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

IGN is thrilled to unveil exclusive details about Crunchyroll's third annual Ani-May, a month-long global celebration that promises an exciting array of activities. From May 1, fans worldwide can enjoy a variety of experiences, including merchandise based on beloved anime, special deals, partnerships, and free-to-stream anime content. Additionally, the Crunchyroll Game Vault will introduce new games, enhancing the festivities with interactive entertainment.

Ani-May is set to be packed with a plethora of exciting events, and we're here to guide you through everything so you won'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 some of the most popular anime titles for free with ads throughout the month. This is the perfect opportunity for fans to catch up on missed episodes or relive cherished moments from series like Cowboy Bebop, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, and many more. All you need is a free account to access these titles:

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 passion for anime with exclusive merchandise during Ani-May. Fans around the world can get their hands on new, officially licensed items from 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 highlight different product categories, from collectors' items to 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, including retail and online stores, video games, restaurants, movie theaters, and more. Here's what you can expect, directly from Crunchyroll:

• Throughout May, UNIQLO will distribute Crunchyroll codes with eligible online UT purchases for 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 can visit UNIQLO’s 5th Avenue flagship for a special activation on May 18th from 1pm-5pm, where Remi will offer complimentary live Manga portraits.
• Hot Topic will celebrate Ani-May across its United States and Canada locations, and online at hottopic.com, with activations and special promotions, including 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 is partnering with Crunchyroll to offer exclusive experiences, cocktails, dishes, and merchandise inspired by Ani-May’s select IPs.
• In celebration of a 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 partnering with Fall Guys again on 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, 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

The Crunchyroll Game Vault is joining the Ani-May celebration by adding games like Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth to its weekly releases throughout May and early June. Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth will kick things off on Wednesday, April 30, followed by 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

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For fans 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 on 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 on May 30.

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

Crunchyroll has revealed that Ani-May celebrations will extend globally, allowing fans from all corners of the world to enjoy experiences based on their favorite anime in fun and exciting ways. 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 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 in the Ani-May fun, while in France, Cultura will renew the experience for a second year. The three chains will activate their stores with signage, windows, and exclusive merchandise. Shoppers will have the chance to win a 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. For purchases over 20€, shoppers can win free Crunchyroll subscriptions.
• ANVOL will return for a second year in the Baltic states and bring Ani-May 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 with 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 celebration of Ani-May 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 celebrate with dedicated Ani-May end caps in stores, featuring anime home video and collectibles, with unique in-store signage. 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 across fan-favorite shows, including JUJUTSU KAISEN, SPY x FAMILY, Chainsaw Man, and My Hero Academia.

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