The popular anime streaming platform, Crunchyroll, has announced the addition of two highly anticipated anime series to its winter 2025 lineup: BanG Dream! Ave Mujica and Yamishibai: Japanese Ghost Stories Season 14. These acquisitions further solidify Crunchyroll’s position as a leading provider of diverse anime content, ranging from musical dramas to chilling horror tales.
BanG Dream! Ave Mujica Premieres on Crunchyroll
BanG Dream! Ave Mujica, a sequel to the anime series BanG Dream! It’s MyGo!!!!!, began streaming on Crunchyroll on January 2, 2025. The series is listed on the platform under the title Ave Mujica – The Die is Cast –. This new installment focuses on the band Ave Mujica within the BanG Dream! franchise, diving into the lives and performances of its five members.
Story and Production
The anime explores the narrative of the Ave Mujica band, delving into their journey as musicians and the challenges they face. The series is directed by Koudai Kakimoto, who also directed BanG Dream! It’s MyGo!!!!!, and is produced by Sanzigen studios. Yuniko Ayano, who also worked on the previous series, returns to supervise and write the scripts.
Key Characters and Cast
The members of Ave Mujica and their respective voice actors are:
- Uika Misumi / Doloris voiced by Sasaki Rico
- Mutsumi Wakaba / Mortis voiced by Yuzuki Watase
- Umiri Yahata / Timoris voiced by Mei Okada
- Nyamu Yūtenji / Amoris voiced by Akane Yonezawa
- Sakiko Togawa / Oblivionis voiced by Kanon Takao
Music and Performance
The series prominently features live performance scenes of the band, showcasing their musical talents. The opening theme song, “KiLLKiSS,” is performed by the band Ave Mujica and has already garnered significant attention with a released music video prior to the show’s premiere.
Yamishibai: Japanese Ghost Stories Season 14 Arrives on Crunchyroll
Yamishibai: Japanese Ghost Stories Season 14 also joined Crunchyroll’s streaming catalog on January 5, 2025. This long-running anime series is known for its unique animation style and chilling tales based on Japanese urban legends and myths.
Season 14’s Theme: Greed
The fourteenth season of Yamishibai has the theme of “greed,” promising to delve into the darker aspects of human desire through its eerie narratives. This season continues to use the traditional kamishibai (paper drama) style of storytelling, with an old man in a yellow mask narrating the ghost stories.
Production and Cast
The series is directed by Akira Funada, with Takuya Iwasaki and Norio Yamakawa as producers. Kanji Tsuda reprises his role as the Storyteller, and is joined by a cast that includes Yutaka Shimizu, Ponzu, Takaya Yamaguchi, Yuta Hoshino, Seiyu Yoshida, Tomoko Oishi, Ruri Shiraishi, Yo Koizumi, Riko Momonoi, and Momoko Miyashiro.
Broadcast and Streaming
The series airs on TV Tokyo in Japan and streams on Crunchyroll. Each episode features a new ghost story, maintaining the show’s tradition of delivering short but impactful horror tales.
Crunchyroll’s Expansion and New Manga Service
These additions are part of Crunchyroll’s ongoing effort to expand its anime offerings. In a recent announcement at CES 2025, Crunchyroll revealed the launch of a new digital manga platform, Crunchyroll Manga, set to launch later in 2025. This new service aims to be a premium add-on to its anime streaming service and will be available as an iOS and Android app, with a web version planned for the future. This venture highlights Crunchyroll’s dedication to cater to the diverse demands of anime and manga fans.
Recent Release Delays
It’s worth noting that Crunchyroll recently experienced some delays in the release of English dub episodes for several of its anime series due to severe weather conditions in Dallas, Texas, a hub for anime dubbing. This issue has impacted the release of dubbed episodes for multiple shows, including Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest, MF Ghost Season 2, Natsume’s Book of Friends Season 7, and Shangri-La Frontier Season 2, among others. The company has yet to announce new release dates for the affected episodes.
Conclusion
The addition of BanG Dream! Ave Mujica and Yamishibai: Japanese Ghost Stories Season 14 further enriches Crunchyroll’s vast library of anime content. These series offer a diverse range of genres, catering to various fan preferences. Crunchyroll’s ongoing expansions and improvements, such as the upcoming manga service, show its commitment to serving as a comprehensive platform for anime and manga enthusiasts. Despite recent minor setbacks with dub releases, the platform remains a primary destination for anime streaming.
