Global Crunchyroll Outage Halts Anime Streaming

On January 26, 2026, Crunchyroll, a leading anime streaming service, experienced a significant global outage that disrupted its operations worldwide. This incident caused frustration among numerous users who faced difficulties accessing the platform.

Details of the Global Crunchyroll Outage

The problems began around 11:35 a.m. Pacific Time, when over 22,000 complaints were reported. This figure rapidly escalated, with complaints exceeding 40,000 by noon. The outages primarily affected users trying to connect via the app and website, leading to widespread dissatisfaction across various continents, including North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia.

Peak Disruptions

• 11:35 a.m. PST: 22,000 complaints reported.
• 12:12 p.m. PST: Complaints reached nearly 40,000.
• 1:11 p.m. ET: Peak of 12,881 complaints logged.
• 2:00 p.m. ET: Over 15,000 reports received globally.

By around 3:15 p.m. Eastern Time, users noticed a gradual restoration of services, with reports decreasing significantly. However, some users continued to face issues accessing their accounts and streaming content.

Nature of Complaints

The vast majority of complaints focused on server connection problems, with 55% reporting connectivity issues. Additionally, 30% of users experienced video streaming failures, while 15% faced website access troubles. The incident led many fans to speculate on social media about whether other streaming services were affected, though most discussions remained centered on Crunchyroll.

Impact on Users

The timing of the outage was particularly distressing for anime fans, many of whom found themselves unable to watch their favorite shows. Viewers expressed their frustrations online, highlighting how the disruption interrupted their planned viewing experiences.

Community Reactions

• “I just wanted to watch my show in peace.”
• “I’m unsubscribing after my term ends.”
• “Caught in the thick of emotions, and the service crashes!”

This widespread disruption underscored the critical role streaming platforms play in users’ daily routines, with viewers relying on services like Crunchyroll for quality content and seamless access.

Technical Issues and Ongoing Challenges

As the day progressed, Crunchyroll’s technical team worked to address the underlying issues. While partial access was restored, questions remained regarding the cause of the outage. As of the latest updates, Crunchyroll had yet to provide a detailed explanation.

Streaming Service Infrastructure

This incident serves as a reminder of the challenges facing modern streaming platforms, particularly during peak usage times. Whether due to server overload, internal glitches, or external infrastructure failures, significant outages can severely impact user experience.

As the streaming landscape continues to evolve, services like Crunchyroll must enhance their systems to deliver reliable access to users. Fans eagerly await improvements that will ensure smoother streaming experiences in the future.