Bilibili, China’s massive video-streaming platform, has emerged as Crunchyroll’s most formidable global rival by launching an international app that pairs free viewing with automated AI dubbing. This new development with Bilibili also makes things harder for Crunchyroll when considering how you can’t watch anime for free on Crunchyroll anymore.
Let’s explore everything we know as of August 21, 2026, from what actually makes Bilibili a big problem for Crunchyroll, how this new AI dubbing feature works, and how well it works, while also considering what it all means for the future of Crunchyroll itself.
Why Bilibili Is Suddenly Crunchyroll’s Biggest Problem
Bocchi from Hitoribocchi no Marumaru Seikatsu | Credit: C2C
On August 19, 2026, Bilibili relaunched its international app worldwide, announcing the move directly through its Creator Hub account on X:
We’ve just launched the intl app globally (currently on Android, iOS coming soon; and more countries coming soon)Globally distributed content, better localization & easier sign ups with no identity verification…and more localization optimization and features to come!… pic.twitter.com/5H7maZSMQh— bilibili Creator Hub (@bilibili_create) August 19, 2026
For starters, albeit a controversial matter, Bilibili is going to be able to produce dubs in many more languages with the help of AI. The official Google Play Store listing for the updated Bilibili application states the following:
With our new AI Dubbing feature, you can enjoy creators from around the world without needing subtitles. Fewer language barriers, more “I get you.”
Furthermore, Crunchyroll actually put an end to its free tier where the viewers could watch ads instead of paying at the end of last year. Starting January 1, 2026, watching anything on the platform means paying at least $9.99 a month (as per Crunchyroll). That’s the gap Bilibili just walked into.
For the readers who do not know about Bilibili, it isn’t some scrappy startup. Bilibili’s main platform already pulls in over 376 million monthly active users as of Q1 2026 (as per International Business Times), with people spending multiple hours a day on it.
Crunchyroll built its whole pitch around being the primary anime streaming destination with official subs and day-one simulcasts. But that same official-legal identity is also what makes it slow and expensive now. Not to mention that many viewers complain about the application itself.
Bilibili doesn’t have to protect a premium brand, even though it already feels premium. The best part is, unlike Crunchyroll, it still has a free tier. It also moves fast, as it became one of the first platforms to offer proper AI dubbing.
What This Means for Crunchyroll Going Forward
Credit: TOHO Animation Studio
Credit: Whitefox
Credit: Crunchyroll
Crunchyroll hasn’t announced any AI dubbing feature on its own end. If anything, it’s been burned by this exact idea before – AI-generated English dubs briefly appeared on Amazon Prime Video listings for shows like Banana Fish and No Game No Life Zero in late 2025. Fans didn’t even like the AI-generated subtitles idea.
That backlash means Crunchyroll has reason to be cautious about copying Bilibili’s approach, even if AI dubbing is clearly where the industry is heading. However, Bilibili doesn’t have that same baggage in the anime dub space yet, and it’s free to some extent.
For now, Crunchyroll’s edge is still licensing depth and dub quality control. But if Bilibili, which is more than just an anime streaming website, keeps expanding its country list and its AI dubbing actually gets good, Crunchyroll’s decision to end its free tier right as a legit free competitor shows up might not age well.
Would you be willing to switch to Bilibili yourself? Let us know in the comments.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
