10 Perfect Crunchyroll Anime Titles
As anime continues its meteoric global rise in popularity, the top streaming services in the world are battling one another to get the newest, most exciting titles into their libraries. Even just a decade ago, anime fans would have to search the corners of the internet for something new to watch.
Now, both the biggest and more niche titles are available at any time, just a few clicks away. Leading the way in the anime scene is Crunchyroll, offering new episodes released the same time they air in Japan, alongside several of the smash-hit certified classics.
These days, with so many shows instantly available, it can be difficult to settle on something to watch next. Fortunately, Crunchyroll has fans of all genres covered, and these 8 titles are can’t-miss masterpieces for any new or longtime anime fan.
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
Animated by Madhouse, Based on the Manga by Kanehito Yamada and Tsukasa Abe
In a modern anime landscape dominated by the top shōnen action hits, 2023’s Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End gave anime fans something a little different, and rose to sky-high levels of popularity with a fresh and unique spin on the more traditional fantasy tale.
Rather than following the typical traveler’s party on their journey to save the kingdom or world, Frieren follows the titular elven mage long after her triumphant victory, and all the fame that comes along with it. As an elf, Frieren does not age like her human companions do, and she must learn to deal with a new set of challenges, including overcoming grief and moving on.
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is a slow-burn experience that will consistently catch viewers off-guard, reducing them to a puddle of tears before wrapping them up in a warm, aesthetically pleasing world with its high-quality visuals and stunning music. The series will return in January 2026 to follow up its incredibly successful first season.
Steins;Gate
Animated by White Fox, Based on the Visual Novel by 5pb. and Nitroplus
As anime continues to evolve, and the popular tropes shift in accordance with the latest trends, 2011’s Steins;Gate feels like the triumphant final stand of an anime culture that has largely been left behind. The visual novel adaptation craze that swept the industry has come to pass, and Steins;Gate stands as an encapsulation of what made the era so special.
Following self-proclaimed mad scientist Rintaro Okabe, the series moseys on through a number of branching stories in typical visual novel fashion, before suddenly accelerating down a winding path of suspenseful and emotional twists and turns in its second half.
Steins;Gate offers endless excitement and heartbreak, especially when it finds its groove a few episodes in, and delivers it with all the charm of an anime culture that’s largely dead and buried.
Cowboy Bebop
Animated by Sunrise, Original Anime Series
Nearly 30 years on from its premiere, there’s little left to be said about Cowboy Bebop that hasn’t already been said. From its influence on creators in various mediums of entertainment around the world, to its continued popularity decades after its airing, Cowboy Bebop has achieved legendary status.
The dramatic, overly stylish Space Western remains just as fresh and unique today as it was in 1998, and for fans of the ’90s anime aesthetic, no where is it better than in Cowboy Bebop. The series follows bounty hunter Spike Spiegel, and incorporates a variety of genres while exploring some heavier themes, all while Spike’s crew grows in size.
From the very jump, Cowboy Bebop demands the audience’s attention, telling an emotional and suspenseful story in one of the greatest first episodes in anime history.
Haikyuu!!
Animated by Production I.G, Based on the Manga by Haruichi Furudate
Of the most popular genres in anime, including battle shōnen, fantasy, isekai, and more, one that doesn’t get quite as much attention as it deserves is the sports genre. Despite boasting one of the greatest series ever in Slam Dunk, as well as a modern smash-hit in Blue Lock, anime fans just don’t seem to celebrate the sports genre like they do others.
Telling stories of triumph, the importance of teamwork, bonding, and friendship, sports anime are often highly emotional and entertaining journeys, and the long-running mega-hit series Haikyuu!! embodies all the genre’s best traits.
Haikyuu!! follows Shoyo Hinata and the Karasuno High School volleyball team, and packs in all the dramatic, overly stretched matches a sports anime fan could dream of.
Mob Psycho 100
Animated by Bones, Based on the Manga by ONE
Though artist ONE may be better known for his incredibly popular comedic superhero series One-Punch Man, it can be argued that his best work was done on the supernatural comedy action masterpiece, Mob Psycho 100. The series follows Mob, a middle-school esper whose powers are great, but costly.
Due to an incident when he was younger, Mob forces himself to subdue his abilities, which are tied to the strength of his emotions. From start to finish, Mob Psycho 100 is an action-packed masterclass in battle shōnen storytelling, with visuals that rival today’s biggest hit series.
While shows like Demon Slayer are credited for shaping the landscape of anime into what it is today, the impact of Mob Psycho 100 is often undervalued, having opened the door for other artists in the genre to begin telling far more personal, character-driven shōnen action stories.
Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Animated by Shaft, Original Anime Series
Classic, influential anime cannot be discussed without mention of the magical girl genre. A mainstay of popular anime and manga for decades, the genre was forever changed with the airing of 2011’s Puella Magi Madoka Magica. Advertising itself as a standard magical girl experience, viewers were shocked to find anything but.
Puella Magi Madoka Magica flips the genre upside down and puts a magnifying glass to the darker aspects of the magical girl lifestyle, using experimental visuals to further deliver its highly psychological themes to its audience.
For unsuspecting viewers, the tonal switch that comes with the twist early on in the series is shocking and unforgettable in all the best ways.
Kaguya-sama: Love Is War
Animated by A-1 Pictures, Based on the Manga by Aka Akasaka
Romance has long been one of anime’s top genres. Whether in classroom settings, fantasy worlds, office spaces, or backed by mundane everyday scenery, even the most hardened of action anime fans are powerless to at least one wholesome romantic comedy series.
The genre’s tropes are tried and true, and nowhere are they utilized, deconstructed, and even parodied better than they are in Kaguya-sama: Love Is War.
The series follows student council president of the illustrious Shuuchin Academy, Miyuki Shirogane, and vice president Kaguya Shinomiya, who are both hiding romantic feelings for one another, and will often go to war in order to keep those feelings hidden. The series features all that makes anime rom-coms so fun, and is a non-stop comedic, emotional roller coaster.
Attack on Titan
Animated by Wit Studio and MAPPA, Based on the Manga by Hajime Isayama
For over a decade, and despite finally coming to the end of its long, drawn-out final act in 2023, Attack on Titan has remained one of the most popular anime series ever. And its success is somewhat surprising, given its dark and rather violent narrative. Nevertheless, anime fans haven’t been able to resist the tale of Eren Yeager’s tragic downfall.
The characters and the world of Attack on Titan are complex, and have been studied endlessly since the anime’s debut in 2013. The series follows Eren Yeager and his two longtime childhood friends, Mikasa Ackerman and Armin Arlert, after their walled-in city falls at the hands of titans, causing the protagonist to vow his revenge.
By the time its final season rolled around, the airing of Attack on Titan became a celebration in the anime community every week, with fans taking to social media to discuss the most recent events. The series played a major part in anime’s ongoing rise in popularity, and it continues to attract new fans following its conclusion.
