Entering networks today is a danger. The season of fighting with strangers on the internet has come upon us. Crunchyroll just released the official list of nominees for their 2026 Anime Awards. You have until April 15 to cast your daily votes.
Anyone expecting an easy win hasn’t been paying attention. The category is a brutal competition between momentum and legacy.
- DAN DA DAN Season 2 β cultural phenomenon returning stronger
- My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON β a decade-long narrative landing its dismount
- Gachiakuta β dark shonen with devoted following
- Takopi’s Original Sin β risk-taking dark drama
- The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 β period intrigue fully intact
- The Summer Hikaru Died β psychological thriller rewarding attention
Anyone can take the crown. Six contenders, each credible.
Film: Where Giants Meet
The film category reads like impossible choices. Box office beasts like Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle and Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc compete against The Rose of Versailles β a historical classic reinvented. Add 100 Meters, Mononoke Chapter II, and scarlet. A visual massacre where studios left their souls whole.
A Tenth Anniversary with Teeth
This isn’t merely another ceremony. It’s the tenth anniversary.
The gala goes live from Tokyo, May 23. Musical lineup includes legends: Yoko Takahashi, Asian Kung-Fu Generation, Porno Graffitti, Dean Fujioka β accompanied by the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra. Sally Amaki returns to host alongside Jon Kabira.
The Categories That Spark Conversations
Subplot categories reveal the medium’s direction:
- Comedy: SpyΓFamily versus Ranma Β½ remake β legacy against adaptation
- Romance: fandom divided between blue box and My Dress-Up Darling Season 2
- Isekai: Re:ZERO returns heavy to reclaim its throne
Complete List of Nominations
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 β The Movie: Reze Arc
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle
- Mononoke the Movie: Chapter II β The Ashes of Rage
- scarlet
- The Rose of Versailles
Best Original Anime
- Apocalypse Hotel
- DIGIMON BEATBREAK
- Lazarus
- Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX
- Moonrise
- ZENSHU
Best Sequel
- DAN DA DAN Season 2
- Kaiju No. 8
- My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON
- One Piece
- Solo Leveling Season 2 -Arise from the Shadow-
- SpyΓFamily Season 3
Best New Series
- Clevatess
- Gachiakuta
- Sakamoto Days
- Takopi’s Original Sin
- The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity
- The Summer Hikaru Died
Best Opening
- “HUGs” β Paledusk β Gachiakuta
- “Mirage” β Creepy Nuts β Call of the Night Season 2
- “On The Way” β Aina The End β DAN DA DAN Season 2
- “ReawakeR (feat. Felix of Stray Kids)” β LiSA β Solo Leveling Season 2
- “THE REVO” β Porno Graffitti β My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON
- “Watch Me!” β YOASOBI β WITCH WATCH
Best Ending
- “Actor” β Lilas Ikuta β SpyΓFamily Season 3
- “Beautiful Colors” β OneRepublic β Kaiju No. 8
- “Doukashiteru” β WurtS β DAN DA DAN Season 2
- “I” β BUMP OF CHICKEN β My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON
- “Kawaii Kaiwai” β PiKi β My Dress-Up Darling Season 2
- “UN-APEX” β TK from Ling Tosite Sigure β Solo Leveling Season 2
Best Action Anime
- DAN DA DAN Season 2
- Gachiakuta
- Kaiju No. 8
- My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON
- One Piece
- Solo Leveling Season 2
Best Comedy Anime
- CITY The Animation
- DAN DA DAN Season 2
- My Dress-Up Darling Season 2
- Ranma 1/2 Season 2
- SpyΓFamily Season 3
- WITCH WATCH
Best Drama Anime
- Anne Shirley
- blue box
- Orb: On the Movements of the Earth
- Takopi’s Original Sin
- The Apothecary Diaries Season 2
- The Summer Hikaru Died
Best Isekai Anime
- Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill Season 2
- Disney Twisted-Wonderland: The Animation β Season 1 “Episode of Heartslabyul”
- From Bureaucrat to Villainess: Dad’s Been Reincarnated!
- KonoSuba β God’s blessing on this wonderful world!! 3 -BONUS STAGE-
- Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- Season 3
- ZENSHU
Best Romance Anime
- blue box
- DAN DA DAN Season 2
- Honey Lemon Soda
- My Dress-Up Darling Season 2
- Ranma 1/2 Season 2
- The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity
Best Slice of Life Anime
- Anne Shirley
- blue box
- CITY The Animation
- My Dress-Up Darling Season 2
- SpyΓFamily Season 3
- The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity
Best Animation
- DAN DA DAN Season 2
- Gachiakuta
- My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON
- One Piece
- Solo Leveling Season 2
- Takopi’s Original Sin
Best Art
- CITY THE ANIMATION
- DAN DA DAN Season 2
- Gachiakuta
- Kowloon Generic Romance
- The Apothecary Diaries Season 2
- The Summer Hikaru Died
Best Character Design
- DAN DA DAN Season 2
- Gachiakuta
- My Dress-Up Darling Season 2
- One Piece
- Takopi’s Original Sin
- The Apothecary Diaries Season 2
Best Director
- Akinori Fudesaka, Norihiro Naganuma β The Apothecary Diaries Season 2
- FΕ«ga Yamashiro and Abel GΓ³ngora β DAN DA DAN Season 2
- Fumihiko Suganuma β Gachiakuta
- Kenji Nagasaki, Naomi Nakayama β My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON
- Ryohei Takeshita β The Summer Hikaru Died
- Shinya Iino β Takopi’s Original Sin
Best Main Character
- Izuku Midoriya β My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON
- Maomao β The Apothecary Diaries Season 2
- Momo β DAN DA DAN Season 2
- Okarun β DAN DA DAN Season 2
- Rudo β Gachiakuta
- Sung Jinwoo β Solo Leveling Season 2
Best Supporting Character
- Enjin β Gachiakuta
- Jin Enjoji (Jiji) β DAN DA DAN Season 2
- Jinshi β The Apothecary Diaries Season 2
- Katsuki Bakugo β My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON
- Loulan/Shisui β The Apothecary Diaries Season 2
- Turbo Granny β DAN DA DAN Season 2
Best Character “Who Must Be Protected at All Costs”
- Anya Forger β SpyΓFamily Season 3
- Izuku Midoriya β My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON
- Kaoruko Waguri β The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity
- Maomao β The Apothecary Diaries Season 2
- Suika β Dr. Stone: Science Future
- Takopi β Takopi’s Original Sin
Best Anime Song
- “In Bloom” β Lilas Ikuta β The Apothecary Diaries Season 2
- “IRIS OUT” β Kenshi Yonezu β Chainsaw Man β The Movie: Reze Arc
- “JANE DOE” β Kenshi Yonezu and Hikaru Utada β Chainsaw Man β The Movie: Reze Arc
- “On The Way” β Aina The End β DAN DA DAN Season 2
- “ReawakeR (feat. Felix of Stray Kids)” β LiSA β Solo Leveling Season 2
- “Watch Me!” β YOASOBI β WITCH WATCH
Best Soundtrack
- Chainsaw Man β The Movie: Reze Arc β Kensuke Ushio
- DAN DA DAN Season 2 β Kensuke Ushio
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle β Yuki Kajiura, GΕ Shiina
- Gachiakuta β Taku Iwasaki
- Solo Leveling Season 2 β Hiroyuki Sawano
- The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 β Satoru KΕsaki, Kevin Penkin, Alisa Okehazama
Best Seiyuu
- Aoi YΕ«ki β Maomao β The Apothecary Diaries Season 2
- Chiaki Kobayashi β Yoshiki Tsujinaka β The Summer Hikaru Died
- Daiki Yamashita β Izuku Midoriya β My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON
- Kikunosuke Toya β Denji β Chainsaw Man β The Movie: Reze Arc
- Mayumi Tanaka β Monkey D. Luffy β One Piece
- Reina Ueda β Reze β Chainsaw Man β The Movie: Reze Arc
Fifteen days. That’s the window to shape outcomes that industry professionals will reference for years. The real question isn’t whether your favourite wins β it’s what your vote says about what you believe anime should value most right now.
Which series are you going to give your daily vote to? Or are you one of those who prefer to sit back and watch the internet burn?
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