2026 Crunchyroll Anime Awards: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle Claims Film of the Year as My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON Takes Top Anime Honors

The 10th annual Crunchyroll Anime Awards recognized outstanding achievements in anime on May 23, 2026, at the Grand Prince Hotel Shin Takanawa in Tokyo. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle was awarded Film of the Year, while My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON took home the prestigious title of Anime of the Year.

Notable Winners and Presenters

Yuki Kajiura and Go Shiina received the award for Best Score for their contributions to Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle. The award for Best Anime Song was presented to Kenshi Yonezu for his track “IRIS OUT” from Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc.

The ceremony featured a variety of presenters, including The Weeknd, who is known for his long-standing appreciation of anime. He presented the Anime of the Year award to My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON. Other notable presenters included RZA, a founding member of Wu-Tang Clan; Puerto Rican artist Young Miko; and K-pop stars BamBam and TEN.

Record-Breaking Participation

The Crunchyroll Anime Awards celebrated the global love for anime, with a record-breaking 73 million votes cast by fans worldwide. The event was hosted for the fourth consecutive year by voice actress Sally Amaki and entertainer Jon Kabira, who guided the audience through the evening’s festivities.

The ceremony commenced with a video showcasing past Anime of the Year winners, accompanied by a performance from the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, arranged by Kazunori Miyake and conducted by Hirofumi Kurita.

Musical Tributes and Performances

The event also featured musical performances that paid tribute to anime’s significant impact on popular culture. Japanese singer Yoko Takahashi performed a 30th anniversary tribute to the iconic 1995 anime Neon Genesis Evangelion, featuring the theme “A Cruel Angel’s Thesis.” Additionally, the band PORNOGRAFFITTI performed in honor of the 10th anniversary of My Hero Academia, while ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION delivered their hit “Haruka Kanata,” the second opening theme for the series NARUTO.

During the ceremony, director Tatsuya Nagamine was honored with the Global Impact Award posthumously. He passed away on August 20, 2025, at the age of 53 after a year-long battle with an undisclosed illness. Animator Masayuki Sato accepted the award on his behalf, having collaborated closely with Nagamine on various projects, including Happiness Charge PreCure! and ONE PIECE.

Pre-Show Highlights

The Anime Awards pre-show was co-hosted by Crunchyroll hosts Lauren Moore and Tim Lyu, alongside YouTube creator Gigguk. Presenters included singer DANNA, contemporary musician Ethan Bortnick, Australian singer-songwriter hannah bahng, and creative cosplayer Snitchery.

The video-on-demand version of the ceremony will be available for streaming on Crunchyroll and its YouTube channel, as well as on Sony Group Corp Global and Japan’s YouTube channels. Sony Music Solutions Inc., part of Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc., and Dempsey Productions supported Crunchyroll in executing the event.

Complete List of Winners

The following is the complete list of winners from the 2026 Crunchyroll Anime Awards:

• Anime of the Year: My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON
• Film of the Year: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle
• Best Anime Song: “IRIS OUT” — Kenshi Yonezu — Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc
• Best Score: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle — Yuki Kajiura, Go Shiina
• Best Original Anime: Lazarus
• Best Continuing Series: ONE PIECE
• Best New Series: Gachiakuta
• Best Opening Sequence: On The Way – AiNA THE END – DAN DA DAN Season 2
• Best Ending Sequence: BUMP OF CHICKEN — My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON
• Best Action: Solo Leveling Season 2 -Arise from the Shadow-
• Best Comedy: DAN DA DAN Season 2
• Best Drama: The Apothecary Diaries (season 2)
• Best Isekai Anime: Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- Season 3
• Best Romance: The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity
• Best Slice of Life: SPY x FAMILY Season 3
• Best Animation: Solo Leveling Season 2 -Arise from the Shadow-
• Best Background Art: Gachiakuta
• Best Character Design: Gachiakuta
• Best Director: Akinori Fudesaka, Norihiro Naganuma — The Apothecary Diaries (season 2)
• Best Main Character: Maomao — The Apothecary Diaries (season 2)
• Best Supporting Character: Katsuki Bakugo — My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON
• “Must Protect at all Cost” Character: Anya Forger — SPY x FAMILY Season 3
• Best Voice Artist Performance (Japanese): Aoi Yuki — Maomao — The Apothecary Diaries (season 2)
• Best Voice Artist Performance (English): Lucien Dodge — Akaza — Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle
• Best Voice Artist Performance (Arabic): Tariq Obaid — Taro Sakamoto — SAKAMOTO DAYS
• Best Voice Artist Performance (Brazilian Portuguese): Charles Emmanuel — Akaza — Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle
• Best Voice Artist Performance (Castilian Spanish): Carles Teruel — Akaza — Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle
• Best Voice Artist Performance (French): Bastien Bourlé — Izuku Midoriya — My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON
• Best Voice Artist Performance (German): Gerrit Schmidt—Foß — Akaza — Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle
• Best Voice Artist Performance (Hindi): Abhishek Sharma — Jinshi — The Apothecary Diaries (season 2)
• Best Voice Artist Performance (Italian): Mosè Singh — Denji — Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc
• Best Voice Artist Performance (Latin Spanish): Jose Antonio Toledano — Akaza — Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle

As reported by www.billboard.com.

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Published on 2026-05-23 20:21:00 • By FAME Delivered News Desk