Animated movies play a major role in modern society. One of the early films, El Apostol (1917), was made from paper cut-outs. The most recognised animated film is Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1957), produced by Walt Disney and revolutionised the industry. In 2024, the global animation market will make approximately $379 billion in more. It is popular for entertaining and reflecting society in many genres like action, fantasy, romance, thriller, horror, and dystopia. The giants in this industry are the United States (Disney, Pixar, DreamWorks, etc) and Japan (Studio Ghibli, MAPPA, Toei Animation, etc.), producing marvellous works that continue to gather more audiences. Hence, the demand for apps and websites that allow users to stream content with splendid quality is increasing by the passing days. Crunchyroll is one of the most popular websites, which can be utilised on different devices through a process called Crunchyroll activate.
A. Introduction to Crunchyroll:
The platform is an American-based service that focuses on providing content like anime, manga adaptations, and Asian dramas. In the beginning, it was a fan website to host the mentioned content without a license. In 2008, the owners obtained an investment of $4.5 million from Venrock and aimed to host only licensed movies and dramas. Over the years, it gained a reputation as a legal website and partnered with many known providers like TV Tokyo. In 2020, it was sold to Sony’s Funimation Global group for $1.175 billion. The name and their logo have connections with Japanese culture, with the ‘C’ representing a sushi roll. As of 2024, Crunchyroll has over 120 million users globally and 15 million paying subscribers.
B. Benefits:
- Extensive library:
The platform boasts having over 1,400 films and series, with over 45,000 episodes. This allows the users to access a variety of content they prefer. It includes classics and the latest animated franchises, and some series in the latter are uploaded a few hours after they are released in Japan.
- Accessibility:
The website is available in over 200 countries and territories, and most of the population to watch the array of content it provides.
- Offline viewing:
It also allows people to view the content offline, making it the perfect app while travelling or in other situations like a power cut. But it is only available for premium users who use mobile phones.
- Manga:
It is a popular comic format in Japan that is loved and demanded throughout the world. People can access it digitally, and news says that the platform will create a standalone app, just for manga, in 2025.
- Social and community features:
The platform also allows users to like, rate, comment, and review different series and shows, which facilitates communication between audiences across various countries, who can share their preferences and opinions. Also, it hosts events like Crunchyroll Expo and anime awards, which increase community engagement.
- Merchandise:
Crunchyroll also allows people to access merchandise and exclusive collectables for its user base, which is widely appreciated, and it creates a connection between the users and the content.
C. Disadvantages:
Though it is a successful global platform, it has a few downsides:
- Limited dubbing services:
Users report that some of the series are not dubbed into local or preferred languages, which decreases accessibility and increases disappointment. Such results can also lead people to search for alternatives, even going as far as using piracy websites.
- Region-locked content:
Some of its content is not available in a few countries due to licensing restrictions and other factors. Countries other than the key markets may face limitations in terms of access.
- Advertisements:
The free version of this service is filled with ads of all sorts; the only way out is a subscription. The business model is quite an inconvenience for a few, as the prices are a bit high for them. Ads can disrupt the enjoyment of the watcher. It would be better if they also provide some conditions, like watching ads would allow the users to access premium content for a fixed amount of time.
- Selective Manga:
The Manga library is a bit smaller than other dedicated platforms like VIZ or Manga Plus. Unfortunately, some regions don’t even have access to the manga feature due to various factors like licensing issues and others.
- Integration:
The amalgamation with Sony did create a few problems in the app, like people having to maintain multiple subscriptions at once.
D. What is Crunchyroll Activate?
It refers to the process of linking your Crunchyroll account to a new device by using a special code. It simplifies the complex login process and is one of the perks of this platform; its availability across various devices like smart TV, tablet, laptop, and even gaming consoles. The app is also available to both Android and IOS devices.
a. How to activate it?
- Open the Crunchyroll app on your preferred device.
- Select ‘Login with activation code’ visible on the login screen.
- A unique 6-digit code will appear. Jot that down somewhere.
- Use the new device you want to use and open Crunchyroll there (either on the computer or mobile browser) and go to crunchyroll.com/activate.
- Log in to your account (mobile and password).
- Enter your activation code and click ‘activate’.
E. FAQ’s:
- What is Crunchyroll Activate?
It is the process of linking your streaming account to a different device.
- Where do I enter the Crunchyroll activation code?
Go to: https://www.crunchyroll.com/activate. Log in to your account and activate your account on a new device using the unique activation code displayed on your previous device.
- Why isn’t my code working?
It could be because the code has expired. Please make sure to enter the code within the time frame. It could also be due to a typo in the code or connectivity issues.
- How many devices can I activate my account on?
It is based on the user’s subscription plan. A fan can only use one device to stream content, a mega fan up to 4, and an ultimate fan up to 6 devices.
- What to do if the activation code is not there?
If your unique activation code is not visible on the screen, try restarting or updating the app. You could also try reinstalling it and check if your device has an ample internet connection.
- Is Crunchyroll free?
Yes. Most of the content can be streamed by an average user, but they would be bombarded with advertisements in all forms. To get rid of them, one must choose a subscription plan.
F. Weaknesses and Suggestions:
- Accessibility:
Many users cannot watch a few series and shows because it is blocked in their country for various reasons. For example, in China, anime like Attack on Titan, Death Note, and Strike the Blood are blocked due to the violence and other negative themes they encourage in youth. In India, Dragon Ball Z and One Punch Man are blocked due to licensing restrictions. It often encourages people to find alternatives, even illegal sites, to watch the banned content.
- Advertisements:
The prices could baffle some of the users, and as mentioned above, the advertisements, which can only be removed with a subscription, can also be disabled temporarily so that the users can enjoy the content without any interruption and appreciate the website. Most people stop approaching the platform for many reasons, and its subscription-based service is one of them.
- Licensing arrangements:
As a primary reason for many series being clocked in countries, the related organisations should agree to provide a variety to the users, as it could benefit both the users and the business.
- Dubbing projects:
Crunchyroll should arrange to host something called the ‘fan dubbing’ option, where dedicated fans of a series can be invited to make a dubbed version of it, if it is not available. It is a way to increase community engagement and fix a problem for series not have a dubbed version. The users can select this option if they want to see the creativity and expressions of the fans.
- Community circles:
It is not a suggestion to create more ‘social media’ vibes on Crunchyroll, but the website can make chat groups with customised avatars and stickers for a specific franchise, so users can share their opinions and debate about the themes, plots, and characters. To also avoid hateful speech, the website can utilise AI-based software to automatically sense and detect what is ‘hate speech’ and remove users.
To conclude, Crunchyroll is one of the most popular streaming websites for users to watch anime and asian dramas. It is not a mere platform but also the source of entertainment and a quality experience for audiences across the world. Though it has its disadvantages regarding licensing issues and disagreements, it also provides perks like streaming on multiple devices through Crunchyroll Activate and a distinct content library that continues to keep the global audiences occupied.
Also read: The Ultimate Guide: What is a Webseries?
