Anime streaming service Crunchyroll has announced that for the upcoming Spring 2022 season they will be making a change to how fans can stream simulcasts of newly released shows. Previously, the streamer has allowed viewers to watch new releases on their free, ad-supported tier one week after their initial release. Now, customers must be subscribed to either a premium monthly or annual subscription to watch the episodes in season.
To aid in the transition to the new plan, Crunchyroll will be offering a “seasonal sampler” of select series for free to start the season. The first three episodes of eight series will be available for free, ad-supported simulcast viewing through May 31, at which time all episodes of the simulcast series will move to the premium subscription access.
The shows that will be a part of the seasonal sampler are:
- “Spy x Family”
- “A Couple of Cuckoos”
- “Dawn of the Witch”
- “Tomodachi Game”
- “Skeleton Knight in Another World”
- “Shikimori’s Not Just a Cutie”
- “The Greatest Demon Lord is Reborn as a Typical Nobody”
- “Trapped in a Dating Sim: The World of Otome Games is Tough for Mobs”
This change will not impact previously released seasons on the service as they will remain available to those on the free tier. Crunchyroll still intends to offer free content, including more than 1,000 hours of programming currently available through their ad-supported tier.
Fans can try out Crunchyroll’s premium membership — which includes full access to simulcasts — catalog with a 14-day free trial.
Crunchyroll
Crunchyroll is a subscription video streaming service catering to fans of anime with over 30,000 episodes. Viewers can see new episodes of shows one hour after they air in Japan, and read hundreds of chapters across dozens of manga titles. Some of their more popular titles are Dragon Ball Super, Attack on Titan, and Fire Force.