What Is FunimationNow?
Funimation is one of the prominent companies within the North American anime distribution scene and has been around since the beginning of the anime boom in 1994. The company is responsible for the domestic release of popular anime series such as Dragon Ball Z and Fairy Tail and produces both English subbed and dubbed versions of properties. The streaming service is available via both a free and paid subscription model and its content can be viewed either from the official Funimation website or via one of the FunimationNow apps. FunimationNow was announced in 2016. It follows a near-identical business model to other streaming services such as Netflix and Disney+, where users sign up and can then stream video content on-demand from smartphones, tablets, video game consoles, smart TVs, and computers.
Is FunimationNow Free?
The FunimationNow anime streaming service has four membership plans with varying benefits for users within the U.S. and Canada.
Free: Can stream content with video ads.Premium: Can stream content ad-free. Supports up to two devices. Costs $5.99 a month or $59.99 a year.Premium Plus: Can stream and download content ad-free on up to five devices. Costs $7.99 a month or $79.99 a year.Premium Plus Ultra: Costs $99 a year and features all of the benefits of the Premium Plus membership in addition to an annual gift, two pay-per-view rentals per year, and free shipping on Funimation Shop products.
Outside of North America, FunimationNow simply offers free and Premium membership options. The Premium membership in these regions is the equivalent of the North American Premium Plus tier.
Where Is FunimationNow Available?
FunimationNow is available for residents of the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand.
How to Sign up for FunimationNow
You can sign up for the FunimationNow streaming services from any of the official apps or from the Funimation website. The process is fairly straightforward and is similar to signing up for other online services. Here’s what signing up for FunimationNow from the Funimation website looks like.
What Funimation Anime Is on FunimationNow?
FunimationNow features a large variety of dubbed and subbed anime series, movies, and specials that can be streamed or downloaded depending on your membership type. Some of the more popular anime available for viewing include Dragon Ball Z, Fairy Tail, My Hero Academia, and Dr. Stone. Many new shows update with fresh episodes within a week of their airing in Japan.
Where Can I Watch FunimationNow?
FunimationNow can be watched from within any web browser on a computer or laptop and via one of its many apps.
What Internet Speed Is Required for FunimationNow?
If you’re able to watch videos on other similar services such as YouTube or Netflix with no problem, you’ll likely be able to watch videos on FunimationNow. As a general rule, an internet speed of at least 2500 kbps (2.5 mbps) is recommended for watching videos in 720p while 4000 kbps (4 mbps) is suggested for 1080p HD video quality. If you choose to download anime via the app, your internet speed won’t affect the quality of the video at all, however, the time it takes to download the appropriate files could vary greatly.
Is the Funimation App Worth It?
FunimationNow is worth it for fans of Funimation anime series, but it’s important to realize that not all major anime series and movies are on this platform. Anime released by other companies, such as Pokemon, Sailor Moon, and Naruto, cannot be watched on FunimationNow. If you want to watch those, you’ll need to stream them via Hulu, Crunchyroll, or Netflix, or purchase them outright from a digital storefront such as iTunes or the Microsoft Store.
FunimationNow Alternatives
There are a number of anime streaming services available to consumers right now, with the biggest one being Crunchyroll. This service also has a free viewing option in addition to its paid membership and offers an absolutely massive selection of anime in a number of genres. Another quality streaming option for anime fans is actually Netflix, which has exclusive streaming rights to a number of anime series and even produces its own English-language versions of them. Those looking for classic and modern American cartoons should check out DC Universe and Disney+, both of which have a wide variety of series and films for kids and adults to enjoy.
