Crunchyroll’s 2026 Anime Awards pulled in 73 million fan votes, live orchestra performances, and a surprisingly stacked celebrity lineup.
Anime’s biggest night returned to Tokyo over the weekend, with the 2026 Crunchyroll Anime Awards celebrating a decade of global anime fandom in genuinely massive fashion.
Hosted once again by voice actor Sally Amaki and Japanese presenter Jon Kabira, the event took place at the Grand Prince Hotel Shin Takanawa and brought together anime creators, musicians, actors, esports personalities and a fairly surreal list of celebrity presenters.
The biggest award of the night – Anime of the Year – went to My Hero Academia, with none other than The Weeknd presenting the award on stage.
Elsewhere, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba picked up Film of the Year, while Solo Leveling took home Best Action and Best Animation. The Apothecary Diaries also had a huge night, winning Best Drama, Best Director and Best Main Character for Maomao.
There was also a pretty strong reminder of just how globally embedded anime culture has become. Presenters included BamBam, RZA, Winston Duke and Indian actor Rashmika Mandanna, while 73 million fan votes were reportedly cast worldwide this year.
Musically, the ceremony leaned hard into anime nostalgia and legacy moments. Yoko Takahashi performed a 30th anniversary tribute to Neon Genesis Evangelion, including ‘A Cruel Angel’s Thesis,’ while ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION performed Naruto favourite ‘Haruka Kanata.’ PORNOGRAFFITTI also appeared to celebrate 10 years of My Hero Academia.
One of the more grounded moments of the night came through a tribute to director Tatsuya Nagamine, who received the Global Impact Award for his work across series including Dragon Ball Super and ONE PIECE. The award recognised creators whose work has had a long-term cultural impact well beyond Japan – which, at this point, feels impossible to argue against.
Full list of major winners
Anime of the Year — My Hero Academia
Film of the Year — Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
Best Original Anime — Lazarus
Best Continuing Series — ONE PIECE
Best New Series — Gachiakuta
Best Action — Solo Leveling
Best Comedy — DAN DA DAN
Best Drama — The Apothecary Diaries
Best Romance — The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity
Best Slice of Life — SPY x FAMILY
Best Animation — Solo Leveling
Anime awards shows used to feel pretty niche outside dedicated fan circles, now you’ve got The Weeknd presenting trophies while 73 million people vote worldwide.
It’s fair to say things have shifted a bit. Head to Crunchyroll for the full list.
