The 8th Annual Crunchyroll Anime Awards happened in the heart of Tokyo. They unfolded with flair, marking a big event in the global anime community. On the evening of Saturday, March 2, Crunchyroll hosted a live ceremony.
It celebrated the best anime of the year that showcased the lively culture. The ceremony had a blend of celebrity presenters and great music. It crowned “Jujutsu Kaisen” Season 2 with the Anime of the Year award. The show won 11 awards in total.
Voice actor Sally Amaki and entertainer Jon Kabira hosted the event. They ensured the evening was full of fun. It had awards for the industry’s best talents. Fans worldwide couldn’t attend the live event. Crunchyroll’s official YouTube and Twitch channels treated them to a replay. This let the celebration reach a global audience.
The Award Night was Glamorous
Megan Thee Stallion presented the top award to “Jujutsu Kaisen: Hidden Inventory/Premature Death.” The series won many awards. These included Best Director for Shota Goshozono. They also included Best Action, Best Character Design, and Best Cinematography.
A star-studded lineup of presenters appeared. It included Japanese singer LiSA. It also had actress Iman Vellani and directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller. People from many industries joined them. This showed the wide appeal and influence of anime. The evening was even more exciting with music from page six celebrities.
It included the first live performance of the official Anime Awards theme song. It was by composers Hiroyuki Sawano and Kohta Yamamoto. There was also a great performance by Japanese pop duo Yoasobi.
How a Winner is Selected?
Crunchyroll is a joint venture between Sony Pictures Entertainment and Aniplex. It has become a key platform for bringing anime to a global audience.
Fans worldwide cast record votes. This reflects anime’s growing popularity and impact as a cultural phenomenon.
Other notable winners included “Spy x Family Season 1 Cour 2” for Best Comedy. “Chainsaw Man” won for Best New Series. They showed the range of storytelling and creativity in manga.
The winners showed that anime has both diversity and excellence. “Jujutsu Kaisen: Hidden Inventory/Premature Death” won Anime of the Year. “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Swordsmith Village Arc” won for Best Animation. It also won for Best Art Direction.
Here is the Complete List of Nominations and Winners
| Category | Nominations | Winner |
|---|---|---|
| Anime of the Year | Bocchi the Rock!, Chainsaw Man, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Swordsmith Village Arc, JUJUTSU KAISEN Season 2, Oshi no Ko, Vinland Saga Season 2 | JUJUTSU KAISEN Season 2 |
| Best Continuing Series | Attack on Titan, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Jujutsu Kaisen, One Piece, SPY x FAMILY, Vinland Saga | One Piece |
| Best New Series | Bocchi the Rock!, Chainsaw Man, Heavenly Delusion, Hell’s Paradise, Oshi no Ko, Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead | Chainsaw Man |
| Best Film | Black Clover: Sword of the Wizard King, Blue Giant, Kaguya-sama: Love is War, Psycho-Pass: Providence, Suzume, The First Slam Dunk | Suzume |
| Best Original Anime | Akiba Maid War, Birdie Wing -Golf Girls’ Story- Season 2, Buddy Daddies, Do It Yourself!!, Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury, The Marginal Service | Buddy Daddies |
| Best Animation | Attack on Titan, Chainsaw Man, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Swordsmith Village Arc, Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2, Mob Psycho 100 III, Trigun Stampede | Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Swordsmith Village Arc |
| Best Character Design | Chainsaw Man, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Swordsmith Village Arc, Hell’s Paradise, Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2, Oshi no Ko, Trigun Stampede | Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 |
| Best Director | Attack on Titan, Bocchi the Rock!, Chainsaw Man, Heavenly Delusion, Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2, Oshi no Ko | Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 |
| Best Cinematography | Attack on Titan, Chainsaw Man, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Swordsmith Village Arc, Heavenly Delusion, Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2, Vinland Saga Season 2 | Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 |
| Best Art Direction | Chainsaw Man, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Swordsmith Village Arc, Hell’s Paradise, Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2, Oshi no Ko, Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead | Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Swordsmith Village Arc |
| Best Romance | Horimiya: The Missing Pieces, Insomniacs After School, My Happy Marriage, My Love Story With Yamada-kun at Lv999, Skip and Loafer, Tomo-chan Is a Girl! | Horimiya: The Missing Pieces |
| Best Comedy | Bocchi the Rock!, Buddy Daddies, Mashle: Magic and Muscles, SPY x FAMILY Season 1 Cours 2, Urusei Yatsura, Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead | SPY x FAMILY Season 1 Cours 2 |
| Best Action | Attack on Titan, Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War – The Separation, Chainsaw Man, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Swordsmith Village Arc, Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2, One Piece | Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 |
| Best Fantasy | Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Swordsmith Village Arc, Hell’s Paradise, Mashle: Magic and Muscles, Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 2, Ranking of Kings: The Treasure Chest of Courage, The Ancient Magus’ Bride Season 2 | Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Swordsmith Village Arc |
| Best Drama | Attack on Titan, Heavenly Delusion, My Happy Marriage, Oshi no Ko, To Your Eternity Season 2, Vinland Saga Season 2 | Attack on Titan |
| Best Slice of Life | Bocchi the Rock!, Do It Yourself!!, Horimiya: The Missing Pieces, Insomniacs After School, My Love Story With Yamada-kun at Lv999, Skip and Loafer | Bocchi the Rock! |
| Best Main Character | Bocchi (Hitori Goto), Denji, Eren Jaeger, Mob (Shigeo Kageyama), Monkey D. Luffy, Thorfinn | Monkey D. Luffy |
Rahul Purini is the president of Crunchyroll and he summed up the feeling of the evening. He noted the unifying power of anime. It connects fans across the globe. The 8th Annual Crunchyroll Anime Awards celebrated the art of the anime industry. They also honored the lively community. The community supports and loves this form of entertainment news.
The curtains closed on a successful ceremony. It was clear that the Crunchyroll Anime Awards had again raised the status of anime. They had shone a spotlight on the great talent and creativity that define the medium. Anticipation is already building for next year’s awards. The anime community continues to grow. Their shared passion for storytelling unites them, transcending boundaries.