AnimeBox vs. Crunchyroll: Which is better?

Streaming services are the present and the future of entertainment consumption, it is more than evident today. Although the physical format is still attractive and we consume a lot of it, it is clear that today it is REQUIRED to have a digital service which the consumer can access quickly and easily. This is the conclusion he came to select view surely, and that’s why they launched AnimeBox. But, how does it compare to Crunchyroll? Which is best for consuming anime?

The pros and cons of AnimeBox

• Behind AnimeBox has Selecta Visión, an absolute reference in anime distribution in Spain that is characterized above all by a first-class agreement with IP addresses. This is how many like above all the work that the company is doing with the Spanish dubbing of the anime, some dubbing accessible on the platform.
• On the contrary, the bad news comes from the fact that many anime for which there is (or not) dubbing are incomplete. The AnimeBox catalog now looks more like a “beta” of content not a streaming platform in which to be able to consume series in their entirety, and this is logically an important point against it.

• Positively (again) it must be said that one of the great strengths of AnimeBox is that, in its 4 subscription plans, it features ‘Konnichiwa’, a completely free. It must be said that this plan does NOT allow access to absolutely anything from the AnimeBox catalog. What’s the use then? Well, firstly to browse the web, which allows you to keep an eye on the content available on the platform, but secondly and most importantly: allows viewing of the anime that Selecta Vision is simulcasting at this time. Yes, anime streaming from Japan completely free (although in a much more limited offering than Crunchyroll).
• It is also necessary to underline what is perhaps the main strength of AnimeBox: his animated films. Among these we can find very successful feature films like Akira, A Silent Voice or Perfect Blue, among others. Of course, accessing most of these very special films will require a subscription to one of the main premium plans (and, again, the selection seems scarce considering all that Selecta Visión has in its possession).

The pros and cons of Crunchyroll

• To date, Crunchyroll has a bestial anime catalog. There are hundreds of titles available in every possible genre in an ever-expanding collection.
• Obviously, if we have to talk about the “highlights” of Crunchyroll, we must mention your quarterly selection. With each new anime quarter, the platform is by far the one that signs up the most anime for simulcast. So if you’re an anime fan and really want to see the latest big hits from Japan, having Crunchyroll is almost a must these days.

• Till date, one of the major criticisms Crunchyroll received was that it barely featured a dubbed anime. And it’s true: unlike Selecta Visión (AnimeBox), this had NOT been a major part of Crunchyroll’s content management… but things have changed over time.
• Crunchyroll now bets so heavily on dubbing that he will be able to perform so-called “Simuldubs” for the first time. Thus, from spring 2023, 3 of the new anime released by the platform will upload their episodes both with Spanish dubbing and VOSE at the same time as they are released in Japan, without any delay.
• As for movies, the truth is that in this sense the Crunchyroll catalog is much more limited.. While they do have a few feature films that can be important for the development of a franchise, like Jujutsu Kaisen 0, they of course don’t showcase the quality of AnimeBox’s options in terms of “one-man” movies.

Crunchyroll Price vs AnimeBox Price

About the prices that each of the platforms presents, roughly the cost that you will find is the following:

• Crunchyroll
  • Fan: 4.99 euros per month, and includes unlimited access to the Crunchyroll library, new anime episodes available 1 hour after Japan and a connection for a single simultaneous device. Totally ad-free.
  • Mega Fan (1 month): 6.49 euros per month, and includes unlimited access to the Crunchyroll library, new anime episodes available 1 hour after Japan and connection of up to 4 devices simultaneously, as well as the possibility of offline viewing. Totally ad-free.
  • Mega Fan (12 months): 64.99 euros per year, and includes unlimited access to the Crunchyroll library, new anime episodes available 1 hour after Japan and connection of up to 4 devices simultaneously, as well as the possibility of offline viewing. Totally ad-free. It’s 16% cheaper than the long-term monthly Mega Fan plan.
• AnimeBox:
  • Konnichiwa: Entirely free subscription. It only guarantees access to simulcast in the VOSE anime. Totally ad-free.
  • Tomodachi: 5.99 euros per month, and includes Access to Simulcast in VOSE, Access to dubbed series and in VOSE, Access to dubbed films and in VOSE, Access to Rental and 1 device in simultaneous connection. Totally ad-free.
  • Sensei: 7.99 euros per month, and includes Access to Simulcast in VOSE, Access to dubbed series and in VOSE, Access to dubbed films and in VOSE, Access to premium dubbed films and in VOSE, ‘Access to the Rental and 2 devices in simultaneous connection. Totally ad-free.
  • We are together: 79.99 euros per year. It has the same benefits as the Sensei plan, except the final price is 2 months cheaper. Totally ad-free.

Conclusion: AnimeBox or Crunchyroll?

Personally, Today it is very difficult for me to see AnimeBox as a true competitor to Crunchyroll. Given the price of the subscriptions of the two platforms, Crunchyroll offers endless anime options today. Also, seeing that Crunchyroll is working more and more seriously on its voiceover selection, the truth is that there are few weak points left for the service. On the contrary, AnimeBox has a very limited supply of anime to be a platform dedicated to it onlyand it weighs a lot.

In short: today Crunchyroll clearly seems to me the best option to enjoy anime in Spain. We’ll have to see how the AnimeBox proposal evolves, but what I’m clear is that if they don’t stretch out and use some of their most enticing licenses, such as “Dragon Ball”, it won’t will almost never become real competition for Crunchyroll.