Ani-May 2025: Crunchyroll Offers Free Anime, Games, and New Merch

IGN is thrilled to unveil the latest details about Crunchyroll's third annual Ani-May, a month-long global celebration that promises an array of exciting events, exclusive merchandise, and free-to-stream anime. From May 1, fans worldwide can dive into a world of anime-themed experiences, both online and in physical stores, featuring partnerships, new additions to the Crunchyroll Game Vault, and much more.

Ani-May is packed with a variety of thrilling offerings, and we're here to guide you through all the highlights to ensure you don't miss out on any of the fun.

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 some of the most beloved anime titles for free with ads throughout the entire month. This is the perfect opportunity for fans to catch up on missed episodes or relive their favorite series. The lineup includes:

• 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)

All you need is a free Crunchyroll account to enjoy these titles.

Merch, Partnerships, Food, Autographs, and Other Partnerships Based on Solo Leveling, My Hero Academia, and More of Your Favorite Anime

Ani-May is the perfect time to celebrate your love for anime with exclusive merchandise. Fans can get their hands on officially licensed items from popular series like Solo Leveling, Kaiju No. 8, Bananya, Toilet-bound Hanako-kun, My Hero Academia, Overlord, and The Apothecary Diaries, among others.

The Crunchyroll Store will launch new and exclusive products, offer deals, and provide a Crunchyroll-exclusive Ani-May pin with qualifying purchases. Each week in May will focus on 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 will feature numerous ways to celebrate anime in the real world, from retail and online stores to video games, restaurants, and movie theaters.

Here's a glimpse of what fans can expect, as shared by Crunchyroll:

• UNIQLO will distribute Crunchyroll codes for a 30-day free trial with eligible online UT purchases. They've also partnered with Manga artist Remi Yamamoto for exclusive UTme! Collection designs at their NYC flagship locations, UNIQLO Soho and UNIQLO 5th Avenue. On May 18th, from 1pm-5pm, fans can visit UNIQLO’s 5th Avenue flagship for a special event with Remi, who will offer complimentary live Manga portraits.
• Hot Topic will celebrate Ani-May across its stores in the United States and Canada, and online at hottopic.com, with activations and special promotions, including exclusive anime merchandise.
• Best Buy will join the festivities with select products available both online and in-store, including an exclusive SPY x FAMILY pin with eligible purchases at select stores.
• Planet Hollywood will offer exclusive experiences, cocktails, dishes, and merchandise inspired by Ani-May’s select IPs.
• Funko Pop will host an autograph signing with the English voice cast of JUJUTSU KAISEN on May 3rd, along with special Funko Hollywood Event Bundles.
• Bananya will partner with Fall Guys for a collection of skins available from May 1 to May 8, featuring Bananya and Droopy Eared Bananya.
• Demon Slayer fans can prepare for the first film of the Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle trilogy 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

The Crunchyroll Game Vault is joining the Ani-May celebration by adding new games throughout May and early June. Starting on April 30, Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth will kick off the festivities, followed by other titles like Corpse Party, Grisaia Phantom Trigger Vol. 1, Shin Chan: Shiro and the Coal Town, Shogun Showdown, and White Day. The Crunchyroll Game Vault, launched in November 2023, now offers over 50 titles to 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 fans who prefer physical copies, Ani-May will feature the release of a Limited Edition Blu-ray box of Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Season 1 Part 2 (pre-orders begin on May 15) and Blu-ray in SteelBook cases of Paranoia Agent and Goblin Slayer Season 1 (on sale on April 30). Additionally, Crunchyroll will offer the SteelNook, an open display case made from SteelBook metal that can fit four standard SteelBooks, available for purchase on the Crunchyroll store on May 30.

Ani-May Is a Global Party and Everyone's Invited

Crunchyroll has planned even more Ani-May celebrations around the world, ensuring fans everywhere can enjoy unique experiences based on their favorite anime.

Here's a detailed list of global experiences for Ani-May, as provided by Crunchyroll:

In Latin America, the following partners will celebrate Ani-May:

• Liverpool in Mexico will host a special meet-and-greet with select voice actors, alongside products from fan-favorite titles with in-store signage.
• Suburbia in Mexico will offer in-store signage and 20,000 free trial subscriptions with purchases of eligible products.
• 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, windows, and exclusive merchandise, with shoppers having the 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 launch 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, with social media exposure and in-store branding, offering free Crunchyroll subscriptions with any Ani-May purchase.
• Little Things will bring Ani-May to the Middle East, including their stores in the UAE, Virgin Mega Store in Dubai, and ToysRUs locations in Dubai and Saudi Arabia.
• Yatta in Poland will feature Ani-May branded corners and an e-commerce takeover, with free Crunchyroll subscriptions available.
• Thalia will present exclusive merchandising and manga in 200 stores in Germany and Austria, while Müller will offer a wide range of manga, merchandising, and home entertainment across 150 stores in Germany and Austria.

Australia and New Zealand-based fans can look forward to the following retail activations:

• In Australia, JB Hi-Fi will celebrate with dedicated Ani-May end caps in stores, featuring anime home video and collectibles, and unique in-store signage. The May edition of STACK Magazine will include an editorial piece on anime, available in stores and online.
• EB Games & Zing Pop Culture will join the fun, offering a 30-day Crunchyroll Premium trial membership to EB WORLD PLUS sign-ups, along with digital signage, ceiling banners, and exclusive products from popular shows like JUJUTSU KAISEN, SPY x FAMILY, Chainsaw Man, and My Hero Academia.

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