Crunchyroll Anime Awards are “shaped by the fans that show up,” says CR boss

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Awards season is upon us, but anime fans aren’t necessarily looking at the Oscars or the Golden Globes. No, we’re looking at the Crunchyroll Anime Awards, which is set to be held in May 2026 in Tokyo. Unlike other awards shows, Crunchyroll turns the act of picking the winners in each category over to the public, making it, as the company’s president says, the only awards show “shaped by the fans.”

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Crunchyroll Anime Awards, which will air on May 23, 2026 from Tokyo. Fans will be able to vote for their favorite in all 32 categories after nominations are revealed on April 2, 2026.

Crunchyroll President Rahul Purini says that the fact that fans get to vote for the winners in every category of the Anime Awards is what makes it different from every other industry award show. “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,” Purini said in a statement announcing the show’s return. “What began with a few million votes in 2017 has grown into tens of millions of voices from around the world, reflecting how deeply anime has become part of people’s lives. Returning to Japan is about celebrating where these stories begin and the fans everywhere who make them live far beyond the screen.”

It is hard to predict who is going to win in each category (though we’re guessing Demon Slayer – Infinity Castle Part 1 is going to walk away with its share of trophies), but one thing we are looking forward to is a celebration of the classic Neon Genesis Evangelion, which is marking its own 30th anniversary since its release. Yoko Takahashi is said to be scheduled to perform the still iconic Cruel Angel’s Thesis on stage, which will be a genuine treat for fans of the iconic anime.

The Crunchyroll Anime Awards will return on May 23, 2026. Voting in each of the 32 award categories will open on April 2, 2026.

Each week, Popverse's resident anime expert Trent Cannon runs down the latest and, dare we say "greatest," in anime and manga in Popverse Jump. Some recent columns have included... 

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