Deadline has announced that voting is open for Crunchyroll’s 10th annual Anime Awards this year, along with the full list of nominations for each of its 32 categories. Returning as 2026’s hosts are entertainer Jon Kabira (Chatty Jay’s Sundry Shop, Hyper Formation Soccer) and voice actress Sally Amaki (Tomo-chan Is a Girl!, May I Ask for One Final Thing?) for their fourth consecutive year, and President and CEO of Sony Group Corporation (parent company of Crunchyroll) Hiroki Totoki will again deliver opening remarks at the ceremony this year.
This year’s ceremony will host several musical tributes to anime throughout the decade, per Deadline – Set to open is Japanese singer Dean Fujioka with “History Maker,” from Yuri!!! On ICE, which was the first Crunchyroll Anime Awards’ Anime of the Year recipient.
mxdwn previously reported on the 10th Anime Awards when the date was first announced. For the pre-show, it was detailed that the orange carpet pre-show would be hosted by Crunchyroll’s on-camera talents Tim Lyu and Lauren Moore (Fire Force, Death Battle). The preliminary lineup of musical performances for the ceremony featured a 30th anniversary tribute to the iconic 1995 anime Neon Genesis Evangelion and its theme “A Cruel Angel’s Thesis” performed by Japanese singer Yoko Takahashi.
As detailed by Deadline, other anticipated musical performers are Asian Kung-Fu Celebration, Pornograffitti, and the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra.
On Instagram, Crunchyroll revealed several Anime Awards presenters, including musician Hannah Bahng, Kasumi Arimura (Flying Colors, Call Me Chihiro), Asuka Saito (Oshi no Ko: The Final Act, You Are the Apple of My Eye), Mexican singer/songwriter and actress Danna (Elite, La Doña), Japanese comedy duo Mitorizu, top Japanese cosplayer Enako, Nanase Nishino (Unsung Cinderella, Police in a Pod), creative cosplay influencer Snitchery, Brazilian e-sports and gaming host Nyvi Estephan, rapper RZA, Rashmika Mandanna (Sita Ramam, Animal), and Winston Duke (Us, Black Panther).
“The Crunchyroll Anime Awards is a global celebration where fans share their love and appreciation with the creators behind their favorite titles,” said President of Crunchyroll Rahul Purini, via Deadline. “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.”
Continuing with Purini’s statement:
“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.”
Of the 32 voting categories, eyes are on the coveted Film of the Year and Anime of the Year prizes, each with significant entertainment hits from 2025/early 2026. Deadline noted the Film of the Year category featuring Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle, Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc, The Rose of Versailles, 100 Meters, and Mononoke the Movie: Chapter II – The Ashes of Rage. Chainsaw Man took in around $163 million and Demon Slayer hit more than $737 million at the worldwide box office. For Anime of the Year, candidates include Gachiakuta, Takopi’s Original Sin, The Summer Hikaru Died, The Apothecary Diaries (season two), My Hero Academia (final season), and Dan Da Dan (season two).
Fans can use the Anime Awards website to vote through April 15, and can vote every single day until the ballot closes. The official date for the Awards is set for May 23 in Tokyo and will be livestreamed worldwide.
Check out the full list of nominees for each category on Crunchyroll’s news site!