funimation when looking for a streaming service, there is no easy answer. There are advantages and disadvantages to both but this list hopefully will show you the pros and cons of each without overwhelming you or taking up too much time.
Discussion within online fan communities often boils down to what you prioritize: a great variety with subtitles, or a decent but more limited variety, largely English dubbed. As someone whose first language is not English, I prefer to watch the original when it’s available and have difficulty understanding complaints as to how difficult it can be to read a show with subtitles.
Crunchyroll and Funimation do differ in many ways and it is important to recognize each as a separate entity. Both Crunchyroll and Funimation offers free trials, so you can test them out to see which does the best for you.
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