IGN is thrilled to unveil exciting new details about Crunchyroll's third annual Ani-May, a month-long global celebration that promises a plethora of anime-related festivities. From May 1st, fans can indulge in merchandise, exclusive deals, partnerships, and immersive experiences both in stores and online. The event will feature free-to-stream anime, new additions to the Crunchyroll Game Vault, and much more.
Ani-May is packed with a variety of exciting offerings, and we're here to ensure you catch every detail.
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 popular anime titles for free with ads throughout the month. This is a fantastic opportunity for fans to catch up on missed episodes or relive their favorite series. 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 exclusive merchandise during Ani-May. Fans worldwide can get their hands on officially licensed items from popular series such as 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, fans can celebrate the Anime of the Year nominees the day after the 2025 Crunchyroll Anime Awards on May 25.
Ani-May extends beyond merchandise, offering numerous ways to celebrate anime in the real world, from retail stores to online platforms, video games, restaurants, and movie theaters.
Here's what fans can look forward to, as shared by Crunchyroll:
Throughout May, UNIQLO will distribute Crunchyroll codes with eligible online UT purchases, offering a 30-day free trial of Crunchyroll*. UNIQLO has partnered with Manga artist Remi Yamamoto to create UTme! Collection designs, available exclusively at their NYC flagship locations – UNIQLO Soho and UNIQLO 5th Avenue. New York City-based fans are invited to visit UNIQLO’s 5th Avenue flagship on May 18th from 1pm-5pm for a special activation with Remi, who will provide complimentary live Manga portraits.
Specialty retailer Hot Topic will celebrate Ani-May across its United States and Canada locations, and online at hottopic.com, featuring activations and special promotions, including exclusive anime merchandise.
Electronics retailer Best Buy will join the Ani-May festivities with select products available online and in-store, including an exclusive SPY x FAMILY pin with eligible purchases at select stores.
Planet Hollywood, a themed restaurant and resort chain, is partnering 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 of JUJUTSU KAISEN on May 3rd. Special Funko Hollywood Event Bundles will also be available! Event details can be found at @originalfunko and @funko_funime on Instagram.
Bananya is once again partnering with Fall Guys on a collection of skins, available from May 1 to May 8, featuring Bananya and Droopy Eared Bananya.
Demon Slayer fans can gear up for the first film of the highly-anticipated Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle trilogy, coming to theaters this 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
Joining the Ani-May celebrations, the Crunchyroll Game Vault will add Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth starting on Wednesday, April 30, followed by other titles such as Corpse Party, Grisaia Phantom Trigger Vol. 1, Shin Chan: Shiro and the Coal Town, Shogun Showdown, and White Day throughout the event.
Launched in November 2023, the Crunchyroll Game Vault now boasts over 50 titles accessible to Crunchyroll members at the Mega and Ultimate Fan tiers in over 200 countries.
Own Your Favorites With Ani-May Home Entertainment Releases
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For those who prefer physical copies, Ani-May will see the Crunchyroll Store release 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 April 30!).
Crunchyroll also introduces the SteelNook, an open display case made from SteelBook metal that can fit four standard SteelBooks. The SteelNook will be available for purchase on the Crunchyroll store starting May 30.
Ani-May Is a Global Party and Everyone's Invited
Crunchyroll has planned additional Ani-May celebrations around the world, ensuring fans from all regions can enjoy experiences based on their favorite anime in unique and exciting ways.
Here's the full list of global experiences for Ani-May, as detailed 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 delight fans with in-store signage and offer 20,000 free trial subscriptions with purchases of eligible products*.
- Ani-May celebrations and activations 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 in Ani-May for the third year, while Cultura in France will join for the second year. These chains will activate all their stores with signage, window displays, and exclusive merchandise. Shoppers will have the chance to win a "nothing that money can buy" prize: **an amazing weekend in Paris with VIP access to the Crunchyroll booth at Japan Expo***.
- In Spain, FNAC will offer a special selection of Ani-May products and launch a nationwide e-commerce campaign celebrating anime. For purchases over 20€, shoppers will get the chance to win free Crunchyroll subscriptions*.
- ANVOL will celebrate Ani-May for the second year in the Baltic states and bring the festivities to the Nordics for the first time in 2025. All stores will adopt Crunchyroll-approved Ani-May branding, and shoppers can win free Crunchyroll subscriptions for any Ani-May purchase*.
- The Middle East will experience its first Ani-May thanks to Little Things. The distributor will bring the activation to their stores in the UAE, as well as Virgin Mega Store in Dubai and two ToysRUs locations in Dubai and Saudi Arabia.
- In Poland, Yatta will surprise anime fans with Ani-May branded corners and an e-commerce takeover. Shoppers will have the chance to bring home free Crunchyroll subscriptions*.
- For the third time, Thalia will present an exciting range of exclusive merchandise and manga in celebration of Ani-May in 200 stores in Germany and Austria.
- New to Ani-May in Germany and Austria is Müller, offering anime fans across 150 stores a wide range of manga, merchandise, and home entertainment.
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, with unique in-store signage created by talented store staff. The May edition of STACK Magazine will feature an editorial piece on anime, available in all stores and online.
- EB Games & Zing Pop Culture – the Home of Pop Culture & Gaming will join the Ani-May fun! Customers who sign up to EB WORLD PLUS will receive a 30-day Crunchyroll Premium trial membership*. EB Games will also celebrate with digital signage, ceiling banners, and exclusive products available for purchase across fan-favorite shows, including JUJUTSU KAISEN, SPY x FAMILY, Chainsaw Man, and My Hero Academia.
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