Crunchyroll has quietly removed Claymore and a host of other classic Anime from its library. The move has left many fans fuming as they now have few to no legal options for watching the shows.
While Claymore and other classic titles removed are not the most popular, they have a substantial, dedicated fan base. Therefore, Crunchyroll’s sudden removal of these titles has affected many of its users.
Below is everything we know about Crunchyroll’s removal of classic titles from its library, and what it means for anime fans going forward.
Titles likely removed because of expired licenses
On October 23, 2025, Daily Dose of Anime shared a Facebook post revealing that Crunchyroll had removed four anime titles: Claymore, Death Parade, Parasyte, and 91 Days.
Per the post, the anime streaming service did not offer a reason for removing the titles; they just disappeared quietly from its library.
However, many fans have theorized that it was due to licensing issues, with the anime titles’ licenses having expired, and Crunchyroll opting not to renew them.
Crunchyroll did not notify users.
It is not uncommon for a streaming service to remove old titles from its library.
In fact, Crunchyroll has done it many times before, removing titles like Taradora! (September 2025), Edens Zero (January 2023), UQ Holder (January 2023), Aakame ga Kill! (March 2022) and Amagi Brilliant Park (March 2022).
However, the common practice among most streaming services is to announce in advance when titles are about to be removed. Doing this allows users who want to watch or are currently watching the titles to enjoy them before they become unavailable.
Unfortunately, Crunchyroll did not notify users that Claymore and other titles were leaving its library. Therefore, anime fans were surprised when the classic Anime shows disappeared from the platform.
According to a Reddit user, Crunchyroll doesn’t notify users when titles are about to expire due to licensors’ restrictions.
“Licensors don’t allow Crunchyroll to post expiration dates for licenses anymore. They also stopped announcing when titles would drop off the service on the News page because it impacted licensor relationships,” posted the Reddit user.
The claim about licensors cannot be verified, as other streaming services, such as Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, Max, and Tubi, often display “leaving soon” or similar notices.
Furthermore, Crunchyroll has warned users about expiring titles in the past, as evidenced by a March 2022 news post listing expiring titles.
It is thus not clear why the anime streaming platform stopped issuing warnings to users. Nonetheless, the result has been many frustrated fans caught unaware when their favorite anime titles disappear.
Cost and profitability are significant factors in the lack of license renewals
Crunchyroll has been removing several old titles from its libraries over the years due to licensing issues. While fans are frustrated about this, the decision makes sense from Crunchyroll’s perspective.
While classics like Claymore have a growing, dedicated fan base, they are not as popular among all users and thus have lower viewership. Unfortunately, this means that they are not very profitable, therefore making it impractical for Crunchyroll to keep these titles.
Besides profitability, Crunchyroll has also been engaged in an anime streaming war with other major platforms like Netflix and Hulu. These major streaming giants often compete for the same titles in Crunchyroll’s library, thereby driving up license renewal costs.
Additionally, some platforms pitch for exclusive rights, which they can easily obtain with their vast financial resources.
Lastly, anime title license renewal negotiations are complex, and new deals may not be reached in time before the existing license expires. Renewals are also not always guaranteed, as licensors may opt not to keep their title(s) on Crunchyroll’s library.
Crunchyroll appears to be prioritizing newer titles
Crunchyroll’s removal of classic titles from its library may also be part of its content strategy. Currently, the company seems to be prioritizing the acquisition of new anime simulcasts.
One Reddit user has claimed that Crunchyroll acquires more than 20 new anime titles per season, far more than the number of new shows on platforms like Netflix and HDIVE.
The streaming platform’s strategy is crucial to its model of attracting and retaining subscribers, particularly those who want to watch new Anime shows as soon as they air in Japan.
But Crunchyroll is not the only streaming platform that is removing classic titles from its library. Several other platforms take a similar approach, removing older titles from their libraries to refresh their content with newer ones.
Crunchyroll’s decision angers many fans
Crunchyroll’s decision to remove classic anime titles from its libraries without notice has left many fans frustrated and fuming.
A Reddit user shared how they started watching Claymore only for the Anime to disappear from Crunchyroll’s library in the middle of the second episode.
It is not the first time that anime fans have complained about Crunchyroll’s Anime disappearing mid-watch, and it is unlikely to be the last.
“I’m so tired of clicking on a link for an anime I want to watch only to find Crunchyroll no longer holds the license for it,” shared another anime fan on Reddit.
The problem with disappearing classic anime titles is that they can be hard to find if other streaming platforms do not pick them up. Therefore, fans are often left with no legal way to watch them, leading some to resort to illegal streams.
The good news is that some of these classic titles that have disappeared from Crunchyroll are available on other platforms. For example, Claymore is on Netflix; an X post by Manga Alerts also claims the show is available on Crunchyroll’s Prime Video and Roku Channel.
One anime fan, however, has suggested purchasing Blu-ray or DVD copies of anime shows. This way, they can be sure that they won’t lose their favorite titles once they are removed from streaming libraries.