How to Watch Funimation Outside the US in 2022

Aliu Isa  - Content lead
Last updated: October 9, 2022
Read time: 18 minutes Disclosure
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You can watch Funimation if you're away from the U.S. too! We'll tell you how alongside other details about the entertainment platform.

Whatever reason that has brought you overseas, you probably miss the joy of watching Funimation, your favorite video streaming platform, right?

Funimation is the home of YuYu Hakusho, Death Note, Soul Eater, One Piece, Hetalia, Attack on Titan, Fary Tale, Alchemist, Fullmetal, and how could we possibly forget Dragon Ball Z! And that’s just the point of the iceberg! The anime catalog in Funimation is broad, which is why it’s such a big name in online video! And the best is that many of those beloved series are free of charge!

An awful reality about Funimation is that it’s not available for users of every country. To enjoy it, you must be in Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, or the United States. But die-hard anime fans live everywhere, not just in those countries! So if you are elsewhere and you want to see Funimation’s content anyway, we’ve got excellent news for you: you can! All you will need is access to a good, commercial VPN service on the device you want to use to see these shows.

Without the VPN, if you’re not in one of the countries we mentioned, you will run into the message, “Sorry, but this content isn’t available in our country.” 

The thing is: The Internet knows no borders, and neither should you. So we’ll show you how to use a different digital passport to grant you access to Funimation. (And to many other geo-blocked video streaming platforms, too, if you should like to use them.) This article will show you how to see Funimation if you’re not in the US.

Watching Funimation outside the US – The Quick Guide

If you’re in a hurry, are already familiar with VPNs, and you just want to get the gist of this article, here is a quick guide to unlock Funimation from any country in the world. If you need more information and details, skip this section and keep reading.

  1. Sign up for a premium VPN (NordVPN is the best one). Then, download and install the relevant apps for the computer or device you intend to use.
  2. Open your VPN app, and provide your credential to sign in.
  3. From the server list, pick a VPN server based in the US.
  4. Point your browser toward Funimation.com and start watching!

So why do I need a VPN for Funimation if I’m not in the US?

So now you know the essential procedure that will make Funimation available to you wherever you are.

Funimation has geo-location restrictions, which is why it’s no longer available for users outside a handful of countries. But a VPN solves this problem for you, and you can watch Funimation Australia, Ireland, or the US, depending on the server location you pick within your VPN.

So if you live in one of those countries in which Funimation is “banned,” you must be wondering why. It’s because this is a legal website! Legal video streaming platforms can’t offer their content indiscriminately worldwide. They must negotiate distribution rights with copyright holders, and they also need to pay a fee for every new jurisdiction they include in the distribution rights.

So, Funimation is not available in your country because the company doesn’t have the right to show any in that country. Most video streaming companies are always trying to expand their user base and cover more countries, so Funimation could include your country in the future. Still, it’s impossible to know if and when that could happen.

But you don’t need to worry about geo-restrictions if you use a VPN. The VPN replaces your actual IP address with one from its network. If you pick a US-based server, you’ll get a US IP number. Then, the sites you visit will think you hail from the US when they examine your IP address. They will give you all the perks they keep exclusively for that country’s users.

And there’s an additional advantage to using a VPN: It encrypts all your incoming and outgoing traffic. This improves your security, privacy, and anonymity online. No third party can figure out what you’re doing; they just see a stream of seemingly random noise coming in and out of your devices. The government can’t keep an eye on you or censor you. Your ISP can’t throttle your account. Hackers in public WiFi hotspots can’t take advantage of your signal or accounts.

Additionally, you’ll see the US catalog on Netflix, which includes all the Harry Potter titles or all the live matches in Eurosports. So there’s no downside to a VPN if you choose the right one! And which is the right one, I hear you ask. See the next section!

The best VPN to watch Funimation away from the US

The VPN market is crowded. It exploded after Edward Snowden’s revelations as digital privacy and security concerns became mainstream. So there are too many services out there; not every vendor fulfills the promises it makes in its advertising. And testing more than one service needs a lot of time, energy, and expertise.

So how can you find out which VPN will grant you the access you want to Funimation?

We have great news for you. We’ve tried many VPNs already. We’ve done all the work so that you don’t have to! After thoroughly testing many good VPNs, we’ve put together a shortlist of three. The three VPNs we list in this section will unblock Funimation for you anytime and from every country!

1. NordVPN

NordVPN

The largest VPN server network at your service to watch Funimation. It boasts nearly two thousand servers from within the United States.

servers Over 5,300 speedy VPN servers in 60 countries
P2P support icon P2P (torrenting) optimized nodes
encryption Boasts double encryption feature
simultaneous connections Offers 6 simultaneous connections
protection Web protection
MultiHop mode Double VPN feature
money-back guarantee 30 days money-back guarantee
Pros
  • Fast speeds
  • Supports P2P sharing
  • Clossal server coverage
Cons
  • Desktop app can be tricky to use for some users

NordVPN features the largest VPN server network on the Internet for any task you could have in mind, let alone unlocking Funimation. In the US alone, NordVPN keeps almost 2k servers, so you will have plenty of choices o watch Funimation. The number of available servers alone makes NordVPN a great choice! Furthermore, it implies that the servers in this network are not overworked to give you plenty of resources (in available solid connections and bandwidth) to support the HD video stream you want to see your anime.

And things just get better with NordVPN. It has a dedicated streaming dashboard, which is very easy to use and will remove most of the friction you could find in your Funimation experience.

Using a VPN is taxing your internet speeds. This is because the encryption process takes time, and so does the traffic re-routing. However, this provider is so good that about 78% of our baseline speed during the tests remained useful. Hence, our video viewing experience was very smooth, with no buffering periods or problems.

You can have NordVPN for as little as 3.71 USD monthly, 68% off the standard monthly fee if you choose the 24-month plan. That saves you a lot of money, and, let’s face it, once you find out all the cool things you can do with the Internet’s best VPN, you’ll want it for life, not just the next couple of years.

Before we move on to the following VPN suggestion, we will tell you this: we keep testing VPNs for different purposes all the time. That’s our job! And we’ve found that whatever task we want to complete with a VPN, NordVPN mostly comes out on top of the rest. So if you pick this one, you will never go wrong.


2. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN

An old favorite, delivers the goods again with Funimation away from the US. Credit goes to its unmatched performance and multiple servers offering US IPs.

servers 3,000+ servers spread across 94 countries
encryption Has AES-256-bit encryption
protection Offers stealthy leak protection
P2P support icon Supports P2P
simultaneous connections 5 simultaneous connections
money-back guarantee Has 30 days money back guarantee
Pros
  • Fast servers that you can trust
  • Allows P2P sharing
  • Advanced privacy and security features
Cons
  • Slightly costly

ExpresssVPN has been a big deal in the VPN industry for a very long time. Its age and its quality have made it a favorite option for the most experienced users who found it years ago, are still enjoying one of the best services in the business, and see no reason to change.

The server speeds are fast (you’ll retain about 81% of your bandwidth, much like in the previous two VPNs). So it’s good enough for video streams, and it’s also a perfect VPN for unlocking a wide variety of streaming websites besides Funimation. So, for example, if you are a Food Network fan, this is the VPN that will open it for you.

The ExpressVPN network includes more than 3k servers in more than 90 countries. Plenty of those nodes are in the US, the UK, and India (the locations you want for Funimation). Your monthly fee includes all the bandwidth you can consume over the month so that you will want for nothing, and you won’t have to wait for your shows to start while the app buffers the incoming video stream.

Are Funimation and the FoodNetwork not enough for you? It figures. Well, with ExpressVPN, you’ll have access to Discovery Go, Disney Plus, and Hulu, among other platforms. In addition, this VPN will open up a world of choices for entertainment if you’re not in the US.

The one drawback of ExpressVPN is the price. However, this vendor’s reputation is probably the best in the industry, and the company is cashing it in through its fees. ExpressVPN will set you back by 6.67 USD monthly, even with the 50% discount you get with the 12-month plan.

Another advantage of this provider is the compatibility it has. You can use it in almost every operating system or device you can imagine, and you can even install it directly in various routers (that’s trickier, but the customer service is very effective).

So is it worth it to pay extra for this option when the other two are equally good and cost less? Yes, it could be. This one could be the best option for your hardware (routers, especially), or you could be one of those users who like to have a big name supporting their choices. In any case, this is excellent, and you can’t go wrong choosing it, even if you pay a little more.


3. Surfshark

SurfsharkVPN

The budget-friendly Funimation unlocker for overseas users by offering over 600 servers from 25 different US states.

servers 3000+ servers in 65 countries
encryption AES 256-bit encryption
MultiHop mode Has MultiHop mode
simultaneous connections Offers unlimited simultaneous connections
money-back guarantee 30-day money-back guarantee
Pros
  • Boasts intuitive interface
  • Affordable long-term plan
  • 24/7 support
Cons
  • Distant servers may exhibit slow speed

As an anime enthusiast, you’re probably familiar with the kind of hero that is much smaller and much younger than the opponent he faces with a more limited set of resources. That’s Surfshark for you.

Surfshark is the youngest top-notch VPN network out there. Nobody saw it coming, but it managed to seriously disrupt the VPN market by offering a service not far from the best in the business at a small fraction of the price.

So this is a budget-friendly VPN that will let you stream Funimation (and other geo-blocked streaming services) wherever you are on the planet. Moreover, Surfshark allows you to enjoy one of the best VPNs in the business for as little as 2.30 USD monthly if you choose the plan that gives you the maximum discount (over 80% off the 24-month subscription).

This new kid on the block boasts more than 3.2k nodes in a network that spans more than 61 countries. That gives you the ability to see Funimation as offered to the users of those 61 countries –including the US, which is the good one. Also, Surfshark supports as many devices simultaneously as you’d like to connect to the VPN — Not just five or six, as it happens with most other top VPNs.

Of course, when you are using a VPN, you have to sacrifice a bit of speed. This is because total traffic re-routing and encryption are going on, which takes some time and resources. However, when using Surfshark, we were able to keep 82% of our bandwidth usage, so the network speeds are pretty high, and they can comfortably support HD video streams. So your Funimation time will be of good quality and without any buffering.

Surfshark will also broaden your entertainment horizons in many other ways, as it’s a good VPN that unlocks many other outstanding video services such as VRV, DAZN, OxygenTV, TBS, MTV, Crackle, ABC, CNBC, and Netflix.


How did we Choose the best Funimation VPNs?

We tested several VPNs to find the best ones for Funimation. We did the work so that you don’t have to do it yourself. Instead, you could just read this article and save time, energy, and resources. We used seven criteria to tell the best from the rest, namely:

  • The VPN can bypass CNNgo geo-blocks from every server in Western Europe, the US, and Canada.
  • The VPN can bypass the location blocks in YouTube TV, Hulu, Disney Plus, and HBO Max.
  • If and when CNNgo blocks a server in the VPN network, the vendor realizes it and replaces it with a new server that works.
  • It works with Xbox, Play Station 4, Chromecast, Roku, Amazon Firestick, Android Smart TV, Apple TV, Linux, macOS, Windows, Android, and iOS.
  • The network allows at least five concurrent connections. The vendor offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
  • The servers are fast enough and have enough bandwidth to support HD video streams without any issues, including buffering.
  • The customer service is excellent, knowledgeable, friendly, and quick to answer. It’s available on a 24/7 basis.
  • Privacy is a priority for the company. It means that they stick to zero log-keeping and have successfully undergone audits.

Couldn’t I just use a free VPN to see Funimation?

We’re glad you asked this question! First of all, it’s implausible that you will find a free VPN that will give you the resources you need to stream an HD video. But even if you are lucky enough to achieve this feat, our advice is for you always to stay away from free VPNs. We will give you two reasons to avoid them.

The first reason is technical. The VPNs we’ve suggested for you have high speeds, reliable servers, and no caps on bandwidth or data transfers. Unfortunately, getting a connection to a server in most free VPNs takes several attempts and a few minutes. Then the data you’re allowed is caped. Also, speeds in free VPNs are low. Enough for web browsing, but terrible for video streaming. In the best-case scenario, you’ll be able to see about 20 mins of Funimation videos before you eat up your day’s quota –after a lot of buffering. So the first reason to avoid free VPNs is, quite simply, that they’re not good enough.

Then there’s the second reason. Free VPNs are in business to make a profit. So how can they do that if they’re not charging you for the service they are giving you? The answer is that they keep logs on user activity on their servers. Then they sell those logs to their commercial partners, such as advertising companies, governments, or other parties that know how to squeeze a server log for valuable information. Free VPNs can create more privacy problems for you than they solve in such a poor fashion. 

Good VPNs cost money, for sure. But the options we’ve offered to you so far will serve you from three to seven dollars per month. So we encourage you always to choose an excellent commercial VPN. It’s better for your privacy, it works well, and you will find so many additional advantages in it as you learn about its additional features that you’ll be glad you have it!

Is there a place where Funimation can work away from the US without VPN, too?

Yes, Funimation works outside the US but not in every country. You can enjoy Funimation if you are in any of the following countries:

  1. New Zealand
  2. Brazil
  3. Mexico
  4. Australia
  5. Ireland
  6. The United Kingdom
  7. Canada
  8. The United States

If you are elsewhere and you want to see Funimation, you’ll need to use a VPN or at least a smart DNS server to unlock it.

How expensive is it to subscribe to Funimation?

Funimation is quite accesible. It has three subscription plans, and it offers a 14-day money-back guarantee so that you can have it for two weeks for free! Let’s have a look at the three plans:

Premium

The most basic plan is worth 5.99 USD monthly (59.99 for the full year), and it will give you ad-free access to the whole Funimation catalog (the whole catalog for your country). You can see dubbed and subbed videos. You get the right to have two simultaneous streams.


Premium Plus

The second plan costs 7.99 USD monthly or 79.99 yearly. You get all the features in the premium plan. Still, you can also view videos offline and get early access to the Funimation sales, exclusive members-only events and offers, and five simultaneous streams.


Premium Plus Ultra

No monthly quote for this one. You have to buy the full-year subscription at 99.99 USD if you want to go “Plus Ultra.”

So the highest plan gets you two free rentals per year, free shipping on all orders, and an anniversary gift in addition to the features in the second plan.


Downloading Funimation on mobile devices

The Funimation app is available for both Android and Apple devices. It gets you content from the Funimation Chanel and more than 10k on-demand episodes in the platform’s catalog.

Android Installation

  1. Subscribe to a premium dedicated VPN (NordVPN, preferably).
  2. Download the VPN app on your Android device and launch it. Sign in with your VPN credentials.
  3. Choose a server from the US to join the VPN. The servers in New York, New Jersey, or Washington work well.
  4. Download the Funimation app to your device and sign in.
  5. Start streaming Funimation’s content!

Installation in Apple devices

  1. Subscribe to a premium dedicated VPN (NordVPN, preferably).
  2. Download the VPN app on your iOS device and launch it. Sign in with your VPN credentials.
  3. Choose a server from the US to join the VPN. The servers in New York, New Jersey, or Washington work well.
  4. Download the Funimation app to your iPhone or iPad and sign in.
  5. Start streaming Funimation’s content!

So what can I watch on Funimation, anyway?

You can watch some of the best-loved anime series in Funimation! This article would become a book if we included every anime show we know and love that Funimation can show you. So we’ll stick to the most popular shows only.

My Hero Academia

Izuku is a normal human being born in a world where almost everybody has a superpower to boast. Yet, despite that handicap, he joins the Hero Academy, where his favorite hero will make a difference in his life.


Fullmetal Alchemist: Fraternity

Edward and Alphonse have two weird faces and an equally weird knack for forbidden magic. They hunt down the philosopher’s stone, finding conspiracies along the way, and having exciting adventures. This show appeared in 2009 and aired 64 episodes. It’s a show for more mature audiences, and if you liked the original manga, you’d love the animation.


Dragon Ball, Z, and Super

The best-loved anime show of all time, if there ever was one. Goku, his friends, and his family are on a quest to become the world’s greatest Saiyans.


More anime shows on Funimation

Those are the three top shows for most anime lovers, but there’s plenty more to watch:

  • Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid
  • Tsukigakirei
  • Toradora
  • Daganronpa
  • Puella Magi MAdoka Magica
  • Attack on Titan
  • Cowboy Bebop
  • Fairy Tail

Funimation and Crunchyroll: Why is Funimation better?

Funimation is not the only Internet website offering extensive anime content. It’s not even the most famous one of the most used — that’s probably Crunchyroll. However, it is the best website within its niche, and we’ll tell you why.

First of all, Funimation doesn’t require you to register for an account to see the videos. But, of course, if you get an account or, even better, if you sign up for one of the three paid subscriptions, you will get more content. But even as a free user without any additional perk, the available catalog in Funimation is more extensive than Crunchyroll’s.

Then there are all the shows that Funimation boasts and Crunchyroll doesn’t.

Funimation is a better option because it’s a legal platform and the company behind it puts in a great deal of hard work to keep it above the rest.

Funimation can’t show you all the content it has in every country because it has to negotiate distribution agreements with the copyright owners. And even with that “limitation” (which also makes it a legal site), its catalog is unmatched among anime video platforms on the Internet. Additionally, the platform translates the shows into English.

In short: if you’re an anime enthusiast, Funimation is the place to be on the Internet. Nobody comes close, even considering illegal websites, and the optional subscription plans can give you many additional options. The only “problem” with Funimation is that you need to be in one of a handful of selected countries to enjoy it. But even that disadvantage is easily solved if you’ve read this article.

Our final thoughts on watching Funimation away from the US

This article showed you how to see the entire US Funimation catalog when you’re not in the US. So you can still enjoy it if you live overseas or travel abroad on business or holiday.

So there’s no reason for you not to see Demon Slayer or Dragon Ball on Funimation just because you’re not inside the States at the moment. 

The key ingredient to success is, of course, a VPN. Not any VPN. It has to be an excellent dedicated VPN with high transfer speeds, like the three options we’ve described here. Yes, we know free VPNs are always a tempting prospect, but we’ve also told you why you should never fall for them (they don’t do the trick and are a privacy risk for users).

Consider, too, that the VPN account you’ll get to watch Funimation will give you a better digital life in many other ways too. For example, you’ll be able to unlock many other video-streaming websites and services with your VPN. In addition, if you like to use the Internet in public WiFi hotspots (yes, those places where the hackers of the world are so happy intercepting other people’s data, usernames, and passwords), the VPN will keep you safe at all times. And if you like to spend a lot of time watching video streams, your ISP could notice it, too, and throttle your account. The VPN will preclude that possibility too.

So you see, there’s plenty for you to win by joining a VPN, and the costs are meager, even with the most expensive option.

So now you know! You have the power to see Funimation wherever you are! So share and enjoy, but above everything else, stay safe!

FAQs

Yes, you can see Funimation for free for two weeks. However, there are advantages to paid subscriptions to Funimation.

We refer you to the previous question to see a list of the countries in which Funimation works.

It depends on the VPN you have in mind. Unlocking Funimation with a VPN server needs a VPN service that gives you enough resources (stability and bandwidth) and whose IP addresses are not blocklisted. Any of the three premium VPNs we’ve described in detail for this task will work perfectly.

Join a top-notch VPN, and connect to Funimation using a US-based server within your VPN’s network.

Yes, you can. The “Download to go” feature in Funimation is meant to give you that ability.

The Funimation PS4 app uses a technology called “adaptative bitrate player.” It keeps adjusting video quality as it goes along. The first four or five minutes of your session determine the video quality you will have for the rest of your session. So, suppose your environmental conditions vary noticeably after those first few minutes (your WiFi signal deteriorates, for example). In that case, the app won’t work very well because it expects a video quality it can’t have anymore. The best way to ensure a smooth PS4 experience is to use an ethernet connection, which is more stable than WiFi.

Yes, you can! The platform has a “

” feature, allowing you to see selected videos offline when you’re not connected to the Internet. This feature is a user favorite (it was implemented to answer repeated user requests).

Funimation supports the PS3, PS3, PS Vita, Xbox 360, and Xbox One gaming consoles. Additionally, the following devices too: LG Smart TV, Samsung smart TVs, Roku, Chromecast, Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Kindle, iOS, and Android.

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About the Author

Aliu Isa

Aliu Isa

Content lead
50 Posts

Isa is a Nigeria-born professional writer and editor with more than 10 years of experience under his belt. Having worked with some of the most renowned organizations worldwide, he’s been able to produce and publish hundreds of high-quality articles across a wide range of niches. Over time, Isa has developed an immense interest in digital security and privacy. He has always been a privacy enthusiast, and now, he's giving it all to educate people on privacy, security, and geo-blocking issues around the world.

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