A new platform for series and films has appeared in Europe to bring a very specific type of content: anime. Do you like animation made in Japan? Well, you’re in luck: you can add AnimeBox to your list with Crunchyroll, Netflix, Amazon Prime, and others. We tested the service and it’s not bad.
With the sheer number of streaming platforms, the next step for new contenders to dethrone Netflix and company is specialize as much as possible. What are you looking for only anime? The first choice that will come to mind will be Crunchyroll, but there’s an alternative newcomer to the streaming ring: AnimeBox. Created by Spanish distributor Selecta. Vision, AnimeBox is now available to everyone. And I tried it.
From free access to reduced annual subscription
I admit that the first thing that caught my attention about AnimeBox was not its attractive launch price, 39.99 dollars the first year, but finally having the Ranma 1/2 series on an anime platform. Rumiko is one of my favorite mangakas, also one of the most popular authors in Japan, but Ranma hadn’t conquered any streaming platform yet. As a business card, AnimeBox has already won me over.
As happened to the majority of platforms of its style, AnimeBox kicks off with a fair catalog and a promise to gradually expand the titles availableThe seasons too. Because not all episodes of series like Ranma 1/2 can be seen yet, to follow the example: it is only available to play the first season (this happens with all the series that the platform has chosen to start). AnimeBox warns that this will be fixed little by little.
This beginning of the journey adjusts not only to the level of the variety of titles and seasons, but also to the level of the applications: for the moment only the web, the iOS application (iPhone and iPad) and the Android application are available. Smart TV apps are absent, an inexplicable shortcoming for a streaming platform that aspires to compete with established ones: no Tizen no WebOS no Android TV (not even Fire TV). These are not on the table at the moment.
I tested AnimeBox in browser, iPhone and of course Android as well. The experience has been positive: as far as reproduction is concerned, the platform loads quickly, the video and audio quality is at a good level (maximum 1080p with adjustable quality depending on available bandwidth), playback can be resumed where it left off and content download is available for offline viewing.
The Android application offers playback in a floating window, sends content to Google Chromecast, You have a maximum of three different profiles per accountallows you to choose Japanese as the original version, offers Spanish dubbing and, in some videos, also dubbing in other co-official languages (notably Catalan).
Subscription Types in AnimeBox
Currently, the platform offers four subscription plans ranging from completely free access to annual access; with a progression that get benefits as the price increases. The characteristics can be summarized in:
|
Konnichiwa |
Tomodachi |
Sensei |
Ourselves |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Price |
Free |
$5.99 per month |
$7.99 per month |
79.99 dollars per year (39.99 dollars in introductory offer) |
|
simultaneous devices |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
|
Connected devices |
4 |
4 |
4 |
4 |
|
Simulcast (simultaneous releases in Japan) |
Yeah |
Yeah |
Yeah |
Yeah |
|
content playback |
rental only |
Rental and access to the standard catalog |
Rental, access to the standard catalog and premium films |
Rental, access to the standard catalog and premium films |
|
downloads |
No |
No |
Yeah |
Yeah |
Free access does not offer more than simultaneous content with Japan, the so-called “Simulcast” and which was already available on the Selecta Visión page, a Spanish company that develops and maintains AnimeBox. All prices are monthly except for the annual Kami-Sama subscription; which is currently halving per launch. This offer applies for the first year, not for life (as is the case with SkyShowtime, for example).
Both for the free subscription and the paid subscription, you need to create a user account in AnimeBox. In each account, profiles can be added so that each user (within the family) maintains their own lists and favorites.
Current Animebox Limitations
After this first test of AnimeBox, I found several limitations. Some are specific to the platform, others are a consequence of the initial state in which it is. These limits are:
- Breeding is only available in Europe. AnimeBox content is subject to a geographical restriction: to view it outside of Spanish territory, you need a VPN with servers in that country.
- Only four devices can be registered per account. This severely limits the range of options, as you have to remove a registered device if you want to add a new one. And only two simultaneous in the most expensive subscriptions.
- Only the first season of the series. Animebox has already confirmed that it will add the remaining seasons, but even so, only having the first one available is a major shortcoming.
- Apps are somewhat unstable. Reading is not a problem, browsing is. During use, I had to connect more than once, sending content to the TV was interrupted after closing applications, if the screen turns off during playback, the video starts again from the beginning and I had some closures while creating new profiles.
- No apps for smart TVs and players. That a major streaming platform doesn’t offer apps for smart TVs seems inexcusable to me; It’s not for nothing that these devices are the most interested in streaming access.
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