There are a multitude of platforms to watch anime legally on the web. Sometimes difficult to find. We invite you here to discover a certain number of them, with their advantages and disadvantages.

The 80s and 90s in France marked the first successes of Japanese animation in France. If the old-timers certainly remember the first children's shows that helped popularize the genre, others also remember the many controversies caused by these cartoons. Several personalities considered them too violent and vulgar for a young audience. The book Le ras-le-bol desbabies zappeurs, written by Ségolène Royale, remains, as such, widely considered by the amateur community as the greatest anti-Japanese animation rant.

Today, the situation has changed a lot. On the one hand, because anime is intended for viewers of all ages and, on the other hand, the medium has become much more entrenched in the cultural landscape. So it's no surprise that there are now a plethora of streaming services dedicated to Japanese animation. However, from a user's point of view, it can be complicated to find your way around this multitude of platforms.

Indeed, each service has its own catalog of works to view. In addition, compatibility with different media (Android TV, Apple TV Chromecast, etc.) varies depending on the platform consulted.

This is why we offer you here a small summary of the main services available in France to watch anime legally and simultaneously (most of the time) with Japanese releases.

Comparison of the main streaming services

Anime Digital Network

Powered by publishers Kazé and Kana, Anime Digital Network is a very good French site offering pretty much the same services. Its catalog is well supplied and each new season brings its share of very interesting novelties. This platform is the most extensive of the selection, with the broadcast of very popular anime like One Punch Man, Boruto, One Piece, Fire Force and My Hero Academia. You will also find the classics, including Naruto, Fairy Tail, Hunter X Hunter, The Seven Deadly Sins, Bleach… without forgetting the animes of the 80s and 90s: Harlock, Cobra, City Hunter, Captain Tsubasa, Cat's eye, Nana and so on. right now.

Basically, if you want to see the most popular works — some will probably call them “commercial works” — very soon after their release in Japan, ADN is probably the best platform. The service is very well organized and easy to understand on the web, on Apple TV and Android TV. On a smartphone, I found that the search function could be greatly improved and, furthermore, the quality seems to be limited to 480p on this platform.

However, we regret the lack of compatibility with Chromecast, which is a bit of a shame for a subscription that starts at 6.99 euros per month – the annual subscription costs 4.99 euros per month. This goes up to 14.99 euros if you want to download your episodes (13 per month).

wakanim

Wakanim is the other French service. If I believe my entourage, passionate about anime, he is less known than his compatriot DNA, but that does not prevent him from defending himself with serious arguments. First of all, its price is still very attractive, because you only have to pay 5 euros per month to enjoy unlimited streaming (with a 14-day trial offered).

The platform also offers to watch each episode for free, thirty days after its release, provided you watch an advertising spot before the start of the video and you have to wait 100 minutes between each viewing. Note that to take advantage of it, you must create an account. Another interesting advantage: the service promises the imminent arrival of 4K on future programs!

Wakanim's problem lies rather in its catalog, which is a little less extensive than ADN or Crunchyroll. Rest assured, excellent titles are available on this platform, and simultaneously, moreover with Japan. But it's hard to find exclusives on this site that will convince you to opt for Wakanim.

It is good to know that the mobile application is accessible only to paying subscribers.

Crunchyroll

If you've even once tried to watch—legally, I mean—anime on the web, chances are you've come across the name Crunchyroll. Created in 2006, the American has reigned supreme in this field throughout the world for several years.

In addition to the website, this service has the advantage of being available on smartphone, Chromecast and Android TV, with, each time, an interface that is not necessarily very pretty, but which has the merit of being very easy to use. . As for its catalog, difficult to know where to start as it is so rich, but we are still frustrated that it is not as important as the one offered across the Atlantic.

But let's not spoil our pleasure. Crunchyroll brings together many recent series – each episode comes out one hour after Japan – and older works that you can binge watch at leisure in 1080p – except for a few titles.

We can regret that the interface is not always translated into French. Thus, some synopses are written in English. For those less comfortable with the language of Shakespeare, this detail can be damn disturbing. It is possible to subscribe to Crunchyroll from only 4.99 euros per month - the annual subscription costs 3.3 euros per month. A very attractive price that allows you to enjoy Full HD on a large number of titles.

The free subscription, meanwhile, allows you to enjoy the series several days after their release, in 480p only, and with advertising.

netflix

No need to introduce Netflix. The most famous SVoD service in the world broke audience records in 2016 and will no doubt continue to attract more and more Internet users. That's good, because this platform, even if it has not made it its hobbyhorse, deploys a limited but interesting offer of anime.

Where Netflix particularly stands out is in the strength of its exclusives. We can, as such, mention big successful licenses such as Seven Deadly Sins or Ajin. Other titles, a little less known, are also worth a look, like Kuromukuro, very entertaining. Since 2020, Netflix has been offering Ghibli films, great references.

But that's about all that can be said about Netflix in terms of anime. Most of the other series are very classic and can be viewed on the other platforms presented above. Finally, this service has the advantage of being available on all media, with an intuitive interface for each.

The subscription starts at 7.99 euros per month.

Amazon Prime Video

For Amazon Prime customers, Jeff Bezos' firm recently launched its video streaming service in France. Like Netflix, this one is clearly not oriented towards anime – unlike Anime Strike, not yet available in France.

Nonetheless, a handful of interesting Japanese anime titles can be viewed there, including exclusives like Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress, created by the makers of Attack on Titan. There are also other more confidential series that will undoubtedly delight their fans, but it is difficult to know if they will attract neophytes. Also note that this platform does not offer content in VF.

This offer is especially interesting if you already have an Amazon Prime account for 49 euros per year. In addition, the platform is available on all media via a relatively easy to use interface.

What anime to watch?

You are spoiled for choice, and if we do not recommend anime in particular, Numerama has produced many files on the subject:

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