The connection between Japanese anime and the internet is really not new. In the first decade of this century, it was possible to find several anime series on TV and some on-demand channels and some hardcore anime groups were providing Japanese anime with English subtitles for free download. Fortunately, in the era of streaming and broadband connections, it is no longer necessary to use the talent and good faith of others to be able to watch anime a few days after they broadcast in Japan. Many streaming services already have areas in their catalogs dedicated to this type of production, which reduces the “excuses” for you to have to resort to piracy. And, Funimation is one of them.
Funimation is owned by American-Japanese businessman Gen Fukunaga and this anime streaming service is known to provide dubbed and subbed anime content worldwide. Funimation is a legal anime streaming service so it costs a monthly fee to access all of its anime collection. But there are many services like the Funimation of the internet which can be great alternatives to Funimation.
In this article, we have put together some best similar websites to Funimation that offer access to Japanese animations in a completely legal way. We select both free and paid options, also including at least one alternative for those who want to buy content individually or do not want to worry about paying for subscriptions. For some people who want free alternatives to Funimation then we have also got that in here.
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Popular Best Anime Streaming Services 2021 | Top Funimation Alternatives 2021
Crunchyroll
The first and the best alternative to Funimation is Crunchyroll. An essential option for those who enjoy watching new anime shows and movies, Crunchyroll offers content both free and paid. However, anyone who does not want to open the wallet will have to settle for a restricted selection of content in 480p resolution all with commercial breaks. Premium plan subscribers have a number of interesting advantages. In addition to being able to watch series in 720p or 1080p resolution, there is still the option to follow new subtitled episodes just one hour after they were broadcast in Japan.
Among the extensive catalog offered by the site, there are many popular anime along with manga and anime news. By opting for the subscription, you guarantee 14 days totally free during which you can cancel the service at any time without charge. It is also worth paying attention to the social networks on which Crunchy Roll operates since it is common for the site to distribute codes that guarantee access to Premium content for a limited time. In addition to watching the series via the browser, you can also access them through apps for iOS, Android, PS 3, PS 4, PS Vita, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Chromecast, and Apple TV.
JustDubs
Unlike, Funimation and Crunchyroll, JustDubs is an illegal website that offers lost of anime series and movies to the anime users. It only offers English dubbed anime shows. There is no need to make any kind of registration to watch animations, but this has some benefits – among them, the possibility of watching high-resolution content and access to the option to create playlists.
Registration is completely free and can be facilitated thanks to the integration of the site with social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, and Google+. The site may no offer English subtitled anime so you won’t find the latest shows on this site but you are also going to get some cool and popular anime shows at no cost. The site can be accessed on your mobile phone, PC, and tablets. Just enjoy everything for free and that’s why this is the best free Funimation alternative.
Netflix
Although not specialized in Japanese animations, Netflix dedicates part of its catalog to productions created in the country. Among the content available to subscribers are episodes of Knights of the Zodiac: Hades, Naruto, Yu-Gi-Oh and RurouniKenshin, Death Note, and others.
You can also find some feature films, including names like Ponyo, The Kingdom of Cats, and Dragon Ball Z: The Battle of the Gods. Another interesting option is Knights of Sidonia, an animation that is exclusive to Netflix in all countries of the world except Japan. Netflix is already popular but since it provides a good collection of anime, it can be a similar service like Funimation. It has various subscriptions which only differ in the terms of quality of the video and the screen count. So, there is no difference in content with any subscription. In addition to watching the series via the browser, you can also access them through apps for iOS, Android, PS 3, PS 4, PS Vita, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Chromecast, and Apple TV.
YouTube
YouTube is not exactly a complete option for fans of Japanese cartoons, but you can find some interesting content with a little research. YouTube can be a great alternative to Funimation because it makes part of their catalog available for free – which includes the 24 episodes of Gankutsuou, from the studio GONZO.
However, most of the licensed content available on the Google website is in English, so you don’t have to worry about the subtitles or Japanese audio. The collection may not be as good as Funimation and other free anime websites but it is still worth trying.
Crackle
This is another free Funimation alternative in 2021. Working exclusively free of charge, Crackle has the support of displaying advertisements. There is no need to perform any kind of registration to use the service, but doing so guarantees the possibility of playing content with better resolutions and the option of creating playlists. The service offers Japanese animations in a somewhat restricted way – which would not be exactly a problem, were it not for the fact that the browser version search engine does not work very well. Among the highlights of the content offered are series like Death Note, which can be watched in the English dubbed version.
GoGoAnime
GoGoAnime is a totally free anime streaming website where you are going to find lots of English subbed and dubbed anime series and movies. There is no need for registration or pay any price. GoGoAnime is already popular among anime fans who want to enjoy Japanese anime streaming online for free. The anime content is available in HD but there can be a few ads on the site. To block ads, you can use an adblocker on your browser.
Along with the browser, GoGoAnime can be accessed from smartphones and tablets. It is one of the best free alternatives to Funimation but it doesn’t have any application so you have to rely on its website.
