Since the beginning of the anime boom overseas, fans aware of Crunchyroll and Funimation have wondered: which streaming platform is better? Crunchyroll was the first anime streaming platform to legally show subtitled anime. Funimation used to be a production company named Funimation Productions in 1994 that specialized in distributing foreign content.
Funimation began to stream anime more regularly around 2005 but they didn't have the same impact as Crunchyroll — who most consider their go-to for watching anime. However, Funimation has incorporated significant features in their effort to fight back. Before one can determine which of these is the greater streaming platform, one must first answer the question: who has the best catalog?
Updated on January 4th, 2022 by Olivia Subero: This list has been updated to fix some out-of-date information and address a few other minor errors.
10 Funimation: The Clips
Clips are a great way for potential viewers to determine whether or not to try a new anime. Crunchyroll sometimes uploads clips and even full-length episodes of anime, but Funimation has the upper hand. While Crunchyroll only allows viewers to watch clips via their YouTube channel, Funimation offers their clips in-app.
On Crunchyroll's website and app, users can leave reviews on anime they've watched, which can sometimes deter new viewers. The fact that Funimation has clips to spark interest seems more valuable than Crunchyroll's review system.
9 Crunchyroll: Sense of Community
Surprisingly, Crunchyroll's anime catalog depends on its community. While they sometimes don't appear to listen, they do take notice of which anime fans wish for the most.
For example, in 2019, fans wanted the classic remake of Fruits Basket to be on the catalog, and Crunchyroll complied. They worked together with the manhwa creator of Tower of God to release it in spring 2020 and even now, they are working to create more anime for the fans.
8 Funimation: More Classic Anime
While Crunchyroll has some classic anime, their catalog caters more towards seasonal and mainstream anime — hosting popular titles such as Sword Art Online or One Piece on their website. Although most of their mainstream anime is influenced by fans, their selections don't change very often.
For a more extensive old-school anime catalog, Funimation offers classic anime like Future Diary and Black Butler. For those looking for a nostalgia trip, Funimation is the better pick.
7 Crunchyroll: Better Queue Design
While both have a queue system and an app, Crunchyroll has the upper hand. Fans of both platforms have come to a pretty solid consensus that Crunchyroll's queue design is superior to Funimation's.
On Crunchyroll a viewer can sort each anime they watch in any preferred order. Crunchyroll also includes every episode's release date. Although Crunchyroll automatically organizes its catalog by what is most popular, the viewer has the freedom to organize anime by each season and any genre of their choice.
6 Funimation: More Information About The Anime
When logging into Crunchyroll — on the computer or the app — a viewer can immediately stream the anime of their choice without much hassle. If they want to know more about the series, however, they are only provided a short description.
On the other hand, Funimation discloses much more detail about the chosen anime. They even include convenient features such as a star rating system, a language option (English or Japanese), and more.
5 Crunchyroll: Better Subtitles
Those familiar with Crunchyroll and Funimation notice a clear difference between the two. Crunchyroll uses subtitles, while Funimation uses closed captions. When watching anime on Crunchyroll, the subtitles are not as distracting. They have no background and are pure white outlined with a black font — albeit the viewer can change this.
On the other hand, Funimation uses white closed captions with a distracting black background that cannot be turned off within the app. This will catch new viewers off guard if this isn't their preferred method of watching content.
4 Funimation: You Can View In Higher Definition
While both Crunchyroll and Funimation offer anime in high-definition, Funimation's library includes remastered classics in 1080p. When searching for an anime on Funimation, the definition quality is visible in addition to the anime's overall rating. This comes in handy for users who are searching for a specific quality level or otherwise wish to improve their viewing experience.
3 Crunchyroll: A More Diverse Catalog
Crunchyroll used to be only in the anime business before making their tagline, "The Official Source of Anime and Drama." That's right, Crunchyroll doesn't only have anime; they also have live-action Japanese dramas and movies to watch.
Crunchyroll is the best pick for anything ranging from live-action Death Note to classic J-dramas. While Funimation may have a couple of live-action dramas sprinkled throughout their catalog, Crunchyroll wins this competition with their abundant variety of media.
2 Funimation: Simuldubs
Crunchyroll is the best option for subbed anime lovers. However, for those who prefer dubbed anime, Funimation offers greater content. While Crunchyroll does have some dubbed titles, Funimation offers "Simuldubs," released simultaneously in Japan.
This gives Funimation the upper hand for anime fans who wish to watch their anime in English. Popular anime such as Sword Art Online and others are dubbed on Funimation, appealing to those who prefer English dubs.
1 Crunchyroll: More Anime To Watch
Crunchyroll and Funimation are great places to watch anime. However, when one compares the overall amount of content between the two, Crunchyroll's massive catalog launches them ahead of the competition. Crunchyroll offers anime classics, movies, simulcasts, and now it even produces original anime.
Crunchyroll has over 1000 anime titles to watch, including shorter anime. Despite being in the industry for two decades, Funimation's numbers appear small next to ethe sheer amount for content Crunchyroll provides. All in all, Crunchyroll demonstrates it has the superior catalog.