Crunchyroll has announced its first slate of Crunchyroll Originals, a series of titles either partially or solely produced by the anime distribution company that will exclusively air on the service. It's basically Crunchyroll's version of Netflix Originals. This first slate includes eight series.

　　"Since our launch in 2006, Crunchyroll has been at the forefront of anime fandom and a driving force in the popularizing of this beloved genre worldwide," Crunchyroll general manager Joanne Waage said. "In keeping with this tradition, we are incredibly excited to announce our first slate of Crunchyroll Originals. These stories range from the traditional to the innovative, blending Eastern and Western ideas within the spectrum of anime. We hope this content will not only delight our current fans but also create a pathway for new fans to fall in love with this amazing art form."

　　The list of Crunchyroll's first eight Originals is outlined below. Currently, all eight series are scheduled to release sometime in 2020. You can also see clips from all eight series in the Crunchyroll Originals trailer embedded above.

　　

Crunchyroll Originals 2020 Slate

In/Spectre - Supernatural romance mixes with an enthralling, fantastical mystery, as a duo sets out to solve a series of dark incidents plaguing their worldTower of God - This dark fantasy action series centers on the journey of a young man as he battles his way through the mysterious Tower to find the only friend he's ever known. Coming to Crunchyroll in Spring 2020.Onyx Equinox - A young Aztec boy is saved from death by the gods and chosen to act as humanity's champion--forced to discard his apathy toward his fellow man and prove humanity's potential in a fight that spans across fantastical-yet-authentic Mesoamerican cultures. Premieres Summer 2020 on Crunchyroll.The God of High School - This action-packed series follows a high schooler and his friends as they compete in an epic tournament, borrowing power directly from the gods and uncovering a mysterious organization along the way. Coming to Crunchyroll soon.Noblesse - This fantasy follows a powerful vampire noble who is thrown into modern civilization after 820 years of slumber. Coming to Crunchyroll soon.Meiji Gekken: Sword & Gun - An ensemble of characters--a former samurai, a yakuza bodyguard, a devious spy, and a geisha assassin--try to find their place in the rapidly evolving Meiji-era while escaping the sins of their pasts. Coming to Crunchyroll soon.FreakAngels - After civilization comes to a sudden and crashing end, twelve 23-year-old psychics living in the rubble of London must check their wild impulses and discover their better angels in order to rebuild society. Coming to Crunchyroll soon.High Guardian Spice - Four fierce girls train to become great heroes at High Guardian Academy, where they form allegiances and discover their true identities while preparing to protect the world from an ominous unknown threat. Coming to Crunchyroll soon.Of the eight series, In/Spectre is already airing--in fact, it's one of our favorite anime of the Winter 2020 season. Tower of God, The God of High School, and Noblesse are all based on Webtoon comics. Onyx Equinox, Meiji Gekken: Sword & Gun (Crunchyroll notes this is still only a working title), and High Guardian Spice are all original series. FreakAngels is based on a web-based graphic novel.

　　Though several of these Crunchyroll Originals are outside Crunchyroll's traditional anime wheelhouse, none of them are brand-new experiments for the streaming service. Crunchyroll has produced original content before, like A Place Further Than the Universe and the Junji Ito Collection, and streamed non-anime series too, like RWBY and Anime Crimes Division. If anything, this initiative seems to fall more in line with the purpose of Netflix Originals: a way of promoting content that may normally fall beneath the radar of the mainstream audience.