Thomas Storai 
The Crunchyroll Anime Awards Nominees will be revealed on April 2, alongside the start of global fan voting.
After a breakout year for anime across streaming and on the big screen, Crunchyroll announced the 2026 Crunchyroll Anime Awards will return to Tokyo, Japan, on May 23. A global pre-show and star-studded orange carpet will punctuate the marquis tenth celebration. In addition, there will be once-in-a-lifetime performances. All of this will be done to honor nominees across 32 anime categories. Popular voice actress and performer Sally Amaki and renowned entertainer Jon Kabira will return as co-hosts for the fourth straight year.
The streamer also revealed a preliminary lineup of music for the 2026 Crunchyroll Anime Awards. Japanese singer Yoko Takahashi will perform a 30th-anniversary tribute to 1995’s seminal anime Neon Genesis Evangelion, featuring the renowned theme “A Cruel Angel’s Thesis.” Symphonic suites conducted by Hirofumi Kurita, performed by the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, and arranged by Kazunori Miyake will accent the ceremony. More will be announced soon!
THE AWARDS
“For the past decade, the Crunchyroll Anime Awards has been shaped by the fans who show up every year to celebrate the stories and creators they love,” said Rahul Purini, President of Crunchyroll. “What began with a few million votes in 2017 has grown into tens of millions of voices from around the world. This reflects how deeply anime has become part of people’s lives. Returning to Japan is about celebrating where these stories begin. It is also about the fans everywhere who make them live far beyond the screen.”
Nominees will be revealed on April 2 alongside the start of global fan voting. Fans are invited to mark their calendars and fight for the series, films, creators, and performances they loved. This will help determine winners across 32 categories that capture the medium’s contributions to entertainment. The complete list of categories can be found on the Crunchyroll Anime Awards Official Website.
SELECTION PROCESS
The nominees in each category will be selected from eligible titles that premiered between January 1 and December 31 in 2025. The passionate, independent 2026 Anime Awards judges will make the selections. These judges represent global creatives, tastemakers, experts, and influencers. Lauren Moore and Tim Lyu will once again host the global pre-show preceding the ceremony.
The Crunchyroll Anime Awards is the leading annual awards program honoring the creators, musicians, and performers who power the global love of anime. Sony Music Solutions Inc., part of Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc., and Dempsey Productions will support the anime giant in executing the event. The event will be livestreamed for audiences around the world.
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Star Wars expert and Japan connoisseur.
