anime-planet.com
There is no doubt that the popularity of anime is on the rise right now. Although the artform has been around for over a hundred years, it's enjoying an all-time high in fandom thanks to an increasing demand for anime content. This means that we have lots of different sources of anime to enjoy, all of which are free!
This trend of free streaming is only expected to continue, as the demand for anime continues to grow and more producers are starting to create content. There are now so many options for watching anime that it's hard to know where to start.
Once upon a time, if you wanted to watch anime, you would have to purchase it on DVD or VHS. With the rise of free streaming, however, anime is now easily accessible. In fact, it seems as if it could be even more accessible than Hollywood blockbuster movies, as production companies that specialize in anime often do not have the same level of money and influence over what happens to their content as, say, Disney or MGM. That means that anime fanatics from all over the world have a seemingly endless supply of free streaming sites to enjoy films and series from their favorite Japanese animators.
There are many free anime streaming sites available online, but it can be difficult to decide which ones are worth your time. Additionally, with so many anime streaming sites available, the bar has been raised. It is no longer enough to merely provide streams of a few anime titles - the best anime streaming sites in 2020 will offer something else - a social component, a solid archiving structure, beautiful site design, and an unrivaled library of as many anime titles as you could imagine.
I have analyzed every reputable free anime streaming site in order to bring you the best of the best. So you don't have to spend hours trying to find the sites that are worth your time.
In that spirit, Anime-Planet falls towards the more popular streaming sites like Hulu and Netflix. It is one of the most popular free anime sites on the web and has a lot of unique content. However, is it truly deserving of its stature?
History
Outside of Japan, the term "anime" refers strictly to anime, which is a style of animation that is uniquely Japanese and characterized by fantastical themes, vibrant and over the top characters, and colorful graphics. The earliest commercial iterations of what we would today refer to as "anime" date back to 1917.
The 1960s saw a peak in the anime style, with Osamu Tezuka playing a large role in pioneering this popular style.
Throughout the 1970s, manga - a stylized version of Japanese comic books and graphic novels - would come to lay down the foundation for the future of anime. This influence can be seen in many anime titles and series, as they are based on the manga of that time period. Some of the tropes, characters, and thematic elements (such as mecha) were born out of this era. Thus, 1970s manga has had a large impact on modern anime.
Many reputable free anime streaming sites also offer free manga e-books, which is a pairing that the community of superfans behind Anime-Planet has decided to provide. Founded in 2001, Anime-Planet claims to have been the very first online anime and manga recommendation database.
The Anime-Planet website was created by fans of anime to provide a place for users to create sprawling lists of their favorite titles, as well as connect with one another. Anime-Planet is operated by a community of passionate volunteers, and they are very easy to contact should you have any questions or suggestions about the website.
Today Anime-Planet boasts millions of monthly users and it seems to support itself through light advertising that does not get in the way of its excellent user experience.
Design
Anime-Planet is impressively designed, with usability being a top priority. It's unusual to find a free streaming site that looks as good and functions as well as Anime-Planet. The site's home page greets users with an animated banner depicting an appropriate space theme, with stars and supernovas soaring around the logo. This welcoming atmosphere makes it hard not to be impressed by Anime-Planet.
Below the banner, you can immediately begin browsing Anime Planet's robust library of films and series. Browse titles by what?s popular this week, recommendations (if you like this, you?ll probably like this?), or the top new picks of the season. There is also a convenient site menu bar at the very top of the page that lets users navigate the site by choosing Anime, Manga, Characters, or Community. The site is professionally designed and easy to use as it is novel and fun.
Content
Anime-Planet offers an expansive library of manga and anime, which ensures that fans will never run out of content to watch or read. The site features helpful user and community features, allowing users to track what they have seen/read, and what they hope to get to next.
I love how interactive and community-based Anime-Planet is, making it something of a promised land for fans of anime and manga. I love the site?s very active forum, read reviews of anime or manga, keep up with the site?s announcements in its news section, check out some community issued reading or viewing challenges, or partake in the site?s very own Discord chat. For fans of anime and manga, this site is something of a paradise.
Desktop and Mobile Experience
Although there is currently no app form of Anime-Planet, the website seems to work just as well on mobile devices as it does on your desktop or laptop computer. The website has been specifically optimized for mobile browsers, which means that you can enjoy all of your favorite anime and manga titles no matter where you are.
Suggestions that I have for Anime Planet
Anime-Planet is a very well done website. I only have one suggestion for the site - please make an app!
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