Top 10 Best Anime Websites To Watch & Stream Anime Online – Otaku (and Weabo) culture have found remarkable success and fame outside the borders of Japan. This interest in Japanese culture is primarily influenced and driven by anime.
Anime is basically hand-drawn and computer-generated animation originating from Japan. However, this is an oversimplification of what anime is. After all, cartoons don’t garner the same interest in the west that anime does for the east.
Anime is a diverse art form with distinctive production methods and techniques that have been adapted over time in response to emergent technologies. It consists of an ideal story-telling mechanism, combining graphic art, characterization, cinematography, and other forms of imaginative and individualistic techniques.
The cultures, philosophies, and attitudes permeate through anime. While cartoons and other forms of western animation are just entertainment, most anime is art.
Anime is not always easy to get your hands on in some countries. There are regions that do not broadcast it at all. This is bad news for passionate Otakus who reside outside of Japan. However, thanks to the internet, there are sites that are dedicated to bringing you the latest anime.
From movies to series, in this guide, we’ll show you ten of the best sites to watch anime online for free.
Top 10 Best Anime Streaming Sites (2019)
1. KissAnime
Despite some controversy where the site admin was banning anyone with an Ad-Blocker, KissAnime still remains as one of the best free sites for streaming anime. Why? Well, it has the best English and dubbed anime in HD and is completely free.
KissAnime has long earned its reputation as the most popular avenue for streaming anime. You’d be hard pressed to meet an Otaku or anime lover who hasn’t heard of KissAnime. In comparison to other anime and animation streaming sites, KissAnime has the largest collection of content.
They’re also very consistent with new uploads and updates. Content is uploaded in different qualities and resolution variants. You can stream content in 240p or up to 1080p. This is convenient for users who have slow internet connections.
It has a simple user interface that’s easy to navigate. The site gives you access to a plethora of genres which include horror, comedy, action, adventure, romance, slice of life or even shoujo.
While their ad-block policy might keep some users away, KissAnime is still one of the best anime streaming websites.
2. Anime Freak
There’s a reason why AnimeFreak.TV is a runner up for the top spot for the best anime sites of 2019. It offers one of the largest databases for HD anime series and movies. Much like KissAnime, it’s completely free of charge.
You can easily browse through its massive collection of anime shows and movies through categories that include popular anime, latest and genres.
Each category holds a massive list that is updated regularly. Because of the site’s navigability and ease of use, it’s one of the best alternatives to KissAnime. Anime Freak (or AFTV) has millions of users worldwide.
If you’re looking for a specific anime, you can use the search bar or peruse through its categories. It’s a well-organized site with plenty of content that is updated daily. It can be a bit overwhelming sometimes, especially if you’re visiting the website for the first time.
If you’re planning to stream content through your mobile device, Anime Freak has apps for both Android and iOS devices. Which means you don’t have to visit the website to access Anime Freak’s content. This is very convenient.
Once again, if you’re looking for an alternative to KissAnime, this is the service for you.
3. 9Anime
The best thing about 9Anime is how well designed its website is. In terms of color scheme, simplicity, and navigability, 9Anime.to blows its competitors out of the water. The user interface design beats both KissAnime and Anime Freak.
It also has plenty of dubbed and subbed content that can be streamed in HD (or lower resolution). Another advantage of using this tube site is that it has little to no ads.
9Anime allows you to explore and look for anime according to their genre, whether they’re subbed or dubbed or whether they’re trending or not.
You can also view the most recently updated anime as well as which Anime series are still ongoing. It also has a scheduling section that shows you when the next episode will be aired and uploaded. It’s very similar to a TV guide.
If you can’t find the anime you’re looking for, fret not, you can always send in a request and they’ll respond to you in a few a days. While you technically don’t have to be a member to stream content from the site, being a member allows the site to keep track of your viewing activity so it can make suggestions and your experience a little easier.
9Anime.to gets a five-star rating from us. Just be careful of any fake sites pretending to be it. There’s currently a large problem among community members who have been duped by fake sites wearing the 9Anime name and aesthetic.
4. Anime-Planet
You’ll notice that most of the entries in this list are illegal streaming platforms. If you’re looking for a site that allows you to stream legal content for free, then look no further than Anime-Planet.
With Anime-Planet, you have the option of streaming over 45, 000 industry supported anime movies and shows. It’s completely free to use.
While signing up and registering is optional (anyone can view anime on this site without a user account), registered users can create their own anime lists and the site will keep your place when you watch videos.
Anime-Planet isn’t just a tube site. It’s a recommendation engine and social networking site for anime and manga fans. It’s been around since 2001.
Anime-Planet connects users by giving them the chance to recommend shows and movies to each other. You can also review and share your opinion and scores.
If you’re looking for a place that connects you to other otakus and fans while providing you with guilt-free content, we highly recommend this website.
5. Gogoanime
If you’re looking for a great place to watch both dubbed and subbed anime, Gogoanime is here to fulfill those desires.
The site is very similar to the first three entries on this list. It has a very large database where you have access to HD and SD content. The site is very minimalistic and sports an orange and black color scheme.
In terms of navigation, the site doesn’t have the same options as some of the other entries in this list but it’s still very capable.
The site is divided into four sub-categories:
- Anime List: Allows you to navigate through the sites entire database in alphabetical order.
- New Season: Allows you to view the newest shows and latest seasons of older shows that were released recently.
- Movies: Allows you to explore through the site’s extensive database of movies. Movies are tiled out and organized in a thumbnail fashion.
- Popular: Allows you to view the most popular series and movies from the site.
The website is responsive and well designed. It’s not bogged down with heavy scripts and advertising.
You can also peruse content by genre. It’s a great mobile-friendly website with plenty of value for free. If you’re struggling with the other entries on this list, then please give this one a shot instead.
6. Crunchyroll
If you thought that Anime-Planet would be the only website there is for legal anime streaming, you were mistaken. Crunchyroll is an American distributor, publisher and licensing company focused on streaming anime and manga.
It was founded in 2006 and is now holds the title for the largest library of legal stream-able anime and manga content. It boasts a global community of more than 45 million registered users and over 2 million subscribers.
Users can also purchase anime related merchandise through its online store. Through its app on game consoles, set-top boxes, mobile devices and more, Crunchyroll delivers content from leading media producers directly to viewers translated professionally in multiple languages.
The service is available for free or through a premium offering that allows users to watch ad-free with access to simulcasts—top series available immediately after Japanese broadcast.
If AnimePlanet was not good enough for you, Crunchyroll should be a more than worthy alternative. A premium account will cost you a minimum of $6.95 per month and can be cancelled at any time.
7. Anime Heaven
Anime Heaven is considered to be one of the most beautiful and well-designed sites for streaming anime. It is one of the most consistently updated sites on this list. It has also zero advertising and hour to hour updates and airings of shows.
Late in 2018, it was announced that the site would shut down. It seems that this is a false alarm because (at the time of writing this article), the site is still accessible and content is still being updated consistently.
We’re not sure how long the domain will be accessible, so you better enjoy Anime Heaven while you still can.
8. Chia-Anime
There are so many great entries on this list and Chia-anime (despite its positioning) is one of the very best anime streaming sites.
While most sites on this list allow you to stream anime for free, Chia-anime allows you to download and read Manga, listen to Anime Soundtracks as well as watch non-anime Asian drama.
It also has a mobile site for users who are planning to stream content from their mobile devices. It’s completely free. However, they use ads to keep the lights on and some of the ads and scripts can be very intrusive.
If you’re not using an ad-blocker, you might want to avoid this site or get one. It also gives you access to its sister site: cartooncrazy.tv. This site allows you to stream non-anime cartoons for free.
This website is every Otaku’s wet dreams. It covers all bases.
9. Anime Frenzy
Anime Frenzy is quite similar to sites like KissCartoon and Anime Freak. It’s not as popular but what makes it stand out are its additional features.
The most striking feature that most of the other sites do not have is its chat function. Users can quickly set a name and start chatting with other users.
The website doesn’t require you to register or sign up in order to use its content. The site doesn’t use advertisement to fund its existence. Instead, it relies on donations from its users.
It’s a very socially in-touch website. You can contact its creators through Twitter and Reddit. Not only does it allow you to stream anime, but it also gives you the chance to stream live-action Hollywood movies as well as hentai.
Much like Chia-anime, it also allows you to read and download manga for free. A feature that most people take for granted is the ability to view content on the main screen according to a grid or list.
10. Kuroani
Last but not least on our list comes Kuroani. It’s another mobile-friendly site that’s very similar to Chia-anime.
What makes this site stand out from the others on this list is its detailed navigation bar. You can choose to order and sort content on the home screen alphanumerically. You can also sort and search through content by the letter they start with.
Content can also be filtered by status, type, year, season and genre. The website also has its own chat functionality.
Not only can you stream anime movies and series for free but you can also stream cartoons and hentai. The site is very user-friendly and the staff is easy to reach and contact.
If you find an issue with the site, you can simply join the discord community and chat with some of the staff.
If you’re looking for another great alternative to the big names such as KissAnime, we highly recommend this site.
Final Word
Remember, we do not condone piracy and theft. This list is primarily for educational purposes. If you can, please support content creators and subscribe to streaming services that allow you to stream content legally. We hope that you’ve found this guide to be helpful. Please share it with your friends and family. This site has plenty of other content that’s worth reading through, please do not hesitate to explore it and read more content. As always, thank you for reading.
