Crunchyroll Anime Expo 2026 Highlights: Solo Leveling, Ghost of Tsushima, AKIRA, and More
Crunchyroll came to Anime Expo 2026 with more than a few quick announcements. During its July 3 showcase in Los Angeles, the company mapped out a wide-ranging slate that stretched from Solo Leveling’s next chapter and a new look at Ghost of Tsushima Legends to fresh romance adaptations, returning favorites, theatrical rereleases, and manga platform expansions. The lineup also made the showcase feel like a broader preview of how Crunchyroll plans to connect anime, games, film, and manga over the next year. Here's what you need to know.
Photo Credit: Crunchyroll
Solo Leveling and Ghost of Tsushima Lead the Showcase
The loudest moment of the panel came with Solo Leveling: Beyond the System, an all-new anime feature film now in production. Announced by Aleks Le, the English voice of Sung Jinwoo, the theatrical project will continue the story after the events of Season 2, carrying the hit anime into its next chapter on the big screen. A-1 Pictures, the studio behind the series, returns for the film, with Aniplex, Netmarble, D&C MEDIA, Kakao Piccoma, and Crunchyroll producing.
Crunchyroll also gave fans a new look at Ghost of Tsushima Legends, the upcoming anime based on the acclaimed action-adventure game. The reveal focused on character visuals, offering a clearer sense of how the show will carry over the game’s samurai aesthetic before a premiere date is announced. Director Takanobu Mizuno is leading the adaptation, with HAYATE Inc. overseeing production and KAMIKAZE DOUGA handling animation. Gen Urobuchi is also involved in story composition, with Takashi Okazaki providing character designs.
New Series, Returning Favorites, and Surprise Music News
Beyond its two biggest franchise reveals, Crunchyroll filled the showcase with a wide range of upcoming titles. Here U Are, the anime adaptation of D JUN’s beloved campus romance, will stream on the platform, while Fate Rewinder is set for April 2027 with a sci-fi mystery story centered on heroes who can rewind time through an implanted device called the “Retry Eye.”
The panel also brought updates for returning and anticipated series, including The Rising of the Shield Hero Season 5, Aoashi Season 2, and Kagurabachi. For Kagurabachi, fans in attendance were treated to an exclusive Q&A with Chihiro Rokuhira’s Japanese voice actor, Taihi Kimura, along with a first look at Chihiro’s provisional character design.
One of the more unexpected moments came from The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn’t a Guy At All. In a special video message, Dave Grohl revealed that Nirvana’s “Breed” will serve as the opening theme for the anime adaptation, which is set to launch in early 2027. The series follows Aya, a fashionable high schooler and rock fan who falls for a mysterious CD shop employee without realizing her crush is actually her female classmate Mitsuki.
AKIRA Returns While Crunchyroll Manga Expands
Crunchyroll’s Anime Expo presence also stretched beyond streaming announcements. The company confirmed that AKIRA will return to theaters in the United States and Canada on September 4, 2026, newly presented in 4K and IMAX.
On the manga side, Crunchyroll highlighted new additions to Crunchyroll Manga, including Kodansha US Publishing titles such as Attack on Titan, Fire Force, and Fairy Tail. The platform also announced that Black Torch would become available to read on July 13, following the anime’s streaming debut on July 4.
Overall, the showcase gave Crunchyroll several major anchors for the year ahead. Between Solo Leveling heading to theaters, Ghost of Tsushima Legends offering its first character look, and titles like Here U Are, Aoashi, and The Rising of the Shield Hero adding to the lineup, Anime Expo 2026 made clear that the platform has no shortage of projects waiting in the wings.
