Crunchyroll’s Month-Long ‘Ani-May’ Celebration Features ‘Chainsaw Man,’ Awards And More

BusinessHollywood & EntertainmentCrunchyroll’s Month-Long ‘Ani-May’ Celebration Features ‘Chainsaw Man,’ Awards And MoreByRob Salkowitz,Senior Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Rob Salkowitz is an Eisner-nominated comics journalist and author.Follow AuthorApr 23, 2026, 12:00pm EDTCrunchyroll is kicking off a month-long celebration of anime, May 2026.Courtesy of CrunchyrollAnime has become more than entertainment for its millions of fans worldwide: it is an entire lifestyle that can include cosplay, conventions, fan art, merchandise, and content that spans every platform. Crunchyroll, a joint venture between US and Japanese arms of the Sony Group, has long been a key driver of anime content to global audiences and continues moves to position itself at the center of this trend. Next month, they are kicking off their “Ani-May” celebration that includes new partnerships, product integrations, discounts, content drops, activations and the annual Crunchyroll anime awards show.Crunchyroll COO Gita RebbapragadaCrunchyroll“Ani-May is a wonderful month,” said Gita Rebbapragada, Chief Operating Officer for Crunchyroll, in a phone interview earlier this week. “We have things going on every single day. We have a number of really amazing voices from RZA to some really great anime influencers.”According to an announcement by the company, Ani-May kicks off with Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc, which scored big at the box office this past winter, debuting exclusively on Crunchyroll April 30. That will be followed immediately by the theatrical release of That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime: Tears of the Azure Sea on May 1.Crunchyroll is also announcing a new partnership with Forza Horizon, the popular open world racing game. Forza Horizon 6 launches May 19 on Xbox, with early access beginning May 15 for Premium Edition players. Crunchyroll is offering an exclusive in-game reward for Crunchyroll subscribers available only duri...