[2025 Newest] 15 Free Anime Websites to Watch Anime Online

Anime lovers today demand easy, legal and free ways to stream their favorite shows—and in 2025, that needs to be quick, safe, and reliable. That's why we've researched and compiled this updated list of the best free anime streaming sites of 2025. Whether you want high-definition video, official licenses, or community features, these top 15 free anime websites deliver quality entertainment you can trust.

Anime is a unique style of animation that originated in Japan, known for its rich storytelling, visually captivating art, and emotional depth. From fantasy adventures and romantic dramas to slice-of-life and sci-fi epics, anime appeals to a global audience. In 2025, thanks to both legal and fan-supported platforms, watching anime for free is easier than ever.

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We've selected 15 of the most popular and trusted websites where you can watch anime online for free. This list includes official streaming platforms and well-known fan sites, with insights into their features, content availability, and ease of access.

1 Crunchyroll - The Largest Legal Anime Site

Crunchyroll is one of the largest legal anime streaming site. It offers a huge library of licensed anime, original Japanese sound, and multi-language translation subtitles, allowing users to enjoy high-definition quality. Besides anime series, it also offers official peripherals, anime news, and community sections.

Anime series on Crunchyroll are updated quickly, but some content requires a subscription, and there are regional restrictions for certain users.

Crunchyroll	Data
Total Visits	229.08M
Ad
VPN

2 VIZ - American Anime Pubilsher

VIZ is a major American anime publisher known for hits like Naruto, Bleach, and Jujutsu Kaisen. It mainly targets North American audiences, offering them high-definition watch anime online services. While some content requires a subscription, they also have a free app available on the Play Store for mobile access.

VIZ	​Data
Total Visits	9.51M
Ad	Yes, depends on content
VPN

3 9anime - Popular Unofficial Anime Website

9anime is a popular unofficial anime website that offers a huge collection of high-definition shows. You can watch anime with the original Japanese audio, English subtitles, or English dubbing. Almost all popular anime series can be found here, and its series are updated quickly in high quality.

9anime	Data
Total Visits	214M
Ad	Yes, depends on content
VPN

4 Chia-Anime - Classic and Trending Anime Online Site

Chia-Anime offers both classic and new anime series, with a handy quick filter on the homepage to help you find favorites like My Hero Academia, One Piece, Dragon Ball, and more. This anime site updates daily and also provides English dubbing for a better viewing experience.

Chia-Anime	Data
Total Visits	693.70K
Ad	Yes, depends on content
VPN

5 Anime-Planet - Anime and Geek Culture Site

Anime-Planet is a good anime streaming site. It cooperates with Crunchyroll to offer a wide range of officially licensed content. With over 45000 episodes across genres like comedy and horror, it also features personalized recommendations and keeps track of your watch history.

Anime-Planet	Data
Total Visits	14.43M
Ad	Yes, and less
VPN

6 CONtv - The Largest Legal Anime Website

CONtv is an American best anime website that focuses on anime, sci-fi, and fantasy themes. Its resources include anime and a large number of film and television works. Most of the works are free to watch, but its anime resources lean more toward Europe and the United States, which is relatively unpopular and may not be popular with the public.

CONtv	Data
Total Visits	230.73K
Ad	Yes, depends on content
VPN

7 AnimeHeaven - Subbed and Dubbed Anime Website

You can watch all kinds of anime on AnimeHeaven without registration. With content updated regularly and resolutions up to 1080p, it's ideal for viewers seeking quick and seamless anime access. However, AnimeHeaven operates without official licenses, so viewers should be cautious and consider using a VPN and ad blockers for a safer experience.

AnimeHeaven	Data
Total Visits	11.91M
Ad	Yes, and a lot
VPN

8 GoGoAnime - Free Anime Streaming Webite

GoGoAnime is a popular good anime streaming site with a huge collection of both new and classic anime, so it's easy to find your favorites. It also offers English subtitles and different dubbed versions to make your anime watching experience even better.

GoGoAnime	Data
Total Visits	343.18K
Ad	Yes, and a lot
VPN

Tips

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9 KickAssAnime - Clean UI Anime Website

KickAssAnime is known for its high-quality visuals and regular updates. It offers the latest episodes, with subtitles and English dubbing. However, it doesn't have as large a library as some other sites, and its server can be a bit unstable at times.

KickAssAnime	Data
Total Visits	639.43K
Ad	Yes, and a lot
VPN

10 AnimeFreak- Latest Anime Episodes Site

AnimeFreak is a long-running watch anime online platform with over a million loyal users. It updates frequently and lets you watch anime for free. You can easily find shows by browsing the categories. However, the website looks a bit outdated and has quite a few ads.

AnimeFreak	Data
Total Visits	2.21M
Ad	Yes, and a lot
VPN

11 AnimeDao - Simple and Fast Anime Streaming Site

AnimeDao is a lightweight pirate anime sites, it's known for its fast loading and update frequency. There is no need to log in or register to use the website, and it has minimal ads, making it perfect for keeping up with your favorite shows.

AnimeDao	Data
Total Visits	277.92K
Ad	Yes, and a lot
VPN

12 NicoNico - The Japanese Anime Website

NicoNico is a famous Japanese video website known for its unique "bullet comment", where users can post real-time comments during the video. It offers a wide range of Japanese content, including anime, Vtuber, live gaming, MAD videos, music, and more. However, the interface is mostly in Japanese, and some content may have copyright restrictions.

NicoNico	Data
Total Visits	unknown
Ad	Yes, and a lot
VPN

13 RetroCrush- Anime Site for Classic Anime

RetroCrush is a good anime website focusing on classic animations, especially Japanese shows from the 1970s to the 1990s, like Fist of the North Star, Galaxy Express 999, City Hunter, and Devilman. It's a haven for nostalgic fans. The service is free and offers content in Japanese with English subtitles, making it perfect for those who love retro anime or want to explore classic titles.

RetroCrush	Data
Total Visits	unknown
Ad	Yes, and less
VPN

14 Animeland - Free English Dubbed Anime Site

Animeland is a free anime site online focused on English-dubbed anime. It offers a large collection of English dubbing anime, mostly in 720p and 1080p quality. However, it has fewer resources with original subtitles.

Animeland	Data
Total Visits	unknown
Ad	Yes, and a lot
VPN

15 MyAnimeList.net - Biggest Anime Community and Database

MyAnimeList.net (MAL) is one of the most famous anime databases and social platforms worldwide. It provides detailed anime information, ratings, tags, user reviews, and allows users to create lists of shows they're following, watching, or dropping. However, it is primarily an information platform, not a streaming service, so it doesn't offer anime viewing options.

MyAnimeList.net	Data
Total Visits	69.16M
Ad	Yes, and less
VPN

Watching anime online is convenient, but many fans also want to download their favorite shows for offline viewing or personal collection. However, most anime websites don't offer direct download options. So, how can you download anime safely and effectively? Here are some practical methods and tips to keep in mind.

• Some official anime platforms, like Netflix and Amazon Prime, let you download episodes for offline viewing.
• Certain digital platforms also let you buy individual episodes or full anime series, which you can download and watch anytime.
• You can also use screen recording tools like OBS Studio to capture what you're watching, though the quality might not match direct downloads.
• Alternatively, browser extensions and web tools like Video DownloadHelper, Y2Mate, or 9xbuddy can detect video links on webpages and offer download options.

Tips

Copyright Reminder: Some resources may be copyrighted. Please use them only for personal study or collection. Avoid using them for commercial purposes or sharing them publicly.
Beware of Viruses and Trojans: Avoid clicking on unknown download links or installing software from untrusted sources.

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If you're not happy with how an anime ends, you can rewrite the story and create the perfect ending in your mind. Or, if you have a big world in your imagination, Novi AI can help turn your ideas into anime videos.

That's the magic of Novi AI — a professional text-to-video generator that transforms your words into smooth, high-quality animations. It offers over 10 video styles, including classic Pixar, Family Guy, and claymation. With just one click, you can bring your story to life.

Step 1: Go to the Novi AI website, sign up, and log in to your account.

Step 2: Open the creation page and click on the "AI Story To Video" option.

Step 3: Enter your story idea or script. Then choose the video style, aspect ratio, and duration you prefer.

Step 4: Click "Generate Script". Novi AI will automatically create a video script for you. You can edit the script if needed, then click to start generating video.

Step 5: Once rendering is complete, preview the video. You can adjust the voiceover and background music. If any visuals need changes, use the built-in editor to edit the text and regenerate the video.

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1 Are anime streaming sites legal?

The legality of anime streaming sites depends on whether they have a license for the content. Legitimate anime sites obtain licenses from content creators and usually charge a subscription fee. Illegal sites do not have copyrights to the content.

2 How can I stay safe on anime sites?

To protect your safety, use reputable and legal anime sites, avoid clicking on suspicious ads or links, and be cautious about sharing personal information.

3 Can I download anime for offline watching?

Yes, official sites like Crunchyroll and Netflix let members download episodes. Unofficial sites usually don't, or they might require risky third-party tools.

4 How do I protect my watch history and anime records?

Most sites save your watch progress once you log in. To avoid losing data, consider linking your account to Google or Facebook, and back up regularly

Anime culture is growing rapidly around the world, with new series constantly emerging and attracting more fans. Watching anime on a reliable website enhances the experience. Our curated list of the 15 good anime websites lets you dive into the vast world of anime and enjoy captivating stories.

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Article by

Heather Marston

Heather Marston is passionate about AI technology. She dedicates herself to writing technical articles on AI, covering new AI products, and sharing her firsthand experience with AI tools in a more engaging and informative way.