Crunchyroll Accidentally Leaks One of Winter 2026’s Biggest Action Fantasy Anime Hits

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While known as the leading site for watching anime, the platform recently faced criticism. This issue was made worse by a recent mistake: they accidentally released an episode of a very popular anime from the Winter 2026 season before it was supposed to be available.

Crunchyroll mistakenly published Episode 7 of Fate/strange Fake on its YouTube channel a week before it was supposed to be released. The episode was available for over eight hours on February 8th, though it wasn’t meant to premiere until February 14th. Once staff realized the mistake, they removed the video, but fans had already noticed and pointed out the error.

Crunchyroll’s New Fate/strange Fake Leak Inadvertently Aids Anime Piracy Websites

This unexpected leak is causing major problems for Crunchyroll, with the stolen footage quickly spreading on illegal streaming and torrent websites. Although the version initially posted on YouTube was unedited and lacked English subtitles, pirate groups immediately began sharing it widely. This is particularly unfortunate as Crunchyroll has recently been actively fighting against piracy, including pursuing legal action against platforms like VidSrc.

This isn’t a one-time occurrence. During Spring 2024, episodes from at least five anime series, including the third season of Konosuba, were leaked online. It was believed the leaks came from early screening events held by Crunchyroll at either Sakura Con or Puerto Rico Comic Con, and piracy websites quickly shared the episodes.

Crunchyroll has recently experienced disagreements with Japanese companies that own the rights to anime and manga. Publishers like Shueisha and Kodansha have also voiced concerns about how Crunchyroll manages merchandise licensing. This latest issue could worsen these relationships, even though Crunchyroll has strong connections with Aniplex and A-1 Pictures, the studio known for popular series like Fate/strange Fake and Solo Leveling.

This isn’t the first problem the Fate/strange Fake series has had with Crunchyroll’s streams. Previously, viewers noticed that Crunchyroll uploaded incomplete episodes with visible differences in quality compared to the versions available on Amazon Prime.

Crunchyroll Alienates Its Anime Viewers With Recent Actions

Currently, Fate/strange Fake is receiving a lot of positive attention, with many praising its strong writing and unique take on fantasy stories. This success, and comparisons to the popular series Frieren, makes fans even more upset with how the platform is managing the release and availability of the title.

Crunchyroll recently announced a price increase for all U.S. subscribers, starting after March 4th for current members. This change follows the planned removal of their free, ad-supported viewing option on December 31, 2025, meaning everyone will now need a paid subscription to continue using the service.

Crunchyroll has frustrated many of its viewers with ongoing issues surrounding its subtitles. Recent changes, like poorer text formatting and concerns that AI is being used, have led to widespread dissatisfaction and driven many users to look for other streaming services.

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2026-02-09 01:17