Winter is finally over, and the night is no longer dark and full of terrors. Instead, it’s full of new anime to watch. Spring has arrived with a wave of returning favorites, new original shows, and anticipated adaptations all vying for your attention and screen time.
If you can only subscribe to one anime streaming service, then you might want the one with the biggest library that offers new episodes almost immediately after they premiere in Japan. In that case, Crunchyroll continues to be your best option. To give you a sense of what’s ahead, here’s every anime that will be simulcast on Crunchyroll as part of the spring anime season.
New Spring Anime: Highlights on Crunchyroll
Dorohedoro Season 2
Premieres April 1
The first season of Dorohedoro was one of the wildest things to happen in 2020, which is saying a lot. After an excruciatingly long wait, the show is finally back. This is a wacky, bonkers anime set in a hell hole of a city so miserable its citizens call it The Hole, which is constantly visited by sorcerers from another dimension who do cruel experiments on the citizens. The focus is on a big man with a crocodile head who loves gyoza — really. Produced by studio MAPPA, Dorohedoro blends brutal, gory action with slice-of-life comedy and a kick-ass cyberpunk aesthetic. Don’t miss this one.
Daemons of the Shadow Realm
Premieres April 4
The highly anticipated new anime based on a manga by the creator of Fullmetal Alchemist is finally here. Daemons of the Shadow Realm has a fascinating and intriguing premise that packs some hard-hitting twists and reveals. The show focuses on a set of twins who are said to one day command mighty supernatural creatures known as daemons and save the world. This is a dark fantasy anime made by Bones, the legendary studio that adapted Fullmetal Alchemist, which already makes it a must-watch. Add in Hiromu Arakawa’s ability to craft memorable characters that are morally ambiguous and complex worlds, and there’s a lot to look forward to in Daemons of the Shadow Realm.
One Piece — Elbaph Arc
Premieres April 5
After Season 2 of the live action Netflix show, the One Piece anime is finally back, and it’s coming with some changes. Starting with this arc, the legendary anime is shifting to a seasonal format, meaning we’re only getting a maximum of 26 episodes per season. Though that means less One Piece, it also means the possibility for better and more concise pacing, which is great timing because we’re entering an exciting new story arc.
After escaping Egghead Island, the Straw Hats finally make it to the legendary Elbaph, land of the giants. Expect plenty of shenanigans (like adventures in Legoland!), tearful reunions, some wacky villains, plenty of spectacular fights, and the introduction of some of the best characters in all of One Piece.
Witch Hat Atelier
Premieres April 6
This is the big new fantasy anime premiere, an anime said to be the perfect filler for the Frieren-sized hole in your heart. Witch Hat Atelier is set in a world where only a privileged few can use magic. But when sweet young Coco discovers the huge secret to magic, she accidentally causes a tragedy that sets her on a path to becoming a witch apprentice and fix her mistakes. The two-part premiere introduces an interesting and complex world with a unique take on magic that’s more like a love letter to arts and craftsmanship. Coco’s journey is just starting, but it has the makings of a grand adventure.
Liar Game
Premieres April 6
Madhouse is one of the best anime studios out there, producing some absolute gems. This makes every new anime they announce something worth checking out, but when you combine that with a killer premise you have a must-watch for the upcoming anime season.
Liar Game follows a college student who gets a mysterious letter and a suitcase with 100 million yen, inviting her to participate in a high-stakes game of lies, deception and betrayal. In order to win, the student teams up with a former con artist to cheat and lie her way to taking the money from the other contestants and leaving them in giant debt. Imagine Squid Game but with less brutal killings and more psychological warfare. The original manga has been adapted into live-action film, TV, and even a stage play, showing the never-ending appeal of the story.
Everything Coming to Crunchyroll in April
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You can check out each anime’s descriptions and air dates on Crunchyroll’s website.
- Doroherodo Season 2
- Go For It, Nakamura-kun!!
- The Beginning After the End Season 2
- Reborn as a Vending Machine, I Now Wander the Dungeon Season 3
- Classroom of the Elite 4th Season: Second Year, First Semester
- Dr. STONE SCIENCE FUTURE Cour 3
- That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 4
- SNOWBALL EARTH
- The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten2
- Daemons of the Shadow Realm
- NEEDY GIRL OVERDOSE
- Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun Season 4
- Ascendance of a Bookworm: Adopted Daughter of an Archduke
- Kusunoki’s Garden of Gods
- Mistress Kanan is Devilishly Easy
- One Piece — Elbaph Arc
- GHOST CONCERT : missing Songs
- Witch Hat Atelier
- LIAR GAME
- An Observation Log of My Fiancée Who Calls Herself a Villainess
- The Klutzy Class Monitor and the Girl with the Short Skirt
- MARRIAGETOXIN
- Eren the Southpaw
- Even a Replica Can Fall in Love
- I Made Friends with the Second Prettiest Girl in My Class
- Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- Season 4
- Rent-a-Girlfriend Season 5
- Gals Can’t Be Kind to Otaku!?
- A Hundred Scenes of AWAJIMA
- Kujima: Why Sing, When You Can Warble?
- The Warrior Princess and the Barbaric King
- The Drops of God
- Botan Kamiina Fully Blossoms When Drunk
- Wistoria: Wand and Sword Season 2
- I Want to End This Love Game
More Anime Will Go Straight to Streaming Elsewhere
Crunchyroll has the biggest anime library, but there is increasingly more competition from other streamers both licensing and even producing their own anime series. This makes it harder for fans to watch every single show releasing each season.
In March, Netflix started streaming the highly anticipated new season of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Steel Ball Run, and will also release The Ramparts of Ice in April. Hulu is already streaming the rather bizarre anime Rooster Fight (imagine Attack on Titan but with a killer rooster), which is also airing on Adult Swim. And in a weird but welcome turn, the adaptation of Akane-banashi is going to be streaming completely legally and for free on YouTube.
Rafael Motamayor is a contributing freelancer for IGN covering everything anime and animation.
