Crunchyroll might be considered the default anime streaming service, but what about the smaller anime libraries? Between HIDIVE and Funimation, which is better for anime? We weigh in our thoughts below!
About Funimation
Funimation was founded in 1994 and was considered one of the best sites to watch anime online. Its catalog was never as rich as Crunchyroll, but the two shared a near-equal amount of exciting new shows per anime season.
Moreover, Funimation was famous for its simuldubs, and tended to do more than Crunchyroll. However, this changed after the 2022 announcement that Funimation would merge with Crunchyroll.
Now, most of the shows that used to be exclusively on Funimation have made their way to Crunchyroll, or are expected to land there in the future.
In the Funimation update FAQ, Crunchyroll mentions:
We want to get the content you love on Funimation available for you here on Crunchyroll as soon as possible.
Many series are available now and we’ll continue adding more shows from Funimation on a regular basis after that.
About HIDIVE
Founded in 2017, HIDIVE is a newer contester in anime streaming. It doesn't boast as many anime titles, nor as many dubs as Crunchyroll, but don't write it off yet.
HIDIVE is an up-and-coming service that offers a number of shows not found on Crunchyroll.
Depending on the anime season, it might have one or two of the most talked-about shows. Of course, it's hard to predict which of its anime are going to be hit shows.
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HIDIVE vs. Funimation Comparison
With Crunchyroll not in the mix, HIDIVE is probably a more sensible platform to support, as it's currently growing. Funimation, on the other hand, is likely going to shut down soon when the Crunchyroll merger is complete.
With that being said, if you are going to pay for only one anime service, Crunchyroll probably makes more sense, unless there are specific HIDIVE anime you are interested in.
The Platform
Both Funimation and HIDIVE are relatively intuitive and straightforward to use, but we would say that Funimation is a bit more user-friendly.
Both streaming services share their newest exciting titles. Funimation goes on to offer suggestions on a variety of genres and subgenres, such as Steampunk, Ninjas, Secret Missions, and so on.
HIDIVE features similar categories or moods such as "target acquired" or "aesthetically pleasing anime."
Anime Library
Funimation has a richer library, all things considered. HIDIVE is still developing, but for now, its anime library is more modest.
Despite the imminent Crunchyroll merger, Funimation still has over 600 titles, while HIDIVE has under 300.
It's hard to say that Funimation is more worthwhile since it isn't its own company anymore and it will most likely close.
However, if your goal is simply to have access to the maximum possible amount of anime titles without having any specific ones in mind, Funimation is a better option compared to HIDIVE.
Price
A HIDIVE subscription is slightly cheaper at $4.99 per month compared to Funimation's monthly $5.99.
Of course, users of Funimation were instructed to move on to Crunchyroll. Some have stayed around, especially if their favorites are still on Funimation, but it's hard to see a future for the streaming service.
HIDIVE is less expensive, but it also offers less with less than half of Funimation's titles.
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HIDIVE vs. Funimation: The Verdict
Ultimately, streaming services are a personal choice. We recommend that you consider not only which service is the most popular and trendy to be part of but also based on what specific anime you want to watch.
HIDIVE has a smaller library but plenty of potential for growth, as it's already acquiring new anime as well as classic ones.
Meanwhile, Funimation has historically been many people's platform of choice, and many of its most beloved shows are still there.
However, the more popular the show, the higher the chances for it to also be on Crunchyroll.
While HIDIVE offers at least a couple of new anime per season, Funimation only has what is also available on Crunchyroll.
Considering all the above, we've chosen Crunchyroll as an anime streaming service as it offers over 1,000 titles, making it easier to keep up with the newest and most exciting series.
With that being said, Funimation does offer some series that they haven't made available on Crunchyroll (yet) -- we do regret deleting Crunchyroll before finishing Revolutionary Girl Utena.
Discover more of our insights and the latest anime news by following us on Twitter @epicstreamanime.
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