During the Virtual Crunchyroll Expo, Crunchyroll announced a huge slate of new content and collaborations including Shenmue, a Crunchyroll and Adult Swim Production, a collaboration with Loot Crate, a home video deal with Sentai Filmworks, the return of Dr. Stone, and more.
Shenmue The Animation
First, Crunchyroll announced that it will partner again with Adult Swim on the production of Shenmue, an original anime series based on the beloved SEGA game franchise. This latest Crunchyroll and Adult Swim Production will stream worldwide outside of Japan and mainland China on Crunchyroll and air on Adult Swim’s Toonami in the domestic United States.
Crunchyroll describes the upcoming anime as such:
Shenmue is an anime series with 13 episodes, following the journey of Ryo Hazuki. After he witnesses his father’s murder at the family dojo, Ryo dedicates his life to finding the man responsible – a mission that takes him from the streets of Yokosuka, Japan to the sprawling metropolis of Hong Kong, and beyond. Soon he’ll learn that larger, mystical forces are at play as he trains to become the ultimate martial artist in his quest for revenge.
“The first Shenmue video game was released more than twenty years ago and we’re so excited to be working again with Adult Swim to bring this franchise to life through anime,” said Sarah Victor, head of development, Crunchyroll. “We’re eager to show our fans more of this action-packed adventure series as we move through production.”
“The world of Shenmue is fascinating and unique, and we are so excited to partner with Yu Suzuki to bring his epic creation to anime- and make a kick-ass martial arts epic!” said Jason DeMarco, svp/creative director on-air for Adult Swim.
At the Industry panel, Crunchyroll also revealed a special interview featuring the Video Game Creator Yu Suzuki and Series Director, Sakurai Chikara behind Shenmue, giving fans a more in depth look into the anime coming soon.
Shenmue is being directed by Sakurai Chikara (season two of One Punch Man, Naruto) with animation production by Telecom Animation Film, and production management provided by Sola Entertainment. Video game creator Yu Suzuki is also onboard as an Executive Producer. Additional Crunchyroll and Adult Swim Productions include the recently-announced Fena: Pirate Princess and Blade Runner – Black Lotus.
Crunchyroll and Sentai Filmworks Home Releases
Crunchyroll also announced a “home video and electronic sell-through distribution” partnership with Sentai Filmworks to distribute anime titles on home video, “as a mix of subtitled and English-dubbed content.” The Granbelm anime is reportedly one of the four titles that will “kick off” the partnership, with other titles such as Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma: The Fourth Plate, Ascendance of a Bookworm, and World Trigger.
Crunchyroll Loot Crate
Crunchyroll and Loot Crate also revealed more details behind their partnership to bring fans more from their favorite anime series. Crunchyroll is curating two different crates with Loot Crate: The Crunchyroll Crate and the Limited Edition Mobile Suit Gundam Life Crate.
The monthly Crunchyroll crate will include items from an incredible lineup of anime titles, including the upcoming Crunchyroll Original Series Noblesse, alongside fan-favorites like Mob Psycho 100, Welcome to Demon School Iruma-Kun, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, alongside the brand’s beloved mascot Crunchyroll-Hime. Available worldwide excluding Asia and a selection of other territories, fans can pre-order the Crunchyroll Crate here, with planned shipping to begin late November / early December 2020.
The quarterly Mobile Suit Gundam Life Crate was also announced and is a limited edition, 8-crate series. For more information, fans can sign up here to keep up with release details as well as participate in a raffle contest for free Mobile Suit Gundam crates. More details for the Limited Edition Mobile Suit Gundam Crate series will be available later this fall.
The Crunchyroll Store also released seven tropical themed shirts alongside an exclusive, limited edition ARTFX J Shoto Todoroki figure to celebrate V-CRX 2020. Fans can pre-order the items until September 8 in the Crunchyroll Store here.
The Rising Of The Shield Hero Season 2
We also learnt that the second season of Rising Of The Shield Hero 2 would premiere sometime in 2021 through a new promotional video and key visual (seen above). Series composition writer Keigo Koyanagi, character designer Masahiro Suwa, and producer Junichiro Tamura appeared during the panel.
Masato Jinbo is directing the second season at studio Kinema Citrus and DR MOVIE, replacing Takao Abo. Keigo Koyanagi is returning for the series composition. Masahiro Suwa is returning as the character designer for the season, and Kevin Penkin is returning to compose the music.
Onyx Equinox Relase Date and Cast
Crunchyroll then announced the cast and premiere date for their newest original series, Onyx Equinox which will premiere on November 21 alongside a brand new trailer. The series will reportedly be dubbed in Spanish, Portuguese, French, Brazilian, and German at launch.
Crunchyroll describes the anime as such:
Onyx Equinox follows a young Aztec boy named Izel who is saved from death by the gods and is chosen to act as ‘humanity’s champion,’ forced to discard his apathy toward his fellow man and prove humanity’s potential on a journey that will take him across ancient Mesoamerica.
The main voice cast can be seen below:
- Olivia Brown as Izel Sofia Alexander as Nelli
- Yaotl Alejandro as Vargas-Lugo
- Carolina Ravassa as Zyanya
- Patrick Pedrazza as Yun
- Juan Arturo Maldonado as K’in
- Kimberly Woods as Xanastaku
- Sofia Alexander K’i’ik
- Sofia Alexander as Meque
Other Announced Anime
Crunchyroll also announced and previewed a huge slate of anime coming soon to Crunchyroll, including:
How NOT to Summon a Demon Lord: Omega – Season two of the popular anime series follows the adventures of a young MMORPG player who is transported to another world and becomes a (pretend) demon lord. The series is coming to Crunchyroll 2021.
Dr. Stone Season 2 – Crunchyroll announced that season two of the scientific adventure series is coming to Crunchyroll in January 2021. Dr. Stone follows the journey of Senku as he works to rebuild humanity through science.
To Your Eternity – Based on the manga by A Silent Voice creator Yoshitoki Oima, To Your Eternity follows a lonely boy wandering the Arctic regions of North America meets a wolf, and the two become fast friends, depending on each other to survive the harsh environment. But the boy has a history, and the wolf is more than meets the eye as well.
The anime will stream on Crunchyroll with more details to come soon.
Crunchyroll also reviewed a number of series coming this October, including the highly-anticipating horror anime series Jujutsu Kaisen and the upcoming Crunchyroll Original series, Noblesse.
Did you catch the Crunchyroll panel at Virtual Crunchyroll Expo? What title do you look forward to the most? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.