The Crunchyroll Anime Awards nominations were announced on Thursday and my overall thoughts can be summed up as “this seems about right.” Looking at the nominees for anime of the year–Dandadan, Delicious in Dungeon, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, Kaiju No. 8, The Apothecary Diaries, and Solo Leveling –these were all some of the biggest animes of last year that captured both the fans’ and critics’ love. Two of the nominees — Apothecary Diaries and Solo Leveling –– have also had their second seasons come out already and are still incredibly well liked (so we might see them back again next year). One other thing of note is that all the nominees are all new shows and are the nominees in the best new anime of the year award as well. These really are some of the biggest shows of the anime year.
While all of these shows are popular and have large fan bases, I believe Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is the easy frontrunner. The show follows Frieren, an incredibly long-lived elf wizard, that takes place years after she and a group of heroes defeated the Demon King, with her processing her feelings about living so long after that great battle as her comrades all age and die, and just living her life. It was the show that, while it has some action, was more of a meditation on loss and what you value in life and making certain to not lose that connection to people and humanity. It is the show that really made people connect with it emotionally. As an aside, it also won Anitrendz’s Anime of the Year award among online voters, which doesn’t usually have a correlation with Crunchyroll’s awards but it does show its appeal.
For me there was an extra level of excitement because I was a judge for the first time this year and I have seen and liked all the Anime of the Year nominees (except Delicious in Dungeon, which I will watch before voting). In Solo Leveling Sung Jin-woo, who was the weakest hunter, through a strange program has become stronger by fighting monsters in dungeons but also a darker person. There are subtle hints of something bigger behind the program that is helping him grow stronger, as well as where and why these portals from dungeons are appearing. Great action keeps you engaged throughout each episode. Kaiju No. 8 also has a weaker character, Kafka Hibino, who gains an ability that strengthens him by turning him into a Kaiju but that also makes him a target of the very military organization he wants to join. Kafka is a more humorous character than Sung but the work is still dangerous and the threat of the Kaiju is building as well.
Apothecary Diaries is a weekly mystery show that builds character depth over time, with some great humor and some court intrigue thrown in for good measure. Maomao, our apothecary, is sold into slavery at the emperor’s place but takes it in stride and is more concerned with making the best medicine and just getting by. But Jinshi, the palace official, comes to her with problems and she will help out due to her own curiosity or a chance to test some deadly chemical. Then we have Jinshi flirting with her, which causes her to shudder and move away or insult him. Jinshi will sulk in the corner whenever he thinks Maomao likes anyone else. It is a fun dynamic that shows while death can happen in the mysteries, it is an overall fun show. Dandadan is a great combination of humor, horror, action, and romance that keeps you guessing what on earth is going to happen next. Will I be sad with a tragic backstory of a ghost, or will I laugh at these characters defeating a monster but then being found naked by their classmates and running away from them in embarrassment!
Other nomination highlights was in the song category that was filled with some really great music that works with and without the anime visuals behind it. “Otonoke” by Creepy Nuts is a wild song with a rhythm that makes it hard to define its mode, similar to the show it’s played on, Dandadan. Or “Abyss” by Yungblud, which is a banger but also creates a sense of danger for Kaiju No. 8.
There were some other highlights for me across the other categories but do not want to give away who I will be voting for but it was several of my favorite shows ended up getting some acknowledgement and that is always exciting as a fan of this medium. That is what is exciting about the shows in the top category, each of these shows represents a variety of styles and genres that gives anime fans something to root for, even if the show wasn’t their favorite of the last year. Overall this is a solid list and a good representation of where anime was in 2024.
