It’s been a decade since Crunchyroll started celebrating the best of anime each year, and the 2026 Anime Awards will bring its own share of honourees. The annual affair is set for a return to Tokyo, Japan, on 23 May, featuring a global pre-show, a star-studded orange carpet, and live performances, with popular voice actress Sally Amaki and renowned entertainer Jon Kabira serving as co-hosts for the fourth consecutive year.
As part of the announcement, the streamer also unveiled the preliminary music lineup for the event, led by Yoko Takahashi. The original singer behind “A Cruel Angel’s Thesis”, the opening theme for 1995’s Neon Genesis Evangelion, will take to the stage with a 30th anniversary tribute to the iconic song, alongside the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, which is performing symphonic suites conducted by Hirofumi Kurita and arranged by Kazunori Miyake.
More details about the ceremony will be shared in due time, but fans around the globe can look forward to casting their votes on 2 April when the nominees across 32 categories — including the highly coveted Anime of the Year — are revealed. To qualify, the premiere window of a title needs to fall between 1 January and 31 December 2025, with the full list available for viewing on the official website.
The 10th edition of the Crunchyroll Anime Awards premieres on 23 May 2026.
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
