Crunchyroll is a name people have come to trust when it comes to their anime viewing needs, if only reluctantly. The service has been around for a long while, and its content has been available in several forms. Now the company has announced the launch of a 24/7 anime channel to ensure fans can enjoy their anime at all hours of the day.
In an official announcement to its site, Crunchyroll revealed the new network will include English-dubbed programming from launch, with episodes from a variety of popular shows set to appear. The result of a collaboration with GSN, the network will initially be available through a few established leaders in free programming: Amazon Freevee, LG Channels, The Roku Channel, and VIZIO WatchFree+.
A sizeable chunk of the target market likely already uses one of those services. If you don’t count yourself among that number, you might try purchasing a basic Roku or Fire device, or even just doing some further research. It’s easier than you might suppose to find an existing device that supports the Freevee app from Amazon, for instance. It’s available through most mobile devices, and I was pleased to discover it’s even available through the Xbox One.
Today’s announcement singled out several series featured on the network:
- Horimiya
- Ranking of Kings
- Moriarty the Patriot
- PSYCHO-PASS
- Arifureta: From Commonplace to World’s Strongest
- Sugar Apple Fairytale
- To Your Eternity
Devoted enthusiasts of the medium may never stop debating whether subbed or dubbed anime is better. Putting such discussion to one side for a moment, it’s likely the English-dubbed programming will allow the content to reach a wider audience than it otherwise might. Younger anime fans who have difficulty reading subtitles are in for a treat.
The new network isn’t the first time Crunchyroll has made anime available to fans at no cost. Older viewers may recall its ad-supported streaming on the old Crunchyroll site. Cable television featured a Funimation channel at one time. This new network is merely the latest such offering, and only time will tell if it’s also the greatest.
