The 10th Crunchyroll Anime Awards Just Dropped — And the Internet Is on Fire
Over 73 million votes from fans across the globe. Thirty-two categories. A star-studded ceremony in Tokyo. The 10th Crunchyroll Anime Awards just wrapped up on May 23, 2026, and the results have sparked massive celebrations — and equally massive outrage. Whether you’re cheering or furious, one thing is clear: this year’s awards will be remembered for years to come.
Held at the Grand Prince Hotel New Takanawa in Tokyo and hosted by Sally Amaki and Jon Kabira for the fourth consecutive year, the milestone ceremony celebrated the best anime of 2025 across series, films, performances, music, and production. Crunchyroll streamed the event live on YouTube, Twitch, and TikTok, pulling in millions of viewers worldwide.
The Biggest Winners of the Night
🏆 My Hero Academia Final Season — Anime of the Year
In a historic first, the eighth and final season of My Hero Academia by Bones Film took home the top prize — becoming the first concluding season of any series to win Anime of the Year. The series also won Best Action, Best Supporting Character (Katsuki Bakugo), and Best VA Performance (Japanese) for Aoi Yūki, totaling four awards. For a show that dominated the 2010s, this feels like the perfect send-off.
🎬 Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle — Film of the Year (7 Awards!)
Ufotable’s Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle absolutely dominated the ceremony with a staggering seven wins, making it the most awarded film in Anime Awards history. Director Haruo Sotozaki took home Best Director, while composers Yuki Kajiura and Go Shiina won Best Score. The film also swept technical categories, cementing its place as a cinematic masterpiece.
📚 The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 — Best Drama (5 Awards)
The Apothecary Diaries continued its winning streak with five awards, including Best Drama and Best Director. Maomao, the brilliant and eccentric protagonist, won Best Main Character — and honestly, could anyone else have taken that crown? The show’s meticulous storytelling and gorgeous animation by Toho Animation Studio and OLM made it a fan favorite all year.
🎨 Solo Leveling Season 2 — Best Animation
Solo Leveling Season 2 -Arise from the Shadow claimed both Best Animation and Best Action Anime. After the first season set new standards for action animation, the sequel somehow raised the bar even higher. The fight sequences in this season were nothing short of breathtaking.
The Biggest Snubs That Broke the Internet
Not everyone is happy with the results, and the “snub” discourse is already trending across every anime community. Here are the most controversial losses:
- Dandadan Season 2 — Despite leading with a record-breaking 20 nominations (the most of any anime this year), Dandadan only managed to win Best Comedy. Fans are calling it the biggest robbery in Anime Awards history.
- Gachiakuta — With 16 nominations and wins for Best New Series and Best Character Design, many expected it to take Anime of the Year. It’s a cult favorite that deserved more mainstream recognition.
- Takopi’s Original Sin — This dark, emotional series was nominated for Anime of the Year but walked away empty-handed. Many fans argue it was the most artistically significant anime of 2025.
- Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc — With 13 nominations (the most for any film), it only won Best Anime Song for Kenshi Yonezu’s “Iris Out.” MAPPA’s stunning animation deserved more.
Other Notable Wins
- One Piece — Won Best Continuing Series for the fourth consecutive nomination, proving the Grand Line never gets old.
- Lazarus — Won Best Original Anime, a win for creator Shinichirō Watanabe’s ambitious sci-fi project.
- Re:Zero — Took home Best Isekai Anime, beating out KonoSuba in a category that’s become increasingly competitive.
- Spy × Family — Anya Forger won “Must Protect at All Costs” Character for the fourth consecutive year. At this point, she’s not just a character — she’s a national treasure.
- The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity — Won Best Romance, a sleeper hit that captured hearts worldwide.
Why This Year’s Awards Matter More Than Ever
The 10th anniversary of the Crunchyroll Anime Awards isn’t just a celebration — it’s a statement. With 73 million votes (up from previous years), anime fandom has never been bigger or more engaged. The fact that a final season won Anime of the Year shows that fans value conclusions — they want to see stories through to the end.
But the snubs also reveal something important: the anime community is more divided than ever. Dandadan’s 20 nominations with only one win, Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc’s 13 nominations with a single music award — these results show that fan favorites don’t always align with the broader voting base. It’s a tension between critical acclaim and popular vote that will only intensify as anime continues to grow globally.
What Do You Think?
The 10th Crunchyroll Anime Awards gave us historic wins, shocking snubs, and enough discourse to fuel anime Twitter for months. My Hero Academia’s final victory lap was emotional. Demon Slayer’s seven-award sweep was legendary. And Dandadan’s near-total shutout was… painful.
Was My Hero Academia the right choice for Anime of the Year? Did Dandadan get robbed? And which snub hurt the most? Drop your hottest takes in the comments — let’s settle this once and for all.
