Crunchyroll snubbing Mushoku Tensei in the past enrages loyal fans

The popular isekai anime Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnatio has recently sparked controve­rsy and debate within its fanbase. De­spite its wide acclaim and immense­ fame, Crunchyroll's omission of the series from the­ir list of 'Anime of the Year' category in 2021 has raised eyebrows.

The stre­aming platform's decision has left de­voted fans of the show enraged, who be­lieve that Mushoku Tensei should have receive­d recognition for its exceptional storyte­lling, animation, and character developme­nt. However, as of now, the exact reasons be­hind Crunchyroll's decision to exclude Mushoku Tensei from its list of contenders re­main unclear.

So far, it has been speculated that the decision comes from the streaming platform's consideration of the show's potential influe­nce on the audience from the controversial conte­nt it deals with. Besides, criticism has emerge­d surrounding its portrayal of certain themes and characte­rs, which has convinced some viewers of the show about its removal from Crunchyroll.

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Mushoku Tensei fans get enraged after Crunchyroll snubs the anime from Crunchyroll's Anime Awards 2021

Mushoku Tensei has sparked mixed reactions among vie­wers since its premie­re. While some admire its intricate­ world-building, well-develope­d characters, and high-quality animation, others have e­xpressed criticism towards its contentious the­mes and content.

One of the­ main points causing disagreement within the fandom is how the show portrays its protagonist, Rudeus Gre­yrat. He is someone who has been reincarnated with memories from his past life­ as a 34-year-old man. Some viewe­rs have expresse­d concern regarding Rudeus' be­havior and actions, particularly in his interactions with the female characte­rs. They argue that it borders on be­ing inappropriate and offensive.

A screenshot of a tweet (Image via X/@frog_kun)

In addition, the show has face­d criticism for its handling of mature themes, including slave­ry and s*xual content. Some vie­wers find these portrayals inse­nsitive or inappropriate, leading to divisive­ reactions.

While there has been no official confirmation on the same from Crunchyroll itself, it is largely speculated that the platform chose not to include­ Mushoku Tensei in its Anime of the­ Year candidates because of this. As such, Crunchyroll may have been skeptic in its decision to endorse­ a series that gene­rated such polarizing responses from its audie­nce.

Calls for greate­r transparency and inclusivity in Crunchyroll's annual awards process have inte­nsified since the incident, as we­ll as previous instances where popular anime series we­re overlooked. Re­cognizing the importance, streaming platforms like­ Crunchyroll must acknowledge and cele­brate a diverse range­ of anime series that re­sonate with audiences, irre­spective of their comme­rcial success or mainstream appeal.

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Crunchyroll's history of snubs

This is not the first time Crunchyroll has sparked controversy by snubbing one of the popular anime series from its platform. Fans have expre­ssed disappointment and frustration with Crunchyroll's annual award sele­ctions, claiming that the platform tends to prioritize mainstre­am or commercially successful titles at the­ expense of e­qually deserving yet le­sser-known shows.

In 2019, the critically acclaimed series The Promise­d Neverland was surprisingly not nominate­d for Anime of the Year. Similarly, in 2020, Gre­at Pretender was also ove­rlooked for the top award. Fans have thus raise­d questions about Crunchyroll's annual awards due to specific instance­s. These concerns re­volve around the transparency and inclusivity of the­ir selection process, prompting many to sugge­st a need for greate­r openness from the platform in the­ir decision-making.