Be it a continuing series or a new title, there’s always an anime that fans hold dear to their hearts. Alongside celebrating the best of the genre each year, the Crunchyroll Anime Awards also offers a platform for public voting, and the 2026 iteration saw a record-breaking 73 million votes cast by enthusiasts around the world — a milestone befitting of its 10th anniversary.
After an opening medley that paid tribute to past Anime of the Year winners, including a live performance of Dean Fujioka’s “History Maker” from 2016’s Yuri!!! on Ice, the iconic tunes of “A Cruel Angel’s Thesis”, the opening theme for 1995’s Neon Genesis Evangelion and sang by Yoko Takahashi, as well as Japanese rock band Porno Graffitti’s “The Day” and “The Revo” kept the energy going. Popular voice actress Sally Amaki and renowned entertainer Jon Kabira returned to host for the fourth consecutive year, joined by a global lineup of celebrity anime-fan presenters, including musicians The Weeknd and Young Miko, K-pop artists TEN and BamBam, and Black Panther star Winston Duke.
It wouldn’t be an award show without some surprise wins and nominations, however. Takopi’s Original Sin was the biggest underdog among favourites like Gachiakuta and DAN DA DAN Season 2, with My Hero Academia Final Season eventually coming out top as the unexpected victor. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle, meanwhile, beat Chainsaw Man — The Movie: Reze Arc to both Anime Film of the Year and Best Score, and the second season of The Apocathecary Diaries made up for last year’s misses with five total accolades. As for the Global Impact Award, the honour went to director Tatusya Nagamine, whose credits range from Ojamajo Doremi and PreCure to Dragon Ball Super and ONE PIECE.
Here’s the full list of winners for the Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2026.
Anime of the Year
- DAN DA DAN Season 2 (Science Saru)
- Gachiakuta (Bones Film)
- My Hero Academia Final Season (Bones Film) — WINNER
- Takopi’s Original Sin (ENISHIYA)
- The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 (TOHO Animation Studio x OLM)
- The Summer Hikaru Died (Cypic)
Anime Film of the Year
- 100 Meters (ROCK’N ROLL MOUNTAIN Inc.)
- Chainsaw Man — The Movie: Reze Arc (MAPPA)
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle (ufotable) — WINNER
- Monoke the Movie: Chapter II — The Ashes of Rage (CREW-CELL, EOTA)
- Scarlet (Studio CHIZU)
- The Rose of Versailles (MAPPA)
Best Continuing Series
- DAN DA DAN Season 2 (Science Saru)
- Kaiju No. 8 (Production I.G)
- My Hero Academia Final Season (Bones Film)
- ONE PIECE (Toei Animation) — WINNER
- Solo Leveling Season 2 – Arise from the Shadow –
- Spy x Family Season 3 (WIT Studio X CloverWorks)
Best New Series
- Clevatess (Lay-duce)
- Gachiakuta (Bones Film) — WINNER
- Sakamoto Days (TMS Entertainment)
- Takopi’s Original Sin (ENISHIYA)
- The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity (CloverWorks)
- The Summer Hikaru Died (Cypic)
Best Original Anime
- Apocalypse Hotel (Cypic)
- DIGIMON BEATBREAK (Toei Animation)
- Lazarus (MAPPA) — WINNER
- Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX (Studio khara, SUNRISE)
- Moonrise (WIT Studio)
- ZENSHU (MAPPA)
Best Animation
- DAN DA DAN Season 2 (Science Saru)
- Gachiakuta (Bonesgachiakuta
- Film)
- My Hero Academia Final Season (Bones Film)
- ONE PIECE (Toei Animation)
- Solo Leveling Season 2 – Arise from the Shadow – (A-1 Pictures) — WINNER
- Takopi’s Original Sin (ENISHIYA)
Best Character Design
- DAN DA DAN Season 2 (Science Saru)
- Gachiakuta (Bones Film) — WINNER
- My Dress-Up Darling Season 2 (CloverWorks)
- ONE PIECE (Toei Animation)
- Takopi’s Original Sin (ENISHIYA)
- The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 (TOHO Animation Studio x OLM)
Best Director
- Akinori Fudesaka, Norihiro Naganuma (The Apothecary Diaries Season 2) — WINNER
- Fuga Yamashiro and Abel Gongora (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 Background Art
- CITY THE ANIMATION (KYOTO ANIMATION)
- DAN DA DAN Season 2 (Science Saru)
- Gachiakuta (Bones Film) — WINNER
- Kowloon Generic Romance (ARVO ANIMATION)
- The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 (TOHO Animation Studio x OLM)
- The Summer Hikaru Died (Cypic)
Best Romance
- Blue Box (Telecom Animation Film Co Ltd)
- DAN DA DAN Season 2 (Science Saru)
- Honey Lemon Soda (J.C. STAFF)
- My Dress-Up Darling Season 2 (CloverWorks)
- Ranma 1/2 Season 2 (MAPPA)
- The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity (CloverWorks) — WINNER
Best Comedy
- CITY THE ANIMATION (KYOTO ANIMATION)
- DAN DA DAN Season 2 (Science Saru) — WINNER
- My Dress-Up Darling Season 2 (CloverWorks)
- Ranma 1/2 Season 2 (MAPPA)
- Spy x Family Season 3 (WIT Studio X CloverWorks)
- Witch Watch (Bibury Animation Studios)
Best Action
- DAN DA DAN Season 2 (Science Saru)
- Gachiakuta (Bones Film)
- Kaiju No. 8 (Production I.G)
- My Hero Academia Final Season (Bones Film)
- ONE PIECE (Toei Animation)
- Solo Leveling Season 2 – Arise from the Shadow – (A-1 Pictures) — WINNER
Best Isekai Anime
- Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill Season 2 (MAPPA)
- Disney Twisted-Wonderland: The Animation – Season 1″Episode of Heartslabyul” (YUMETA CO.,LTD. × Graphinica, Inc)
- From Bureaucrat to Villainess: Dad’s Been Reincarnated! (Ajiado)
- KONOSUBA -God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World! 3 -BONUS STAGE- (Drive)
- Re: ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- Season 3 (White Fox) — WINNER
- ZENSHUU (MAPPA)
Best Drama
- Anne Shirley (The Answerstudio)
- Blue Box (Telecom Animation Film Co Ltd)
- Orb: On the Movements of the Earth (MADHOUSE)
- Takopi’s Original Sin (ENISHIYA)
- The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 (TOHO Animation Studio x OLM) — WINNER
- The Summer Hikaru Died (Cypic)
Best Slice of Life
- Anne Shirley (The Answerstudio)
- Blue Box (Telecom Animation Film Co Ltd)
- CITY THE ANIMATION (KYOTO ANIMATION)
- My Dress-Up Darling Season 2 (CloverWorks)
- Spy x Family Season 3 (WIT Studio X CloverWorks) — WINNER
- The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity (CloverWorks)
Best Main Character
- Izuku Midoriya (My Hero Academia Final Season)
- Maomao (The Apothecary Diaries Season 2) — WINNER
- 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) — WINNER
- Loulan / Shisui (TOHO Animation Studio x OLM)
- Turbo Granny (DAN DA DAN Season 2)
“Must Protect At All Costs” Character
- Anya Forger (Spy x Family Season 3) — WINNER
- Izuku Midoriya (My Hero Academia Final Season)
- Kaoruko Waguri (CloverWorks)
- Maomao (The Apothecary Diaries Season 2)
- Suika (Dr Stone Science Future)
- Takopi (Takopi’s Original Sin)
Best Anime Song
- “In Bloom” by Lilas Ikuta (The Apothecary Diaries Season 2)
- “IRIS OUT” by Kenshi Yonezu (Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc) — WINNER
- “JANE DOE” by Kenshi Yonezu, Hikaru Utada (Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc)
- “On The Way” by AiNA THE END (DAN DA DAN Season 2)
- “ReawakeR (feat. Felix of Stray Kids)” by LiSA (Solo Leveling Season 2 -Arise from the Shadow-)
- “Watch Me!” by 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 (Yuji Kajiura, Go Shiina) — WINNER
- 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 Opening Sequence
- “HUGs” by Paledusk (Gachiakuta)
- “Mirage” by Creepy Nuts (Call of the Night Season 2)
- “On The Way” by AiNA THE END (DAN DA DAN Season 2) — WINNER
- “ReawakeR (feat. Felix of Stray Kids)” by LiSA (Solo Leveling Season 2 -Arise from the Shadow-)
- “THE REVO” by PORNOGRAFFITTI (My Hero Academia Final Season)
- “Watch Me!” by YOASOBI (Witch Watch)
Best Ending Sequence
- “Actor” by Lilas (Spy x Family Season 3)
- “Beautiful Colors” by OneRepublic (Kaiju No. 8)
- “Doukashiteru” by WurtS (DAN DA DAN Season 2)
- “I” by BUMP OF CHICKEN My Hero Academia Final Season — WINNER
- “Kawaii Kaiwai” by PiKi (My Dress-Up Darling Season 2)
- “UN-APEX” by TK from Ling Tosite Sigure (Solo Leveling Season 2 -Arise from the Shadow-)
Best Voice Artist Performance (Japanese)
- Aoi Yuki, Maomao (The Apothecary Diaries Season 2) — WINNER
- 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) — WINNER
- Morgan Berry, Shiori Fuyumura (SANDA)
- Paul Castro Jr., Hikaru (The Summer Hikaru Died)
Best Voice Artist Performance (Other Languages)
- Arabic: Tariq Obaid, Taro Sakamoto (Sakamoto Days)
- Brazilian Portuguese: Charles Emmanuel, Akaza (Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle)
- Castilian Spanish: Carles Teruel, Akaza (Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle)
- French: Bastien Bourlé, Izuku Midoriya (My Hero Academia Final Season)
- German: Gerrit Schmidt-Foß, Akaza (Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle)
- Hindi: Abhishek Sharma, Jinshi (The Apothecary Diaries Season 2)
- Italian: Mosè Singh, Denji (Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc)
- Latin Spanish: Jose Antonio Toledano, Akaza (Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle)
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
Kevin Low
