Crunchyroll streams Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju and more this winter

Hold on to your fans, as we have another bundle of Crunchyroll simulcast announcements for you today, all of which have made it to the UK! Without further ado, let's leap straight into them:

Descending Stories: Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju - Unable to forget a performance of "Shinigami" performed by the rakugo master Yakumo in the prison where he was being held, Yotaro's first act upon his release was go right to the theater, where he begged, pleaded, and was finally accepted as Yakumo's live-in apprentice. After years of refining his art, Yotaro was promoted to the rank of Shinuchi and inherited the title of 3rd Generation Sukeroku. For the sake of his master Yakumo, Konatsu, and to change the image of Sukeroku inside them both, what kind of rakugo will Yotaro discover? This celebrated human drama, based on a story by Haruko Kumota, offers an honest and sympathetic look into the lives and livelihoods of rakugo storytellers in the Showa era.

Episode one of this show's second season is available now, with new episodes airing every Friday at 8:45PM UK time.

Forest Fairy Five - A beautiful nation, prospering since ancient times, Japan is now known as the Anime Kingdom. There are more than just humans living there; animes truly do exist in Japan. Past the Fairy Ring, to the world of fairies, live anime-chans. There's a Fairy Ring in your town, too. Here. And there. Even in Harajuku. Maybe even in the Ashigara mountains. By some chance, we'll open that door. And we might get to meet the anime-chans. This is the land where you get to meet anime-chans.

Episode one is available right now, with new instalments ariving on Fridays at 1:30PM UK time.

Spiritpact - You Keika, the heir of an old famous family of Exorcists, is stricken with poverty after losing his parents and struggles as a street fortune teller and a part time computer tech. One night at a junkyard, he meets a mysterious and charismatic Exorcist, Tanmoku Ki, who is fighting an evil spirit. To compound his misfortunes, he gets hit by car and becomes a ghost. Tanmoku Ki appears and asks You Keika to make a “pact” with him to fight Evil Spirits together. Here starts the friendship of our heroes!

Episode one of the series arrives today, Saturday 7th January, with episodes airing every week at 4:30PM UK time.

ēlDLIVE - Middle school student Chuta Kokonose has heard a voice in his head ever since he can remember. When a strange creature recruits him to the space police force, he learns that the source of the voice is a Monitalien, a symbiotic creature who is living inside his body! Now Chuta must prove his mettle to his cold-hearted coworker, Misuzu, and the rest of the department by protecting the universe from otherworldly criminals.

This series begins on Sunday 8th January, wherein episodes will air every week at 5PM UK time.

Nyanko Days - Konagai Tomoko is a first-year in high school and a shy girl. Tomoko owns three cats. The cheerful and live Munchkin Maa, the smart and responsible Russian Blue Rou, and the gentle crybaby Singapura Shii. Tomoko, whose only friends were her cats, one day becomes friends with Shiratori Azumi, who also loves cats. This is a fluffy and cute comedy about the daily life of Tomoko and her cats, Tomoko and Azumi's friendship, and the interaction between cats.

This show also kicks off on Sunday 8th January, with episodes arriving weekly at 5:30PM UK time.

Thus, here's the current state of Crunchyroll's winter streaming season in full...

Crunchyroll's winter 2017 UK streaming line-up to date:
- ACCA: 13-Territory Inspection Dept.
- Ai-Mai-Mi Surgical Friends
- Akiba's Trip The Animation
- Blue Exorcist: Kyoto Saga
- Chain Chronicle - The Light of Haecceitas
- CHAOS;CHILD
- Descending Stories: Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju
- ēlDLIVE
- Forest Fairy Five
- Fuuka
- Gabriel DropOut
- Gintama Season 4
- Granblue Fantasy
- Hand Shakers
- Idol Incidents
- Interviews With Monster Girls
- Kemono Friends
- Koro Sensei Quest!
- Masamune-kun's Revenge
- Minami Kamakura High School Girls Cycling Club
- Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid
- Nyanko Days
- Rewrite: Season 2
- Saga of Tanya the Evil
- School Girl Strikers
- Spiritpact

Region-locked titles with no UK availability:
- Seiren