Crunchyroll opens Anime Awards voting with new nominees

Crunchyroll has opened voting for its 2026 Anime Awards, published this year's nominees, and named an initial group of celebrity presenters for the ceremony.

Voting is open until 16 April AEST on Crunchyroll's platform, the official awards site and, for the first time, MyAnimeList. Fans can vote daily during the voting period.

The shortlist for Anime of the Year includes DAN DA DAN Season 2, Gachiakuta, My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON, Takopi's Original Sin, The Apothecary Diaries season 2, and The Summer Hikaru Died. Film of the Year nominees are 100 Meters, Chainsaw Man - The Movie: Reze Arc, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle, Mononoke the Movie: Chapter II - The Ashes of Rage, Scarlet, and The Rose of Versailles.

This is the programme's tenth edition, and the nominees span nearly 50 series and films.

Other categories cover everything from Best New Series and Best Continuing Series to craft and performance awards such as Best Director, Best Score and Best Voice Artist Performance across several languages. Titles appearing repeatedly across categories include DAN DA DAN Season 2, Gachiakuta, My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON, The Apothecary Diaries season 2, Solo Leveling Season 2 -Arise from the Shadow-, and Chainsaw Man - The Movie: Reze Arc.

Presenter line-up

The first wave of presenters includes actor Asuka Saito, singer and actor DANNA, cosplayer Enako, singer-songwriter hannah bahng, actor Kasumi Arimura, comedy duo Mitorizu, actor Nanase Nishino, host Nyvi Estephan, producer and filmmaker RZA, actor Rashmika Mandanna, cosplayer Snitchery, and actor and producer Winston Duke.

The live show will also feature musical performances tied to well-known anime franchises. DEAN FUJIOKA is set to perform "History Maker" from Yuri!!! on ICE, while PORNOGRAFFITTI will mark the tenth anniversary of My Hero Academia and ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION will perform "Haruka Kanata" from NARUTO.

Previously announced performances include a Neon Genesis Evangelion tribute by Yoko Takahashi and an orchestral segment by the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra. Hiroki Totoki, President and Chief Executive Officer of Sony Group Corporation, is due to deliver opening remarks. The ceremony will be hosted by voice actor Sally Amaki and entertainer Jon Kabira.

Broader reach

Adding MyAnimeList as a voting outlet extends the awards beyond Crunchyroll's own channels and brings in one of anime's best-known fan databases and review communities. The move suggests an effort to widen participation in a market where streaming groups are competing for attention, subscribers and influence over fan culture.

Crunchyroll did not provide an expected vote total, but said the awards over the past decade have included nominees from more than 110 animation studios, nearly 290 unique series and films, and more than 220 voice actors.

Crunchyroll President Rahul Purini said the awards are meant to reflect audience enthusiasm as well as industry recognition. "The Crunchyroll Anime Awards is a global celebration where fans share their love and appreciation with the creators behind their favorite titles. This year's slate of nominees represent nearly 50 unique series and films, all chosen by fans as the most beloved over the last year," he said.

He said the anniversary year also highlights the scale of the awards' history. "As we celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Anime Awards, we also extend our gratitude to the nominees of the past decade, which include more than 110 animation studios that produced nearly 290 unique series and films, and more than 220 voice actors who contributed their talent to beloved characters," Purini said.

The nominee list also shows how the awards continue to balance long-running franchises with newer releases. Established series such as ONE PIECE, SPY x FAMILY and My Hero Academia appear alongside recent titles including Takopi's Original Sin, Gachiakuta and The Summer Hikaru Died.

Voice performance categories remain a major part of the programme, covering Japanese, English, Arabic, Brazilian Portuguese, Castilian Spanish, French, German, Hindi, Italian and Latin Spanish. That range reflects anime's increasingly international commercial reach, as distributors seek stronger engagement outside Japan through localised dubs and regional fan communities.

The ceremony will be held in Tokyo, with a pre-show followed by the main event later that evening AEST. Voting closes at 4:59 PM AEST on 16 April.