Crystal Magazine Apr 03, 2026
VOTE TO FIGHT FOR THE ANIME YOU LOVE! CRUNCHYROLL REVEALS NOMINEES AND STAR-STUDDED CELEBRITY PRESENTER LINEUP FOR THE 2026 CRUNCHYROLL ANIME AWARDS
Crunchyroll, the brand fueling anime fandom worldwide, has revealed the nominees for the landmark tenth iteration of the Crunchyroll Anime Awards—the largest global celebration of excellence in Japanese animation. Fans can vote every day starting today through April 15 on the Anime Awards Official Website, Crunchyroll, and, for the first time, MyAnimeList! Voting is easier and in more places than ever before, empowering fans to fight for the anime they love and help determine the winners.
Crunchyroll has also revealed a star-studded first wave of anime-fan presenters who will announce the winners during the 2026 Anime Awards Pre-Show on Saturday, May 23 at 5:00 PM JST, and during the live Ceremony at 6:00 PM JST, respectively.
Rashmika Mandanna—Known as ‘India’s Sweetheart’, she’s the most prominent pan-India star.
Asuka Saito—Actor admired for her magnetic presence and generational voice.
DANNA—Internationally acclaimed singer, songwriter, and actress from Mexico.
Enako—Globally celebrated cosplayer known for bringing beloved characters to life.
hannah bahng—Australian singer-songwriter, producer, and visual artist.
Kasumi Arimura—Award-winning actor recognized for her emotional depth and versatility.
Mitorizu—Fan-favorite comedy duo known for sharp wit and electric chemistry.
Nanase Nishino—Acclaimed actor beloved for her heartfelt performances.
Nyvi Estephan—Leading esports and gaming host in Brazil.
RZA—Visionary producer, filmmaker, and founding architect of Wu-Tang Clan.
Snitchery—creative powerhouse known for shaping viral moments through cosplay
Winston Duke—globally acclaimed actor, producer, and cultural visionary.
Full Presenter Bios and Headshots
This year’s Crunchyroll Anime Awards will host a suite of musical tributes to anime. Japanese singer DEAN FUJIOKA will open the ceremony with "History Maker," from Yuri!!! on ICE—the very first Crunchyroll Anime Awards’ Anime of the Year recipient. Iconic rock band PORNOGRAFFITTI will perform a tribute marking the 10th anniversary of the My Hero Academia anime and the show’s conclusion. Legendary rock band ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION will perform their beloved hit Haruka Kanata—the second opening theme for the seminal shounen series NARUTO. Previously announced performances also include a Neon Genesis Evangelion 30th anniversary tribute by Yoko Takahashi and melodic movements by the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra accent the show.
President and CEO of Sony Group Corporation, Hiroki Totoki will once again deliver opening remarks at the Crunchyroll Anime Awards live ceremony, which will be hosted by voice actress Sally Amaki and popular entertainer Jon Kabira.
“The Crunchyroll Anime Awards is a global celebration where fans share their love and appreciation with the creators behind their favorite titles. This year’s slate of nominees represent nearly 50 unique series and films, all chosen by fans as the most beloved over the last year,” said Rahul Purini, President of Crunchyroll. “As we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Anime Awards, we also extend our gratitude to the nominees of the past decade, which include more than 110 animation studios that produced nearly 290 unique series and films, and more than 220 voice actors who contributed their talent to beloved characters.”
Anime fans can vote daily for their favorite shows until 11:59 PM Pacific Time on April 15th. Voting is available on the Anime Awards Official Website and Crunchyroll.
In addition to the official website and Crunchyroll, for the first time ever, voting also comes to MyAnimeList—the home of anime fandom’s ongoing conversation about the medium’s greatest series and films. Fans can dive into their watch list, compare their favorites and vote right on show pages.
2026 Crunchyroll Anime Awards Nominees
Anime of the Year
DAN DA DAN Season 2
Gachiakuta
My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON
Takopi's Original Sin
The Apothecary Diaries (season 2)
The Summer Hikaru Died
Film of the Year
100 Meters
Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle
Mononoke the Movie: Chapter II — The Ashes of Rage
Scarlet
The Rose of Versailles
Best Original Anime
Apocalypse Hotel
DIGIMON BEATBREAK
Lazarus
Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX
Moonrise
ZENSHU
Best Continuing Series
DAN DA DAN Season 2
Kaiju No. 8
My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON
ONE PIECE
Solo Leveling Season 2 -Arise from the Shadow-
SPY x FAMILY Season 3
Best New Series
Clevatess
Gachiakuta
SAKAMOTO DAYS
Takopi's Original Sin
The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity
The Summer Hikaru Died
Best Opening Sequence
HUGs - Paledusk - Gachiakuta
Mirage - Creepy Nuts - Call of the Night Season 2
On The Way - AiNA THE END - DAN DA DAN Season 2
ReawakeR (feat. Felix of Stray Kids) — LiSA — Solo Leveling Season 2 -Arise from the Shadow-
THE REVO — PORNOGRAFFITTI — My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON
Watch Me! — YOASOBI — WITCH WATCH
Best Ending Sequence
Actor — Lilas Ikuta — SPY x FAMILY Season 3
Beautiful Colors — OneRepublic — Kaiju No. 8
Doukashiteru — WurtS — DAN DA DAN Season 2
I — BUMP OF CHICKEN — My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON
Kawaii Kaiwai — PiKi — My Dress—Up Darling Season 2
UN-APEX — TK from Ling Tosite Sigure — Solo Leveling Season 2 -Arise from the Shadow-
Best Action
DAN DA DAN Season 2
Gachiakuta
Kaiju No. 8
My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON
ONE PIECE
Solo Leveling Season 2 -Arise from the Shadow-
Best Comedy
CITY THE ANIMATION
DAN DA DAN Season 2
My Dress-Up Darling Season 2
Ranma1/2 Season2
SPY x FAMILY Season 3
WITCH WATCH
Best Drama
Anne Shirley
Blue Box
Orb: On the Movements of the Earth
Takopi's Original Sin
The Apothecary Diaries (season 2)
The Summer Hikaru Died
Best Isekai Anime
Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill Season 2
Disney Twisted-Wonderland: The Animation — Season 1 "Episode of Heartslabyul"
From Bureaucrat to Villainess: Dad's Been Reincarnated!
KONOSUBA -God's Blessing on This Wonderful World! 3 -BONUS STAGE-
Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- Season 3
ZENSHU
Best Romance
Blue Box
DAN DA DAN Season 2
Honey Lemon Soda
My Dress-Up Darling Season 2
Ranma1/2 Season2
The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity
Best Slice of Life
Anne Shirley
Blue Box
CITY THE ANIMATION
My Dress-Up Darling Season 2
SPY x FAMILY Season 3
The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity
Best Animation
DAN DA DAN Season 2
Gachiakuta
My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON
ONE PIECE
Solo Leveling Season 2 -Arise from the Shadow-
Takopi's Original Sin
Best Background Art
CITY THE ANIMATION
DAN DA DAN Season 2
Gachiakuta
Kowloon Generic Romance
The Apothecary Diaries (season 2)
The Summer Hikaru Died
Best Character Design
DAN DA DAN Season 2
Gachiakuta
My Dress-Up Darling Season 2
ONE PIECE
Takopi's Original Sin
The Apothecary Diaries (season 2)
Best Director
Akinori Fudesaka, Norihiro Naganuma — The Apothecary Diaries (season 2)
Fuga Yamashiro and Abel Góngora — DAN DA DAN Season 2
Fumihiko Suganuma — Gachiakuta
Kenji Nagasaki, Naomi Nakayama — My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON
Ryohei Takeshita — The Summer Hikaru Died
Shinya Iino — Takopi's Original Sin
Best Main Character
Izuku Midoriya — My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON
Maomao — The Apothecary Diaries (season 2)
Momo — DAN DA DAN Season 2
Okarun — DAN DA DAN Season 2
Rudo — Gachiakuta
Sung Jinwoo — Solo Leveling Season 2 -Arise from the Shadow-
Best Supporting Character
Enjin — Gachiakuta
Jin Enjoji (Jiji) — DAN DA DAN Season 2
Jinshi — The Apothecary Diaries (season 2)
Katsuki Bakugo — My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON
Loulan/Shisui — The Apothecary Diaries (season 2)
Turbo Granny — DAN DA DAN Season 2
“Must Protect At All Cost” Character
Anya Forger — SPY x FAMILY Season 3
Izuku Midoriya — My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON
Kaoruko Waguri — The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity
Maomao — The Apothecary Diaries (season 2)
Suika — Dr. STONE SCIENCE FUTURE
Takopi — Takopi's Original Sin
Best Anime Song
In Bloom — Lilas Ikuta — The Apothecary Diaries (season 2)
IRIS OUT — Kenshi Yonezu — Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc
JANE DOE — Kenshi Yonezu and Hikaru Utada — Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc
On The Way — AiNA THE END — DAN DA DAN Season 2
ReawakeR (feat. Felix of Stray Kids) — LiSA — Solo Leveling Season 2 -Arise from the Shadow-
Watch Me! — YOASOBI — WITCH WATCH
Best Score
Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc — kensuke ushio
DAN DA DAN Season 2 — kensuke ushio
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle — Yuki Kajiura, Go Shiina
Gachiakuta — Taku Iwasaki
Solo Leveling Season 2 -Arise from the Shadow- — Hiroyuki Sawano
The Apothecary Diaries (season 2) — Satoru Kosaki, Kevin Penkin, Alisa Okehazama
Best Voice Artist Performance (Arabic)
Hamoud Abu Hassoun — Loid Forger (Childhood) — SPY x FAMILY Season 3
Tariq Obaid — Taro Sakamoto — SAKAMOTO DAYS
Moataz El—Shazly — Heisuke Mashimo — SAKAMOTO DAYS
Raafat Bazo — Yuri Briar — SPY x FAMILY Season 3
Fatima Zakaria — Osaragi — SAKAMOTO DAYS
Ghada Omar — Yor Forger — SPY x FAMILY Season 3
Best Voice Artist Performance (Japanese)
Aoi Yuki — Maomao — The Apothecary Diaries (season 2)
Chiaki Kobayashi — Yoshiki Tsujinaka — The Summer Hikaru Died
Daiki Yamashita — Izuku Midoriya — My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON
Kikunosuke Toya — Denji — Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc
Mayumi Tanaka — Monkey D. Luffy — ONE PIECE
Reina Ueda — Reze — Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc
Best Voice Artist Performance (English)
Alexis Tipton — Reze — Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc
Emi Lo — Maomao — The Apothecary Diaries (season 2)
Justin Briner — Izuku Midoriya — My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON
Lucien Dodge — Akaza — Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle
Morgan Berry — Shiori Fuyumura — SANDA
Paul Castro Jr. — Hikaru Indou — The Summer Hikaru Died
The Crunchyroll Anime Awards is the leading yearly awards program honoring the creators, musicians, and performers powering the global love of anime. The tenth annual Anime Awards will take place at the Grand Prince Hotel Shin Takanawa in Tokyo on Saturday, May 23, 2026. Sony Music Solutions Inc., part of Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc., and Dempsey Productions will support Crunchyroll in the execution of the event.
More information can be found on the Crunchyroll Anime Awards Official Website and across X, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube Channel.
