Best VPNs for Anime: Access 9anime and Other Banned Sites

You found the perfect anime on Crunchyroll, hit play, and got the “not available in your region” message. That gap is wider than it used to be. The old free-streaming workaround is mostly gone now: 9anime (later rebranded Aniwave) was shut down in August 2024 by the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment working with Vietnamese police, alongside dozens of connected mirror sites, and most of the clones running under those names today are unsafe ad-and-malware traps.

So the smart move in 2026 is different. Anime licensing is fragmented country by country, which means the legal services you already pay for hold different catalogs in different regions. Crunchyroll’s US library carries roughly 990+ titles while smaller markets get far fewer, and Netflix owns One Piece and other shows in territories where Crunchyroll’s rights don’t reach. A good VPN routes your connection through a server in the right country so you can reach those regional libraries, and it encrypts your traffic so nobody sees what you stream. A bad one unblocks the site, then buffers every 30 seconds or leaks your DNS. I’ve tested dozens over the past few years, and most don’t hold up.

These 5 VPNs actually work for anime streaming. They unblock Mangastream alternatives, regional Crunchyroll catalogs, Netflix anime, and Japan-only services without killing your stream quality. I ranked them on server coverage in Japan and the US, real streaming speed, and whether they can hold a connection through a full 24-episode binge. One honest note up front: using a VPN to reach a catalog that isn’t licensed in your country is against Crunchyroll’s and Netflix’s terms of service, so treat this as a tool for privacy and travel, not a guarantee.

Best VPNs for Anime Sites in 2026

• NordVPN – Fastest speeds, 7,200+ servers across 118+ countries, Threat Protection Pro malware blocking
• FastVPN – Cheapest option from $0.99 for the first month, WireGuard protocol, 30-day guarantee
• iPro VPN – 10 simultaneous devices, Smart Connect auto-routing, built-in ad blocker
• PureVPN – Wide network with 6,000+ servers, browser extensions, 31-day money-back guarantee
• Panda VPN – Proprietary fast protocol and strong P2P support, but no kill switch

NordVPN

Best for: Overall anime streaming speed and security

NordVPN

• 5,500+ servers in 60 countries
• Threat Protection malware blocking
• 6 simultaneous connections

One of the largest VPN providers with 5,500+ servers in 60 countries. Fast speeds, strong encryption, and advanced features like Threat Protection.

Try NordVPN

NordVPN is my top pick for anime because it’s fast and it rarely gets blocked. The network has grown to 7,200+ servers in 118+ countries, including plenty in Japan and the US. I’ve connected to both regions while watching Crunchyroll, and the stream loaded in under 2 seconds with zero buffering on a 100 Mbps line. NordLynx, their WireGuard-based protocol, is the reason the speed holds during a full binge.

The kill switch is the feature that matters most here. If your VPN drops mid-stream, NordVPN cuts your internet connection instantly so your real IP never gets exposed. No DNS leaks, no accidental unmasking. Your ISP won’t see what you’re watching, and a sketchy clone site won’t get a clean shot at your real location.

You also get Threat Protection Pro, which blocks malware, trackers, and ads. That is genuinely useful given how many fake “9anime” mirrors now push pop-ups and drive-by downloads. Add SmartPlay for auto-unblocking streaming platforms and browser proxy extensions, and one account covers 6 devices at once. Pricing starts around $3.39/month on the two-year plan, and the 24/7 live chat actually responds within minutes.

FastVPN

Best for: Budget-friendly anime streaming on a tight budget

FastVPN by Namecheap is the cheapest VPN on this list, and it’s not even close. You can start from $0.99 for the first month or lock in a low annual rate, then it renews near $7.88/month or $34.56/year. The renewal jumps sharply, so set a reminder, but even then it undercuts most competitors. There’s a 30-day money-back guarantee on both plans if it doesn’t work with your preferred anime service.

For streaming, FastVPN runs about 1,000 servers across 50+ locations including the US, UK, Canada, and the Asia-Pacific region. It supports WireGuard alongside OpenVPN and IKEv2, so the connection stays fast enough for HD anime without constant buffering. A kill switch and DNS leak protection are both included, which is more than you’d expect at this price.

It works on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Linux with unlimited bandwidth and no data caps, so you can binge a full season of One Piece without throttling. The network is smaller than Nord’s, so you won’t always find a Japan server when you need one, but for unblocking US and European Crunchyroll catalogs on a budget it does the job.

iPro VPN

Best for: Multi-device households streaming on 10 screens at once

iProVPN’s biggest selling point for anime fans is the 10-device limit. Most VPNs cap you at 5 or 6 connections, and Nord itself stops at 6. If your household has multiple people streaming different shows on different screens, iProVPN covers all of them on a single account.

The Smart Connect feature auto-selects the fastest server from a network of roughly 250 servers across 45+ countries. When a Crunchyroll region stopped loading, I didn’t have to manually hunt for a new one. The built-in ad blocker also helps on free anime sites that are loaded with pop-ups and redirects, which matters more now that the safe pirate options are gone.

iProVPN uses AES-256 encryption, keeps no logs, includes a kill switch, and offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. The server count is much smaller than NordVPN or PureVPN, so don’t expect the same range of regional catalogs. But if simultaneous connections matter more to you than raw server choice, this is the one to pick.

PureVPN

Best for: Unblocking region-locked anime across dozens of countries

PureVPN has a large network on this list: 6,000+ servers spread across 65+ countries and well over 100 locations after a 2026 expansion. That breadth matters for anime because rights are split region by region. Some seasonal shows release earlier in the US, a few are blocked in Japan because of broadcaster deals, and HIDIVE or Netflix may hold a title your home country doesn’t. More locations means more catalogs you can actually reach.

I’ve used PureVPN to compare Crunchyroll’s US and UK libraries and to reach Netflix’s One Piece in regions where Crunchyroll’s rights don’t cover it. The 256-bit encryption and kill switch work the same as NordVPN’s, so if the connection drops your real IP stays hidden.

The browser extensions for Firefox, Chrome, and Edge are handy if you only want to route your anime site through the VPN while keeping everything else on your normal connection. The 24/7 live chat has been responsive when I’ve had server issues.

Pricing is steep month to month at around $10.95, but the long-term plans drop to roughly $2/month, and there’s a 31-day money-back guarantee. If you’re chasing anime across multiple regions and want the widest server coverage at the lowest long-term price, PureVPN is the pick.

Panda VPN

Best for: Low-latency streaming with P2P and torrent support

Panda VPN runs WireGuard and OpenVPN plus its own proprietary protocol, and in my tests latency stayed low during anime streams. It uses AES-256 encryption, the same standard as the others on this list. If you’ve tried other VPNs and noticed lag, Panda VPN’s protocol mix is its real strength.

The server network covers roughly 3,000 servers across about 80 countries. It works with Netflix, Hulu, and P2P/torrent sites, so if you grab fansubs through torrents the traffic isn’t throttled or blocked. The proprietary protocol also supports split tunneling by domain, which is convenient for routing only your anime apps through the VPN.

Two honest caveats. Panda VPN does not ship a kill switch, so if the connection drops your real IP can leak before you notice, and its no-logs policy hasn’t been independently audited. The company’s stated origin is also murky. I’d use it for speed and torrenting on a throwaway session, not as your everyday privacy VPN. If a kill switch matters to you, NordVPN or PureVPN is the safer call.

Which VPN Should You Pick?

If you want one recommendation: NordVPN. It’s the fastest, has the most reliable unblocking, ships a real kill switch, and Threat Protection Pro keeps you safe on the sketchy mirror sites that replaced 9anime. Worth every dollar. For more Crunchyroll-specific picks, see my guide to the best VPNs for Crunchyroll.

On a tight budget? FastVPN from $0.99 for the first month is hard to beat. Need 10 device connections? iProVPN. Want the widest regional coverage at the lowest long-term price? PureVPN. All five options have money-back guarantees, so you can test them on your specific services before committing. While you wait, browse the legal 9anime alternatives worth using now and the best anime apps for iOS and Android.

Disclaimer: This site is reader-supported. If you buy through some links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend tools I trust and would use myself. Your support helps keep gauravtiwari.org free and focused on real-world advice. Thanks. - Gaurav Tiwari