When Nintendo first launched its Switch handheld-hybrid, the console manufacturer’s desire to ensure that the handheld is seen as a gaming device first meant that third-party media apps such as Netflix and youTube were not available. Slowly they were added to the handheld however, and now, joining the Nintendo eShop is Crunchyroll.

Making the announcement on their blog, Crunchyroll revealed that “There's officially a brand new way to watch Crunchyroll, and it's right in the palm of your hands. The Crunchyroll app is now available on Nintendo Switch, so you can stream all of your favorite anime on TV while your console is docked, or on the go with handheld and tabletop modes.”

For the uninitiated, Crunchyroll is a streaming service similar to the likes of Netflix, however with a focus entirely on Anime content. Unlike Funimation – which is already on Switch – Crunchyroll as a service focuses on offering subtitled anime (as opposed to Funimation’s focus on English dubs).

Being a portable device, the Switch will be able to download Anime episodes for offline viewing. The only catch however is that to do so requires an upgraded membership tier: the Mega Fan and Ultimate Fan subscribers. These tiers will add the ability to download shows for offline viewing while also “allowing for the same off-network anime access available through mobile devices.”

While this move by Nintendo/Crunchyroll may seem like 5 years too late, Nintendo appears confident in saying that the Switch is only half way through its life cycle. With the console manufacturer wanting to initially focus on games, and with the device still neatly in its prime, the late appearance of these apps start to make a bit more sense – even though they should have just been available from day-one.

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KitGuru says: What do you think of Crunchyroll? How does it compare to Funimation? What screen do you mainly watch anime on? Let us know down below.

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