Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2026 nominees announced, voting open till April 15

Nominations for the 2026 edition of the Crunchyroll Anime Awards have been unveiled, with a mix of established franchises and new titles competing across major categories. The awards ceremony is scheduled for May 23, where winners will be announced by a line-up of international celebrity presenters.

Among the top contenders for Anime of the Year are Dan Da Dan Season 2, Gachiakuta, My Hero Academia, Takopi’s Original Sin, The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 and The Summer Hikaru Died. The category reflects a balance between ongoing hits and newer entries that gained popularity over the past year.

The Film of the Year category includes Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle, The Rose of Versailles and Mononoke the Movie: Chapter II — The Ashes of Rage, alongside 100 Meters and Scarlet.

Crunchyroll president Rahul Purini said the nominations highlight the global appeal of anime and the role of fans in recognising their favourite works. He noted that nearly 50 series and films made the shortlist this year, marking a milestone as the awards enter their tenth edition. Over the past decade, more than 110 animation studios and 220 voice actors have been recognised through the event.

Voting for this year’s awards will remain open until 15 April.

Other key categories include Best Continuing Series, where titles such as One Piece, Spy x Family Season 3 and Solo Leveling Season 2 are nominated, and Best New Series, featuring Sakamoto Days and The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity alongside Gachiakuta and The Summer Hikaru Died.

In genre categories, Kaiju No. 8, My Hero Academia and Solo Leveling Season 2 appear in Best Action, while Best Drama includes Blue Box and Orb: On the Movements of the Earth. Popular titles also feature across romance, comedy and slice-of-life segments, indicating broad audience engagement.

The ceremony will include musical performances by Dean Fujioka and the band Porno Graffitti. Opening remarks will be delivered by Hiroki Totoki, with hosting duties handled by voice actress Sally Amaki and presenter Jon Kabira.

The presenters’ list includes names such as Rashmika Mandanna, Asuka Saito, RZA and Winston Duke, among others.

The annual awards, organised by Crunchyroll, continue to expand in scale, reflecting growing global interest in anime across audiences and industries.