Entertainment produced by the Eastern Asian cultures has taken over the world during the last few decades. From the Korean pop bands and dramas to the Japanese manga and anime, the West can’t get enough of it. That’s why Crunchyroll is such a successful streaming website. From the Far East, it offers streaming entertainment to users who want to see anime movies and other content, such as dramas, manga, and music.
Crunchyroll is headquartered in the US and is available to users globally. But, like most other streaming platforms, this site also imposes geo-location restrictions. So, what you see here varies with your location.
Nonetheless, using a VPN to stream Crunchyroll can help you evade this limitation.
Curious to know how it works? This guide explains it all in detail alongside listing the best VPNs to unblock Crunchyroll anywhere.
Watching Crunchyroll from wherever you are
Are you new to VPN services? Haven’t you used one before? Never mind. Put your worries aside and follow these simple steps so that you can enjoy Crunchyroll’s entire catalog from wherever you are in the world:
- Sign up for a VPN account with one of tested providers (NordVPN is our #1 recommendation), choose the subscription plan that suits you best. Thanks to money-back guarantee of VPNs listed in this article, you get a risk-free trial of the service.
- Download and install VPN app on your device.
- Your browser’s cookies include geo-location information, so clear up your cache to remove them. Restart your device.
- Log in to your VPN and choose a server. To access Crunchyroll, you need to choose one located in the US.
- Wait for your device to be connected to the VPN securely. You’ll receive a notification or get an indication once the connection establishes.
- Launch your browser and start streaming the content you want on Crunchyroll.
Why you need a VPN for Crunchyroll
If you’re interested in CrunchyRoll, you probably know the genre’s classics such as Attack on Titan, Dragon Ball Super, One Piece, or Naruto.
Naturally, these titles are pretty popular at Crunchyroll. The platform’s main advantage is that it makes every episode of these classic shows available online within 60 minutes of the original Japanese broadcast.
But the best and most abundant content within Crunchyroll is for US users only. So, if you want this VIP treatment abroad, you need a VPN.
Briefly, a VPN (or Virtual Private Network) is designed to protect users’ privacy, security, and anonymity online by performing two main tasks. First, the VPN hides your private IP address from the rest of the internet. Second, the VPN encrypts all the traffic that goes in and out of your computer so that no third party (your ISP, governmental agencies, or hackers) can sense your online activities. This is achieved by tunneling your traffic securely through a server in the VPN’s network (whose IP address masks yours for the online world).
One of the main advantages of using a VPN is hiding your actual location to unlock content otherwise unavailable to you. So, using a VPN while streaming bypasses geo-restrictions, granting you full access to content from your desired region.
For example, if you are in Europe and want to stream a US-specific Crunchyroll title, you can connect to a US VPN server to get a US IP address. Then, Crunchyroll will see you as a US user and will let you stream the media.
Thankfully, using a VPN is perfectly legal in most countries. As a result, millions of users enjoy an improved sense of privacy and anonymity without breaking any laws at all.
Best VPNs for Crunchyroll
Although, VPNs can help you stream blocked content on Crunchyroll. However, not every VPN, including some premium services, will succeed here.
That’s because many great VPNs focus on guaranteeing privacy and anonymity. So, they don’t tweak their networks to facilitate streaming content. Whereas some other VPNs support streaming websites alongside other activities. However, their servers get blocked by streaming platforms such as Netflix.
So what VPNs will be the best to unblock Crunchyroll? We hear you ask.
Privacy Savvy Score
ExpressVPN
A superfast, highly secure, and user-friendly VPN that respects your privacy. Though it mi…
Current offer: 49% off on 1yr plan.
Privacy Savvy Score
Surfshark
Very affordable yet speedy VPN that boasts a number of genuinely useful added privacy tool…
Current offer: 84% off on 2yr plan.
Briefly, the best VPNs for unblocking Crunchyroll are NordVPN, Surfshark, and ExpressVPN.
NordVPN excels in speeds, security, ease of use, and the money-back guarantee. Surfshark is a household name that is always playing up there with the industry’s big boys, and it also does in this regard. And ExpressVPN will unblock the site from wherever you are with fast servers that are tweaked for frictionless streaming without sacrificing any privacy features.
Now, the question is, what makes these VPNs set apart? What it takes for a VPN to enhance your Crunchyroll experience?
Specifically, a VPN suitable for this purpose must comply with the following requisites:
- High speeds and service reliability.
- A large number of servers are located in the US.
- High encryption standards.
- Ability to unblock restricted websites.
- App availability for Android and iOS devices.
- User-friendliness.
Now that you know the factors that make these VPNs ideal for unlocking Crunchyroll’s treasures read on to learn more about the services.
1. NordVPN
As it offers hundreds of US servers from multiple locations, NordVPN is our top recommendation for unblocking contents and streaming on Crunchyroll.
Over 5,000 servers in 60 countries
P2P sharing
Implements no-logging policy
Kill switch mode
Double encryption
24/7 live support
Alllows 6 connections at once
Web protection
Double VPN
30 days money-back guarantee
Pros
- Admirable streaming speeds
- Unblocks most streaming services
- High-level privacy features
Cons
- Desktop app is not to be as user-friendly as others on the list
NordVPN comes on top when it’s about streaming Crunchyroll. It stands out on its own, regardless of the intended use.
First, NordVPN offers excellent privacy and security features. Then, its transfer speeds are among the highest in the industry. Moreover, its network includes over 5,000 servers in 60 countries.
The relevant portion of the network for Crunchyroll use consists of 1700 nodes (servers) in the US so you will have plenty of options. Alongside Crunchyroll, NordVPN also unlocks Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+ for you.
The security in NordVPN is solid as it’s also based on 256-bit AES encryption, perfect forward secrecy, protection against WebRTC and DNS leaks, and a kill switch. But, these features are common to most premium VPNs.
However, NordVPN goes beyond by offering automatic WiFi protection and the option to route your traffic through two servers (Double VPN), thus adding an extra encryption layer. In addition, the company implements a robust zero-logs policy.
NordVPN includes apps for Linux, iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS. In addition, customer support includes a 24/7 live chat. So, you can always reach out to its helpful and knowledgeable support agents for any help.
2. Surfshark
Best budget-friendly VPN for streaming on Crunchyroll with blazing-fast speed. Besides multiple US servers, it also offers many other global locations to unblock any other streaming library.
3,200+ servers across 65 countries
AES-256-bit encryption
No-logging policy
Kill switch mode
24/7 live chat support
CleanWeb feature
MultiHop mode
Allows unlimited connections simultaneously
30 days money-back guarantee
Pros
- Highly effective content unblocking capabilities
- Accepts crypto payments such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Ripple
- Low monthly price
Cons
- Some servers are a bit slow
This VPN service stands out in the industry as it offers most premium features at a much lower cost for users. So, when you’re looking for a cost-effective VPN, Surfshark is hard to beat.
It offers excellent speeds, so your Crunchyroll experience remains free of the annoying buffering periods typical of slower networks.
Surfshark is headquartered in the Netherlands. While it’s a member of the 14 Eyes Alliance, it assures premium privacy to the users by implementing a strict no-logs policy. So, it is one of the best services to maintain privacy. It’s safe against DNS leaks, has a kill switch, and seamlessly supports torrenting and streaming.
The provider offers excellent customer service with 24/7 live chat support handled by some amicable and expert people ready to solve your problems.
Besides unblocking Crunchyroll, the service works well with Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and many other streaming services.
A unique advantage of Surfshark is that it allows an unlimited number of simultaneous connections to the network. That means all your computers, tablets, and smartphones can stream Crunchyroll shows simultaneously without any limitations.
Surfshark offers an exclusive security feature, CleanWeb, that acts as an ad and malware blocker. Hence, with Surfshark, you can enjoy an ad-free experience on Crunchyroll.
Although, Surfshark might not be as popular as ExpressVPN or NordVPN. Still, it’s a powerful privacy platform with several added perks that make it the most cost-effective VPN you can find to watch Crunchyroll anywhere.
3. ExpressVPN
The best VPN provider known for its extremely fast speeds, top-notch security, and numerous US server locations; gives everything you want to stream hassle-free on Crunchyroll.
3,000+ servers in 94 countries
AES-256-bit encryption
DNS leak protection
P2P sharing
Kill switch mode
Does not keep logs
Supports 5 devices simultaneously
30 days money-back guarantee
Pros
- Unblocks many streaming sites easily
- Lots of servers deployed worldwide
- Great security
Cons
- Costs more than its rivals
Many VPN enthusiasts and privacy experts recommend ExpressVPN alongside NordVPN to all users for good reasons.
The VPN is fast, efficient, and offers robust military-grade encryption. That means you get top-notch privacy and anonymity with this service without compromising on speed. Moreover, the transfer rates are good enough to stream HD videos without any lags.
ExpressVPN does not store data or traffic logs of any kind. So, your privacy remains safe. Besides, for security, it offers AES-256-CBC encryption with HMAC authentication and perfect forward secrecy.
In addition, it includes a kill switch feature that protects your online identity in case the VPN connection drops.
Thankfully, ExpressVPN supports almost all major devices, including Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS. That means you can enjoy your favorite Crunchyroll streams on any device you like.
Also, thanks to its huge network of over 3000 servers, which includes numerous servers in 21 US cities, you can easily get an appropriate IP address to unblock the desired premium content on Crunchyroll. If you watch enough anime for a day, the same service will unlock Amazon Prime Video, BBC iPlayer, and Hulu.
The only downside with ExpressVPN is probably its relatively higher price. That being said, ExpressVPN is also much better than most other VPNs. Besides, you can pay less if you choose a more extended plan.
VPNs that should make you run away
Privacy is among the main motives that drive users to look for VPN services. Prospective VPN clients naturally assume that their priorities are aligned with those of the service provider, who will surely guard their data zealously and protect their privacy.
Unfortunately, some VPN providers in the industry do not care for user privacy at all. They do not protect user data (free VPNs, for the most part, keep extensive logs and sell them to data miners) and keep records. Ironically, some don’t even encrypt your traffic nor hide your IP address.
In other words, there are VPNs you should never use at all, even if all you want is to unlock Crunchyroll’s premium content.
The following list includes some VPNs you should avoid at all costs.
HolaVPN
Problems with this Israeli-based network begin with the fact that it’s not even a VPN at all. Instead, it is a peer-to-peer proxy network that neither encrypts your traffic nor hides your IP address. Rather it merely assigns it to another user in the network – which are the two primary tasks any VPN worth the name must perform.
While HolaVPN is free of charge, it’s too expensive for the risks it imposes on its users.
As you sign up for HolaVPN, you give away the right to use your bandwidth to the network, which, in the past, has been involved in Distributed Denial of Service attacks.
PureVPN
Some VPNs are headquartered in jurisdictions whose laws are not privacy-friendly. Consequently, its government can make a private organization surrender the data it has on its clients. The United States is one such jurisdiction where PureVPN is based.
In the past, the media reported that PureVPN handed over user data to law enforcement agencies as a part of an investigation of a case of online blackmailing that led to the arrest of Ryan Lin, a Massachusetts citizen.
The company says it never tracked Mr. Ryan’s browsing data and that it only provided the government with its source IP address. Whatever the case may be, there is a lack of transparency going on in this case that should inspire any privacy enthusiast to stay away from PureVPN.
Geographical restrictions in Crunchyroll
Many web video streaming platforms such as Netflix, or Amazon Video, subject their content to geo-restrictions. Crunchyroll is not an exception. This means that users from different countries get diverse content catalogs as members. This is, of course, utterly unfair to those users based in countries that get the shorter end of the stick.
The most extended Crunchy catalog available by far is for US-based users. So if you’re a US resident on holiday or living away, or if you’re a Crunchyroll user who wants to get the platform’s entire catalog, the US service is the one to unblock so that you can get back your full service (as a US resident) or unlock it. Either way, any of the three VPNs listed above will do the trick as they have plenty of US-based servers that will grant you the Crunchyroll access you want.
Why can only some VPNs unblock Crunchyroll?
Streaming services are not very fond of VPNs. In fact, Netflix has invested much effort in blocking VPNs connecting to its website, and the rest of the industry has followed suit, Crunchyroll included.
As a result, not every VPN can unblock Crunchyroll overseas because the streaming service frequently blocks many services. Thus, if you want to unblock it from abroad, you must carefully select the VPN that will do the trick.
So why is it like this? There are two main reasons. We have touched on them already in this article, but let’s review them for the sake of completeness.
First, streaming is not the main priority for every VPN in the industry—instead, some focus on optimizing privacy and anonymity through several means, such as multiple encryption layers. Consequently, the additional encryption operations and privacy measure slow down the network’s traffic, making it unable to support streaming.
Second, Crunchyroll doesn’t want users to connect to the site through VPNs. It works actively to prevent that type of access. So the company’s efforts against VPNs are effective to some degree, and they control the traffic from many VPNs to reach the website’s content.
However, the three VPN providers we recommend in this article can unblock Crunchyroll’s US catalog as long as you choose a US-based server to browse the website. They are also effective with Netflix and many other streaming platforms.
A bonus is that the three VPNs recommend are among the best premium services in the market. So you can’t go wrong with them as they excel in providing privacy, security, and anonymity.
Should I watch Crunchyroll with a free VPN?
The short answer is never, for many reasons. Let us explain.
Paid VPN services make a profit by charging subscription fees. That’s because maintaining a network of hundreds of servers worldwide is not a cheap proposition. So, they inevitably need a resource to arrange the funds for which they charge you.
Conversely, free VPN don’t collect any money from users for their services. So how do they stay in business?
There is an axiom in the digital economy. Whenever you’re not paying for a service or a product, then, probably, you yourself are the product.
This may seem cynical, but it’s an economic fact and is true for free VPN services.
Most free VPNs log all your online activities. (That’s why premium VPNs proudly advertise keeping no logs or records on their user activity.) Once the vendors gather your data, they sell it to third parties, such as advertisers and data mining companies, who use it as raw material for their business model. That’s how the free VPNs use you as a product to sell to their commercial partners.
So, you should never use a free VPN to watch Crunchyroll for your own security.
But there’s a further reason: it won’t work. A free VPN is not a Crunchyroll VPN.
Unblocking USA Crunchyroll requires a US-based server with a lot of bandwidth available. This is possible only when your provider has an extensive network. Unfortunately, free VPNs rarely have such large server networks. Therefore, even if you come across a free VPN with US-based servers, you will experience slow connectivity due to server congestion.
In short, it’s not just about security. StreamingCrunchyroll through a free VPN will force you to deal with lags, long buffering periods, and interruptions. Therefore, you need a good premium VPN for an uninterrupted streaming experience.
Best series and shows to watch on Crunchyroll in 2021
The anime fans of the world have a field day every day because new content is released all the time. That means that with Crunchyroll, you can binge-watch your Japanese animations all day long. Here’s a list of Crunchyroll’s offered series with the most recent content.
- So I’m a spider. So what?
- Fatal Fury OVA.
- Tetsujin 28.
- Shadowverse.
- Black Clover.
- Strike Witches.
- Dragon Quest: the adventure of dai.
- Cells at work.
- World Trigger.
- One Piece.
- Boruto: Naruto next generation.
- Digimon Adventure.
- Non non Biyori.
- Ex-arm.
- Theatre of Darkness.
- Attack on Titan.
Conclusion
If you are an anime enthusiast, or you enjoy Korean, Japanese, and Eastern Asian entertainment in general, Crunchyroll is indeed your holy grail.
But Cruncyroll’s service is not country-blind at all. US-based users get a comprehensive catalog that includes everything the platform has to offer. In contrast, users from other countries have to put up with geo-location restrictions. So, not all the members get the same quality of service at all.
But if you want to bypass Crunchyroll’s restrictions from outside the US, then a VPN is your best bet.
Many premium VPNs are perfectly legal to use and offer fast US-based servers. So, you can connect to Crunchyroll through these VPNs and enjoy the entire catalog outside the US.
Our favorite VPNs to stream Crunchyroll are NordVPN, Surfshark, and ExpressVPN. Each of those three services’ privacy and security credentials is immaculate, and their network supports the high bandwidths you need to sustain an HD video stream.
The key thing here is to steer clear of free VPNs for streaming due to the underlying security risks explained above.
If you’re still attracted to the free-VPN option, then you should try NordVPN instead. It features all premium options on a budget.
FAQs
There are no legality issues associated with Crunchyroll. All the content on the platform is entirely legitimate. However, the geo-location restrictions exist because of licensing and copyright restrictions; the platform can’t offer some titles in some countries. So you need the website to see your IP address as US-based (using a VPN) to provide you with its entire contents.
Almost every streaming website in the world implements some geo-location restrictions. So a good VPN will not only allow you to unblock Crunchyroll’s content but also Netflix, Amazon Prime Videos, HBO, Hulu, Disney+, BBC iPlayer, and many more popular streaming platforms.
You could, in principle. But, in reality, you won’t get that lucky. Crunchyroll typically blocks the IP addresses associated with proxy and VPN servers. That’s why most VPNs fail with Crunchyroll. Yet, since the platform finds it easier to locate and block proxies than VPNs, proxy servers’ failure rate is even higher. Furthermore, even if you find one that does unblock Crunchyroll, the service will detect and block it soon. Therefore, if you want reliable and continued access to Crunchyroll from outside the US, you’ll have to stick with premium VPN services.
