Anime exclusives have become a selling point for anime fans around the world. With more companies taking notice and interest in anime’s growing popularity, many platforms are becoming the home of exclusives that can’t be watched anywhere else. For years, Crunchyroll was the go-to service for streaming anime; however, it’s beginning to face some serious competition.
Netflix, in particular, has been investing in anime and producing new series and films that are available only on its platform. Similarly, Disney is beginning to acquire rights to certain anime titles, prompting anime fans to watch only on specific platforms. However, Crunchyroll remains the home to must-watch exclusives that anime fans can’t afford to miss.
Gachiakuta
Gachiakuta follows Rudo, an orphan who scavenges in the slums of a floating city known as the Sphere, finding worth in items that were cast out. When he’s falsely accused of murdering his foster father, Regto, Rudo is exiled to the Pit, a vast abyss of discarded trash. There, he must learn to adapt and fight in order to survive.
Along his journey, he joins the Cleaners, a group of outcasts who wield Vital Instruments as weapons, objects that are infused with a soul, born from a user’s intense feelings. As he learns to hone this new ability, he must also face Trash Beasts and Raiders while aiming to exact vengeance on the person who killed his father.
The series was released in July 2025 with its first season running for 24 episodes. Gachiakuta stands out for its unique power system, compelling cast, and gritty atmosphere, immediately drawing viewers into Rudo’s world. It quickly became a popular series on Crunchyroll, with many praising its style, compelling characters, and rich worldbuilding.
Solo Leveling
Solo Leveling centers on Sung Jinwoo, once known as the world’s weakest hunter in a world filled with dangerous dungeons. In order to support his family, Jinwoo continuously risks his life as a hunter, despite the fact that he’s a low-level E-rank. However, his life is completely altered when his party enters a double dungeon, leading to a near-fatal encounter.
Jinwoo is one of the few members to escape with his life, soon finding that he possesses an unheard-of ability to level up through a mysterious System that refers to him as the Player. The System then allows Jinwoo to continuously grow as a Hunter, leading him down a path in which he becomes the most powerful Hunter.
Solo Leveling premiered in January 2024 and ran for two seasons, totaling 25 episodes. While a third season is unconfirmed, many anticipate its return. The series is fast-paced, thrilling, and filled with stunning animation that keeps audiences engaged from start to finish. Solo Leveling is the most-rated title on Crunchyroll and has played a significant role in popularizing manhwa.
Lord of Mysteries
Lord of Mysteries follows Zhou Mingrui, a modern-day Chinese man who finds himself transmigrated into a steampunk Victorian-era world as Klein Moretti. In this new, unfamiliar world, Klein must learn to navigate secret societies, solve mysteries, and uncover the truth behind his transmigration.
To achieve his goals and learn more about the world, he becomes a Beyonder, someone who gains supernatural powers after drinking a special potion, and forms the Tarot Club, a secret organization in which Beyonders can meet and share information.
Lord of Mysteries is a Chinese anime, known as donghua, that first aired in June 2025 and consists of 13 episodes. The series is most known for its stunning, jaw-dropping animation and atmospheric setting, creating a world that draws viewers in from the very first scenes.
While the first season may be fast-paced, the creators behind the project have announced ambitious plans, including seven seasons and a feature-length movie, assuring fans that the series will be around for a long time.
Takopi’s Original Sin
Takopi’s Original Sin follows Takopi, an octopus-like alien from Planet Happy who arrives on Earth to spread joy. When it meets Shizuka, a young girl who is bullied, neglected, and abused, Takopi becomes determined to use his advanced gadgets to cheer her up. Instead, despite Takopi’s good intentions, the alien’s intervention leads to unintended consequences.
Using a time-bending device, Takopi tries to fix its wrongs; however, it only becomes more entangled and leads to increasingly disastrous outcomes. Takopi grows from its naivety and learns that it can’t force happiness and that not all problems are easy to solve.
The anime adaptation was released in June 2025 and consists of six episodes. It’s short enough to fit into most schedules or weekends and is called a masterpiece by many viewers. The story doesn’t shy away from dark themes, including trauma, mental health, and suicide, handling the topics with care while not sugar-coating its depiction.
To Be Hero X
To Be Hero X is another donghua, taking place in a world where heroes’ powers are derived from public trust, quantified as Trust Values that appear on their wrists. The story follows the top ten heroes, exploring their unique powers, strengths, and motivations ahead of a biannual tournament to determine who will earn the title of X, the strongest hero.
The story explores each individual as well as the burdens of heroism, including the cost of fame and public perception, corrupt agencies, and the commercialization of heroes. To Be Hero X blends comedy with action and heart, with the story unafraid to explore the darkest aspects of hero work.
To Be Hero X premiered in April 2025 and consists of 24 episodes. The series is known for its experimental style that blends 3D and various 2D animations, stunning visuals, and an interactive feature that allowed fans to vote for their favorite characters and influence the events in the next season.
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- founded
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May 14, 2006
- notable shows
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In/Spectre, Tower of God, Blade Runner: Black Lotus, Shenmue the Animation
Crunchyroll is a North American-based streaming service owned by Sony that focuses largely on Japanese anime but also covers several East Asian drama series. The service is available in several countries and has a small catalog of self-created and published series, with most of its content licensed with partners overseas.
