Launched in 2017, Crunchyroll has risen through the ranks to become the biggest global streaming platform for anime. Naturally, this means that a large number of anime series can be found on the website, including new ones that are being released every week. Each quarter, the streaming platform releases a new list of anime line-ups and shares the release dates of its subbed and dubbed versions (if there are any). Since a large number of anime end up on this platform, anime fans often rely on it to search for and watch more and more shows. However, this month, the platform quietly removed more incredible anime series without any announcement, as usual.
And the worst part is that there are no other platforms where you can stream them legally now. Since Crunchyroll didn’t make an announcement, there’s no confirmation as to why they took this step. However, the most likely reason could be licensing issues or lower viewership. While all three of these series are critically acclaimed, they are also underrated and were released several years ago, so it’s all the more difficult to attract new viewers.
6) Black Lagoon
Black Lagoon remains one of the best action anime ever put to screen regardless of its dwindling popularity over the years since its initial release. The show came out in 2006 and had an OVA mini-series, titled Roberta’s Blood Trail, released after it came to an end. It’s a spectacle of violence and crime, with many of the main cast leading a life outside of the law. Black Lagoon doesn’t skimp on the gore or the brutality that its setting lends to, and is one of the rare anime series that doesn’t feel overly dark for the sake of being edgy.
In Black Lagoon, we follow the Lagoon Company, a band of mercenaries for hire, operating out of the crime-ridden city of Roanapur. There’s a colorful cast of characters entrenched in the city’s lifestyle, with warring factions and opposing sides constantly getting into skirmishes. The series also boasts one of the most iconic gunslinger characters ever seen in anime with Revy, a character often depicted in most of the show’s promotional material. If you enjoy fast-paced, complex anime with a healthy dose of fighting, Black Lagoon is a must watch.
5) Blood Blockade Battlefront
Blood Blockade Battlefront (alternatively known as Kekkai Sensen), is a battle shonen anime released in 2017. The show was praised for its comedic, quirky storyline, captivating character roster, and unique animation style. If you’re looking for a lighthearted, funny anime with plenty of action sequences, then Blood Blockade Battlefront will be right up your alley. In a genre saturated with dark themes and grim arcs, it’s refreshing to watch a show that doesn’t take itself or the topics it presents too seriously.
The plot line of Blood Blockade Battlefront is set in a world where a portal opened up, creating a link between the demon realm and the human world. In this new world, our protagonist Leonardo Watch, a photographer, gains All-Seeing Eyes that allow him to analyze, notice, and observe far more than the average person. This newfound power has recruited Leo into Libra, a vigilante group that tasks itself with protecting the city from the supernatural creatures plaguing the streets as a result of the merging worlds. Leonardo must work with Libra to protect humanity from the numerous threats presented, such as vampires, demons, and a dangerous group called The Thirteen Kings.
4) Rokka: Brave of the Six Flowers
According to an ancient legend, with the revival of the Demon God, six heroes—the Braves of the Six Flowers—will be chosen by the Goddess of Fate, granting them power to rise up against the fiends attempting to turn the world into a living hell. The story centers around Adlet Mayer, self-proclaimed “Strongest Man in the World,” who has arrived at the continent of Piena in hopes of becoming a Brave. He is ultimately chosen as one of the six heroes shortly after being greeted by Nashetania Loei Piena Augustra, crown princess and fellow Brave.
The story follows the two as they embark upon their destined journey to fight the Demon God, intending to meet up with their fellow heroes at a small temple outside of the Land of the Howling Demons, the fiends’ domain. However, when they finally unite, seven heroes are present, and soon they begin to suspect Adlet to be a fraud. Now on the run, Adlet does everything he can to utilize his unique skill set and wit in a fight for his life to identify which member of the group is the true impostor before it’s too late.
3) Orange
The story follows Naho Takamiya, whose first day of her sophomore year of high school is off to an uneasy start. After waking up late, she receives a strange letter addressed to her. However, she never expected that the letter is from herself—10 years in the future. Although she is initially skeptical of the note, after witnessing several events described to take place, she realizes the letter really is from her 26-year-old self.
It details that Naho’s future life is filled with regrets, and she hopes that her younger self can correct the mistakes that were made in the past. The letter also warns her to keep a close eye on the new transfer student, Kakeru Naruse. With the knowledge of the future in her hands, Naho must be especially careful in making decisions involving him, as Kakeru is not around in the future. With the letter as her guide, Naho now has the power to protect Kakeru before she comes to regret it once more.
2) Grimgar, Ashes and Illusions
In Grimgar: Ashes and Illusions, survival is the name of the game. A group of strangers wakes up in a mysterious, medieval fantasy world with no memories of their past lives. Unlike most isekai, where characters quickly adapt to their new surroundings, this anime shows the brutal reality of being powerless and unprepared.
The protagonists aren’t heroes — they’re just ordinary people thrust into a dangerous world where they must fight monsters for food and money. Their struggles are visceral and slow-paced, emphasizing the weight of every decision. Death is permanent, and battles are messy, desperate affairs. The lack of overpowered characters makes the story deeply human, as the group relies on teamwork, trial and error, and bonds to survive.
1) Barakamon
Barakamon has more of a summer vibe than a fall season vibe, but in a way, it also mirrors the feeling of autumn as it focuses on slowing down from a hectic life and living in the moment. This heartwarming story of redemption and self-discovery is often considered one of the best slice-of-life anime of all time.
The story takes place on a quiet, small island where Sei Handa, a renowned calligrapher, has recently moved after hitting an elderly curator of a calligraphy exhibition. His father sends him to a remote island to help him clear his head. Although Sei initially has a hard time adapting to the countryside lifestyle, he blends right in thanks to the friendly neighbors and the notorious young girl named Naru Kotoishi.
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