5 More Critically Acclaimed Anime Crunchyroll Removed & You Can’t Stream Anywhere Else

There’s no denying that Crunchyroll is the largest streaming platform for anime fans across the world, home to over a thousand series and movies. Each year, the platform adds a few dozen new shows and films to make them more accessible for international fans. The benefit of using this platform is that fans can find a large number of series and films can be found on Crunchyroll, including older classics and the latest hits. However, it’s also not rare for the platform to quietly remove some beloved shows without any announcement or prior notice. These removals mostly happen when the licence expires, forcing Crunchyroll to remove them from its library.

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Even though certain anime are exclusive to the platform, Crunchyroll only buys the streaming rights for a certain period of time. In a few years, the license expires, but the platform always has an option to renew it. However, it completely depends on the popularity of the anime. Regardless of critical acclaim, if an anime doesn’t have a good enough viewership, the platform would prefer to never add it again. Every few months or so, incredible anime were removed from Crunchyroll, and now fans in the U.S. can’t stream them anywhere. Last month, Comicbook shared a list of seven such incredible anime, but there are a few more fans can’t stream anywhere now.

5) Rokka: Braves of the Six Flowers

This underrated action fantasy never released a second season, and it might never return after the sudden removal from the platform. The story centers on an ancient legend, with the revival of the Demon God, six heroes dubbed the Braves of the Six Flowers. These incredible heroes 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. Adlet Mayer, self-proclaimed Strongest Man in the World, could never have imagined he would become one of the chosen ones. The story follows him as he embarks on a destined journey to fight the Demon God and meets up with the fellow heroes. However, things take a drastic turn when seven heroes are present instead of six, leading everyone to believe Adlet is a fraud, leaving him no choice but to prove his innocence. However, it is easier said than done when each of the Braves is powerful in their own way.

4) Grimgar, Ashes and Illusions

Grimgar Ashes Illusions — Image Courtesy of TOHO Animation

This underrated isekai is yet another unique anime that never returned with a second season. The story follows a group of strangers who wake up in a mysterious fantasy world with no memories of their past lives. Unlike the generic isekai shows where the reincarnated or transmigrated characters adapt to their surroundings quickly, this anime doesn’t shy away from showing the brutal reality of being powerless and unprepared. It’s a story of survival as it follows ordinary people who have been 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 while they try to come out of this dangerous world alive. What truly sets this anime apart is that the lack of overpowered characters and the fear of death makes the story deeply human, as the group relies on teamwork, trial and error, and bonds to survive.

3) Darker Than Black

Darker Than Black Hei — Image Courtesy of Studio Bones

Darker Than Black is one of the forgotten classics that never stood the test of time despite having an exceptional story. This original anime was produced by Studio Bones, one of the most renowned studios in the industry, which is all the more reason why it’s disappointing that new anime fans may never be able to watch it. The story focuses on covert agents known as “Contractors,” who exchange their humanity for supernatural powers. The anime adaptation got its start in 2007 with a full season of 25 episodes. It also released a sequel series in 2009, thanks to Darker Than Black: Gemini of Meteor, further expanding on its world. With the series also receiving a spin-off anime in 2010 of four episodes in Darker Than Black: Gaiden, the franchise deserves to return to the platform thanks to its unique storytelling. While the anime doesn’t have any plans for returning with a new season or a spin-off, this original story is more than exciting enough with a fairly conclusive ending.

2) Orange

Orange Anime — Image Courtesy of Telecom Animation Film

Even after more than a decade since its premiere, this time travel drama gets praise for its exceptional story and unique concept. While not a mainstream hit, the series always had a dedicated fanbase, even if it’s been reduced over the past few years. The story follows Naho Takamiya, whose first day of her sophomore year of high school takes a strange turn. She wakes up late and finds a mysterious letter addressed to her, but she never expected that the letter was from herself 10 years in the future. Although she is initially skeptical, after witnessing several events described in the note actually taking place, she realizes the letter really is from her 26-year-old self. The letter details Naho’s future full of regrets and hopes her younger self can correct the mistakes that she made in the past. With the knowledge of the future in her hands, she carefully makes decisions on how to avoid repeating the mistakes her future self made.

1) Akame Ga Kill

Akame Ga Kill is more a controversial entry than a critically acclaimed one, but there’s no denying that the series is still pretty popular among fans. The anime was only removed from Crunchyroll this week, after its sudden removal from HIDIVE earlier. Since the manga ended two years after the anime, fans got a completely new ending. The manga ending was much happier and more satisfying compared to the controversial anime finale. The animation studio ignored everything the manga did right and opted for a tragic conclusion with the death of the protagonist. However, he survives in the manga, even though he was forced to live with the consequences of the war. It’s not only Tatsumi, but even some of the side characters had different endings in the manga. The ending is one of the reasons why the series lost its popularity, as it seems meaningless when none of the major characters actually live to see the rebellion’s victory, even if they fought so hard for it.

Which of these incredible anime do you think deserves to return to Crunchyroll, and are there any other removed titles you’d add to the list? Let me know in the comments below.