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

by Violet May 28,2025

IGN is thrilled to share exclusive details about Crunchyroll's third annual Ani-May, a month-long global celebration set to kick off in May. This event promises an array of exciting experiences, including exclusive merchandise, partnerships, free-to-stream anime, new game additions to the Crunchyroll Game Vault, and more. Get ready for a packed month of anime-centric fun and festivities!

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. Whether you're looking to catch up on missed episodes or relive your favorite moments, this is the perfect opportunity. All you need is a free account to dive into the following selection of free-to-stream anime:

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

For fans looking to showcase their love for anime, Ani-May offers a treasure trove of officially licensed merchandise from titles 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 feature new and exclusive product launches, deals, and even a special Ani-May pin with qualifying purchases. Each week in May will spotlight different product categories, from collectors' items to action/adventure titles, shonen shows, and fantasy favorites. Additionally, celebrate the Anime of the Year nominees the day after the Crunchyroll Anime Awards on May 25, 2025.

Ani-May extends beyond merchandise, offering fans a variety of real-world experiences. From retail and online stores to video games, restaurants, and movie theaters, here's what you can expect, directly from Crunchyroll:

UNIQLO will offer Crunchyroll codes with eligible online UT purchases for a 30-day free trial of Crunchyroll*. UNIQLO has also teamed up with Manga artist Remi Yamamoto for exclusive UTme! Collection designs at their NYC flagship locations – UNIQLO Soho and UNIQLO 5th Avenue. New York City fans can visit UNIQLO’s 5th Avenue flagship on May 18th from 1pm-5pm for a special event featuring live Manga portraits by Remi.
Hot Topic will celebrate Ani-May across its U.S. and Canadian locations, and online at hottopic.com, with activations, special promotions, and exclusive anime merchandise all month long.
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 collaborate 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, with special event bundles available. Details can be found at @originalfunko and @funko_funime on Instagram.
Bananya is back with Fall Guys, offering 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 Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle trilogy, hitting theaters 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

The Crunchyroll Game Vault is also joining the Ani-May celebration with weekly game releases throughout May and early June. Kicking off on April 30, the vault will add Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth, followed by other titles like Corpse Party, Grisaia Phantom Trigger Vol. 1, Shin Chan: Shiro and the Coal Town, Shogun Showdown, and White Day. Launched in November 2023, the Crunchyroll Game Vault 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

View 3 Images For anime enthusiasts who cherish physical collections, Ani-May will feature the Crunchyroll Store releasing a Limited Edition Blu-ray box of Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Season 1 Part 2 (pre-orders start May 15) and Blu-ray in SteelBook cases of Paranoia Agent and Goblin Slayer Season 1 (on sale April 30). Additionally, Crunchyroll introduces the SteelNook, an open display case made from SteelBook metal, capable of fitting four standard SteelBooks. The SteelNook will be 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.

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 an offer of 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 for the third year, while Cultura in France will renew the experience for a second year. These chains will feature signage, window displays, and exclusive merchandise, with shoppers offered a chance to win a VIP weekend in Paris with access to the Crunchyroll booth at Japan Expo*.
In Spain, FNAC will showcase a special selection of Ani-May products and launch a nationwide e-commerce campaign, offering free Crunchyroll subscriptions* for purchases over 20€.
ANVOL will return for a second year in the Baltic states and bring the Ani-May festivities to the Nordics for the first time in 2025, with social media exposure and in-store branding, offering free Crunchyroll subscriptions* for any Ani-May purchase.
The Middle East will experience Ani-May thanks to Little Things, bringing 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, offering free Crunchyroll subscriptions*.
For the third time, Thalia will present exclusive merchandising and manga in 200 stores in Germany and Austria. New to Ani-May in Germany and Austria is Müller, offering a wide range of manga, merchandising, and home entertainment across 150 stores.

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

In Australia, JB Hi-Fi will feature dedicated Ani-May end caps in stores, encompassing anime home video and collectibles, with unique in-store signage. The May edition of STACK Magazine will include 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 feature digital signage, ceiling banners, and exclusive products across fan-favorite shows, including JUJUTSU KAISEN, SPY x FAMILY, Chainsaw Man, and My Hero Academia.