The 1990 Record of Lodoss War OVA holds a special place in the hearts of many North American anime fans as it was the first anime for many fans thanks to the series' airing on the SyFy channel (formerly known as the Sci-Fi channel). The addition of the 13-episode OVA series to the most popular anime streaming platform in North America is decidedly welcome news.
But that's not all. Four other shows that were previously Funimation exclusives are also being added to Crunchyroll's back catalog, including Scar-red Rider XechS, Pandora in the Crimson Shell: Ghost Urn, The Disastrous Life of Saiki K., Prince of Stride: Alternative. Check out some details for each series below.
Record of Lodoss War
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13 episode OVA series that debuted in 1990 from Studio Madhouse
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Synopsis: Created from the aftermath of the last great battle of the gods, Lodoss and its kingdoms have been plagued by war for thousands of years. As a quiet peace and unity finally become foreseeable over the land, an unknown evil begins to stir. An ancient witch has awakened, bent on preserving the island of Lodoss by creating political unbalance throughout the many kingdoms and keeping any one from maintaining central control. Only a mixed-race party of six young champions, led by the young warrior Parn, stand between this new threat and Lodoss' descent back into the darkness of war and destruction.
The Disastrous Life of Saiki K.
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24 episode TV anime series from Studio J.C. Staff that debuted Summer 2016
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Synopsis: To the average person, psychic abilities might seem a blessing; for Kusuo Saiki, however, this couldn't be further from the truth. Gifted with a wide assortment of supernatural abilities ranging from telepathy to x-ray vision, he finds this so-called blessing to be nothing but a curse. As all the inconveniences his powers cause constantly pile up, all Kusuo aims for is an ordinary, hassle-free life—a life where ignorance is bliss.
Prince of Stride: Alternative
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12 episode 2016 anime series from Studio Madhouse
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Synopsis: "Stride"—an extreme sport that combines parkour, free running, relay, and sprinting—is what made first year high school student Nana Sakurai enroll in Honan Academy, after being captivated by the school's stride team. Sharing the mutual intention of joining the team is fellow first year and stride maniac, Takeru Fujiwara, and together they request to join. Much to their dismay, however, the stride club is no longer active due to lack of members, and they are now operating under the shogi club.
In order to revive the stride club, Nana and Takeru recruit first-year Riku Yagami—a fast runner who is interested in almost every sport. With this new team, the cub now aims high at a new goal: to win the prestigious End of Summer competition, and bring the Honan stride team back to their prime.
Scar-red Rider XechS
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12 episode anime series adapted from a video game by Studio Satelight
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Synopsis: The Blue World, which symbolizes reason, is under constant attack by the creatures called the Nightfly O'Note originating from the Red World, symbolizing instinct. Akira Asagi, the 17-year-old protagonist who is a researcher at Blue World, is nominated to lead the war at Ryuukyuu LAG, a proud defense facility on the islands of Ishigaki and Iriomote. She meets the sixth combat unit "IS," which was formed four years after a fierce battle that annihilated the fifth unit. Akari must lead these six riders, also called the Scared Rider Xechs, to fight against the other world while at the same time deepening the relationship among them.
Pandora in the Crimson Shell: Ghost Urn
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12 episode anime series from Studio Gokumi that premiered in January 2016
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Synopsis: In an age when large-scale natural disasters frequently happen all over the world, when cyborgs and autonomous robots are beginning to appear on the market in technologically advanced nations, and major world powers compete for technology and resources, the divide between rich and poor grows and the future for the poor looks bleak. In this transitional stage, everyone wanders around in a self-indulgent daze and the way out isn't clear... This is the story of how two cybernetically enhanced girls meet.