3 Ways To Stream Anime On Nintendo Switch
The Nintendo Switch may not be the most objectively powerful modern home console in terms of hardware, but it does have the benefit of first-party Nintendo support and the whole portability thing. Video games aren't the only thing it does, though — the Switch can also be used to watch videos, and that, of course, includes anime.
The thing is, the Switch doesn't have many streaming options in general. The console's initial streaming app library was fairly limited and still doesn't include some major services in the modern streaming market. Loading movies onto your Switch's microSD card to watch later isn't a thing, either. Not without voiding the warranty and performing potentially risky hardware modification, anyway.
Fortunately, there are still a handful of streaming options on the Switch that should be able to satisfy your need for anime. As well as a possible workaround that doesn't require any fancy hardware alterations.
Crunchyroll
Crunchyroll is your best bet for anime on your Switch, mostly because it's your only option for a dedicated service after the Funimation merger and removal of the Funimation app from the eShop. The app, and by extension, the service, boasts a selection of over a thousand different shows and movies, both classic and new.
All you need to get started is a free account, which grants access to a limited amount of the full streaming library. Ad-supported, of course, much like many other free streaming plans are. Though you can also opt for a Premium subscription — priced at $7.99 per month, $22.99 for three months, or $79.99 for a full year — if you want to be able to watch everything.
Premium also gets rid of the ads, as you might expect, but also gives you the option to download the things you want to watch ahead of time so you can still check them out when your Switch doesn't have an internet connection. Ideal for traveling or killing time at a convention where the public Wi-Fi (and usually even cellular network) always gets bogged down.
Other streaming services
If you don't want to use Crunchyroll, you can still find anime on many other Switch streaming apps — you just have to know where to look. You also have to make peace with the idea that you won't have quite as comprehensive a selection. While Netflix isn't on the Switch, Hulu has been available for quite some time, and it does carry a decent amount of anime, including popular shows like "Dragon Ball Super," "One Piece," "Spy x Family," and a whole lot more.
Even YouTube plays host to full anime episodes and movies, some of which can be viewed for free (though not always from an official channel, so availability can be a bit random). That said, it's not uncommon for official license holders to upload full episodes or movies to their own channels from time to time or even provide live streams of an entire series.
Movies Anywhere
Movies Anywhere is a bit different from a typical streaming service in that it's more of a way for you to connect and access multiple streaming services in one place. This means you can use it to check out all of the available anime titles that other platforms you currently subscribe to are carrying.
As long as your Movies Anywhere account is tied to your Google Play or YouTube account, you can access it and all of the other services you've connected to it through the YouTube app. This includes services like iTunes, Microsoft, Prime Video, Verizon Fios TV, Vudu, YouTube, and more. With Movies Everywhere, movies and shows from a variety of different studios are available, including Disney, Sony, Universal, and Warner Brothers.
You'll want to double-check to make sure the services you want are capable of being added before diving in, of course. But the potential for sheer variety as more services join and more anime is licensed is worth considering.