It’s gonna be (Ani)-May. Crunchyroll has revealed a whole new promotional campaign to celebrate its second annual Ani-May where fans will be able to watch and show off their passion for their favorite anime via merch from various participating retailers in the US and selected international territories.
Merchandise from various fan-favorite shows will be made available, including but not limited to the currently airing Black Butler, the classic Tokyo Ghoul, the grisly Chainsaw Man, Solo Leveling (which recently concluded its first season and confirmed a second season), along with Anime of the Year winner Jujutsu Kaisen. Also included in the campaign are Spy x Family and Haikyuu!!, both of which just released films with the latter premiering the first part of the two-part finale later in May alongside the show making headlines for streaming on both Crunchyroll and X, formerly known as Twitter in Kaiju No. 8. Finally, the ever-popular My Hero Academia with its seventh season launching on May 4 will be prominently featured in the campaign.
In the U.S. and Canada, fans will be able to buy merch from the aforementioned series in select Hot Topic locations. Barnes and Noble bookstores in the U.S. will also have selected titles on sale for their Ani-May DVD/Blu-Ray home video sale.
International fans need not fret about missing out on Ani-May this year as Gameplanet, Grupo Control, Riachuelo, and Falabella will bring the festivities to fans in Mexico and South America. Gameplanet and Riachuelo stores in Mexico and Brazil will feature digital signage promoting the campaign. Gameplanet stores will also have home goods products from select anime while Riachuelo will have in-store signage and special T-shirts launching at their FanLab Stores. T-shirts can also be purchased at both Grupo Control and Falabella stores.
Fans in Europe will also get to enjoy the Ani-May celebration, adding to this year’s international expansion. 150 HMV locations in the U.K., Ireland, and Belgium will not only have a plethora of anime merch for fans to purchase, fans can also find the exclusive early home video release of Mob Psycho Season 3, KONOSUBA – An Explosion on This Wonderful World!, and Seasons 1 and 2 of Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out! on Blu-Ray/DVD.
Games Academy/Funside in Italy will feature promotional activation at 50 retail stores as well as their online community with even more surprises available on their app. In France, Cultura will reveal more about their anime merchandise and manga offerings throughout the month with specifically branded areas in 105 stores. Spanish fans can visit El Corte Ingles for a wide selection of anime products.
German and Austrian fans can go to Thalia for exclusive Jujutsu Kaisen, Kaiju No. 8, Spy x Family, Chainsaw Man, Demon Slayer, and Hell’s Paradise merch. Mueller will offer a catalog of manga titles that include Jujutsu Kaisen, Spy x Family, Blue Lock, Choujin X, Dandadan, and more. It doesn’t stop there for German fans: Gamestop locations will have an exclusive iron-on to anyone who buys more than two Crunchyroll items in 70 of its participating outlets. Retailer MediaSaturn will have manga, exclusive merch, and home entertainment for Jujutsu Kaisen, Spy x Family, and Chainsaw Man while Hugendubel will also have exclusive merch for the aforementioned titles.
Fans in Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia can visit XS Toys for a special selection of merch that includes plush toys, figures, and collectibles.
In addition, fans across Europe will get a chance at the ultimate Crunchyroll experience where they’ll have the opportunity to score a weekend in Paris with VIP access to the Crunchyroll booth at this year’s Japan Expo.
Starting from May 1 to 14, the Crunchyroll Store will feature a home video sale of up to 60% and 70% off selected titles starting on May 15. Beginning May 1, fans can also receive a complimentary and exclusive 2024 Hime Ani-May pin if their orders exceed more than $75 before shipping. Each week during the campaign will also feature a featured anime series with Chainsaw Man kicking things off on May 1, Kaiju No. 8 and Solo Leveling tag-teaming on May 8, Dragon Ball Super on May 22, and Jujutsu Kaisen rounding the month off on May 29.
Viewers can also breathe a sigh of relief for their wallets as Crunchyroll has also made 20 anime series available to watch for free with ads, for the month of May. The full list is as follows:
- Assassination Classroom
- Blue Exorcist
- Bungo Stray Dogs
- Chainsaw Man
- Cowboy Bebop
- Dr. STONE
- Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
- Goblin Slayer
- Haikyuu!!
- Heaven Official’s Blessing
- Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid
- Overlord
- Rent-a-Girlfriend
- Solo Leveling
- Soul Eater
- Tokyo Ghoul
- Tokyo Revengers
- VINLAND SAGA
- Yu Yu Hakusho
Source: Crunchyroll
