What is it?:

Can you download the Videos for Offline Viewing:

Yes you can on the Hulu app. Here is a link with instructions

English Subbed or English Dubbed:

Hulu selection caters to both with an easy interface to switch from one to the other.

Pros:

Cons:

My Take:

Hulu is very pricey and consistently up selling. It does have tons of anime and because now it’s bundled with Disney plus it might not be the worse option to watch anime.

Link to Hulu’s Website 

What is it?:

Is one of the best sources in the world to watch anything. Who would have thought that a competitor to Blockbuster that had a simple premise of no late fees would grow to this massive becometh of company. From watching Shows only it’s one of my favorite places to watch TV shows and movies. Anime on the other hand is a different animal.

Can you download the Videos for Offline Viewing:

Yes you can using the Neflix mobile or desktop app.  Here is a link that has instructions

English Subbed or English Dubbed:

You will find that most of anime will have both options available.

Pros:

It has a nice interface and find shows is easy and fast. The site loads fast. There are great banners for each show that makes the page specialized for the series. You can skip intros and switch between sub and dub is easy which is a must for all anime fans.

Cons:

My Take:

What is it?:

What is it Prime Video is the streaming service that comes with an Amazon Prime subscription. So besides the free two-day delivery, you also get access to a large library of movies and tv shows to watch. You, of course, have access to a nice library of anime as well.

Can you download the Videos for Offline Viewing:

You can download videos as long as you have a Fire Tablet or the Prime Video App for iOS or Android. The link with more information is here

English Subbed or English Dubbed:

Prime will only have one option for the anime. But I have seen a good variety of Subbed and Dubbed anime.

Pros:

Prime Video’s library contains anime that I have a hard time finding in other places. For example, Millenium actress is available and I have had a hard time finding anywhere where I can stream that movie. There is a large library of anime with series ranging from classics to modern stuff. There is a good chance you will find something to watch here.

Prime video has a feature called X-Ray which allows you to see the cast of the show and all the scenes in the episode. This is a nice addition as it allows you to skip around the episode easier or help you quickly answer the question of “wait that voice actor sounds familiar who is it again?”

Cons:

I have seen anime on prime as a show you can watch in the search results. But then viewing the actual page I found it was not available. This happened more times than I can remember. I get really annoyed when services do this false advertising. There are also series that requires another purchase to watch. This is the same problem that Hulu has. Thankfully in both service, you still get access to plenty of anime to watch just expect that certain shows may require an additional purchase.

My Take:

I do not generally watch anime on Amazon Prime Video but it has a solid library that there really is not reason not to. The interface is solid enough not better than Netflix but does the job. I reconmend this service especially if you already have an amazon prime account.

Link to Amazon Prime Video:

What is it?:

Can you download the Videos for Offline Viewing:

English Subbed or English Dubbed:

VRV uses both HiDive’s and Crunchyroll’s libraries so you have a large selection of both Dubbed and Subbed to choose from.

Pros:

Cons:

My Take:

I like the idea behind this and it is a great deal if you watch all of the content this streaming service provides. However, if you are looking for just anime streaming services you may want to look somewhere else. It is definitely cheaper that way.

Link to VRV:

What is it?:

Can you download the Videos for Offline Viewing:

you can only download videos if you have HiDive through VRV

English Subbed or English Dubbed:

There is a nice selection of both. For English Dub fans there is a whole section devoted to English Dubs.

Pros:

Cons:

My Take:

Link to HIDIVE: 

What is it?:

Besides watching anime through a streaming service you can also rent or buy the digital copy. I often find these options when there is no streaming service available. YouTube, Amazon Prime, and Google Play are the biggest players here.

English Subbed or English Dubbed:

Depends on the anime you are downloading.

Pros:

You gain immediate access to the anime that you want to watch. Also once you buy it you never have to again and you can watch it on any device. You will need an internet access to watch the anime. If you just want to watch one show it can be worth it overpaying for the entire subscription.

Cons:

This method is very expensive over time. You do not really own the footage as you would with a DVD. Most of the anime that you could buy is available on other streaming sites or on one of those free questionable sites.

My Take:

This method of watching anime and any other form of media to me is not a good idea. You basically pay for one item that you can only watch online exclusively with that service. I would rather buy the DVD or go to a dodgy free site to watch it. I am kinda surprised that this method is still popular.

Websites where you can digitally rent anime:

GooglePlay Link

Amazon Primve Video Rent or Buy Link

What is it?:

Crunchyroll is an American distributor of anime, manga, and Japanese drama television. Over 900 animes are available to watch through this service. Since starting in 2006 Crunchyroll has grown to become one of the largest places to watch anime. It has agreements with the other two large players Funimation and Viz Media.

Can you download the Videos for Offline Viewing:

At this point Crunchyroll does not offer this service.

English Subbed or English Dubbed:

Crunchyroll mostly has English Subbed anime.

Pros:

It offers more than just the ability to watch anime. It has a large selection of anime to choose from. It has ads but from experience not every show will have ads playing. Crunchyroll also has a nice social aspect to it. You can find a nice community of people and great articles written on anime.

Cons:

The service is expensive if you want to remove ads and gain full access to everything. Much like Amazon Prime Video, I found many shows advertised on Crunchyroll to not be available. Also unlike Hulu, Netflix, etc not all series on Crunchyroll give you options for both Sub and Dub. The ads are awful and very annoying.

My Take:

Crunchyroll is a great service. It has a large selection of shows and continues to evolve over time. If you can tolerate the annoying ads then sticking to the basic free plan will be fine.

Links to Crunchyroll’s Website:

Crunchyroll’s Store where you can buy Anime on DVD and Blue Ray: 

What is it?:

Funimation “You Should be Watching”. I am very thankful for this organization for all the efforts it has done in dubbing some of my favorite anime of all time. Funimation is the other major competitor to Crunchyroll. It specializes in Dubbing of anime and has grown to be a large streaming and distributor of anime stuff. It addition it offers a service to buy all kinds of anime stuff. This includes DVDs, Toys, figures, etc. It even has Simulcasts for new anime that comes out in Japan.

Can you download the Videos for Offline Viewing:

Yes on the  Funimation Android and iOS App.

English Subbed or English Dubbed:

Funimation is the king of English Dubbing so of course it has plenty of English dubbed anime. All of the Anime has an English Subbed option.

Pros:

There are tons of anime to watch including exclusives. On their YouTube channel, you can find many of their shows free to watch. The interface for watching anime is much better than Crunchyroll’s. The Quality of the anime’s presentation in HD. Half the shows I recommend for beginners can be streamed here.

Cons:

The ads are even worse than’s Crunchyroll’s. Also, you cannot have your ad-block on when watching anime on this site. I do like the benefits of the premium service I am not sure if it’s worth 8 dollars a month.

A Funimation subscription might be required to unlock certain anime. For example to Dragon Ball Z requires a Funimation subscription if you want to watch the whole series.

My Take:

Funimation is a fantastic place to watch anime in 2020. It has a large library of great shows at a fantastic quality. Unless you are willing to fork over 8 dollars a month prepare for annoying commercials.

Link to Funimation’s Website:

Funimation’s where you can buy Anime on DVD and Blue Ray: 

What is it?:

Can you download the Videos for Offline Viewing:

English Subbed or English Dubbed:

This site is exclusively English Subbed only.

Pros:

For a free service there is a medium-sized library. There are not too many ads when watching an episode. It has a nice background for the show that you are watching. This feature adds to the viewing experience. The interface is simple and switching on Subs is intuitive.

Cons:

It has a limited amount of anime when compared to other services out there. You have to turn off Adblock when watching an anime.

My Take:

This is my favorite Free place to watch anime right now. It may not have the greatest library but it has the shows that you want to watch. Combine that with the small number of Ads, excellent video interface and you have a great place to watch anime.

Link to TubiTv’s Website:

What is it?:

What is it?:

YouTube is the biggest platform to watch videos. It has grown from individual contributors to large companies. Every major network has a YouTube channel at this point. In terms of Anime YouTube is an unexpected place to watch anime. You might be surprised how many shows you can find by simply searching for them on YouTube. It also has a service similar to Google Play where you can buy anime.

Can you download the Videos for Offline Viewing:

There are plenty of YouTube to mp4 websites out there. The only issues that I have are that some have a limit on the video lengths. But for individual episodes, this should not be an issue.

English Subbed or English Dubbed:

Depends on which anime you are watching on YouTube. You might even find different parts in different formats.

Pros:

If you are looking for classic anime from the 80’s and early 90’s you might find them on YouTube. Some shows are so obscure that it seems the licensors do not care if someone posts it on YouTube. Plus many companies like Funimation post free anime on YouTube.

Cons:

Most of the free anime is on different channels and in weird parts. You are not going to get the same level of presentation on other sites. The selection of anime is limited so this not the premier place to watch. The service to purchase movies and shows are too expensive.

My Take:

What is it?:

English Subbed or English Dubbed:

most events offer both with each one being on a different day.

What is it?:

Pros:

Not specifically with Cable Television but Toonami is a great television program that shows the best anime out there.

Cons:

You can only watch what is showing right now. Also while Toonami has a great lineup but it’s only eleven anime. Obviously any streaming services offer significantly more than that. Cable, in general, is quite expensive hence why people are starting to move away from it.

My Take:

If you have cable already then Toonami is a great place to watch anime. This is obvious but do not cable just to watch anime. This might be the worse way to watch anime in 2020.

Link to Toonami’s Website: 

SlingTV’s Website: 

What is it?:

English Subbed or English Dubbed:

If the anime was English Dubbed the dvd you will have it as well this goes for English Subbed as well.

Pros:

You can watch the DVD anywhere no internet required. Older DVDs and BluRays have tons of extra footage that you will not find on any streaming service. Having the physical copy gives you a sense of ownership not found from any streaming service.

Cons:

Overtime BluRays and DVDs can get expensive. This is especially true if you collect the special edition versions. Discs can be broken or lost. They need storage space. DVDs need a player which is something that most laptops and desktop computers do not have.

My Take:

Despite all the downsides of DVDs I still recommend them. My greatest joy is putting in a disc from one of my favorite anime and seeing what menu options are available. Many of the anime that I watch came from coming attractions on many DVDs. It’s one of the best ways to find hidden gems and forgotten series.

Links for sites where you can rent DVDs:

DVD.com Link

Gamefly Link

RedBox Link

What is it?:

The modern library has taken over blockbuster as the best place to find DVDs to watch. It’s, of course, free plus if you live in a large city you might have access to the whole system of libraries. This will increase the number of shows you can watch. It has been my favorite source to find anime for over a decade.

English Subbed or English Dubbed:

If the anime was English Dubbed the dvd you will have it as well this goes for English Subbed as well.

Pros:

The library is free to check out stuff. The selection is quite large, especially in larger cities. I find with streaming services there are so many shows to watch that you will never get to them. Due dates encourage you to watch the show. It keeps your focus on one show at a time.

Cons:

Everyone has access to the discs which results in damages and scratches. There could be long waiting lists for the item that you want. The location could determine the selection. I happen to live in a bigger city so my selection is quite large.

My Take:

Before considering purchasing a DVD or getting a subscription service check out the library. I have saved so much money doing this and continue to do so this very day.