If you thought anime could not get any bigger, think again. The 10th Crunchyroll Anime Awards is just two days away, and this year the ceremony is shaping up to be the most explosive celebration of Japanese animation in history. With Demon Slayer Infinity Castle raking in over $737 million at the global box office and Dandadan leading all nominees with a staggering 20 nominations, the question is not who will win but whether any single anime can actually dominate the entire night.
The ceremony airs live on May 23, 2026 from the Grand Prince Hotel New Takanawa in Tokyo, with Sally Amaki and Jon Kabira returning as hosts for their fourth consecutive year. But this is not just another awards show. The 10th anniversary edition is pulling out all the stops with live performances from some of the biggest names in Japanese music, celebrity presenters from Hollywood, and a lineup of nominees that proves 2025 was one of the greatest years anime has ever seen.
The Anime of the Year Battle Is Absolutely Insane
Six series are competing for the top prize, and each one has a legitimate claim. Dandadan Season 2 from studio Science SARU has been breaking the internet with its wild blend of action, comedy, and supernatural horror. Gachiakuta arrived as one of the most hyped new series of the year and delivered with stunning visuals from studio Bones. My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON is riding a wave of nostalgia as the legendary shonen epic approaches its conclusion.
But the real surprise nominees are Takopi Original Sin, a dark and emotionally devastating series that took viewers completely off guard, The Apothecary Diaries Season 2, which proved its first season was no fluff, and The Summer Hikaru Died, a quietly powerful story about friendship and the supernatural that has fans fiercely defending it in every online discussion. This is not a clear frontrunner situation and that is exactly what makes it so exciting.
Film of the Year: Demon Slayer Versus Chainsaw Man Is the Main Event
The Film of the Year category is essentially a two-horse race and the numbers are staggering. Demon Slayer Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle earned more than $737 million worldwide, making it one of the highest-grossing anime films of all time. Chainsaw Man The Movie Reze Arc pulled in $163 million, a massive figure in its own right but dwarfed by Demon Slayer box office dominance.
However, box office numbers do not always translate to awards. Chainsaw Man Reze Arc received widespread critical praise for its animation quality and emotional storytelling, and many fans argue that it was the more artistically ambitious film. The other nominees in this category include 100 Meters, Mononoke the Movie Chapter II The Ashes of Rage, and Scarlet, adding even more depth to what is already a stacked lineup.
Dandadan Dominates with 20 Nominations
If there is one show that could sweep the entire night, it is Dandadan. With 20 total nominations, it leads every other nominee by a significant margin. The Apothecary Diaries follows with 17 nominations, Gachiakuta has 16, and My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON rounds out the top four with 15. These four series essentially form the elite tier of 2025 anime, and their combined nomination count represents a massive chunk of all 32 award categories.
Naoyuki Onda and Yukiko Nakatani both earned their second consecutive nominations for Best Character Design for their work on Dandadan and The Apothecary Diaries respectively, cementing their status as two of the most talented character designers working in the industry today. Both series were also nominated again for Best Background Art, proving that visual excellence runs through every frame of these productions.
Hollywood Stars and Legendary Musical Performances
This year ceremony is going beyond anime insiders. RZA from Wu-Tang Clan and Winston Duke from Black Panther and Us are among the confirmed presenters, bringing Hollywood star power to a show that has increasingly become a mainstream cultural event. Japanese singer Dean Fujioka will open the ceremony with History Maker from Yuri on ICE, which fittingly was the first anime to ever win the Anime of the Year award at the inaugural Crunchyroll Anime Awards.
The musical lineup is absolutely stacked. Pornograffitti, Asian Kung-Fu Celebration, legendary singer Yoko Takahashi, and the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra are all set to perform, creating what promises to be an unforgettable blend of anime music and orchestral arrangements. Hiroki Totoki, President and CEO of Sony Group Corporation, will deliver the opening remarks once again, underscoring how deeply invested the entertainment industry has become in anime global success.
When and Where to Watch
The pre-show begins at 5:00 PM JST on May 23, 2026, with the main ceremony starting at 6:00 PM JST. For viewers in the United States, that means an early morning or pre-dawn viewing, while UK audiences can tune in at 9:00 AM BST. The entire event will stream live on Crunchyroll YouTube channel, Twitch, and TikTok, so there is no excuse to miss it.
Voting closed on April 14, 2026, meaning the winners have already been decided by fans around the world. The 10th Crunchyroll Anime Awards celebrates a decade of recognizing excellence in anime, and with nearly 290 unique series and films and more than 220 voice actors nominated over the past ten years, this milestone edition is the perfect moment to appreciate how far the medium has come.
What Do You Think?
Who should win Anime of the Year in 2026? Is Demon Slayer Infinity Castle too dominant to lose Film of the Year, or will Chainsaw Man Reze Arc pull off the upset? And which surprise nominee deserves more attention? Drop your predictions and hot takes in the comments below and let the debate begin.
