Crunchyroll announce another five UK spring simulcasts

Yesterday was another busy day for new spring season announcements from streaming service Crunchyroll, and although we miss out on their simulcast of the TV edition of Broken Blade (but hey, you can still pick it up in its original form on DVD and Blu-Ray from MVM Entertainment) we do have five more additions to the streaming line-up to consider.  Here's the latest batch of announcements for your perusal:

- Captain Earth - Studio Bones take charge of this original anime series which could, to all intents and purposes, be Star Driver 2, with Takuya Igarashi working as director, the series sporting the same screenwriter and character designs redolent of the aforementioned show. In time-honoured mecha fashion, the series stars a young boy who inadvertently becomes embroiled in a battle between humanity and aliens, piloting a robot as a result - an event which might just tie in to other mysteries in his life.

The first episode of the series is already available, with episodes simulcast every Saturday at 7PM UK time from this Crunchyroll page.

- Rowdy Sumo Wrestler Matsutaro!! - This sports anime for the spring is an adaptation from Toei Animation of a long-running manga series created by the author of Ashita no Joe, which follows a giant of a man who becomes a nigh-on unbeatable sumo wrestler. 

Episode one is available right now, with new episodes airing every Saturday at 11:30PM from this page.

- Baby Steps - If you're after an early taste of strawberries and cream, then this spring brings us Baby Steps, Studio Pierrot's adaptation of a shounen tennis manga starring an unfit boy named Eiichirou Maruo who embarks upon a tennis journey using wit and strategy rather than physical fitness to win the day.

Again, episode one of the series is available right now, with new instalments arriving every Sunday at 11AM from this Crunchyroll page.

- Haikyu!! - Having gotten a taste for basketball anime via Kuroko's Basketball, Production IG are looking for lightning to strike twice this season as they adapt Haikyuu, another basketball manga series.  Almost.  By which we mean it's actually about volleyball. The story of this shounen series revolves around a boy who may be short in stature, but soon earns the nickname of "the Small Giant" thanks to his ability, as he aims his sights at defeating and surpassing the so-called "king" of the championship's favourite team.

Episode one is already up on the site, with new instalments landing every Sunday at 10AM UK time from this page.

- Brynhildr in the Darkness - Brynhildr in the Darkness is one of the latest manga outings from Lynn Okamoto - a name you may recognise as the author of Elfen Lied.  Given that link, it may not surprise you to hear that this is a science-fiction harem adaptation being worked on by Arms for the spring.  The show's story is that of a high school boy, haunted by thoughts of a female childhood friend who he allowed to die in an accident, who ends up involved with a magic-wielding transfer student who happens to look just like that long-lost friend.

The first episode of the series will broadcast today, Sunday April 6th at 3PM, with future episodes due to arrive every week at the same time from this Crunchyroll page.

Which of these shows will you be checking out?  Let us know in the comments!