#FIRSTLOOK: CRUNCHYROLL ANNOUNCE NOMINEES FOR ANIME AWARDS 2026

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, 2026 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.

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.

Rashmika Mandanna—Known as ‘India’s Sweetheart’, she’s the most prominent pan-India star.

Snitchery—creative powerhouse known for shaping viral moments through cosplay

Winston Duke—globally acclaimed actor, producer, and cultural visionary.

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 to 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 (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

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 (Brazilian Portuguese)

Bruno Sangregório — Levi Ackerman — Attack on Titan: THE LAST ATTACK

Charles Emmanuel — Akaza — Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle

Erick Bougleux — Zanka Nijiku — Gachiakuta

Fabio Lucindo — Katsuki Bakugo — My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON

Gigi Patta — Maomao — The Apothecary Diaries (season 2)

Ursula Bezerra — Son Goku — Dragon Ball DAIMA

Best Voice Artist Performance (Castilian Spanish)

Adrián Pineda — Rudo — Gachiakuta

Carles Teruel — Akaza — Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle

Cristina Peña — Reze — Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc

Joel Gómez Jiménez — Okarun — DAN DA DAN Season 2

Marisa Marciel — Nami — ONE PIECE

Marta Barbará — Kaoruko Waguri — The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity

Best Voice Artist Performance (French)

Bastien Bourlé — Izuku Midoriya — My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON

Bruno Mullenaerts — Enjin — Gachiakuta

Catherine Hanotiau — Nico Wakatsuki — WITCH WATCH

Clara Soares — Reze — Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc

Jonathan Gimbord — Hikaru — The Summer Hikaru Died

Véronique Augereau — Seiko — DAN DA DAN Season 2

Best Voice Artist Performance (German)

Dirk Bublies — Kogoro Mori — Detective Conan: One—eyed Flashback

Gerrit Schmidt—Foß — Akaza — Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle

Laurine Betz — Reze — Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc

Magdalena Höfner — Kiui Watase — Jellyfish Can’t Swim in the Night

Markus Feustel — Rudo — Gachiakuta

Patricia Strasburger — Nico Wakatsuki — WITCH WATCH

Best Voice Artist Performance (Hindi)

Abhishek Sharma — Jinshi — The Apothecary Diaries (season 2)

Akshita Mishra — Koyuki — Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle

Heena Malik — Reze — Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc

Merlyn James — Anya Forger — SPY x FAMILY Season 3

Rajesh Shukla — Sung Jinwoo — Solo Leveling Season 2 -Arise from the Shadow-

Shilpie Pandey — Lufas Maphaahl — A Wild Last Boss Appeared!

Best Voice Artist Performance (Italian)

Katia Sorrentino — Momo — DAN DA DAN Season 2

Leonardo Graziano — Naruto Uzumaki — BORUTO: NARUTO THE MOVIE

Luna Fogu — Maomao — The Apothecary Diaries (season 2)

Martina Tamburello — Kikoru Shinomiya — Kaiju No. 8

Mosè Singh — Denji — Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc

Simone Lupinacci — Izuku Midoriya — My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON

Best Voice Artist Performance (Latin Spanish)

Desireé González — Maomao — The Apothecary Diaries (season 2)

Dion González — Rudo — Gachiakuta

Erika Langarica — Marin Kitagawa — My Dress-Up Darling Season 2

Fernando Moctezuma — Sung Jinwoo — Solo Leveling Season 2 -Arise from the Shadow-

Jessica Ángeles — Reze — Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc

Jose Antonio Toledano — Akaza — Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle

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.

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