You've probably spent more time scrolling through the orange interface than actually watching anything. It's the "Netflix paralysis" of the otaku world. With thousands of titles ranging from 1970s classics to shows that aired in Tokyo literally twenty minutes ago, finding must watch anime Crunchyroll libraries have to offer is a genuine chore. Honestly, the algorithm isn't always your friend here. It pushes what’s trending, which usually means whatever shonen protagonist is currently screaming the loudest. But the real gems? They’re often buried under three layers of sub-menus and "Because you watched" suggestions that don't make any sense.
Let's be real. Most people just tell you to watch Jujutsu Kaisen or One Piece. And yeah, you should. They’re popular for a reason. But the landscape of streaming has shifted massively since the Funimation merger. The library is a behemoth now. If you aren't digging into the seasonal simulcasts or the weird, high-concept experimental stuff, you're missing out on why this medium is actually cool.
The Heavy Hitters You Can't Ignore
Look, we have to talk about Chainsaw Man. When MAPPA announced they were adapting Tatsuki Fujimoto’s manga, the internet basically broke. It’s not just about a guy with saws for hands. It’s a subversion of every "power of friendship" trope you grew up with. Denji doesn't want to be the King of the Pirates; he wants a piece of toast with jam and maybe a hug. It’s gritty. It’s cinematic. It’s arguably the most visceral must watch anime Crunchyroll has in its current rotation.
Then there’s Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End. This show is a masterclass in pacing. Most fantasy stories end when the Demon King dies, but Frieren starts there. It asks: what does an immortal elf do when her human friends start dying of old age? It’s quiet. It’s melancholic. Occasionally, it features some of the most fluid, high-stakes magic battles ever animated by Studio Madhouse. If you haven't seen the "Aura, kill yourself" scene, you haven't lived through 2024's best television.
Contrast that with SPY x FAMILY. It’s wholesome. It’s a fake family where the dad is a spy, the mom is an assassin, and the daughter is a telepath. None of them know each other's secrets except the kid. It’s basically a 1960s Cold War aesthetic mixed with genuine heart. It’s the kind of show you watch when the world feels like a dumpster fire and you need twenty minutes of Anya Forger making weird faces.
Why the Genre Labels on Crunchyroll Are Sorta Broken
Crunchyroll loves categories. Action, Romance, Isekai. But the best shows usually flip the script. Take Bocchi the Rock!. On paper, it’s a "CGDCT" (Cute Girls Doing Cute Things) show about a high school band. In reality? It’s a psychedelic, visually inventive exploration of crippling social anxiety. The animation styles shift constantly—sometimes using live-action footage, sometimes 3D, sometimes felt puppets—to represent the main character's internal panic.
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The Isekai Problem
Isekai (the "trapped in another world" genre) is everywhere. It’s a literal flood. Most of it is garbage. You know the ones: I Reincarnated as a Vending Machine or My Cheat Skill is Unbeatable. But Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation remains the controversial gold standard. It’s beautiful to look at, but the protagonist is deeply flawed—sometimes irredeemably so. It’s a "must watch" because of its world-building, which feels more like Game of Thrones than a video game.
- Solo Leveling changed the game for Manhwa adaptations.
- That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime remains the king of "civilization building" tropes.
- The Rising of the Shield Hero started strong but arguably lost its way in later seasons.
Sub vs. Dub: The Internal Crunchyroll War
Some people are purists. They want the original Japanese voice acting with subtitles. Others want to fold laundry while watching and need the English dub. Crunchyroll has gotten significantly better at "Simuldubs," where the English version drops only a week or two after the Japanese airing.
Specifically, the YuYu Hakusho and Cowboy Bebop era taught us that dubs can be iconic. Today, shows like Cyberpunk: Edgerunners (technically on Netflix, but let’s look at Crunchyroll’s Kaguya-sama: Love is War) prove that a localized script can actually add more humor. The narrator in the Kaguya-sama English dub is a legend. He’s not just translating; he’s a chaotic participant in the rom-com madness.
Must Watch Anime Crunchyroll Favorites for the "Deep Cut" Fans
If you've already seen Attack on Titan, where do you go? You go to Vinland Saga. Originally a Wit Studio production before moving to MAPPA, this is a Viking epic. But it’s not just about raiding. Season 2, often called the "Farmland Arc," is a daring pivot into a character study about pacifism and trauma. It’s slow. It’s deliberate. It’s brilliant.
Don't sleep on Odd Taxi either. Don't let the animal characters fool you. It’s a hard-boiled noir mystery set in modern-day Tokyo. A walrus taxi driver gets caught up in a missing girl case involving idol groups, the yakuza, and a very dangerous capybara. It’s easily the best-written screenplay in anime from the last five years. Everything—every single line of dialogue—matters for the finale.
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The Sports Genre Isn't Just for Athletes
Blue Lock is essentially Squid Game but for soccer. It throws away the "teamwork makes the dream work" philosophy and replaces it with "be an absolute egoist." It’s high-octane. It’s ridiculous. It makes kicking a ball look like a battle for the fate of the universe. On the flip side, Haityu!! is the gold standard for sports anime. It’s about the joy of the game. The character growth over four seasons is genuinely moving. You’ll end up caring about a middle blocker’s vertical leap more than your own real-life problems.
Technical Stats and Quality
Crunchyroll has moved toward a tiered subscription model. While you can still watch some older titles for free with ads, the "Mega Fan" tier is basically mandatory if you want offline viewing.
- Standard Bitrate: Usually 1080p, though some older titles are upscaled.
- Library Size: Over 1,000 unique titles and 30,000+ episodes.
- Availability: Varies by region, but the US library is the most comprehensive.
The app itself? It’s better than it used to be. It still glitches on certain smart TVs, and the search function can be finicky if you don't know the exact Japanese title. But in terms of raw content volume, nothing else touches it.
The Psychological Impact of Shonen
We need to address why Demon Slayer (Kimetsu no Yaiba) is a global phenomenon. It’s not the story. The story is a pretty standard "hero saves his sister" quest. It’s the animation. Ufotable uses a digital compositing technique that makes the elemental breathing styles look like traditional Japanese woodblock prints come to life. It’s eye candy in its purest form.
But is it a "must watch"? Yes. Even if you find the plot predictable, the Mugen Train arc and the Entertainment District arc represent the current peak of what human beings can do with digital 2D animation. It's a spectacle.
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Hidden Gems You’ve Probably Skipped
- Ranking of Kings (Ousama Ranking): It looks like a children’s book. It’s actually a brutal, emotional political thriller about a deaf prince who wants to be the greatest king. It will make you cry. Repeatedly.
- Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!: This is a love letter to the process of making anime itself. It’s imaginative, frantic, and incredibly inspiring for anyone in a creative field.
- The Apothecary Diaries: Set in a fictionalized Imperial China, it follows a girl who solves medical mysteries in the Emperor's harem. It’s smart, cynical, and Maomao is one of the best female protagonists in years.
Addressing the "Backlog" Anxiety
The "must watch" list is infinite. You'll never finish it. And that’s okay. The trick to enjoying Crunchyroll is to stop treating it like a checklist. Some nights you want 86 Eighty-Six—a heavy, devastating look at racial segregation and drone warfare. Other nights you want Konosuba, which is just four idiots failing at being adventurers in the funniest way possible.
The community often gets into heated debates about "mid" shows. Don't listen to them. If you like a "trashy" isekai where the hero is a overpowered teenager, watch it. There’s a certain comfort in the tropes. But if you want to see the medium push boundaries, you have to look past the front page.
Actionable Steps for Your Watchlist
Stop adding things to your "Watchlist" and letting them sit there for six months. Use the "Crunchyroll Seasons" feature to see what's airing right now. Following a show weekly is a different experience than bingeing. You get to participate in the "theories" and the memes on Reddit or Twitter (X).
Start with a "Triple Threat" approach. Pick one long-running series (One Piece or Hunter x Hunter), one seasonal hit (Kaiju No. 8), and one short, finished masterpiece (Erased or Ping Pong the Animation). This keeps you from burning out on any one specific vibe.
Check your settings. Ensure you have "Mature Content" toggled on if you're of age, otherwise, shows like Berserk or Hellsing Ultimate won't even show up in your search results. Also, turn off the "Auto-play" if you’re someone who accidentally falls asleep and wakes up ten episodes later with no idea what happened to the protagonist’s parents.
The definitive must watch anime Crunchyroll experience is subjective, but the quality floor has never been higher. Whether it's the psychological depth of Monster or the sheer absurdity of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, the platform is the closest thing we have to a digital Library of Alexandria for Japanese animation. Dive in, but don't forget to blink.