The results are in, and nobody is shocked. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle has been crowned Film of the Year at the 10th Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2026, held live in Tokyo on Saturday night. If you still haven’t watched it yet, you’re officially living under a rock.
But this wasn’t just a trophy win. Infinity Castle didn’t just beat the competition — it absolutely dominated the box office, becoming the highest-grossing anime film of all time and the highest-grossing Japanese film ever released in North America. We’re talking about a cultural phenomenon that turned every movie theater into a battlefield of screaming fans.
What Exactly Went Down at the Anime Awards 2026?
The ceremony, hosted by Sally Amaki and Jon Kabira, drew in a staggering 73 million votes globally. The Weeknd himself came on stage to present the biggest prize of the night — Anime of the Year — which went to the final season of My Hero Academia. Emotional, right? After years of following Izuku Midoriya’s journey from quirkless kid to pro hero, seeing the final season take home the top award felt like closing a chapter in anime history.
But Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle was the undeniable star of the evening. It didn’t just win Film of the Year — it also swept Best Score (with composers Yuki Kajiura and Go Shiina taking home the award) and racked up multiple international voice acting wins. Lucien Dodge (English Akaza), Charles Emmanuel (Brazilian Portuguese Akaza), Carles Teruel (Castilian Spanish Akaza), Gerrit Schmidt-Foß (German Akaza), and Jose Antonio Toledano (Latin Spanish Akaza) all won Best Voice Artist Performance in their respective languages. One villain. Six voice acting awards. That’s insane.
The Infinity Castle Phenomenon: More Than Just a Movie
Here’s the thing about Infinity Castle that makes it special: it managed to be both a visual spectacle and an emotional gut-punch. Ufotable outdid themselves with animation that makes every frame look like a painting. The fight choreography, the soundtrack, the way Akaza’s tragic backstory was handled — it all came together in a way that left audiences breathless.
Yuki Kajiura and Go Shiina’s score deserves its own spotlight. The music doesn’t just accompany the action; it drives it. The haunting melodies mixed with explosive orchestral crescendos created moments that gave viewers chills in theaters and still hit just as hard on rewatch.
Other Big Winners You Need to Know About
While Demon Slayer and My Hero Academia dominated the headlines, several other series made serious noise at the 2026 awards:
- Lazarus won Best Original Anime — a bold pick that proved original stories still have a massive place in the anime world.
- One Piece took home Best Continuing Series, proving that after decades, the Straw Hat crew is still sailing strong.
- Gachiakuta cleaned up with Best New Series, Best Background Art, and Best Character Design — a serious breakout hit.
- The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 won Best Drama, Best Director (Akinori Fudesaka and Norihiro Naganuma), Best Main Character (Maomao), and Best Japanese Voice Performance (Aoi Yuki).
- DAN DA DAN Season 2 scored both Best Comedy and Best Opening Sequence with “On The Way” by AiNA THE END.
- Solo Leveling: Arise from the Shadow Season 2 won Best Action and Best Animation.
- Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc won Best Anime Song with “IRIS OUT” by Kenshi Yonezu.
Why This Matters for Anime Going Forward
The Crunchyroll Anime Awards have become the most important global celebration of anime, and the 2026 edition proved just how massive the medium has become. With 73 million votes from fans worldwide, it’s clear that anime is no longer a niche interest — it’s mainstream global entertainment.
Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle’s dominance is a reminder of what’s possible when a studio, a source material, and a fanbase all align perfectly. Ufotable set a new standard. Whether any future film can match what Infinity Castle achieved remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: the bar has been raised to stratospheric levels.
The full awards show will be available to stream on Crunchyroll and YouTube soon, so if you missed the live event, you’ll still be able to catch every emotional acceptance speech and celebration moment.
What Do You Think?
Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle winning Film of the Year feels like a foregone conclusion, but do you think it deserved every bit of the spotlight? Or should another film or series have taken the crown this year? Was My Hero Academia’s final season the real Anime of the Year, or would you have picked differently? Drop your thoughts — we want to hear which winner you agree with and which one made you scream at your screen.
