For almost a decade now, Crunchyroll has been the largest streaming hub for anime fans across the globe. The platform offers a huge plethora of anime series and films that can’t be found anywhere else. This not only includes several timeless classics but also dozens of Crunchyroll releases each quarter. Since countless anime end up on this platform, fans from all over the world rely on it to discover more series and films. However, the platform is far from perfect, and even now, it doesn’t have all the series fans could ask for. Not only that, but even some of the most critically acclaimed anime get removed from Crunchyroll without any announcement or prior warning. Many series such as Barakamon and Death Parade were exclusive to Crunchyroll, and with the sudden removals, fans are left with no option to stream them legally.
This also includes the classic action series Black Lagoon, which was removed from Crunchyroll in July this year. While the update is disappointing, Black Lagoon is holding an art exhibition to commemorate the manga’s 25th anniversary. Mantan Web confirms that the exhibition will be held in Tokyo from November 13th to December 6th. It will display original manuscripts from Rei Hiroe, the manga creator, along with reproductions of color illustrations and more.
However, despite the disappointing update from the platform, Black Lagoon continues to thrive thanks to its loyal fanbase. Just this month, the series confirmed that all the manga volumes combined have sold over 10 million copies worldwide. While it doesn’t make the series a historic hit like One Piece or Naruto, these sales are more than enough to prove that it’s still a successful series. Not to mention that the sales are even more impressive considering that the anime hasn’t released a new season in two decades.
The anime premiered in 2006 and released one more TV season in the same year before returning with a 5-episode-long OVA mini-series, titled Roberta’s Blood Trail in 2011. While the series has never released a sequel since 2006, it’s a masterpiece on its own. The anime adaptation doesn’t skimp on the gore or the brutality of the world. Not to mention it’s one of the rare anime series that doesn’t feel overly dark for the sake of being edgy. The manga is still ongoing, but there haven’t been any updates on the sequel.
There’s always a chance of anime series and films returning to the platform again after being removed suddenly. Earlier this year, 86 was removed from the platform, but it has returned this month since it’s one of the most beloved shows of all time. Unfortunately, since Crunchyroll usually doesn’t announce such updates, there’s no way of knowing if these anime will ever return.
The main reason any anime leaves the platform is never officially stated by Crunchyroll, but it is mostly due to the expiration of the licensing deals. While Black Lagoon is a critically acclaimed show with a dedicated fanbase even now, it doesn’t have any plans for continuing the anime series. This lowers the chances of the series’ return, although there’s still hope left.
