Comparison

Crunchyroll vs Nihongo Explorer

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Crunchyroll

Explore a serene, folding paper world inspired by ancient Japanese fairy tales. Solve intricate puzzles by manipulating the environment to uncover secrets and discover the story behind a dying cherry tree. Experience a unique pop-up book gameplay with a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack.

Highlights
  • Folding paper world exploration
  • Unique pop-up book gameplay
  • Intricate puzzle solving
  • Serene Japanese fairy tale setting
  • Striking visuals and haunting music
  • Original soundtrack by David Wise
Read full description

Crunchyroll Mega Fan or Ultimate Fan Membership Required Fold and slide the beautifully crafted paper world to solve puzzles and discover secrets. ⋆Discover the wonders of a folding world Go on a serene journey through Japan of ancient fairy tales brought to life through striking visuals, unique gameplay and haunting music. Experience dark forests, abandoned shrines and tranquil mountain waterfalls as you seek to uncover the secret behind the lone dying cherry tree. ⋆First of its kind pop-up book gameplay Not a book, but a game inside a pop-up book. Tengami plays like nothing else before it. Reach directly into the world to flip, fold and slide parts of the world to delve deeper into your mysterious journey. ⋆Stunning original soundtrack A beautiful and original soundtrack by renowned composer David Wise accompanies your adventure. Use of headphones is recommended for the most immersive experience. ⋆Authentic and intricate Tengami’s world is built as an authentically folding three dimensional pop-up book with an all new technology created just for this game. Everything seen in the game could be recreated in real-life with just paper, scissors and glue. ———— Crunchyroll Premium members enjoy an ad-free experience, with full access to Crunchyroll's library of over 1,300 unique titles and 46,000 episodes, including simulcast series that premiere shortly after premiering in Japan. In addition, membership offers special benefits including offline viewing access, discount code to Crunchyroll Store, Crunchyroll Game Vault access, streaming simultaneously on multiple devices, and more! Privacy Policy: https://www.crunchyroll.com/games/privacy Terms: https://www.crunchyroll.com/games/terms/

About

Nihongo Explorer

Read full description

NihongoExplorer – Learn Japanese by Voice! Step into the dungeon of Japanese learning! With NihongoExplorer, you don’t just memorize words—you speak them to advance through the game. Perfect for learners who want to practice Hiragana, Katakana, JLPT N5 & N4 Kanji, and sharpen their Japanese pronunciation. ---How it works--- -Explore dungeons filled with Japanese challenges. -Use voice input: pronounce the word correctly to clear obstacles. -Learn step by step: Hiragana → Katakana → Kanji (N5 & N4). -Fun and interactive: it feels like a game, but you’re mastering real Japanese! ---Features--- -Voice recognition practice for accurate pronunciation. -Covers essential beginner to lower-intermediate vocabulary. -Engaging RPG-style dungeon adventure. -Great for JLPT preparation (N5 & N4). -Suitable for self-learners, students, and anyone who wants to improve their spoken Japanese. ---Who is it for?--- -Beginners learning Hiragana and Katakana. -Learners studying basic Kanji (JLPT N5 & N4). -Anyone wanting to practice Japanese pronunciation in a fun, interactive way. Start your adventure today and level up your Japanese with NihongoExplorer!

Screenshots

Crunchyroll4 screens
Nihongo Explorer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Nihongo Explorer at none against Crunchyroll's 1. Crunchyroll's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (daily vs every 4 days). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Crunchyroll sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $13.99 per month. Nihongo Explorer asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Crunchyroll ships an update daily, Nihongo Explorer every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Crunchyroll versus Nihongo Explorer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCrunchyrollNihongo Explorer
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.0 (6 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews25.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings6 — better—
Update frequencyDaily — betterEvery 4 days
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.013.0
Further details — not scored
Size248 MB771 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCrunchyroll, LLCKEI NAGASE

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Crunchyroll

Subscriptions1
  • Mega Fan [Monthly]7 Days trial$13.991 Month
None

Nihongo Explorer

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Crunchyroll free?
Crunchyroll is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Nihongo Explorer free?
Nihongo Explorer is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Crunchyroll or Nihongo Explorer have ads?
Nihongo Explorer shows ads; Crunchyroll does not.
Which is updated more often, Crunchyroll or Nihongo Explorer?
Crunchyroll ships an update daily, and Nihongo Explorer every 4 days. Most recently, Crunchyroll was updated on October 15, 2026 and Nihongo Explorer on October 7, 2026.

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