Crunchyroll's Ani-May 2025: Free Anime, Games, New Merch, and More

IGN is thrilled to unveil exclusive details about Crunchyroll's third annual Ani-May, a global celebration spanning the entire month. Ani-May promises an array of exciting offerings, including anime-inspired merchandise, special deals, partnerships, in-store and online experiences, free-to-stream anime, new additions to the Crunchyroll Game Vault, and much more. We're here to guide you through all the highlights so you can make the most of this festive month.

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 series for free with ads throughout the month. This is a fantastic opportunity for fans to catch up on or revisit classics like Cowboy Bebop, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, and many more. To access these free titles, all you need is a free Crunchyroll account.

The complete list of free-to-stream anime with ads available on Crunchyroll during Ani-May 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)

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

Celebrating your favorite anime with merchandise is a highlight of Ani-May. Fans worldwide can get their hands on new, officially licensed items from popular series such as Solo Leveling, Kaiju No. 8, Bananya, Toilet-bound Hanako-kun, My Hero Academia, Overlord, The Apothecary Diaries, and more.

The Crunchyroll Store will launch new and exclusive products, offer deals, and give away 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 nominees with special offerings.

Ani-May isn't just about merchandise; it's a global celebration with various experiences in retail and online stores, video games, restaurants, movie theaters, and beyond. Here's a sneak peek at what fans can expect, 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 also partnered with Manga artist Remi Yamamoto for exclusive UTme! Collection designs at their NYC flagship locations – UNIQLO Soho and UNIQLO 5th Avenue. Fans in New York City are invited to UNIQLO’s 5th Avenue flagship on May 18th from 1pm-5pm for a special event with Remi, featuring 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, special promotions, and exclusive anime merchandise.
• Best Buy will join the Ani-May 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 partner with Crunchyroll to offer exclusive experiences, cocktails, dishes, and merchandise inspired by Ani-May's featured 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, along with special Funko Hollywood Event Bundles. Event details can be found on Instagram at @originalfunko and @funko_funime.
• Bananya will partner with Fall Guys again, offering a collection of skins 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, coming to theaters in September, with a special re-release of Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Mugen Train in May.

The Crunchyroll Game Vault Is Celebrating Anime With the Addition of Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth and More

The Crunchyroll Game Vault will also celebrate Ani-May by adding games like Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth to its lineup. This addition will kick off 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 May and early June.

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.

Ani-May 2025 Home Entertainment Releases

View 3 Images

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 start 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 hold 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 even more Ani-May celebrations worldwide, ensuring fans from every corner of the globe can enjoy unique experiences inspired by their favorite anime.

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

• In Latin America:
  • Liverpool in Mexico will host a meet-and-greet with select 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 product purchases*.
  • Ani-May celebrations will continue at CCXP Mexico.
• In Europe (EMEA):
  • Funside/Games Academy in Italy and HMV in the UK, Ireland, and Belgium will participate in Ani-May with store-wide activations and exclusive merchandise. Shoppers can win a weekend in Paris with VIP access to the Crunchyroll booth at Japan Expo*.
  • In France, Cultura will join for the second year, offering a similar experience.
  • FNAC in Spain will feature special Ani-May products and launch an e-commerce campaign, offering free Crunchyroll subscriptions for purchases over 20€*.
  • ANVOL will celebrate Ani-May in the Baltic states and the Nordics for the first time, with social media exposure and in-store branding. Shoppers can win free Crunchyroll subscriptions*.
  • Little Things in the Middle East will bring Ani-May to their stores in the UAE, as well as Virgin Mega Store in Dubai and two ToysRUs locations in Dubai and Saudi Arabia.
  • Yatta in Poland will surprise fans with Ani-May branded corners and an e-commerce takeover, offering free Crunchyroll subscriptions*.
  • Thalia in Germany and Austria will present exclusive merchandise and manga in 200 stores.
  • Müller in Germany and Austria will offer a wide range of manga, merchandise, and home entertainment across 150 stores.
• In Australia and New Zealand:
  • JB Hi-Fi will celebrate with dedicated Ani-May end caps in stores, featuring anime home video and collectibles, and a unique in-store signage. The May edition of STACK Magazine will include an editorial piece on anime.
  • EB Games & Zing Pop Culture will join the Ani-May 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 fan-favorite shows like JUJUTSU KAISEN, SPY x FAMILY, Chainsaw Man, and My Hero Academia.

Top 25 Best Anime Series of All Time

View 26 Images