Funimation Review 2024: Exploring the Anime World

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Video streaming services now offer different varieties, features, and much more. Many people have heard about and used Funimation but need help understanding the streaming service. Some people want to know if it is worth their time and if they will be better off with other platforms. Others need to learn more about Funimation and get a full review.

This article is for you if you are in any of these categories. Funimation is one of the streaming services that has gained the trust of many people. We will look at more about it in detail in this piece, including its history, contents, supported platform, and many more. Keep reading to learn about the streaming service.

What is Funimation? Unveiling the Anime Streaming Destination

Fumination’s path toward success has not always been smooth. Its attempt to put Dragon Ball, its first production, on TV failed, but it tried other means. After its partnership with Toei Animation in 2009, it started operating full-time. In 2011, it partnered with the Niconico, a Japan-based streaming service. After that, Funimation kept releasing more series and streaming content.

However, it ventured into the video streaming market as FunimationNow when the streaming industry started to boom. FunimationaNow later rebranded to Funimation with a new logo in January 2016, expanding its services to the UK and Ireland.

Since September 2021, when it partnered with Crunchyroll, it has been boosting its content library. Funimation has streamed many of the most popular anime series in its entire existence. A few of these series are One Piece, My Hero, Academia, Fruit’s Basket, Attack on Titan, Assassination Classroom, and a few others. These series were mostly popular in North America, making the streaming platform famous, too. 

Sony bought Funimation in 2017 and ran the company service through Sony Pictures Entertainment. This deal lasted from 2017 to 2019. Then, Sony started using Sony Pictures Television to run the streaming platform from 2019 to 2022, along with Anipex. Sony bought Crunchyroll in 2021 and announced that it would shift most of Funimation’s content to Crunchyroll in 2022.

This decision shook Funimation, but the platform was strong enough to remain in existence until now. It was still distributing original content, but that changed slightly after the 2023 merger with Wakanim and VRV SVOD services into Crunchyroll.

Is Funimation Available in Your Country? Check the List!

Content Library – What You Can Watch on Funimation

Funimation has over 600 shows available for its users. However, the platform only has anime shows and movies. Its partnership with Crunchyroll came with a deal: Funimation would show dubs, and Crunchyroll would show subs. The deal no longer stands because the contract has expired.

As the contract no longer stands, Funimation still has dubbed content. Users have confirmed that about 80% to 90% of the content on the platform is dubbed. The company that owns Funimation bought Crunchyroll and continued the former deal it had. 

 It has a few of the most popular anime worldwide, which streams in 1080p/720 HD. This means you will be watching your favorite shows in clear views. Some popular shows on the platform are Attack on the Titan, playing from 2013 to 2023, and Jujutsu Kaisen, playing from 2020, with no current expiry date.

Also, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba has been playing since 2019 with no expiry date. My Hero Academia started playing in 2016 and is still available on the platform. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is another famous anime you can watch on the forum, and it started playing from 2009 to 2010.

Funimation Pricing – Finding the Perfect Plan for Your Anime Journey

Funimation has different plans, and the prices include taxes, too. It offers two unique plans: Funimation Premium and Funimation Premium Plus. However, you can get a 14-day free trial and 15,000 hours of anime without advertisements on all two paid plans.

Funimation Premium

This plan costs $7.99 for monthly subscriptions and $79.99 annually with a 14-day free trial for new users. With this plan, you can watch shows without ads, and you can watch on two different screens at the same time. Also, you will get access to sub and dud shows on the platform.

Funimation Premium Plus

This plan costs $9.99 monthly and $99.99 annually, with a 14-day free trial for new users. Like the previous plan, this one is ad-free, and you can stream concurrently with multiple devices. On the Premium Plus plan, you can stream shows with five devices simultaneously, with access to exclusive events and offers for subscribers. Also, the platform will give you free shipping for orders worth over $20 from the Funimation shop. You will also get access to the company’s special sales shop. You will get sub and dub on this plan, allowing you to download content to watch offline later.

Supported Devices – Where to Experience the Anime Delights

Funimation doesn’t support every smart device, so there are only a few platforms that let you watch Funimation through it. Regardless of your plan, these platforms will stay the same.

Android Devices

Funimation supports every Android device, including smartphones, tablets, and Android TV. To get the service on your smartphone or tablet, go to Google Play Store and search for it. When it appears, click the ‘install’ bar close to the app icon and allow it to download. You can start using it when the download is successful. However, it comes with Android TV; if it doesn’t, there is space to download it.

iOS Devices

After Android devices, iOS devices are the next most popular devices that people have used Funimation on. The platform supports every iOS device streaming movies, from iPhones to iPads. All you need to do is open your Apple Store, search for the app, and get it.

Smart TVs

You can watch Funimation with your smart TVs. With the bigger screens, you can get a cinematic experience while you watch from home. If any of your smart TVs don’t have Funimation, it will allow you to download the platform easily.

Game Consoles

Although you can watch Funimation on game consoles, it doesn’t support every one of them. The only two game consoles that the platform currently supports are PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. If it expands, it is more likely to be on more consoles.

Funimation on the Web – Accessing Anime Adventures Anywhere

The Funimation web version is great for people who want to avoid using the applications. It has a user-friendly interface and easy web tools. With this, you can navigate the platform easily, even if it is your first time on the web page.

Also, it is fast, with a 60Mbps download speed. Movies and other pages load in just a few seconds, allowing seamless browsing. On the web, the page of any series has links to help you access other episodes of the series. This way, you can save time searching for the next episode after watching the first. The page also links to other people’s take on the movie you want to watch; you can add yours.

You can skip a video backward or forward by 10 seconds and adjust the movie resolution to 1080p, which is the highest. You can access the web version with your laptop, mobile devices, and tablets. All you need is a secure internet service.

Funimation on Mobile – Anime at Your Fingertips

The interface of the Funimation mobile version is as good as the web version, if not better. The menu looks good, and it is user-friendly, too. It has some cool features to make you navigate through its functions with ease. 

To access some of the features, click on the three dashes at the top left side of the home page. You will see Genres, which displays all the movie genres on the platform. Any genre you click on will take you to all movies related to it. This way, you can always watch what you love. 

A Help bar also takes users’ complaints and offers useful tips. The menu includes All Shows, SimulDub, My Library, and Settings. It also has My Queue, and you can save movies here if you can’t watch them when you find them.

You can easily switch on the app from one episode to the other. You don’t need to wait for the next page to load because every page quickly responds after you click on it. Also, you don’t need to find out what the movie is about while watching because you can read the info on every film on the app. In addition, some premium users can download movies to watch offline.

Accessibility and Parental Control – Customizing Your Anime Experience

Parental control is an important feature of every streaming service. It allows parents to restrict underage children from watching adult videos and content above their age grade. Funimation has a parental control feature, even if it could be more solid. To access this feature, go to the account preference in the ‘Settings’ option on the platform. Find the quality and harness it.

Hit the Dub: Exploring Funimation’s Dubbed Anime Collection

Funimation has more dub content than it has sub. So, if you cannot cope with dub movies, this platform is not for you. Usually, anime fans are known for their love of the actions in the film. They mostly don’t care if it is dubbed or not. Besides, dubbing helps replace foreign languages with English, an added advantage. So, people who complain about the contents of Funimation are most likely not true fans of anime. Fans can watch for the mere interest and clear graphics.

Funimation and VPN – Streaming Anime with Security and Freedom

Funimation is only available in America and the UK. Its geo-restrictions are so strict that the website can only be used in approved countries. However, people can still gain access to the platform in geo-restricted locations if they use a VPN.

The best VPN provider, like NordVPN, will grant you anonymous access to the internet by hiding your IP address. It can also change your location online to anywhere you prefer. Using a VPN with Funimation can help you access the web and mobile versions of the platform, even from a restricted region.

To do this, download and install the VPN service, subscribe to one of its paid plans, and connect to a server based in America. Now, Your device location will show that you are in the US. Doing so will give you access to Funimation content using the Funimation web or mobile platform.

How Funimation Compares With Other Anime Streaming Platforms

Exploring the Alternatives: Other Streaming Services To Consider

Unlike Funimation, many streaming services offer Anime and other content on a single platform. If you want to subscribe to a service where you can get all types of content, including Movies, TV Shows, Documentaries, and Anime, we have a list of the best streaming services you can consider. Read detailed reviews of other streaming services you might be interested in.

• Netflix Review 2023 – Must Know Facts About the Service
• Paramount+ Review 2023 – The Best Streaming Service for Movie Buffs?
• Discovery+ Review 2023 – A Closer Look at the Streaming Service
• Sling TV Review: Read This Before You Sign Up
• Apple TV+ Review 2023: How Good is Apple’s Streaming Service?

Verdict – Is It Worth It for Anime Enthusiasts?

Funimation is one of the world’s oldest streaming service providers, even if only available in the US and UK. Despite its geo-restrictions, people from restricted locations can still use the app but need a good VPN. This platform has two paid plans. Its starting price is $7.99 monthly, which is more expensive than most other platforms. It has a web and mobile version for its users. The features on the two versions are similar, but the mobile version is better. You must know that the platform only has anime content, and most of them are dubbed.

To sum up, Funimation is one of the greatest anime streaming services available, particularly if you’re looking for dubbed anime. We’d even go so far as to argue that Funimation is your only real choice if you’re looking for dubbed anime. So, yes, Funimation is worth spending money to access your favorite anime content in your preferred language.

Frequently Asked Questions