The tenth annual Crunchyroll Anime Awards concluded in Tokyo today, revealing a stark shift in how international fan communities are driving the critical acclaim of major animation properties. Over 73 million votes were cast globally by fans celebrating their preferred series, films, and voice talent. The evening’s most anticipated accolade, Anime of the Year, was presented by global music artist The Weeknd to the production team behind My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON.
The star-studded ceremony, hosted by voice actress Sally Amaki and popular entertainer Jon Kabira, celebrated a decade of the awards by distributing top honours across several distinct creative powerhouses rather than allowing a single title to sweep the board. While My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON claimed the premier television prize, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle secured Film of the Year, alongside a Best Score win for composers Yuki Kajiura and Go Shiina.
The evening also marked a significant milestone for industry heritage. Prolific director Tatsuya Nagamine was celebrated with the Global Impact Award, recognising his decades of influential work shaping major cultural touchstones such as Ojamajo Doremi, PreCure, Dragon Ball Super, and ONE PIECE. Due to scheduling or personal preference, the director was not present; instead, animator Masayuki Sato, a Tokyo major production studios.
Western cultural figures populated the stage as presenters, including actors Winston Duke and RZA, alongside international musical stars TEN and Young Miko. This heavy Western marketing presence stood in contrast to the granular, highly competitive technical categories. Notably, The Apothecary Diaries (season 2) performed strongly on a technical level, earning Best Director for Akinori Fudesaka and Norihiro Naganuma, Best Main Character for Maomao, and Best Japanese Voice Artist Performance for Aoi Yuki.
The underlying metrics provided by Crunchyroll paint a picture of a hyper-globalised consumer base. In alphabetical order, the highest volumes of fan engagement this year originated from Brazil, Germany, India, Mexico, and the United States. This immense international turnout demonstrates how effectively streaming infrastructure has decoupled Japanese media from its domestic bubble, creating a boundaryless fandom that ultimately decided the evening’s historic results.
Official 2026 Winner Standings
The following table compiles the verified winners across all major categories announced during the Tokyo ceremony:
The massive voter turnout for this year’s ceremony highlights just how deep the global passion for anime runs, showing that the medium has truly expanded far beyond its traditional boundaries. As the lines between international pop culture and classic Japanese production continue to blur, streaming platforms are playing an essential role in keeping global communities connected to the creators they admire.
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