Preview of the 2024-2025 Crunchyroll Anime Award Ceremony

Unleashing Japan's Anime Excellence: The Crunchyroll Anime Awards: An Unfiltered Guide

Every year, we witness a spectacle like no other in the animation world: the Crunchyroll Anime Awards. Named after the acclaimed streaming platform owned by Sony, these awards have been celebrating the best in Japanese animation for seven consecutive years. With 17 million subscribers, Crunchyroll is a force to be reckoned with in the entertainment industry. And while these awards honor series from various platforms — not just Crunchyroll — any anime that graced our screens within the 2024-2025 period was eligible for consideration.

The Lowdown on these Awards

For those who are new to the anime scene, the Crunchyroll Anime Awards are an extraordinary occasion where anime enthusiasts from all over the world get to vote for their favorite shows. In total, 24 awards categories were up for grabs, each recognizing the different aspects that make anime so captivating, from the artistic brilliance of the animation to the memorable and well-crafted characters.

Categories Galore

Here's a breakdown of each award category, it's purpose, and the one-of-a-kind anime that took the top prize:

Anime of the Year: The grand prize goes to the series that has reigned supreme over the year.
Anime Film of the Year: The honor reserved for the standout anime film of the year, offering an unforgettable cinematic experience.
Best Continuing Series: A nod to the series that kept viewers on the edge of their seats, continuing a storyline from previous seasons.
Best Original Anime: Recognizing new and innovative series launched in 2024-2025.
Best Animation: Honoring the artists who breathed life into the stunning visuals of the winning series.
Best Character Design: Acknowledging the creators who crafted the unforgettable characters that captured our hearts.
Best Director: A well-deserved accolade for the visionary who skillfully guided the series from conception to completion.
Best Background Art: A reward for the artists who transported us to extraordinary, immersive worlds with their exquisite background illustrations.
Best Romance: An homage to the shows that kindled our hearts with their passionate, moving love stories.
Best Comedy: A salute to the funny bones of anime with the get-you-laughing-out-loud series of the year.
Best Action: Celebrating the adrenaline-pumping series that kept us on the edge of our seats with their pulse-pounding action sequences.
Best Isekai Anime: A spotlight on the popular genre where the main character is reincarnated in another world.
Best Drama: A thoughtful, tear-jerking series that deeply moved us and left a lasting impression.
Best Slice of Life: A heartwarming, relatable series that captures everyday life with humor and authenticity.
Best Main Character: A recognition for the series’ indispensable protagonist who led the tale and endeared ourselves to them.
Best Supporting Character: A chance to shine a light on the supporting characters who complemented the lead with their rich personalities and engaging plotlines.
Must Protect At All Costs Character: The award for the character who we grew to admire and root for, no matter what obstacles they faced.
Best Anime Song: Acknowledging the memorable, catchy tunes that stuck in our heads long after the credits rolled.
Best Score: A special appreciation for the composers who created the elegant melodies that accompanied the series.
Best Opening Sequence: Honoring the creative minds behind the opening animations, which set the tone for the captivating stories that followed.
Best Ending Sequence: A salute to the artists who crafted the ending animations, which often left viewers with a sense of closure and reflection.
Best Voice Artist Performance: Recognizing the voice talent behind the beloved characters, with multiple awards given per language: Japanese, Arabic, Brazilian/Portuguese, Castilian Spanish, English, French, German, Italian, Latin Spanish, Hindi, and more.

Winners

Some anime swept multiple awards, while others were celebrated for their exceptional contributions in a single category. Here are the winning anime and awards they captured:

Solo Leveling (season one): Anime of the Year, Best New Series, Best Action, Best Main Character (Sung Jinwoo), Best Score, Best Ending Sequence, Best Voice Artist Performance (characters awarded based on language skill: Charles Emmanuel - Brazilian/Portuguese, Masumi Mutsuda - Castilian Spanish, Aleks Le – English)
Frieren: Beyond Journey's End: Best Director, Best Background Art, Best Drama, Best Supporting Character
Dan Dan Dan: Best Character Design, Best Anime Song ("Otonoke"), Best Opening Sequence
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Hashira Training Arc: Best Continuing Series, Best Animation
Look Back: Anime Film of the Year
Spy x Family: "Must Protect At All Costs" Character, Best Voice Artist Performance (Hiba Snobar - Arabic)
Ninja Kamui: Best Original Anime
Blue Box: Best Romance
MASHLE: Magic and Muscles – The Divine Visionary Candidate Exam Arc: Best Comedy
Re:ZERO - Starting Life in Another World- Season 3: Best Isekai Anime
Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines!: Best Slice of Life
The Apothecary Diaries: Best Voice Artist Performance (Aoi Yuki – Japanese)
Kaiju No. 8: Best Voice Artist Performance (Adrien Antoine – French)
One Piece: Best Voice Artist Performance (Daniel Schlauch – German)
Attack On Titan The Final Season: Best Voice Artist Performance (Miguel Ángel Leal – Latin Spanish)
Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2: Best Voice Artist Performance (Lohit Sharma – Hindi)

If you're curious about which other anime were nominated for each award, be sure to visit the Crunchyroll Anime Awards official site!

Finally, although not an official award, the "Global Impact Award" was given to the legendary franchise, Attack on Titan. This series not only captured audiences worldwide with its intense music and unexpected plot twists but also served as a standout introduction to the broader world of anime. Perfect for both newbies and seasoned fans alike. From its debut in 2013 to its conclusion in 2024, Attack on Titan has undoubtedly played a significant role in popularizing anime in various cultures worldwide.

These awards, named Crunchyroll Anime Awards, celebrate the best in Japanese animation, attracting 17 million subscribers and honoring series across various platforms.
The awards ceremony allows anime enthusiasts worldwide to vote for their favorite shows in 24 categories that recognize various aspects of anime excellence, such as animation, character design, and music.
Winners this year included Solo Leveling, Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, Dan Dan Dan, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Hashira Training Arc, Look Back, and more — featured across categories like Anime of the Year, Best Director, Best Comedy, Best Anime Film, and more.
In addition to anime excellence, the event also recognized outstanding performances in various languages, including Japanese, Arabic, Brazilian/Portuguese, Castilian Spanish, English, French, German, Italian, Latin Spanish, Hindi, and more — celebrating the diverse talent in the entertainment industry and the global appeal of anime.