‘My Hero Academia’ tops 2026 Crunchyroll Anime Awards

The Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2026 MainStage.
Photograph courtesy of The Crunchyroll Anime Awards
The 2026 Crunchyroll Anime Awards celebrated a milestone year in Tokyo as anime fans around the world cast a record-breaking 73 million votes for their favorite series, films, creators, and performers.
Held at the Grand Prince Hotel Shin Takanawa on 23 May, the 10th annual ceremony honored some of the biggest names in Japanese animation, with My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON taking home the coveted Anime of the Year award. Global music superstar and longtime anime fan The Weeknd presented the night’s top prize.

Kenji Nagasaki, Director of My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON onstage accepting Anime of the Year award.
Photograph courtesy of Andrew Rauner
Returning as hosts for the fourth consecutive year were voice actress Sally Amaki and Japanese broadcaster Jon Kabira, who led the celebration marking a decade of the awards show.
Several international celebrities and artists appeared throughout the ceremony as presenters, including K-pop star BamBam, actor Winston Duke, rapper RZA, Indian actress Rashmika Mandanna, and K-pop performer TEN. The event also featured appearances from Japanese stars Asuka Saito, Kasumi Arimura, Nanase Nishino, and popular cosplayer Enako.
The ceremony opened with a special orchestral tribute revisiting previous Anime of the Year winners, accompanied by the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Hirofumi Kurita. Singer and actor DEAN FUJIOKA later performed “History Maker,” the theme song from Yuri!!! on Ice, which won Anime of the Year during the inaugural Crunchyroll Anime Awards in 2017.

Haruo Sotozaki (Director) and Yuichi Terao(Director of photography) of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle accepting Film of the Year award.
