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.
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.”
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.
Production, Direction & Creative Execution
Character & Fandom Favorites
To honor the global localization teams bringing these stories to life across different cultures, Crunchyroll recognized the top voice talent across nine major languages: