🏆 Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2026: And the Winners Are…

The 10th annual Crunchyroll Anime Awards has wrapped from the Grand Prince Hotel Takanawa in Tokyo, and the results are in. Over 32 categories, 200+ nominees, and a night full of surprises, upsets, and well-deserved victories.

My Hero Academia: Final Season took the top prize — Anime of the Year — closing out its decade-long journey with the industry’s highest honor. Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle dominated the film categories with 7 wins, the most of any nominee. Dandadan, despite leading with 20 nominations, walked away with key wins but not the big one.

Here’s the complete list.

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🏆 Anime of the Year

🥇 WINNER: My Hero Academia: Final Season — Bones Film

My Hero Academia did it. After eight seasons, a feature film, and a decade as one of shonen’s defining stories, the Final Season takes the crown. Deku’s journey from quirkless dreamer to the world’s greatest hero — animated at Bones’ highest level — earned the industry’s top honor in its final bow.

Nominees: DAN DA DAN Season 2 · Gachiakuta · My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON · Takopi’s Original Sin · The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 · The Summer Hikaru Died

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Film of the Year

🥇 WINNER: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba — The Movie: Infinity Castle — Ufotable

Ufotable’s cinematic masterpiece took Film of the Year, and it’s not hard to see why. The Infinity Castle arc — with its impossible architecture, choreographed chaos, and emotional weight — is Ufotable at their absolute peak. The film also dominated the night with 7 total wins across technical and performance categories.

Nominees: 100 Meters · Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc · Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle · Mononoke the Movie: The Ashes of Rage · Scarlet · The Rose of Versailles

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📺 Best of the Rest — Major Categories

Best Continuing Series

🥇 WINNER: One Piece — Toei Animation

After 25+ years, One Piece is still winning. The anime’s relentless quality through the Egghead arc and beyond proves that the King of Shonen isn’t slowing down. Luffy’s Gear 5 episodes alone were worth the trophy.

Nominees: DAN DA DAN Season 2 · Kaiju No. 8 Season 2 · My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON · One Piece · Solo Leveling: Arise from the Shadow · Spy × Family Season 3

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Best New Series

🥇 WINNER: Gachiakuta — Bones Film

Bones’ dark fantasy debut swept Best New Series — and with animation this good, it’s no surprise. Gachiakuta’s gritty world, fluid combat animation, and独特的 art style made it the standout freshman of the year.

Nominees: Clevatess · Gachiakuta · Sakamoto Days · Takopi’s Original Sin · The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity · The Summer Hikaru Died

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Best Original Anime

🥇 WINNER: Lazarus — MAPPA

Shinichirō Watanabe’s latest original delivered. Lazarus — MAPPA’s sci-fi action thriller — took Best Original Anime, proving that original storytelling still has a powerful place in the industry.

Nominees: Apocalypse Hotel · Digimon Beatbreak · Lazarus · Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX · Moonrise · Zenshu

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🎨 Technical Excellence

Best Animation

🥇 WINNER: Solo Leveling: Arise from the Shadow — A-1 Pictures

A-1 Pictures raised the bar. Solo Leveling’s animation — the shadow monarch battles, the dungeon environments, the spell effects — set a new standard for action anime production. Every frame of Arise from the Shadow is a flex.

Nominees: DAN DA DAN · Gachiakuta · My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON · One Piece · Solo Leveling: Arise from the Shadow · Takopi’s Original Sin

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Best Director

🥇 WINNER: Akinori Fudesaka & Norihiro Naganuma — The Apothecary Diaries Season 2

The duo behind Apothecary Diaries S2 took Best Director, and deservedly so. Their handling of the show’s delicate balance — period drama, mystery, comedy, and character intimacy — is masterclass direction.

Nominees: The Apothecary Diaries S2 – Akinori Fudesaka & Norihiro Naganuma · DAN DA DAN S2 – Fūga Yamashiro & Abel Góngora · Gachiakuta – Fumihiko Suganuma · My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON – Kenji Nagasaki & Naomi Nakayama · The Summer Hikaru Died – Ryōhei Takeshita · Takopi’s Original Sin – Shinya Iino

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Best Score

🥇 WINNER: Yuki Kajiura & Go Shiina — Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle

Kajiura and Shiina’s score for Infinity Castle is a masterwork — blending orchestral grandeur with traditional Japanese instrumentation. The result is a soundtrack that elevates every scene it touches.

Nominees: Chainsaw Man Reze Arc – Kensuke Ushio · DAN DA DAN – Kensuke Ushio · Demon Slayer Infinity Castle – Yuki Kajiura & Go Shiina · Gachiakuta – Taku Iwasaki · Solo Leveling: Arise from the Shadow – Hiroyuki Sawano · The Apothecary Diaries S2 – Satoru Kōsaki, Kevin Penkin & Alisa Okehazama

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Best Character Design

🥇 WINNER: Gachiakuta — Satoshi Ishino

Gachiakuta’s character designs — gritty, expressive, unmistakably unique — won Best Character Design. Ishino’s work brought Kei Urana’s manga to life with flair.

Best Background Art

🥇 WINNER: Gachiakuta — Bones Film

A double win for Gachiakuta’s visual team. The post-apocalyptic wasteland of Gachiakuta is both beautiful and haunting.

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🎭 Character Spotlight

Best Main Character

🥇 WINNER: Maomao (The Apothecary Diaries Season 2)

Maomao did it. The sharp-tongued, poison-obsessed apothecary took Best Main Character, proving that you don’t need super strength or a giant sword to be the character of the year — you just need wit, chemistry knowledge, and zero tolerance for palace nonsense.

Nominees: Momo Ayase (DAN DA DAN) · Izuku “Deku” Midoriya (MHA FINAL SEASON) · Maomao (Apothecary Diaries S2) · Sung Jin-woo (Solo Leveling: Arise from the Shadow) · Ken “Okarun” Takakura (DAN DA DAN) · Rudo Surebrec (Gachiakuta)

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Best Supporting Character

🥇 WINNER: Katsuki Bakugo (My Hero Academia: Final Season)

Bakugo’s final arc — from explosive rival to genuine hero — earned him Best Supporting Character. His growth across the series culminated in moments that defined MHA’s final season.

Nominees: Enjin (Gachiakuta) · Jin “Jiji” Enjoji (DAN DA DAN) · Jinshi (Apothecary Diaries S2) · Katsuki Bakugo (MHA FINAL SEASON) · Loulan / Shisui (Apothecary Diaries S2) · Turbo Granny (DAN DA DAN)

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“Must Protect At All Costs” Character

🥇 WINNER: Anya Forger (SPY × FAMILY Season 3)

Is there any question? Anya’s face alone wins this category — but her heart, her telepathic shenanigans, and her bond with Loid and Yor make her the most protect-worthy character in anime. Waku waku.

Nominees: Anya Forger (SPY × FAMILY Season 3) · Izuku Midoriya (My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON) · Kaoruko Waguri (The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity) · Maomao (The Apothecary Diaries Season 2) · Suika (Dr. STONE SCIENCE FUTURE) · Takopi (Takopi’s Original Sin)

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🎭 Genre Awards

Best Action

🥇 WINNER: Solo Leveling: Arise from the Shadow

Best Comedy

🥇 WINNER: DAN DA DAN Season 2

Best Drama

🥇 WINNER: The Apothecary Diaries Season 2

Best Romance

🥇 WINNER: The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity

Best Slice of Life

🥇 WINNER: SPY × FAMILY Season 3

Best Isekai

🥇 WINNER: Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World Season 3

The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity taking Best Romance is the feel-good win of the night. CloverWorks’ adaptation of Saka Mikami’s manga is a masterclass in slow-burn romance — tender, patient, and achingly beautiful.

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🎵 Music & Song Awards

Best Anime Song

🥇 WINNER: “Iris Out” by Kenshi Yonezu — Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc

Best Opening Sequence

🥇 WINNER: “On the Way” by Aina the End — DAN DA DAN Season 2

Best Ending Sequence

🥇 WINNER: “I” by Bump of Chicken — My Hero Academia: Final Season

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🎙️ Voice Actor Awards

Best Voice Acting — Japanese

🥇 WINNER: Aoi Yūki as Maomao (The Apothecary Diaries Season 2)

Best Voice Acting — English

🥇 WINNER: Lucien Dodge as Akaza (Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle)

Best Voice Acting — Spanish

🥇 WINNER: Jose Antonio Toledano as Akaza (Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle)

Best Voice Acting — French

🥇 WINNER: Bastien Bourlé as Izuku “Deku” Midoriya (My Hero Academia: Final Season)

Best Voice Acting — German

🥇 WINNER: Gerrit Schmidt-Foß as Akaza (Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle)

Best Voice Acting — Italian

🥇 WINNER: Mosè Singh as Denji (Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc)

Best Voice Acting — Portuguese

🥇 WINNER: Charles Emmanuel as Akaza (Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle)

Best Voice Acting — Arabic

🥇 WINNER: Tariq Obaid as Taro Sakamoto (Sakamoto Days)

Best Voice Acting — Castilian

🥇 WINNER: Carles Teruel as Akaza (Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle)

Best Voice Acting — Hindi

🥇 WINNER: Abhishek Sharma as Jinshi (The Apothecary Diaries Season 2)

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📊 By the Numbers

Show	Wins	Nominations
Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle 🎬	7 🏆	13
My Hero Academia: Final Season	4	15
Gachiakuta	4	16
DAN DA DAN	2	20
Solo Leveling: Arise from the Shadow	2	10
The Apothecary Diaries S2	3	17
SPY × FAMILY Season 3	2	9
One Piece	1	6
Re:Zero Season 3	1	—
The Fragrant Flower Blooms	1	5

Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle won 7 of 13 nominations — a 54% win rate. Dandadan led with 20 noms but converted only 2 (10%). Quantity vs. quality.

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🎤 J-Hub’s Take

The 10th Crunchyroll Anime Awards delivered exactly what the anime community needed: a night of validation, surprises, and a few upsets.

My Hero Academia: Final Season winning Anime of the Year feels right. After a decade of storytelling, Bones gave Deku and the Class 1-A the sendoff they deserved. The final season wasn’t just good — it was event television. The animation peaks, the emotional beats, the closure. It’s the kind of win that says “we respect the legacy.”

Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle sweeping 7 awards is less surprising — Ufotable’s theatrical ambitions are unmatched. But seeing it take Best Score over Kensuke Ushio’s generational run (nominated twice) is the upset of the night. Kajiura and Shiina earned it, but Ushio’s Dandadan and Chainsaw Man scores will be remembered for years.

The Apothecary Diaries continues to prove that slow-burn period drama can compete with shonen giants. Maomao as Best Main Character, Best Director, Best Drama — the palace mystery that could is officially an awards powerhouse.

Gachiakuta with 4 wins as a new series is a statement. Bones is back to their dark fantasy roots, and the industry noticed.

The biggest surprise? Where’s the Dandadan sweep? 20 nominations, 2 wins. It took Best Comedy and Best Opening — but dropped Anime of the Year, Best Animation, Best Main Character, and Best Score. A reminder that most nominated ≠ most awarded.

📺 Watch the full ceremony replay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AU0M2vbEWjM — scroll up for the embedded video player. Who got robbed in your book?

🔥 See you at the 11th Anime Awards!