Crunchyroll has revealed the full list of nominees and first round of celebrity presenters for the 2026 Anime Awards pre-show and live ceremony. The pre-show takes place on May 23, 2026 at 5:00 PM JST, while the live ceremony begins at 6:00 PM JST in Tokyo, Japan.
The first round of presenters include:
- • Asuka Saito — Actress
- • DANNA — Singer, songwriter
- • Enako — Cosplayer
- • hannah bahng — Singer-songwriter, producer, and visual artist.
- • Kasumi Arimura — Actress
- • Mitorizu — Comedy duo
- • Nanase Nishino — Actress
- • Nyvi Estephan — Esports and gaming host
- • RZA — Rapper from the Wu-Tang Clan, producer
- • Rashmika Mandanna — Actress
- • Snitchery — Cosplayer
- • Winston Duke — Actor
President and CEO of Sony Group Corporation, Hiroki Totoki will once again deliver opening remarks at the Anime Awards live ceremony, while Sally Amaki and Jon Kabira return as hosts.
In addition, the 10th edition of the Crunchyroll Anime Awards will host several musical tributes for past anime series. Japanese singer Dean Fujioka will open the ceremony with “History Maker,” from Yuri!!! on ICE, followed by rock band Porno Graffitti will perform a tribute marking the 10th anniversary of the My Hero Academia anime and its conclusion. Afterwards, rock band Asian Kung-Fu Generation will perform the second opening theme from Naruto “Haruka Kanata.”
It was announced previously that singer Yoko Takahashi will be performing a Neon Genesis Evangelion 30th anniversary tribute with the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra.
Here are the list of nominees for the 2026 Anime Awards:
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 no Yaiba Infinity Castle
- • Mononoke the Movie: Chapter II — The Ashes of Rage
- • Scarlet
- • The Rose of Versailles
Best Original Anime
- • Apocalypse Hotel
- • DIGIMON BEATBREAK
- • Lazarus
- • Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX
- • Moonrise
- • ZENSHU
Best Continuing Series
- • DAN DA DAN Season 2
- • Kaiju No. 8
- • My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON
- • One Piece
- • Solo Leveling Season 2 -Arise from the Shadow-
- • SPY x FAMILY 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 Sequence
- • “HUGs” — Paledusk — Gachiakuta
- • “Mirage” — Creepy Nuts — Call of the Night Season 2
- • “On The Way” — AiNA THE END — DAN DA DAN Season 2
- • “ReawakeR (feat. Felix of Stray Kids)” — LiSA — Solo Leveling Season 2 -Arise from the Shadow-
- • “THE REVO” — Porno Graffitti — My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON
- • “Watch Me!” — YOASOBI — WITCH WATCH
Best Ending Sequence
- • “Actor” — Lilas Ikuta — SPY x FAMILY Season 3
- • “Beautiful Colors” — OneRepublic — Kaiju No. 8
- • “Doukashiteru” — WurtS — DAN DA DAN Season 2
- • “I” — BUMP OF CHICKEN — My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON
- • “Kawaii Kaiwai” — PiKi — My Dress-Up Darling Season 2
- • “UN-APEX” — TK from Ling Tosite Sigure — Solo Leveling Season 2 -Arise from the Shadow-
Best Action
- • DAN DA DAN Season 2
- • Gachiakuta
- • Kaiju No. 8
- • My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON
- • One Piece
- • Solo Leveling Season 2 -Arise from the Shadow-
Best Comedy
- • CITY THE ANIMATION
- • DAN DA DAN Season 2
- • My Dress-Up Darling Season 2
- • Ranma1/2 Season2
- • SPY x FAMILY Season 3
- • WITCH WATCH
Best Drama
- • 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 — Season 1 “Episode of Heartslabyul”
- • From Bureaucrat to Villainess: Dad’s Been Reincarnated!
- • KONOSUBA -God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World! 3 -BONUS STAGE-
- • Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- Season 3
- • ZENSHU
Best Romance
- • Blue Box
- • DAN DA DAN Season 2
- • Honey Lemon Soda
- • My Dress-Up Darling Season 2
- • Ranma1/2 Season 2
- • The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity
Best Slice of Life
- • Anne Shirley
- • Blue Box
- • CITY THE ANIMATION
- • My Dress-Up Darling Season 2
- • SPY x FAMILY 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 -Arise from the Shadow-
- • Takopi’s Original Sin
Best Background 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 — The Apothecary Diaries Season 2
- • Fuga Yamashiro and Abel Góngora — DAN DA DAN Season 2
- • Fumihiko Suganuma — Gachiakuta
- • Kenji Nagasaki, Naomi Nakayama — My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON
- • Ryohei Takeshita — The Summer Hikaru Died
- • Shinya Iino — Takopi’s Original Sin
Best Main Character
- • Izuku Midoriya — My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON
- • Maomao — The Apothecary Diaries Season 2
- • Momo — DAN DA DAN Season 2
- • Okarun — DAN DA DAN Season 2
- • Rudo — Gachiakuta
- • Sung Jinwoo — Solo Leveling Season 2 -Arise from the Shadow-
Best Supporting Character
- • Enjin — Gachiakuta
- • Jin Enjoji (Jiji) — DAN DA DAN Season 2
- • Jinshi — The Apothecary Diaries Season 2
- • Katsuki Bakugo — My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON
- • Loulan/Shisui — The Apothecary Diaries Season 2
- • Turbo Granny — DAN DA DAN Season 2
“Must Protect At All Cost” Character
- • Anya Forger — SPY x FAMILY Season 3
- • Izuku Midoriya — My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON
- • Kaoruko Waguri — The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity
- • Maomao — The Apothecary Diaries Season 2
- • Suika — Dr. STONE SCIENCE FUTURE
- • Takopi — Takopi’s Original Sin
Best Anime Song
- • “In Bloom” — Lilas Ikuta — The Apothecary Diaries Season 2
- • “IRIS OUT” — Kenshi Yonezu — Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc
- • “JANE DOE” — Kenshi Yonezu and Hikaru Utada — Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc
- • “On The Way” — AiNA THE END — DAN DA DAN Season 2
- • “ReawakeR (feat. Felix of Stray Kids)” — LiSA — Solo Leveling Season 2 -Arise from the Shadow-
- • “Watch Me!” — YOASOBI — WITCH WATCH
Best Score
- • Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc — kensuke ushio
- • DAN DA DAN Season 2 — kensuke ushio
- • Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle — Yuki Kajiura, Go Shiina
- • Gachiakuta — Taku Iwasaki
- • Solo Leveling Season 2 -Arise from the Shadow- — Hiroyuki Sawano
- • The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 — Satoru Kosaki, Kevin Penkin, Alisa Okehazama
Best Voice Artist Performance (Japanese)
- • Aoi Yuki — Maomao — The Apothecary Diaries Season 2
- • Chiaki Kobayashi — Yoshiki Tsujinaka — The Summer Hikaru Died
- • Daiki Yamashita — Izuku Midoriya — My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON
- • Kikunosuke Toya — Denji — Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc
- • Mayumi Tanaka — Monkey D. Luffy — One Piece
- • Reina Ueda — Reze — Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc
Best Voice Artist Performance (English)
- • Alexis Tipton — Reze — Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc
- • Emi Lo — Maomao — The Apothecary Diaries Season 2
- • Justin Briner — Izuku Midoriya — My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON
- • Lucien Dodge — Akaza — Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle
- • Morgan Berry — Shiori Fuyumura — SANDA
- • Paul Castro Jr. — Hikaru Indou — The Summer Hikaru Died
Anime fans can vote daily for their favorite shows until 11:59 PM PST on April 15, 2026 on the Anime Awards Official Website, Crunchyroll and MyAnimeList.
Source: press release
