A Crunchyroll application has been released in the Nintendo eShop for Wii U.

Thousands of episodes of anime shows are now available on Nintendo's latest console via the free app.

It gives users access to more than 25,000 episodes and 15,000 hours of licensed content, including shows like Naruto Shippuden, One Piece, Sword Art Online and Hunter x Hunter.

To access Crunchyroll, Wii U owners can download the app from the eShop, which will allow premium Crunchyroll members to begin watching immediately.

Crunchyroll premium members have access to the newest episodes of currently airing shows one hour after they air in Japan.

Wii U owners who aren't yet Crunchyroll members can sign up for a 14-day free trial of premium membership via the app or at the Crunchyroll website.

Crunchyroll can also be accessed on other platforms, such as iOS, Android, PlayStation and Xbox Live.