IGN is thrilled to unveil the exciting lineup for Crunchyroll's third annual Ani-May, a month-long global celebration that kicks off on May 1. This year's event promises an array of merchandise, deals, partnerships, and immersive experiences both in stores and online, along with a stellar selection of free-to-stream anime and new additions to the Crunchyroll Game Vault.
Ani-May is packed with a multitude of exciting events, and we're here to ensure you don't miss out on any of the action.
Cowboy Bebop, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, and Chainsaw Man Lead the Selection of Free-to-Stream Anime During Ani-May
Starting May 1, Crunchyroll will offer fans a chance to enjoy some of the most popular anime for free, with ads, throughout the entire month. Whether you're looking to catch up on missed episodes or revisit your favorite series, this is the perfect opportunity. The following titles will be available with a free account:
Black Clover (Seasons 1-4)
Chainsaw Man
Cowboy Bebop
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba (The Complete Series)
Fruits Basket (Seasons 1-3)
Haikyu!! (Seasons 1-4)
Heaven Official's Blessing (Seasons 1-2)
Hell's Paradise
Jujutsu Kaisen (Seasons 1-2)
Junji Ito Collection
Kaiju No. 8
My Hero Academia (Seasons 1-7)
Overlord (Seasons 1-4)
Shangri-La Frontier (Seasons 1-2)
Solo Leveling (Season 1)
Soul Eater
SPY x FAMILY (Seasons 1-2)
The Apothecary Diaries (Season 1)
Toilet-bound Hanako-kun (Seasons 1-2)
Tokyo Ghoul (Seasons 1-3)
Merch, Partnerships, Food, Autographs, and Other Partnerships Based on Solo Leveling, My Hero Academia, and More of Your Favorite Anime
Celebrate your love for anime with a range of new, officially licensed merchandise featuring titles like Solo Leveling, Kaiju No. 8, Bananya, Toilet-bound Hanako-kun, My Hero Academia, Overlord, and The Apothecary Diaries, among others. The Crunchyroll Store is set to launch exclusive products, deals, and a special Ani-May pin with qualifying purchases. Each week in May will highlight different product categories, including collectors' items, action/adventure titles, shonen shows, and fantasy favorites. Additionally, the day after the 2025 Crunchyroll Anime Awards on May 25, fans can celebrate the Anime of the Year nominees.
Beyond merchandise, Ani-May extends to real-world experiences across retail, online stores, video games, restaurants, and movie theaters. Here's what you can look forward to, directly from Crunchyroll:
Throughout May, UNIQLO will offer Crunchyroll codes with eligible online UT purchases for a 30-day free trial of Crunchyroll*. They've also partnered with Manga artist Remi Yamamoto to create UTme! Collection designs, available exclusively at their NYC flagship locations – UNIQLO Soho and UNIQLO 5th Avenue. NYC fans can meet Remi at UNIQLO’s 5th Avenue flagship on May 18th from 1pm-5pm for complimentary live Manga portraits.
Specialty retailer Hot Topic will celebrate Ani-May across its US and Canada locations and online at hottopic.com, with activations and exclusive anime merchandise.
Electronics retailer Best Buy will join the festivities with select products online and in-store, including an exclusive SPY x FAMILY pin with eligible purchases.
Planet Hollywood is teaming up with Crunchyroll to offer exclusive experiences, cocktails, dishes, and merchandise inspired by Ani-May’s select IPs.
In celebration of the new JUJUTSU KAISEN x Funko Pop collection, Funko Pop will host an autograph signing with the English voice cast on May 3rd, with special event bundles available.
Bananya will once again partner with Fall Guys to offer skins from May 1 to May 8, featuring Bananya and Droopy Eared Bananya.
Demon Slayer fans can gear up for the first film of the Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle trilogy in September with a special re-release of Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Mugen Train in theaters this May.
The Crunchyroll Game Vault Is Celebrating Anime With the Addition of Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth and More
As part of Ani-May, the Crunchyroll Game Vault will add exciting titles like Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth starting on April 30. Other games include Corpse Party, Grisaia Phantom Trigger Vol. 1, Shin Chan: Shiro and the Coal Town, Shogun Showdown, and White Day, available throughout May and early June.
The Crunchyroll Game Vault, launched in November 2023, now boasts over 50 titles for Crunchyroll members at the Mega and Ultimate Fan tiers in over 200 countries.
Own Your Favorites With Ani-May Home Entertainment Releases
Ani-May 2025 Home Entertainment Releases
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For those eager to own physical copies of their favorite anime, Ani-May will feature the release of a Limited Edition Blu-ray box set of Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Season 1 Part 2 (pre-orders start May 15) and Blu-ray SteelBook cases of Paranoia Agent and Goblin Slayer Season 1 (on sale April 30).
Additionally, Crunchyroll is introducing the SteelNook, an open display case made from SteelBook metal that can hold four standard SteelBooks, available for purchase on the Crunchyroll store on May 30.
Ani-May Is a Global Party and Everyone's Invited
Crunchyroll is extending Ani-May celebrations around the world, ensuring fans globally can enjoy their favorite anime in exciting ways. Here's a detailed look at the global experiences:
In Latin America, the following partners will celebrate Ani-May:
Liverpool in Mexico will host a special meet-and-greet with voice actors and feature products from fan-favorite titles with in-store signage.
Suburbia in Mexico will offer in-store signage and 20,000 free trial subscriptions with eligible purchases*.
Ani-May celebrations will continue at CCXP Mexico.
The following European retailers from EMEA will celebrate Ani-May:
Funside/Games Academy in Italy and HMV in the UK, Ireland, and Belgium will participate, while Cultura in France will join for the second year. These stores will feature signage, window displays, and exclusive merchandise, with a chance to win a VIP weekend in Paris with access to the Crunchyroll booth at Japan Expo*.
FNAC in Spain will offer a special selection of Ani-May products and a nationwide e-commerce campaign, with free Crunchyroll subscriptions for purchases over 20€*.
ANVOL will celebrate in the Baltic states and the Nordics for the first time in 2025, with social media exposure and Ani-May branding. Shoppers can win free Crunchyroll subscriptions*.
Little Things will bring Ani-May to the Middle East for the first time, including their stores in the UAE and Virgin Mega Store in Dubai, along with two ToysRUs locations in Dubai and Saudi Arabia.
Yatta in Poland will feature Ani-May branded corners and an e-commerce takeover, offering free Crunchyroll subscriptions*.
Thalia and Müller in Germany and Austria will offer exclusive merchandising, manga, and home entertainment across 350 stores.
Australia and New Zealand-based fans can look forward to the following retail activations:
JB Hi-Fi in Australia will feature dedicated Ani-May end caps with anime home video and collectibles, unique in-store signage, and an editorial in the May edition of STACK Magazine.
EB Games & Zing Pop Culture will join the Ani-May fun, offering a 30-day Crunchyroll Premium trial for EB WORLD PLUS sign-ups*, along with digital signage, ceiling banners, and exclusive products across popular shows.
Top 25 Best Anime Series of All Time
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