With the growing popularity of anime, various anime streaming services have come up today.
These are platforms where you can stream various types of anime content.
In this article, we will talk about some of the best free anime websites that you can use to watch your favorite anime movies and episodes.
Best Free Anime Sites
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The top places to watch anime online for free include the following:
1. Hulu – Premium Service
Hulu is quite a popular streaming site and also one of the largest. Here, users have the option to view a wide range of movies and series, including anime.
Hulu is a premium streaming service that only contains the latest anime movies and series.
Additionally, you can also view the movie or episode on various devices like laptops, tablets, mobile devices, etc.
The platform purchases the licenses directly from the entertainment industry, which means that you are legally streaming anime content via Hulu.
All these titles come from some of the most reputed Japanese studios.
While the platform does have a lot of titles, there has been word that the platform plans to include more titles in its library.
While you do have the option to use the platform for free, it is always better that you pay to use the services of Hulu.
Thankfully, the subscription plans are very pocket-friendly.
Once you do get the subscription, you will be able to stream great anime movies and series on the app.
Additionally, you will also have a fast, smooth, and hassle-free streaming experience.
All the videos that you see on this platform are high-quality content and you will not be disappointed by them.
Overall, Hulu is indeed a great choice if you can spare some money to purchase a pocket-friendly subscription.
2. Sling TV – Premium Service
Sling TV is a streaming platform that has gained a lot of popularity in the past few years.
On this intuitive site, you will be provided access to a wide range of online anime content; apart from anime, you will also find a wide range of movies and series from other genres and styles.
The site is free to use, which means that you will not have to get bothered to pay any subscription fees.
Here, you will only find some of the best anime movies and series, right from the old ones to the latest titles.
All the content that you see here has HD-quality print, which means that you will have only the best viewing experience.
Sling TV works brilliantly on any device, be it your computer/laptop or mobile device. The quality of the videos will not diminish. The site is quite immaculate.
All the titles here are updated every week so that you do not miss out on anything, especially when it comes to series.
The overall site is also very simple and focuses primarily on smooth navigation and faster loading and buffering times.
3. Crunchyroll
Important Guide: Best VPN for Crunchyroll
One of the best free anime websites to legally stream anime content is undoubtedly Crunchyroll.
This is a platform where you do not even have to create an account to view hours of fun anime movies and series.
Of course, you can also choose to create an account if you want to view your watch history or queue shows that you want to watch later.
You can also opt to become a paid member at Crunchyroll; you will find many paid memberships here.
You will also be offered a great selection of anime genres like seinen, shojo, shonen, etc.
Thanks to all these features, Crunchyroll has become a wonderful platform if you want to stream the best anime movies and series for free.
At Crunchyroll, you will also find the best manga collection; manga is defined as a type of comic from which anime adapts the movies and series.
Additionally, you will also find a great collection of anime mobile games and Asian dramas.
Apart from the movies and series, you will also find a lot of forums, news, and a dedicated store.
Crunchyroll is definitely one of the top destinations for Asian media today. You will not be disappointed by the results.
4. Funimation
Important Guide: Best VPN for Funimation
Funimation is another wonderful anime streaming platform that deserves the second spot.
You will find a lot of exclusive content here, including the latest Dragonball Z episodes.
If you are looking for certain anime movies and series that you cannot find on Crunchyroll, you will definitely find them here at Funimation.
At Funimation, you will find more than 13,000 hours worth of original anime content.
Even before it became a popular platform, Funimation was known to offer some great series and movies like Pokemon, Beyblade, etc.
You will also find various other Asian and Western TV series here. All the videos you see on the platform have dubbed and subbed versions.
While you do have the choice to opt for a paid membership, you can also use the site for free if you do not want to spend money; however, the free membership means that you will have to bear a lot of ads when you are watching a movie or series.
Funimation can be downloaded for iOS and Android devices so that you can stream free anime content without having to switch on your computer.
The app looks very intuitive and smooth. Overall, the mobile application will allow you to view the latest seasonal and popular anime content with ease.
5. YouTube / YouTube TV
Important Guide: Best VPN for YouTube TV
Of course, it is not easy to find legal free anime websites or free anime streaming platforms.
If you do not want to spend energy looking for legal websites, you can always visit YouTube or YouTube TV.
While the content is less, you will still find some popular anime content on the platform.
Typically, these videos will be a clipped version of the original that you will have to keep changing.
However, you may also find full videos on the platform. All the videos you will find on YouTube will have very decent quality (mostly 720p and 1080p).
Searching for videos on YouTube is also very easy.
All you need to do is type in the name of the anime (or its related keywords) in the search bar and you will find the results on the results page.
You can also choose to filter the results by features, duration, type, and upload date. One of the best aspects of YouTube is that you can watch anime for free here.
Of course, you will have to deal with ads while watching the clips, especially the long ones. Most of the videos here include auto-generated subtitles in English.
Additionally, you can also share the videos with others without having to worry about safety.
6. HIDIVE
While this anime website is relatively new, HIDIVE has quickly gained popularity and has become one of the top sites to watch anime.
You will find an extensive collection of the best anime movies and series.
Additionally, the platform will also offer a small sample group so that you will be offered shows and movies that are similar to the ones that you have watched.
One of the best aspects of HIDIVE is the free episode section. Under each category, you will be allowed to watch just a single episode as a basic user.
When you are watching the episodes, you will experience the HIDIVE tag system. All the episodes that you watch in these categories will be subbed and dubbed.
After you have watched these episodes, you can choose to become a paid member; you will have to pay a monthly price of $4.99 per month, which will also include a 14-day trial period at the beginning of the cycle.
On the other hand, if you are looking for something specific, you can always look for it in the exclusive category section.
If you find the videos, you can always opt for the subscription plan.
7. Anime Planet
As you can guess, Anime-Planet is considered a great choice. You will find more than 45,000 anime movies and episodes on this platform.
Since the site is supported by the industry, you can legally view anime content on the platform.
Anime-Planet sources its materials from Crunchyroll while offering another important advantage over the provider.
At Anime-Planet, you will find that the users are the ones offering suggestions and recommendations to others.
When you type in a title, you will also be shown the recommendations from other users.
This is a very nice addition because you will be offered suggestions based on the content that you are watching.
At Anime-Planet, you will find a wide range of anime genres, including adventure, horror, comedy, etc., all of which you can watch for free.
You can access a wide range of anime and manga databases, recommendations, and reviews of anime movies and series.
Overall, the interface of the site is very smooth and easy on the eyes. You will have a great experience watching the movie or episode on your computer.
However, you can also opt to use the site on your mobile browser if you do not want to get out of your bed.
8. KissAnime
KissAnime is one of the biggest online anime streaming platforms today.
Here, you will find anime from all genres and categories like sports, comedy, action, horror, drama, etc.
All these movies and series can be viewed for free; however, you also have the choice to download the movies if you want to watch them later.
Most of the movies and series that you see here have decent streaming quality; if you have a stable internet connection, you will be able to stream videos in 720p and 1080p.
Thanks to the amazing streaming quality, Kiss Anime has managed to garner a lot of fans from all corners of the world.
Apart from its extensive collection, you will also find that all the anime movies and series have been subbed and dubbed in English as well as other common languages like French, German, Chinese, Hindi, etc.
The server is very quick and you will not have to spend time on the buffering process.
If you do not want to watch the movie right away, you can store it as a bookmark so that you can view it later.
If you want even more options just like KissAnime, you can check out our guide to the top KissAnime alternatives.
9. 9Anime
9Anime is a great platform if you want to watch old and new anime series and movies.
When you first visit the website, you will notice that the platform has a very catchy and sleek interface. This makes the user feel welcomed.
Apart from the eye-catching interface, you will also love the comprehensive navigation system of 9Anime.
You can easily find all the classic and latest anime movies and series via the search function.
Additionally, the search bar is also fitted with a wide range of filters to help you refine your search.
You can choose to arrange all the movies and series alphabetically to make the search process faster and easier.
Another great aspect of 9Anime is that you will always find the latest movies and series on this site.
These titles are uploaded immediately once it has been aired in Japan.
The site is very unique and you can be sure that you will be provided access to HD content. Overall, you will find more than 50 different genres of content.
All the titles are subbed and dubbed in English and various other regional languages.
Apart from series and movies, you will also find a lot of special episodes that you cannot find on any other platforms.
10. Amazon Anime
Important Guide: Best VPN for Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Anime is another great platform if you are looking to stream anime-related content. As we already know, Amazon Prime is one of the top streaming platforms today.
Here, you will also find a wide range of anime movies and series, right from the classics to the latest.
Some of the most viewed anime content on Amazon include Pokemon, Grand Blue, Abyss, etc.
All the shows and movies that you find here have been subbed and dubbed in different languages.
All the titles you find here will have their descriptions and key information.
With the help of the X-Ray feature, you will also be provided with information about the cast that you can access while streaming any content.
Another great aspect of Amazon is that you can pick up right where you left before you get interrupted. You can also rate the content based on how you like it.
When it comes to shows and movies, you will find a massive catalog of content that you can watch. The shows vary based on the genre.
11 Gogo Anime
Gogo Anime is an amazing free anime site and streaming platform where you can watch tons of anime movies and shows.
The website looks very stylish and offers very smooth navigation. Here, you will find all genres of anime movies, both old and new.
As mentioned before, the site is completely free to use and you do not have to pay any membership fees.
All the latest releases find their way to this platform almost immediately.
All the titles have been organized according to the alphabet so that you can find what you are looking for easily.
Alternatively, you can also make use of the popularity ratings and time of release as additional filters to look for anime movies and/or series.
You will also find a separate trending section on the homepage.
Of course, one downside of this site is that you will have to deal with some ads when you are streaming online.
However, the site loads very quickly and buffers even faster. The videos here are streamed in HD quality so that you have the best viewing experience.
The shows and movies are dubbed in English as well as the original language (mostly Japanese).
12. AnimeFreak
AnimeFreak is an anime website that you can use for free streaming.
You will find a wide range of anime titles that you can watch without having to pay a dime out of your pocket.
While the interface of the platform could use some pretty design, the site loads very fast and you will always find high-quality anime videos here.
AnimeFreak is known to announce all the latest anime content that can be streamed on the website. These latest titles are uploaded as soon as they are officially aired.
You will also be provided with various servers that you can pick if one is not functioning.
This website is known to house more than 40,000 anime movies and series. All these videos are always available in 1080p resolution.
Additionally, you will find a dedicated anime community where you can discuss all things anime and manga with others.
The site is also known to have a live chat feature where you can get in touch with customer care support if you find something wrong with the platform.
AnimeFreak, as you can guess by the name, has been designed for anime fans that are austere and are always on the lookout for the best anime content.
13. Chia-Anime
As far as free anime streaming platforms go, Chia-Anime is considered a top-notched platform if you want to binge on some great anime episodes or shows.
This platform is quite an amazing site and will offer the satisfaction anime fans look for. The free platform looks quite nice and the words are written very clearly.
Apart from movies and shows, you will also be provided with some fun anime soundtracks.
The overall website is very navigable and loads very quickly. You will find all the latest anime movies and series arranged alphabetically.
Additionally, you can also make use of search feature to look for specific titles.
All these titles are added immediately after they are aired in Japan, which means that you will find all the latest content here.
The shows and movies here are uploaded in HD quality. Additionally, you will also find a lot of different genres here like horror, fantasy, adventure, comedy, etc.
This site is also one of the oldest anime streaming platforms and has more than a million users from all corners of the globe.
14. AnimeDao
Yet another free anime site and streaming platform on this list, AnimeDao is quite an amazing streaming site where you can access only the best of what anime has to offer.
This platform heavily emphasizes creating a safe community of anime lovers.
However, one downfall here is that you will have to deal with some ads while watching.
Overall, the website looks very quirky and the navigation is very smooth. All the titles are arranged alphabetically so that you can find what you are looking for easily.
You will find both the classic and the latest titles on this platform.
All the videos are available in HD print so that you will always have a good experience. You will also be able to bookmark the videos so that you can watch them later.
When it comes to reliability, content, loading speed, and video quality, AnimeDao is definitely one of the best platforms in the market.
All the movies and series here have been subbed and dubbed in English and other regional languages so that you will face absolutely no problem while watching them.
The site is also known to consume minimum bandwidth so that you can save data, particularly when you are traveling and watching movies/series on your mobile device.
15. SoulAnime
SoulAnime is quite an old free anime site and streaming platform; since it has been in the market for so many years, this platform has become synonymous when it comes to manga and anime.
This platform has been offering some of the best anime movies and series for years now and has opened the western audience to Japanese content.
This platform contains some of the most popular anime movies and series. You will find all sorts of content here, ranging from the old ones to the latest movies.
You can make use of the advanced search feature to find what you are looking for. All these movies and episodes are available in HD format.
Apart from movies and series, you will find that SoulAnime has a dedicated section where anime fans can interact with one another as well as buy merchandise.
Additionally, this section also contains all the latest information about any anime sitcom or movie.
At SoulAnime, you will find more than 30,000 titles that are available for free streaming.
It is indeed one of the biggest streaming services for anime. All the titles are updated almost immediately once they are released in Japan.
All the content that you see on the platform is subbed and dubbed in English and other languages.
Use the Best VPN for Anime Streaming
The issue with free streaming websites is that they are consistently getting pulled down, and then redirected to another domain. This is going to jeopardize your online safety and security.
You might have been using a streaming service for a while that you thought was secure, but there is no guarantee that it is going to stay secure in the future.
Of course, you don’t want to take the risk and visit an impostor site that is saying that they are authentic, but at the end of the day, just want to get hold of your personal information, like your credit card information.
It is really important that you maintain your safety online, and always think about your cyber security.
This is why we have to recommend that you always use a VPN so that you can mask your identity when you are trying to stream anime online.
We think that the best VPN for access and free anime streaming websites is NordVPN.
What Is Anime? Why Is It So Special?
As you may have guessed, anime is an abbreviation of Animation. In Japanese culture, anime refers to all types of animations.
However, for the outside world, the word has become a popular catchphrase for all types of animations that originate in Japan.
The anime type of animation has been produced by Japan for many decades now.
Apart from the distinctive look and feel, anime also consists of concepts, themes, and amazing storytelling.
Anime has become an international phenomenon in the last four decades.
This style of animation has attracted millions of fans from all around the world; in fact, this number is so great that anime movies and series are now being translated into different languages.
The popularity of anime has grown so much that an entire generation of viewers in western nations has grown up on these series and movies and are now passing the same to their kids.
Most people tend to think of anime as a genre – this is because all types of anime content are often lumped together by people.
However, it is not. Anime is not a genre; it is just a production of how it is supposed to be produced.
You will find a lot of genres that exist in anime – horror, adventure, action, drama, comedy, etc.
According to its users, anime has become very special because it is different and unlike cartoon shows from America.
You will see noticeable differences in several ways, like cultural nuances, breadth of the storyline, the artwork, etc.
FAQs
Is It Legal to Watch Anime Online for Free?
The answer to this question completely depends on the free anime site that you’re on.
There are websites out there that have an official license so that they can stream anime shows legally online, and offer their audience a good experience so that you can watch them for free.
On the flip side of this, there are also websites out there that don’t have a license to stream anime, and there might not necessarily be any legal consequences when you watch free anime on websites like this, but at the end of the day, they are still considered illegal.
Is Watching Anime Online Better Than Watching It on TV?
Yes, there are a number of reasons why it is better to watch anime online than watching it on your television.
The first is that you aren’t limited to having to follow a schedule, so that you can catch your favorite show.
When you are streaming something online, you are able to watch it whenever you want.
Secondly, TV might include a lot of censorship, which you aren’t going to encounter if you watch your anime on an anime streaming website.
Should I Watch Anime in Dubbed or Subbed Form?
The answer to this question completely depends on what your personal preferences are.
We prefer subbed form, because this includes the original emotion that the characters were intended to have, which a lot of the time can be missed in a dubbed version.
Additionally, a lot of anime streaming sites aren’t going to have dubbed versions of your favorite anime shows, so a subbed version is going to be your only choice.
What Are the Features to Look Out For on An Anime Site?
There are a few features that you want to consider when choosing the right free anime website.
You need to find one that offers a number of different categories, including drama, action, and games.
You also should be able to request the video that you want to watch, and new series should be able to be easily watched.
Where to Watch Anime for Free?
Simple try any of the free anime sites listed above.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, these are some of the best anime websites you can use to watch anime free online.
While all of them are free sites, it is recommended that you opt for the paid versions or use IPTV services as you will not have to deal with certain difficulties like viewing ads, or privacy issues etc.
If you’re not already, then ensure you are using a vetted VPN for watching anime.
Anime today has become very broad in its subject matter and you will find something or the other for any age group.
