30 Years Later, Crunchyroll Is Finally Streaming Classic Comedy Anime

Launched in 2017, the streaming service Crunchyroll has risen through the ranks to become the biggest hub for anime fans across the globe. This also means that a large plethora of anime series can only be found on the platform, including new ones that are released each quarter. Each anime season, the streaming platform releases a new list of line-ups and shares the release dates of its subbed and dubbed versions. Since a large number of anime end up on this platform, anime fans often rely on it to search for and watch more and more shows and films. However, despite its popularity, even Crunchyroll’s library doesn’t have all the anime series and films fans could find. The platform is often removing and adding more series depending on the demand and licensing issues.

The official website of Crunchyroll confirmed on April 16th, 2026, that Kodocha, based on an award-winning manga by Miho Obana, is now streaming on the platform. The anime originally aired from 1996 to 1998 and released 102 episodes at the time. So far, Crunchyroll has added the first 51 episodes in the original Japanese with English subtitles, and the availability depends on the region. There is also a possibility that more episodes will be added not too long from now.

What Is Kodocha About?

The story centers around Sana Kurata, a sixth grader who has a seemingly perfect life. Not only is she the star of the famous children’s television show Kodomo no Omocha, but her mother is also a fairly successful author. However, Sana is still bothered by her classmate Akito Hayama, who suddenly started acting out in class. To make matters worse, the rest of the boys also follow his example, which results in chaos almost every day. It’s up to the girls and the teachers to keep the class under control and continue the studies. Akito’s behavior doesn’t sit right with Sana, and she decides to dig deeper into the reason behind his actions.

She hopes to solve the issue, so her class can go back to normal, and her teachers won’t have to deal with the unruly boys every day. However, it doesn’t take long for her to realize that there is more to the boy than meets the eye as she uncovers the reason behind his actions. It’s one of the most acclaimed Shojo series known for the high-energy comedy that surprisingly blends mature and deep emotional drama. While the series is well-loved among Japanese fans, it has yet to receive the global recognition it deserves.

Written and illustrated by Miho Obana, the Shojo manga was serialized from 1994 to 1998, receiving praise from readers and critics alike. It even won the 22nd Kodansha Manga Award in the Shoujo category in 1998, the same year as its finale. A year later, the mangaka also released a spin-off story titled The Mansion of Water, which never received an anime adaptation.

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