After a record-shattering 73 million votes from fans around the world, Crunchyroll has named My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON the Anime of the Year at the 2026 Crunchyroll Anime Awards. The top honour was revealed in Tokyo on 23 May, and in a fitting moment for anime’s biggest night, it was handed out by global superstar — and long-time anime fan — The Weeknd.

This year’s ceremony was a milestone in its own right: the tenth edition of the Anime Awards, staged at the Grand Prince Hotel Shin Takanawa with returning hosts Sally Amaki and Jon Kabira back for their fourth year. A decade in, the awards have grown from a niche fan event into a genuinely global celebration, and the 2026 vote tally proves it.

Deku’s send-off takes the top prize

There’s a poetic symmetry to My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON claiming the night’s biggest award. The series wraps up a story that has defined a generation of shounen fans, and the win doubles as a farewell to one of the most beloved anime of the past decade. Class 1-A didn’t leave empty-handed elsewhere either — Katsuki Bakugo took Best Supporting Character, and the season’s emotional ending theme, “I” by BUMP OF CHICKEN, won Best Ending Sequence. Rock band PORNOGRAFFITTI even performed live in honour of the franchise’s 10th anniversary and its conclusion.

The other big winners

While Deku’s finale led the headlines, the spread of awards showed just how strong this past year of anime really was.

• Film of the Year went to Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle, which also picked up Best Score.
• ONE PIECE continued its unstoppable run with Best Continuing Series.
• Newcomer Gachiakuta swept the technical categories, taking Best New Series, Best Background Art, and Best Character Design.
• The Apothecary Diaries (season 2) was the night’s quiet powerhouse, winning Best Drama, Best Director, and Best Main Character for the brilliant Maomao.
• DAN DA DAN Season 2 landed Best Comedy, Solo Leveling Season 2 took both Best Action and Best Animation, and SPY x FAMILY Season 3 earned Best Slice of Life — with Anya Forger predictably winning “Must Protect At All Cost” Character.

A decade celebrated in music

The tenth anniversary leaned hard into nostalgia, and the live performances were a love letter to anime history. DEAN FUJIOKA opened with “History Maker” from Yuri!!! on ICE — the very first Anime of the Year winner. Yoko Takahashi delivered a 30th anniversary tribute to Neon Genesis Evangelion with the iconic “A Cruel Angel’s Thesis,” and ASIAN KUNG-FU GENERATION performed “Haruka Kanata,” the legendary second opening to NARUTO.

The presenter line-up was just as star-studded, bringing together a global mix of celebrity anime fans including BamBam, TEN, RZA, Winston Duke, Young Miko, Rashmika Mandanna, and cosplay icon Enako.

Global Impact Award: Tatsuya Nagamine

One of the evening’s most heartfelt moments was the Global Impact Award presented to director Tatsuya Nagamine, whose work spans Ojamajo Doremi, PreCure, Dragon Ball Super, and ONE PIECE. With the director unable to attend, animator Masayuki Sato — a long-time collaborator and friend — accepted the award on his behalf.

Anime’s global reach keeps growing

That record 73 million votes didn’t come from any single region. The five most engaged voting countries this year were Brazil, Germany, India, Mexico, and the United States — a reminder that anime fandom is now truly worldwide, with fans here in Singapore very much part of that wave.

2026 Crunchyroll Anime Awards — full winners list

• Anime of the Year — My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON
• Film of the Year — Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle
• Best Original Anime — Lazarus
• Best Continuing Series — ONE PIECE
• Best New Series — Gachiakuta
• Best Opening Sequence — “On The Way” by AiNA THE END — DAN DA DAN Season 2
• Best Ending Sequence — “I” by 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 Anime Song — “IRIS OUT” by Kenshi Yonezu — Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc
• Best Score — Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle — Yuki Kajiura, Go Shiina
• Best Voice Artist Performance (Japanese) — Aoi Yuki as Maomao — The Apothecary Diaries (season 2)
• Best Voice Artist Performance (English) — Lucien Dodge as Akaza — Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle

The full tenth annual Anime Awards, complete with exclusive content, will be available to stream on Crunchyroll and its YouTube channel shortly.

Which win were you cheering for? Whether you’re team Deku, Maomao, or Anya, drop by GameTrader.SG to gear up on the merch, games, and collectibles behind your favourite series.