Crunchyroll is one of the world’s largest anime streaming service in the world right now. Which means that it’s almost a monopoly at this point. Unfortunately, this means that Crunchyroll has the sole license to stream a bunch of anime series here in the U.S.. So what do you think happens when Crunchyroll just decides to remove an anime series from its streaming service? Well, that’s the topic of today’s story.
Crunchyroll has removed multiple classic anime series from their streaming service, all without warning and official statement even afterwards. With much of those removals happening this month in July 2026, and with said anime now no longer even searchable on their streaming platform. The list of anime Crunchyroll are suddenly removing is disturbingly large, and keeps growing with each passing day. Again, all with zero explanation from Crunchyroll on the subject, or even a notice before their removals. You can check out the full list of anime Crunchyroll disappeared from their streaming service (along with non-functional links, trailers, and synopses pulled directly from Crunchyroll themselves) below:
Crunchyroll Anime Removed from Service
Black Lagoon
Rokuro’s mundane trip to South East Asia turns from pleasure cruise to festival of pain when modern-day pirates take him hostage. Revy, Dutch, and Benny are the ruthless crew of the Black Lagoon. For them, getting shot at while smuggling drugs, guns, and stolen goods is part of a typical day at work—and Rokuro is joining the team.
Blood Blockade Battlefront
A breach between Earth and the netherworld has opened up over the city of New York, trapping New Yorkers and creatures from other dimensions in an impenetrable bubble.
Barakamon
BARAKAMON follows the story of Seishu Handa- a calligrapher, who as a punishment from punching another famous calligrapher is outlawed to a small island. As a city boy will Seishu be able to adapt to his new environment?
Grimgar, Ashes and Illusions
From A-1 Pictures, the studio behind Fairy Tail and Sword Art Online: When Haruhiro awakens, he’s in the dark surrounded by people who have no memory of where they came from or how they got there. As the darkness fades, a fantastic new world called “Grimgar” appears before them and their adventure begins—but first, they’ll have to choose their guild, class, and special abilities.
Orange
During the spring of her second year of high school, Naho receives a letter. Its sender is herself from ten years in the future. Naho thinks it’s a prank at first, but when the things written in the letter start to come true one by one, she realizes that the letter is telling her events that will happen in her future. It tells her that she’ll fall in love with Kakeru, a new student who transfers to her school, and that he’ll die in the winter of his 17th year. After learning the regrets and wishes of the 26-year-old Naho following Kakeru’s death, what can the 16-year-old Naho do differently?
Rokka: Brave of the Six Flowers
Legend says, when the Evil God awakens from the deepest of darkness, the god of fate will summon Six Braves and grant them with the power to save the world. Adlet, who claims to be the strongest on the face of this earth, is chosen as one of the “Brave Six Flowers,” and sets out on a battle to prevent the resurrection of the Evil God. However, it turns out that there are Seven Braves who gathered at the promised land…
As the Gods Will (Live-Action Movie)
High school student Shun Takahata is bored. Bored with the day-to-day monotony of school and life, he prays for change, for something exciting. The last thing he expects is for the gods to answer. Suddenly, he and his classmates are forced to play deadly children’s games and face terrifying creatures from a talking Daruma doll to a sharp-clawed lucky cat. Who will survive the gods’ games?
Crunchyroll’s Removal of Anime Series (Plus a Live-Action Movie) Gives Us No Legal Way to Watch Them Anymore
I did end up lying just a bit. One of the things Crunchyroll removed from their streaming service is a live-action movie rather than an anime series, but that’s just quibbling at this point. It doesn’t change the underlying fact that Crunchyroll has now made it so that there is no legal way to watch any of these anime series and that movie. None whatsoever. After all, they held the sole license for them all. They don’t even give any reason why either, and seem determined to bury the news by not announcing it at all.
Unfortunately, this means that the only way to watch these anime series is through pirating. Because if you take away all legal ways to watch an anime or any other media, then the only way left are illegal means. That’s why piracy is a thing, and unfortunately, piracy is the only way to keep these anime series and that movie from becoming lost media. Well, better prepare your anti-malware software, and go on that internet high seas adventure if you wish to watch any of these anime.
What do you all think? Are you too furious at Crunchyroll for removing all legal ways to watch these anime series? And without even so much as an explanation or even any hint of an advance notice? Tell us your swashbuckling thoughts in the comments section below.
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