Crunchyroll excluded Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation from their “Anime of the Year” contender in 2021, and the fans have been upset about this decision. Despite the popularity of the series, the snub has ignited controversy among the popular Isekai fanbase. Fans of the series were firm on their beliefs that the anime should’ve been recognized by the platform for its exceptional storytelling, animation, and character development.
Why did Cruncyroll exclude Mushoku Tensei from their “Anime of the Year” list?
Since the first episode of Mushoku Tensei, fans have had bittersweet opinions about the isekai. The world-building, character development, and background, along with the fluid animation from Studio Bind, got a positive response from the audience. However, the anime covers some contentious themes and received criticism for it.
It’s assumed that Crunchyroll snubbed Mushoku Tensei from their “Anime of the Year” contenders in 2021 because of the controversial content that the storyline traces through. The show even received criticism regarding some of the themes it covers and specific character portrayal, which has convinced some viewers of the show about its removal from Crunchyroll.
Fans of the isekai threw a lot of shade on the new-gen shonen Demon Slayer for winning the “Anime of the Year” award. They believed that Demon Slayer wasn’t the right pick for the fantasy genre as it’s set in Japan.
Check out some of the fan reactions below:
That’s crazy mt doesn’t deserve the hate it receives
— Mza (@AhmodMuzammil) August 30, 2023
It's the Only deserving winner !!! https://t.co/Q3PygkICd4
— Menace (@Atharva80158551) August 31, 2023
Crunchyroll trying to be woke boohoo https://t.co/vtUATBnn4H
— 🅳🄴🄴 (@theZuntomyShine) August 31, 2023
They can’t handle peak
— samuel (@goat_486) August 31, 2023
I mean, the CR awards are mostly a joke, so who cares. Demon Slayer won best fantasy, when it takes place in Japan.
— Culture Addict 🍜 ™ (@FadedOffCulture) August 31, 2023
They literally gave Best Fantasy to Demon Slayer (literally just ancient Japan with monsters) over Mushoku and Made in Abyss. Crunchyroll doesn't know what the fuck they're doing.
— 🍦 (@creamyaisuotoko) August 31, 2023
However, Crunchyroll hasn’t officially confirmed their reason for excluding Mushoku Tensei from the Anime of the Year candidates. So, speculating those reasons won’t get the fans ahead. Crunchyroll might have been reluctant to include a series with such polarising feedback in their “Anime of the Year” contender list.
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What topics made Mushoku Tensei inappropriate for the audience?
The major reason behind the discord in the fanbase of Mushoku Tensei is the portrayal of the protagonist. Rudeus Greyrat is originally a 34-year-old man who gets reincarnated into a new world as a baby while having the conscience of an old man. His behavior towards the female characters is borderline inappropriate and offensive.
The show also deals with dark and mature themes like slavery and s-xual content. Some audiences found these inappropriate, resulting in the show being bombarded with heavy criticism.
Why fans do not take Crunchyroll anime awards seriously?
Crunchyroll had a history of eliminating popular anime series from their award contenders. There have been several instances when fans have expressed their frustration and dejection with Crunchyroll’s annual award selections. Fans claim that the platform leans toward commercially successful series rather than the actual deserving shows because they’re not famous.
Crunchyroll didn’t nominate the fantastic series, The Promised Neverland, in the 2019 anime awards. Similarly, The Great Pretender was ignored during the 2020 Anime of the Year awards. Fans have raised eyebrows at these decisions of the platform. These selections have led to the platform’s transparency and inclusivity issues during the selection process for their awards. A plethora of audiences believed that the platform should have more openness in their decision-making.
Source: Twitter
