Crunchyroll, the ultimate brand fueling anime fandom worldwide, announced at CCXP in São Paulo, Brazil, that the ninth annual Crunchyroll Anime Awards will return to Tokyo, Japan, on May 25, 2025. A star-studded orange carpet and global live stream will precede the ceremony.
Crunchyroll also announced its first-ever Brazilian celebrity presenter and anime fan for the ceremony—drag pop icon and musician Pabllo Vittar. Additional celebrity presenters from the world of television, film, sports, fashion, and music as well as musical performers will be announced closer to the ceremony.
Wildly popular voice actress and idol Sally Amaki and renowned entertainer Jon Kabira will return as co-hosts, and Sony Group Corporation Chairman and CEO Kenichiro Yoshida will again deliver opening remarks.
“The Crunchyroll Anime Awards is one of the biggest moments for anime all year – thanks to the creators honored and fans who will decide the winners,” said Rahul Purini, President of Crunchyroll. “We’re thrilled to host the awards again in the birthplace of anime and produce a celebration of the world’s fastest growing entertainment space.”
The largest global celebration of excellence in Japanese animation continues to evolve and expand with a new eligibility period, voting window and categories. The Crunchyroll Anime Awards’ move from March to May begins a transition towards an updated eligibility period that celebrates a clearly defined calendar year of anime.
Exclusively for the 2025 Anime Awards, the updated eligibility period will expand from October 1, 2023, to December 30, 2024, encompassing five seasons (or quarters) of anime. This expanded window marks a transition year that ensures no anime goes uncelebrated and fans have the opportunity to vote for their favorite series, film, creators, and more. In the future, nominee eligibility will extend from January 1 to December 30.
“Every year we see an outpouring of love and admiration from fans around the world, voting for and cheering on their favorite shows and creators,” added Gita Rebbapragada, Crunchyroll’s Chief Operating Officer. “This year will be no different as anime continues to captivate larger and more diverse audiences than ever before.”Crunchyroll has revealed 32 categories that capture anime’s contributions to popular culture and reflect its continued global growth. From fresh new categories like Best Isekai and Best Hindi Voice Artist to fan favorites like Best Opening Sequence and Best Main Character, the accolades continue to parallel the expansion of anime. The full list can be found on the Anime Awards Official Website.
To be revealed on April 3, 2025 as fan voting begins, the nominees in each category will be selected by the passionate and independent 2025 Anime Awards judges, who represent global creatives, tastemakers, experts, and influencers.
The Crunchyroll Anime Awards is the leading yearly awards program honoring the creators, musicians, and performances powering the global love of anime. The ninth annual Anime Awards will take place at the Grand Prince Hotel Shin Takanawa in Tokyo on May 25, 2025. Sony Music Solutions Inc., part of Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc., and Dempsey Productions will support Crunchyroll in the execution of the event. The event will be livestreamed for global audiences.
More information can be found on the Anime Awards Official Website and across X (Twitter), Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube Channel.
About Crunchyroll
Crunchyroll is the global anime brand that fuels fans’ love of anime. With the ambition to make anime an even bigger part of pop culture, Crunchyroll offers fans the ultimate anime experience and destination centered around a premium streaming service. Crunchyroll has the largest dedicated anime library, an immersive world of events, exciting theatrical releases, unique games, must-have merchandise, timely news, and more. Anime is for everyone and is accessible to stream across territories through Crunchyroll—whether on the go on mobile, through gaming consoles and big-screen devices at home, or on desktops anywhere.
Crunchyroll, LLC is an independently operated joint venture between U.S.-based Sony Pictures Entertainment and Japan’s Aniplex, a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc., both subsidiaries of Tokyo-based Sony Group.
