EXCLUSIVE: Sketch this date into your calendar: The 10th anniversary Crunchyroll Anime Awards ceremony is set for Saturday, May 23, in Tokyo. Sally Amaki and Jon Kabira are returning as co-hosts for a fourth straight year, and the show will be livestreamed worldwide.
The 2026 Anime Awards nominations in all 32 categories will be revealed on Thursday, April 2, along with the start of fan voting.
Crunchyroll also has a preliminary lineup of musical performances for the ceremony. Japanese singer Yoko Takahashi will lead a 30th anniversary tribute to the seminal 1995 anime Neon Genesis Evangelion, featuring the theme “A Cruel Angel’s Thesis.” The show also will feature symphonic suites conducted by Hirofumi Kurita, performed by the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra and arranged by Kazunori Miyake.
Crunchyroll’s Lauren Moore and Tim Lyu will host the orange carpet pre-show.
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“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,” Crunchyroll President Rahul Purini said. “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.”
Last year’s Anime Awards saw Solo Leveling named Anime of the Year, and Attack on Titan received the Inaugural Global Impact Award. The event’s ninth edition also drew a record 51 million fan votes from around the world.
Crunchyroll’s 2026 awards show will celebrate a huge year for anime. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle led the way, banking some $723.8 million worldwide. Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc scored $160.5 million globally, and Detective Conan: One-Eyed Flashback made $166 million.
Netflix’s Oscar-nominated juggernaut KPop Demon Hunters, which has become the streamer’s most-watched title ever, was inspired by Japanese animation style.
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