My Hero Academia Final Season Claims Top Honors at 10th Annual Crunchyroll Anime Awards

TOKYO, JAPAN — The global anime industry reached a historic milestone this weekend as creators, animators, and international stars gathered at the Grand Prince Hotel Shin Takanawa for the 10th annual Crunchyroll Anime Awards. In a night filled with fierce competition, My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON secured the ultimate crown, walking away with the prestigious Anime of the Year award.

The studio hit also bagged trophies for Best Ending Sequence, Best Supporting Character, and Best Voice Performance (French), cementing its legacy as a generational masterpiece. Meanwhile, on the cinematic front, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle dominated the big-screen categories, taking home Film of the Year alongside six technical accolades, including Best Score.

A Global Phenomenon Breaks Records

The 2026 ceremony highlighted an unprecedented surge in global anime consumption. Fandom participation shattered previous records, with fans casting over 73 million votes—a massive leap from the 51 million recorded last year. According to official data from Crunchyroll, the highest voting volumes originated from Brazil, Germany, India, Mexico, and the United States.

Though Crunchyroll’s streaming platform is not natively available in Japan, hosting the gala in Tokyo since 2023 remains a deliberate choice to honor the medium’s roots.

“Japan is the home of anime,” stated Crunchyroll President Rahul Purini. “Almost all the nominated shows today are created here, so it’s really important for us that we create a platform for the creators where global fans can recognize them.”

Purini also took aim at lingering industry misconceptions, firmly rejecting the idea that anime is merely a passing trend or a subculture.

“I think the biggest misconception a decade ago, and even right now, is that anime is a niche,” Purini noted, pointing to the star-studded presenter lineup, which included global music icon The Weeknd, alongside actors Winston Duke and Rashmika Mandanna. “There’s hundreds of millions of people around the world that watch anime. The fandom is so huge that it competes with any other kind around the world—it’s not niche, it’s a movement. Anime is for everyone.”

Major Series Showdowns

Going into the gala, the chaotic supernatural comedy Dan Da Dan led the industry with 20 nominations, ultimately walking away with the Best Comedy title. The critically acclaimed historical mystery The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 followed closely with 17 nominations, translating them into wins for Best Drama and Best Director. Meanwhile, the gritty dark fantasy Gachiakuta turned its 16 nominations into a major victory for Best New Series.

THE OFFICIAL 2026 CRUNCHYROLL ANIME AWARDS WINNERS LIST

Major Categories & Flagship Genres

Production, Direction & Creative Execution

Character & Fandom Favorites

International Voice Acting Masterclass

To honor the global localization teams bringing these stories to life across different cultures, Crunchyroll recognized the top voice talent across nine major languages:

• Japanese Performance: Aoi Yuki as Maomao (The Apothecary Diaries Season 2)
• English Performance: Emi Lo as Maomao (The Apothecary Diaries Season 2)
• French Performance: Bastien Bourlé as Izuku Midoriya (My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON)
• German Performance: Gerrit Schmidt-Foß as Akaza (Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle)
• Hindi Performance: Rajesh Shukla as Sung Jinwoo (Solo Leveling Season 2)
• Italian Performance: Luna Fogu as Maomao (The Apothecary Diaries Season 2)
• Arabic Performance: Ghada Omar as Yor Forger (SPY x FAMILY Season 3)
• Brazilian Portuguese: Fabio Lucindo as Katsuki Bakugo (My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON)
• Castilian Spanish: Joel Gómez Jiménez as Okarun (DAN DA DAN Season 2)
• Latin Spanish: Desireé González as Maomao (The Apothecary Diaries Season 2)

You Might Also Like

Logan Marshall-Green Teases High Stakes and Vulnerability Ahead of ‘Marshals’ Season 2

‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Star Wyatt Russell Urges Fans to Log Off and Just Enjoy the Movie

Dame Helen Mirren Addresses London Street Harassment Over Israel Views

The Boys Theory Suggests Stormfront Could Be the Key to Soldier Boy’s Return After the Finale

About the Author

Adekunle Oyinkansola

Adekunle Oyinkansola is a journalist, reporter, and public figure known for her work with DGR News and Wifey News. She has approximately one year of experience in journalism and digital publication, covering and reporting on news and public-interest stories. Alongside her work in journalism, Oyinkansola has an academic background in Science Laboratory Technology (SLT). She studied the field at Adeseun Ogundoyin Polytechnic (AOPE), where she developed knowledge and practical skills in laboratory science. Through her work as a reporter, Oyinkansola has contributed to the publication and dissemination of news and information to readers through digital media platforms. Her involvement in journalism has helped establish her presence as a young media professional and public figure. Her work combines her interest in media and communication with her educational background in science, reflecting a multidisciplinary career path spanning journalism and science-related education.

View all posts →