Coolest Places to Watch Anime

Clearly the leaders in anime distribution, FUNimation is more than just the home of Dragon Ball Z. They are the standard when it comes to dubbed voice tracks and have done more than anyone else to make anime relevant in the United States. Hopefully they have an act two when it comes to outdoing themselves in the years to come.

While FUNimation is clearly champ when it comes to physical distribution, Crunchyroll holds the reigns as the digital distribution king. Since 2009 when they legitimately launched with Naruto, Crunchyroll set the tone for what companies can do with simulcasts and current anime offerings.

United Kingdom’s answer to FUNimation, Manga Entertainment releases an impressive lineup of series and even streams some titles that can’t be found in the states. Discounting the excessive amount of commercials they air during their streams, Manga Entertainment is company that you should be watching.

If you don’t have a Netflix subscription, you either don’t have the internet or a decent paying job. The amount of anime on this service is overwhelming. They also are starting to license anime with Knight of Sidonia and the rumored Seven Deadly Sins anime. Watch out FUNimation, Netflix might make it to the top of the list in no time.

We had the honor of speaking with Daisuki when they first launched and it seems like they are dropping endless amounts of money to seem relevant. Sadly, most of their offerings can be found on some of the sites listed above, so they really remain a silent player in the states.

With the backing of some major titles, Naruto and Bleach, VIZ Media is a model of doing more with less. While they’re are constantly plagued with slow release schedules and lopsided outreach to the fans, VIZ remains a clear competitor in the landscape of anime distribution.

Formerly part of the juggernaut ADV, Sentai Filmworks is notorious for snatching up nearly as many properties for physical distribution as FUNimation. While the numbers game hasn’t worked in their favor, they play a nice WCW to FUNimation’s WWE. One thing is for sure, they are helping keep the competitive spirit alive in the anime industry.

An easy punching bag for their overpriced box sets, Aniplex boasts an impressive lineup of major titles. Their strategy seems to be working for them as they’ve stuck to an old school model of releasing minimal episodes for maximum pricing. This fact keeps them a few steps behind their competitors.

Considered the boutique alternative to their Target competitors, NIS America offers some pretty sweet collector’s editions that would make a great addition to anyone’s collection. They are really friendly to the blogging community and continue to make some interesting selections for their anime lineups.

Apple likes anime apparently. They like it so much that they charge you to keep the episodes. The only distributor of their kind, iTunes offers a model that isn’t too popular for people who want more bang for their buck. But thanks to Nana and an endless supply of gift cards, watching anime straight to your mobile devices isn’t such a bad thing.

Yes, they do exist. The Anime Network still suffers from being stuck in the early 2000s, but manages to get their hands on a title or two that can’t be found anywhere else. Most noticeably, their release of High School of the Dead. Sometimes I have to wonder if they are actually a legal alternative.

Right Stuff upped their ante by offering officially licensed content, especially from the pre-millennial area. They are clearly a company that doesn’t worry about the bottom line. The old school fans have reaped the rewards of this company’s sacrifice and we hope to pay it forward with posting them in this ranking.