Crunchyroll has the world’s biggest anime library. It’s perfect for watching ongoing series since the newest episodes arrive on the platform an hour after their Japanese premiere. Earlier in 2022, Funimation merged with Crunchyroll, making its vast library even bigger.
It can be difficult to pick out which anime to watch next since there’s so many titles. Luckily, Crunchyroll always adds new titles, whether they’re older classics or brand-new series from every genre of anime. There’s an anime out there for every type of person and, more likely than not, new viewers can find it somewhere in Crunchyroll’s extensive library.
14/14 Samurai Champloo (2004-2005)
26 episodes
Samurai Champloo, directed by Shinichiro Watanabe, is a historical anime series that takes place in feudal Japan. However, its hip-hop soundtrack and upbeat characters make it feel fresh instead of vintage.
Samurai Champloo stars Jin, Mugen, and Fuu. Jin is a ronin whose more concerned with becoming a better swordsman than winning friends and influencing people. Mugen is a samurai with an animalistic fighting style who adheres to his own moral compass. They’re both Fuu’s bodyguards as she searches for the samurai who smells like sunflowers.
13/14 Yu Yu Hakusho (1992-1994)
112 episodes
Yu Yu Hakusho was Yoshihiro Togashi’s first masterpiece prior to Hunter X Hunter. Yu Yu Hakusho follows Yusuke, a delinquent who nearly died trying to save a kid from getting hit by a car.
Yusuke’s unexpected self-sacrifice touched the authorities of the spirit realm, so they gave him a second chance, with some conditions. With one of the best tournament arcs in shonen history, well-written antagonists, and exciting fight scenes, Yu Yu Hakusho is a must-watch for every fan of shonen anime.
12/14 Lycoris Recoil (2022-Present)
13 episodes
Lycoris Recoil was one of the best anime released during the summer 2022 season. Lycoris Recoil follows a crime syndicate called the Direct Attack. The group fosters orphan girls and raises them as cold-blooded assassins in their “Lycoris” program.
Lycoris Recoil stars Takina and Chisato. Takina is a strong Lycoris who is passionate about her work. After a terrible hostage situation, Takina gains a new partner in Chisato, a Lycoris prodigy who doesn’t take her job quite as seriously. Throughout the show, the duo learns how to work together. Lycoris Recoil isn’t primarily character-driven. Instead, the series lets its action do the storytelling.
11/14 Mob Psycho 100 (2019-Present)
26 episodes
Mob Psycho 100 is an unconventional shonen hit that takes itself serious for what it is while poking fun at the genre’s most overdone trope. With a simplistic, but unique art style and visually stunning animation courtesy of Studio Bones, Mob Psycho 100 is equally as character-driven as it is action-packed.
Mob Psycho 100 stars Shigeo Kageyama, or “Mob,” a teenage esper who keeps his emotions bottled up to avoid overloading his ESP. If his emotions hit 100%, Mob’s already powerful abilities grow terrifyingly strong.
10/14 Sk8 The Infinity (2021-Present)
12 episodes
Sports anime’s popularity has boomed as of late thanks to titles like Haikyuu!, Kuroko’s Basketball, and most recently, Sk8 The Infinity. Sk8 The Infinity hit Crunchyroll right after the merge with Funimation.
Sk8 The Infinity embraces sports anime cliches, but its storytelling never feels contrived. Instead, new viewers can go into Sk8 The Infinity expecting a fun-filled, lighthearted show with a good sense of humor, a lovable ensemble cast, and tons of impressive skateboard tricks. Sk8 The Infinity follows Reki & Langa as they bond over skateboarding and participate in “S,” an illegal tournament in an abandoned mine.
9/14 Gintama (2006-2018)
367 episodes
Gintama is a critically-acclaimed shonen series about Gintoki Sakata, a defiant samurai and lovable oddball who still carries around his wooden sword after alien invaders outlawed his profession. However, he has to pick up odd jobs and freelancing gigs at his business, Yorozuya, to make ends meet.
Gintama is full of recognizable pop culture references that make the viewer forget that the series takes place in feudal Japan. Gintama is a brilliant combination of slapstick comedy, sci-fi bizarreness, and shonen action all rolled into one.
8/14 Fruits Basket -Prelude- (2021)
88 minutes
Fruits Basket -Prelude- is the prequel to Fruits Basket that recently arrived in Crunchyroll’s anime library. The film tells the story of Tohru’s parents, Katsuya and Kyoko. However, it also features plenty of flashback scenes and brand-new adorable moments between Tohru and Kyo.
Fruits Basket -Prelude- delves into Kyoko’s backstory and fully fleshes her out as an abandoned delinquent. It’s a stark contrast from the Kyoko fans came to love as Tohru’s mother. Fruits Basket -Prelude-‘s box office success is a testament to shojo’s revived popularity in recent years.
7/14 Blue Lock (2022-Present)
24 episodes
Blue Lock is a unique sports anime that turns soccer into an all-or-nothing death game as the best players in Japan are confined in a facility and forced to compete. Whoever comes out on top makes it to the national team as the best striker in Japan.
Blue Lock follows Yoichi Isagi, a soccer player who cost his team nationals after making the mistake of passing instead of shooting. At the titular Blue Lock, Yoichi learns the importance of developing an ego as a player as he ruthlessly competes against his peers to become number one.
6/14 Naruto (2002-2007)
220 episodes
Since seasons one through nine of Naruto are leaving Netflix soon, now is the perfect time to migrate over to Crunchyroll and pick the series up. Naruto is a classic shonen anime series and has maintained its stronghold in the genre’s “big-three” since its 2002 premiere.
Seasons one through nine make up the first part of the Naruto series before Shippuden. These seasons show Naruto as a fledgling shinobi trying to make his way in the world and stand out from his peers. Some of Naruto’s best arcs take place during seasons one through nine, like the Chunin Exams.
5/14 My Hero Academia (2016-Present)
120 episodes
My Hero Academia’s sixth season recently premiered and features one of the most highly-anticipated story arcs. My Hero Academia follows Izuku Midoriya after he goes from being a quirkless wonder to a pro-hero with an entire roster of overpowered quirks.
My Hero Academia is a brilliant newer generation shonen series with a memorable art style, well-thought-out world-building, and an ensemble cast with a personality for every viewer to love. Its villains are just as lovable as the heroes and every fight lives up to the hype.
4/14 Tokyo Revengers (2021-Present)
24 episodes
Tokyo Revengers was the breakout anime during the summer 2021 season. Tokyo Revengers stars Takemichi, a 26-year-old man whose life is at rock bottom. When things couldn’t get any worse, Takemichi discovers that his high school sweetheart was killed in a tragic accident.
After that, Takemichi gets caught in time-traveling back to middle school to prevent her death from having occurred. However, this leads to run-ins with violent middle school gangs, and it changes the course of Takemichi’s life forever. Tokyo Revengers is an action-packed series with a great soundtrack and an ensemble cast full of lovable characters.
3/14 Jujutsu Kaisen 0 (2021 Film)
105 minutes
Jujutsu Kaisen 0 was recently added to Crunchyroll’s library. Jujutsu Kaisen 0 serves as a prequel to the main series, taking place a year before Yuji swallows Sukuna’s fingers. It introduces fan-favorite characters and recurring antagonists in a brand new light, providing context for certain individuals and events mentioned in the main series.
Jujutsu Kaisen 0 stars Yuta Okkotsu, who is haunted by Rika Orimoto, his childhood friend who became a vengeful cursed spirit after dying in an accident. Yuta attends Tokyo Jujutsu High to become a sorcerer and unravel his curse. As expected from any MAPPA project, Jujutsu Kaisen 0 features brilliant animation, stunning visuals, well-choreographed fights, and a beautiful soundtrack.
2/14 Chainsaw Man (2022-Present)
12 episodes
Chainsaw Man was the most anticipated anime of the fall 2022 season. It’s manga has garnered a devoted cult following, so fans had high expectations for the first episode. Luckily, MAPPA did not disappoint.
Chainsaw Man follows Denji, an impoverished teenager who hunts devils for the yakuza to pay off his dad’s debt. Unfortunately, the yakuza betrayed him and tried killing him. Denji’s canine companion and the Chainsaw Devil, Pochita, merged with his heart and revived him. After that, Denji joined the Public Safety Devil Hunters to defeat the gun devil and score with a girl in the process.
1/14 Spy X Family (2022-Present)
25 Episodes
Spy X Family was the breakout anime during the spring 2022 season. It’s a shonen series that’s equally as lighthearted as it is action-packed. Spy X Family stars Twilight, a spy who must infiltrate a school to prevent a war. To do so, Twilight takes on the name “Loid Forger” and creates a makeshift family.
Twilight adopts Anya, totally unaware that she’s a powerful telepath whose true origins are unknown. Then, he marries Yor, a seemingly unassuming city hall clerk who’s actually a master assassin. They all keep their true identities secret from each other and chaos ensues.