It happened. The 10th annual Crunchyroll Anime Awards wrapped up last night at the Grand Prince Hotel Shin Takanawa in Tokyo, and the results are already sending shockwaves through the anime community. After a staggering 73 million fan votes from across the globe, My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON was crowned Anime of the Year — and The Weeknd himself walked onstage to hand over the trophy.
If you weren’t watching the ceremony live, you just witnessed one of the most emotionally charged anime award moments in history. But this night was about way more than one show taking home the big prize. Let’s break down everything that happened, the surprise winners, the brutal snubs, and why fans are already calling this the most controversial — and most exciting — Crunchyroll Awards ever.
My Hero Academia Finally Gets Its Crown
After a decade-long journey that began in 2016, My Hero Academia‘s final season has been awarded the top honor at the 2026 Crunchyroll Anime Awards. The announcement, presented by The Weeknd — yes, that The Weeknd, a longtime and vocal anime fan — brought the packed auditorium to its feet.
This wasn’t just a nostalgic win. The final season of My Hero Academia delivered some of the most emotionally devastating arcs in modern shonen anime. Katsuki Bakugo took home Best Supporting Character, while the ending sequence “I” by Bump of Chicken earned Best Ending Sequence. The show also scored voice acting wins across French, Spanish, and Castilian categories.
Let’s be honest — when The Weeknd presented this award, the internet collectively lost it. A Grammy-winning global superstar handing the biggest prize in anime to the show that defined a generation of shonen fans? That’s crossover culture at its peak.
Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle Dominates with 6 Wins
While MHA grabbed the top spot, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle walked away as the most-awarded title of the night with six wins — including Best Film of the Year and Best Score.
The movie’s technical achievements were recognized across the board: Best Background Art, Best Character Design, and voice acting honors in English, Brazilian Portuguese, Castilian Spanish, and German for Lucien Dodge and Charles Emmanuel as Akaza. The Infinity Castle saga is proving that movie-length anime adaptations can deliver spectacle on a scale that rivals Hollywood blockbusters.
The Surprise Winners Nobody Saw Coming
Here’s where things get spicy. The 2026 awards threw several curveballs that have fans debating well into the night.
Lazarus Wins Best Original Anime
Lazarus — the MAPPA-produced original anime that split audiences when it first aired — took home Best Original Anime. This is a massive statement. Original anime rarely competes with established franchises, but Lazarus proved that bold, creator-driven storytelling still has a place at the top. Even the Cowboy Bebop creator’s involvement with the show has been vindicated in the eyes of fans who initially dismissed it.
Gachiakuta Sweeps the Newcomer Categories
Despite its “toxic fandom” drama, Gachiakuta won Best New Series, Best Background Art, and Best Character Design. Whether you love it or hate it, the show’s visual identity is undeniably striking — and the awards are backing that up.
The Apothecary Diaries Reigns in Drama
The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 dominated the prestige categories: Best Drama, Best Director (Akinori Fudesaka and Norihiro Naganuma), and Best Main Character (Maomao, voiced by Aoi Yuki in Japanese). If Demon Slayer is the blockbuster, Apothecary Diaries is the critically acclaimed masterpiece that wins awards season.
The Full Winners List — Major Categories
- Anime of the Year: My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON
- Best Film: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle
- Best Original Anime: Lazarus
- Best Continuing Series: One Piece
- Best New Series: Gachiakuta
- Best Opening: “On The Way” by AiNA THE END — DAN DA DAN Season 2
- Best Ending: “I” by Bump of Chicken — My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON
- Best Action: Solo Leveling Season 2
- Best Comedy: DAN DA DAN Season 2
- Best Drama: The Apothecary Diaries Season 2
- Best Isekai: Re:ZERO Season 3
- Best Romance: The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity
- Best Slice of Life: SPY x FAMILY Season 3
- Best Animation: Solo Leveling Season 2
The Presenters Were Absolutely Stacked
Crunchyroll didn’t just pull out the stops for the awards — they assembled a presenter lineup that reads like a who’s who of global entertainment. The Weeknd presented Anime of the Year. RZA of Wu-Tang Clan, Puerto Rican artist Young Miko, and K-pop icons BamBam and TEN (NCT) all took the stage. Hosts Sally Amaki and Jon Kabira kept the energy electric throughout the night.
This wasn’t just an anime awards show anymore. It was a cultural event.
The Snubs That Fans Are Still Mad About
No awards show is complete without outrage, and 2026 delivered plenty:
- Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc Movie didn’t win Best Film despite shattering box office records. Fans are calling this the biggest snub of the decade.
- Witch Hat Atelier, widely considered the best anime of Spring 2026, left without a single major category win.
- Bleach TYBW continues its losing streak at the awards despite its massive popularity.
- Mushoku Tensei Season 3, one of the most anticipated returns of the year, wasn’t even nominated in Best Isekai (Re:ZERO took it).
What This Tells Us About Anime in 2026
The 2026 Crunchyroll Anime Awards paint a clear picture: anime is bigger than ever. With 73 million votes cast across nearly 50 unique series and films, the medium has crossed into mainstream global entertainment territory. The presence of international superstars presenting awards, the multilingual voice acting categories (Arabic, Hindi, German, Italian, French, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese), and the diversity of winning genres all point to the same conclusion — anime isn’t a subculture anymore. It’s the culture.
Whether you’re Team Deku, Team Demon Slayer, or Team “Lazarus deserved more love,” one thing is undeniable: 2026 was one of the greatest years in anime history, and the Crunchyroll Awards just gave us a front-row seat to celebrate it.
What do you think of the 2026 Crunchyroll Anime Awards results? Was MHA the right pick for Anime of the Year, or should Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle have taken the crown? Drop your hot takes in the comments below — we know you have opinions.
