Crunchyroll Brings Major Isekai Anime Hit to the Big Screen in New International Movie Release
Isekai anime shows no signs of slowing down as one of the biggest hits of the genre in recent years goes worldwide with a brand-new movie.
Rimuru Tempest’s next adventure is going international, with anime streaming service Crunchyroll confirming that it will screen the upcoming feature film, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime the Movie: Tears of the Azure Sea, in theaters around the world. Crunchyroll announced the release at its NYCC 2205 stage, confirming that it will bring the movie to franchise fans worldwide (excluding “most Asian territories”).
Crunchyroll Brings New Reincarnated as a Slime Anime Movie to Theaters in Worldwide Release
This marks the series’ second journey to the big screen, following the 2022 film That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime The Movie: Scarlet Bond, which had a limited theatrical release internationally via Crunchyroll. The Crunchyroll Tears of the Azure Sea release announcement infers a larger-scale premiere, marking a significant milestone for the series even in the wake of the impending conclusion of the mainline anime series. Similar to Scarlet Bond, the upcoming Tears of the Azure Sea will be an original spinoff story from series’ creator Fuse.
The film’s official synopsis reads, “After concluding the opening ceremony of the Demon Kingdom Federation Tempest, Rimuru and his companions are invited by the Celestial Emperor Hermesia of the great elven nation – the Magi Dynasty Salion – to visit her private resort island. As the group enjoys their brief vacation, a mysterious woman named Yura appears. A new incident unfolds against the backdrop of the boundless azure sea.”
Tears of the Azure Sea was first announced in September 2024 following the conclusion of the anime’s third season, alongside confirmation that a fourth season was in development. A teaser trailer released in February 2025 also revealed a Japanese premiere date of Feb. 27, 2026. Crunchyroll’s new announcement included an English-subtitled version of the teaser trailer. However, its international release date has yet to be confirmed.
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime began as a fantasy light novel series by Fuse, first self-published online from 2013 to 2016 before receiving a manga adaptation by Taiki Kawakami. The story follows an ordinary man reincarnated into a new world as a slime monster named Rimuru Tempest, who rises to power while building alliances and founding a nation of monsters. The franchise has since expanded into multiple spin-offs and anime seasons. It currently boasts more than 56 million total copies sold worldwide, becoming a staple of the isekai genre.
