Crunchyroll Teams Up With Duolingo for Anime-Specific Japanese Lessons

Anime is one of the top reasons that English speakers decide to learn Japanese, and anime streamer Crunchyroll and language app Duolingo are taking note. The two companies are teaming up to help Duolingo users learn some of their favorite phrases from popular Japanese anime.

Beginning today, Duolingo’s Japanese course will feature nearly 50 phrases inspired by popular anime series.

“Anime is a dynamic medium and we know viewers have a curiosity for learning,” said Terry Li, Crunchyroll’s Senior Vice President of Emerging Business. “Now on Duolingo, fans worldwide can celebrate anime through learning iconic phrases from their favorite series.”

The Duolingo anime crossover makes a lot of sense for the platform, as Duolingo said 26% of the app’s Japanese learners cite fun — like watching anime — as a top reason for learning Japanese. Duolingo is an education app that allows users to practice foreign language words, phrases, and grammar. The service offers courses in more than 40 languages.

As part of this new promotion, premium Crunchyroll subscribers can redeem a two-month trial of Duolingo’s premium tier, while Duolingo learners could be eligible for one month of ad-free Crunchyroll access.

Crunchyroll is also sharing a roundup of anime featuring simple, easy-to-understand Japanese for language learners who are just getting started. These shows include Bananya, Laid-Back Camp, and more.

For more, check out Crunchyroll’s recently-revealed slate of new and upcoming anime for Spring 2023. Or, check out IGN’s picks for the top 25 best anime series of all time.

Logan Plant is a freelance writer for IGN covering video game and entertainment news. He has over seven years of experience in the gaming industry with bylines at IGN, Nintendo Wire, Switch Player Magazine, and Lifewire. Find him on Twitter @LoganJPlant.