#
Anime
#
Sources
There are multiple ways you can start watching anime, depending on your preferences. Learn what works best for you:
#
Streaming
See The Index for a comprehensive list of unofficial anime streaming sites.
Looking for official streaming sites? See r/anime's list of legal streams.
Streaming involves retrieving and playing back content in real-time directly from a server without the need to download the entire file beforehand.
Streaming sites can be easily accessed access across all of your devices. They are often easy to use and navigate, making it easy to start watching without having to worry about additional setup or configuration. Some streaming services will also have dedicated applications for a more fluent user experience, such as Crunchyroll.
However, most streaming sites will compress the video and audio to save bandwidth. Though this may negligible on official streaming sites, unofficial streaming sites will tend to heavily compress video and audio, combined with intrusive ads/pop-ups across the site. If you plan to use these sites, we suggest using a reliable content blocker, such as uBlock Origin.
If you like convenience, streaming sites can be a perfectly fine option for your watching needs. They offer access to a large library of shows with ease and do not require much technical knowledge to get started. If you want to consider streaming, we suggest starting by looking at various quality comparisons to see whether it is fine for you.
- No or minimal setup required
- Easy to use and access from all your devices
- No VPN required; no copyright infringement notices from your ISP
- Can be completely free
- Video and audio quality may be worse than other sources, such as Blu-rays
- May not permit downloading/offline playback
- Limited show availability; some shows may be unavailable in your region
- May have ads or pop-ups
See the streaming sites sourcing guide and quality guide for more information.
#
Torrenting
Torrenting is a peer-to-peer file-sharing method that facilitates the distribution and downloading of files over the internet.
This allows users to access better releases for their shows, such as Blu-rays whenever they're available and greater video quality. These releases can sometimes be better than official streaming services, as they can be locally stored for offline playback and provide easy access to shows that may otherwise be unavailable in your region. Some shows will also have fansubbed releases, which may be preferred over official subtitles.
However, torrenting requires some time to prepare. This setup is very simple, as all you need to get started is a torrent client and access to a torrent tracker, with optional features like RSS requiring the most setup. Additionally, downloading anime torrents may be illegal in your region. To avoid receiving a copyright infringement notice from your ISP, you may want to consider using a VPN or seedbox while torrenting.
If you like to prioritize quality, torrenting can be an amazing option for your watching needs. They offer more flexibility with how you want to watch your shows and provide you with more control over your media.
- Better video and quality options
- More control over your media (e.g. offline playback, subtitle fonts, better scaling)
- Access to shows that are unavailable in your region
- No ads or pop-ups¹
- Access to fansubbed releases for some shows
- Requires some setup
- May be hard to access or impossible on certain devices, such as TVs
- May be illegal where you live; a VPN may be necessary
- May require some payment, such as a premium VPN subscription
¹Torrent trackers may contain ads or pop-ups. Downloaded files will not contain ads.
See the torrenting guide for more information.
#
Playback
Below is a brief list of recommended media player applications:
VLC is not recommended as it introduces visual artifacts, displays wrong colors, and breaks intensive subtitles.
See the playback guide for more information.