VRV is a streaming service owned by Crunchyroll and owned and operated by Sony and Japan’s Aniplex, an anime and anime music licensing company.

The premium subscription plan for VRV permits you to access Crunchyroll’s content. Crunchyroll will likely become the main distribution method for anime by Sony in the U.S.

Crunchyroll is a channel on VRV, but you don’t need a subscription to both. Many internet insiders think that VRV is likely going to come to an end in favor of supporting Crunchyroll.

Is Crunchyroll Leaving VRV?

The VRV streaming service was originally launched in 2016. 

However, now that the more popular Crunchyroll owns it, LLC, Sony will likely consolidate content under that name.

Your favorite content on Funimation, Wakanim, and VRV will now be available on the anime streaming service Crunchyroll. This brings Crunchyroll’s video library to over 40,000 episodes, with more added daily.

Although many people will miss VRV, much of its anime content will still be available on Crunchyroll for the foreseeable future. Crunchyroll is the best place for anime.

The Merge

VRV is just one of many streaming entities that Sony owns in serving anime to United States audiences. 

Funimation and Wakanim are also moving over to Crunchyroll.

Funimation focuses on the dubbing and distribution of video media from East Asia, focusing on Japanese anime owned by Sony Pictures and Aniplex. 

Wakanim is a French-based streaming service owned by Funimation, and now Sony Entertainment, to serve Japanese anime to customers.

List of Services Now Available on Crunchyroll

You can now find these services available on Crunchyroll and accessible with your Crunchyroll subscription. 

You can stream Crunchyroll on Chromecast, Roku, and Fire TV devices.

  • Crunchyroll
  • VRV
  • Funimation
  • Wakanim

If you are familiar with or using any of these services, they are going to eventually only be available on Crunchyroll as Sony has consolidated these services as Crunchyroll LLC.

Crunchyroll Subscription Plans

There are currently four tiers of subscription plans for Crunchyroll. The plans range from a free plan to $14.99 per month. Each plan comes with different perks and incentives.

While you can watch videos on the free tier, it is ad-supported viewing, and you won’t have access to the full Crunchyroll library.

Crunchyroll Free Tier

Crunchyroll Free is the entry-level option. It costs $0 and is completely FREE. However, its streaming is ad supported. 

You also only have access to limited anime and digital manga titles.

The other caveat to the FREE tier is that it is confined to 480p resolution. So, no high-def streaming on the free tier. You will have to move up for HD.

  • Free
  • Ad supported
  • Limited access to Crunchyroll anime and manga titles
  • Limited to 480p resolution

If you want a little better experience, you can move up a level to the Fan Tier.

Crunchyroll Fan Tier

The Crunchyroll Fan Tier is the lowest-cost paid subscription to Crunchyroll. You lose the ads and gain access to the full Crunchyroll anime and manga libraries. 

You will also gain new episodes one hour after they are released in Japan. 

However, you will only be allowed to stream Crunchyroll on one device at a time.

  • No ads
  • Unlimited access to Crunchyroll’s anime and manga libraries
  • High Definition resolution
  • Only allowed to stream on one device at a time

If you find that you want to stream on multiple devices or you like the extra benefits, consider moving up to the Mega Fan Tier.

Crunchyroll Mega Fan Tier

The Crunchyroll Mega Fan Tier is, by far, Crunchyroll’s most popular paid subscription tier. 

It has access to the full library, no ads, HD, and offline viewing, and can stream on four devices.

You also get first access to Crunchyroll special events, expos, and lotteries. This plan also comes with $15 off a $100 purchase on the Crunchyroll Store every three months.

  • No ads
  • Unlimited access to Crunchyroll’s anime and manga libraries
  • High Definition resolution
  • Allowed to stream on four devices at a time
  • Offline Viewing
  • First access to Crunchyroll Special Events
  • $15 of $100 purchase at Crunchyroll Store

If you are the ultimate anime and manga fan, you can go for the top Ultimate Fan Tier and get all the perks that Crunchyroll has to offer.

Crunchyroll Ultimate Fan Tier

The Crunchyroll Ultimate Fan Tier has all of the features of the previous tiers, with a few more special gifts. 

Your Crunchyroll discount is not $25 off a $100 purchase (every three months), you get a swag bag gift each year you subscribe, and you get a limited-run Hime Nendoroid action figure.

  • No ads
  • Unlimited access to Crunchyroll’s anime and manga libraries
  • High Definition resolution
  • Allowed to stream on six devices at a time
  • Offline Viewing
  • First access to Crunchyroll Special Events
  • $25 of $100 purchase at Crunchyroll Store
  • Swag bag (annually)
  • Limited-run Hime Nendoroid action figure

Any of these plans would work for an anime fan that wants to watch anime and read manga in the United States, especially if they want it as early as possible from Japan.

Conclusion

While getting your anime fix from Crunchyroll is safe for a long time; the end might be coming for the VRV streaming service. 

If you have VRV, it is best to move your account to a Crunchyroll account since all of the same content is available on both.