Anime Awards 2026: How to Watch and What to Expect From the Ceremony

Crunchyroll is hosting the 10th yearly Anime Awards this weekend. For the 2nd twelvemonth successful a row, Dan Da Dan leads the battalion with the astir wide nominations, including Anime of the Year. Chainsaw Man: The Movie - Reze Arc leads the mode for anime films, portion past year's somewhat arguable Anime of the Year winner, Solo Leveling, lone picked up a fewer scattered nominations for its 2nd season.

If you’re readying to cheque retired this weekend’s ceremony, here’s everything you request to know.

When and Where Are The Anime Awards?

Credit: Crunchyroll

This year's Anime Awards volition instrumentality spot connected May 23. While the ceremonial was initially hosted successful California, it was moved to the Grand Prince Hotel Takanawa successful Tokyo successful 2023. Unfortunately for america North Americans, that does mean the ceremonial is based connected section Japan time. Here’s erstwhile the ceremonial volition footwear disconnected crossed antithetic clip zones:

• 5pm JST
• 8am UST
• 1am PST
• 4am EST
• 10am BST

If you privation other confirmation astir erstwhile the ceremonial kicks disconnected successful your area, Crunchyroll lets you adhd an lawsuit consecutive to your Google oregon Apple Calendar. The calendar invites person the awards slated for 3 hours total.

How to Watch

The ceremonial volition beryllium livestreamed connected Crunchyroll’s YouTube and TikTok channels. Somewhat surprisingly, that means you don’t request a Crunchyroll subscription to tune in.

How Does Voting Work?

A sheet of judges selects six nominees successful each class based connected the bid and movies that were released betwixt January and December of 2025. These judges encompass a wide scope of expertise connected anime, including IGN's nonmigratory anime expert, Mike Mamon. You tin spot the afloat database of judges here.

Voting was unfastened to fans from April 2 to 15. Deadline precocious reported that the work had received implicit 73 cardinal votes, the astir ever submitted. The last winners are based connected a operation of votes from some the fans and judges.

Who’s Hosting?

Sally Amaki and Jon Kabira volition beryllium returning to big this year’s Anime Awards for the 4th twelvemonth successful a row. Crunchyroll has besides already confirmed that The Weeknd volition beryllium presenting the grant for Anime of the Year.

What About Performances?

Crunchyroll has already announced a agelong database of “Talent” who volition beryllium participating successful the event. Specific performances volition observe the 30th day of Neon Genesis Evangelion arsenic good arsenic the 10th day of My Hero Academia.

Major Categories and Nominees

This year’s Anime Awards volition see 32 categories. While determination are nary caller categories being introduced this year, caller additions from past year's ceremonial see Best Background Art, Best Isekai Anime, and Best VA Performance (Hindi).

Here are the nominees for the 2 biggest categories:

Anime of the Year

• Dan Da Dan Season 2
• Gachiakuta
• My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON
• Takopi’s Original Sin
• The Apothecary Diaries Season 2
• The Summer Hikaru Died

Film of the Year

• 100 Meters
• Chainsaw Man - The Movie: Reze Arc
• Demon Slayer: Kimetsu nary Yaiba Infinity Castle
• Mononoke the Movie: Chapter II - The Ashes of Rage
• Scarlet
• The Rose of Versailles

The Full List of Nominees

Click done to spot the afloat database of nominees successful each category:

• Anime of the Year
• Film of the Year
• Best Continuing Series
• Best New Series
• Best Original Anime
• Best Animation
• Best Character Design
• Best Director
• Best Background Art
• Best Romance Anime
• Best Comedy Anime
• Best Action Anime
• Best Isekai Anime
• Best Drama Anime
• Best Slice of Life Anime
• Best Main Character
• Best Supporting Character
• “Must Protect At All Costs” Character
• Best Anime Song
• Best Score
• Best Opening Sequence
• Best Ending Sequence
• Best Anime Voice Artist Performance (Japanese, Arabic, Brazilian Portuguese, Castilian Spanish, English, French, German, Italian, Latin Spanish, Hindi)

Blythe (she/her) is an Audience Development Coordinator astatine IGN who spends mode excessively overmuch clip successful quality customization screens and tracking down collectibles.