Crunchyroll Reveals Nominees & Presenters for 2025 Anime Awards

Crunchyroll has revealed the nominees for the ninth annual Crunchyroll Anime Awards — the largest global celebration of excellence in Japanese animation. Fans around the world can visit the Crunchyroll Anime Awards Official Website to vote each day through April 14 for the series, creators, and performances they love.

Crunchyroll has also revealed a star-studded first wave of passionate anime-fan presenters for the Anime Awards pre-show and live ceremony. With more to be announced soon, the current list set to present winners on Sunday, May 25 includes:

• Finn Wolfhard — Canadian director, musician, and actor from Stranger Things
• Gaten Matarazzo — American actor best known from Stranger Things
• Chocolate Planet — Comedy duo made up of Shohei Osada and Shun Matsuo
• Dean Fujioka — Japanese actor, musician and talent
• Kanata Hongo — Japanese actor known for live-action adaptations of anime
• Mayu Matsuoka — Japan Academy Award winning actress
• Saya Ichikawa — Japanese model and talent
• Pabllo Vittar — Award winning Brazilian pop icon (previously announced)
• Ben Whittaker — English professional boxer
• Damiano David — Italian singer-songwriter
• Ironmouse — Demon Queen VTuber
• d4vd — American recording artist
• Rina Sawayama — Musician and actor
• Chloe Kim — American snowboarder
• Plastique Tiara — Top global drag star
• Paloma Mami — American-Chilean singer
• Gigguk — Pioneering YouTube content creator

Additionally, President & CEO of Sony Group Corporation Hiroki Totoki will deliver opening remarks at the Anime Awards live ceremony, which will be hosted by voice actress Sally Amaki and popular entertainer Jon Kabira.

“The Crunchyroll Anime Awards are one of the most important times of year for fans because we hear directly from them on what anime they love and get to honor the creative community behind that love,” said Rahul Purini, President of Crunchyroll. “Anime continues to deeply resonate emotionally with fans, and anime’s biggest night of the year is sure to invoke a lot of joy and pride amongst the anime community — fans and creators alike. This year’s nominees represent more than 50 series and films developed by more than 35 talented studios.”

In celebration of the 2025 Anime Awards, Crunchyroll is helping all anime fans catch up and fall deeper in love with the nominees. A selection of nominated titles streaming on Crunchyroll are now available to watch for free. Additionally, the Crunchyroll Store has considerable discounts on manga, collectibles and more tied to the honorees.

Fans are encouraged to vote each day with a 1-click resubmit feature through April 14 at 11:59 p.m. PT on the Anime Awards Official Website and launch their favorite anime into the spot. Additionally, for the first time ever, voting is accessible within the Crunchyroll mobile application. The results will be announced at the 2025 Anime Awards live ceremony on Sunday, May 25 and through a global fan livestream.

2025 Crunchyroll Anime Awards Nominees 

Anime of the Year

• DAN DA DAN
• Delicious in Dungeon
• Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
• Kaiju No. 8
• Solo Leveling
• The Apothecary Diaries

Film of the Year

• HAIKYU!! The Dumpster Battle
• Look Back
• Mononoke The Movie: The Phantom in the Rain
• My Hero Academia: You’re Next
• SPY x FAMILY CODE: White
• The Colors Within

Best Original Anime

• BUCCHIGIRI?! GIRLS BAND CRY
• Jellyfish Can’t Swim in the Night
• Metallic Rouge
• Ninja Kamui
• Train to the End of the World

Best Continuing Series

• BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War – The Conflict
• Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
• My Hero Academia
• ONE PIECE
• 【OSHI NO KO】
• SPY × FAMILY

Best New Series

• DAN DA DAN
• Delicious in Dungeon
• Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
• Kaiju No. 8
• Solo Leveling
• The Apothecary Diaries

Best Opening Sequence

• Abyss – Yungblud – Kaiju No. 8
• Bling-Bang-Bang-Born – Creepy Nuts – MASHLE: MAGIC AND MUSCLES
• The Divine Visionary Candidate Exam Arc Fatal – GEMN – 【OSHI NO KO】Season 2
• LEveL – SawanoHiroyuki[nZk]: TOMORROW X TOGETHER – Solo Leveling
• Otonoke – Creepy Nuts – DAN DA DAN
• UUUUUS! – Hiroshi Kitadani – ONE PIECE

Best Ending Sequence

• Antanante – riria. – Ranma 1/2
• Burning – Hitsujibungaku – 【OSHI NO KO】Season 2
• KAMAKURA STYLE – BotchiBoromaru – The Elusive Samurai
• Nobody – OneRepublic – Kaiju No. 8
• request – krage – Solo Leveling
• TAIDADA – ZUTOMAYO – DAN DA DAN

Best Action

• BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War – The Conflict
• DAN DA DAN
• Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Hashira Training Arc
• Kaiju No. 8
• Solo Leveling
• WIND BREAKER

Best Comedy

• Delicious in Dungeon
• KONOSUBA -God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World! 3
• MASHLE: MAGIC AND MUSCLES The Divine Visionary Candidate Exam Arc
• My Deer Friend Nokotan
• Ranma 1/2
• SPY × FAMILY Season 2

Best Drama

• A Sign of Affection
• DEAD DEAD DEMONS DEDEDEDE DESTRUCTION
• Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
• 【OSHI NO KO】Season 2
• Pluto The Apothecary Diaries

Best Isekai 

• KONOSUBA -God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World! 3
• Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation (season 2, Cour 2)
• Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- Season 3
• Shangri-La Frontier Season 2
• Suicide Squad ISEKAI
• That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 3

Best Romance

• A Sign of Affection
• Blue Box
• Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines!
• Ranma 1/2
• Scott Pilgrim Takes Off
• The Dangers in My Heart Season 2

Best Slice of Life

• Laid-Back Camp Season 3
• Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines!
• Mr. Villain’s Day Off
• My Deer Friend Nokotan
• Sound! Euphonium 3
• The Dangers in My Heart Season 2

Best Animation

• DAN DA DAN
• Delicious in Dungeon
• Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Hashira Training Arc
• Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
• Kaiju No. 8
• Solo Leveling

Best Background Art

• DAN DA DAN
• Delicious in Dungeon
• Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Hashira Training Arc
• Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
• Pluto
• The Apothecary Diaries

Best Character Design

• DAN DA DAN
• Delicious in Dungeon
• Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Hashira Training Arc
• Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
• Kaiju No. 8
• The Apothecary Diaries

Best Director

• Fuga Yamashiro – DAN DA DAN
• Haruo Sotozaki – Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Hashira Training Arc
• Keiichiro Saito – Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
• Megumi Ishitani – ONE PIECE FAN LETTER
• Norihiro Naganuma – The Apothecary Diaries
• Yoshihiro Miyajima – Delicious in Dungeon

Best Main Character

• Frieren – Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
• Kafka Hibino – Kaiju No. 8
• Okarun – DAN DA DAN
• Maomao – The Apothecary Diaries
• Momo – DAN DA DAN
• Sung Jinwoo – Solo Leveling

Best Supporting Character

• Fern – Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
• Himmel – Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
• Jinshi – The Apothecary Diaries
• Seiko – DAN DA DAN
• Senshi – Delicious in Dungeon
• Turbo Granny – DAN DA DAN

“Must Protect At All Cost” Character

• Anya Forger – SPY × FAMILY Season 2
• Frieren – Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
• Okarun- DAN DA DAN
• Senshi – Delicious in Dungeon
• Tokiyuki Hojo – The Elusive Samurai
• Yuki Itose – A Sign of Affection

Best Anime Song

• Abyss – Yungblud – Kaiju No. 8
• Bling-Bang-Bang-Born – Creepy Nuts – MASHLE: MAGIC AND MUSCLES The Divine Visionary Candidate Exam Arc
• Fatal – GEMN -【OSHI NO KO】Season 2
• LEveL – SawanoHiroyuki[nZk]: TOMORROW X TOGETHER – Solo Leveling
• Otonoke – Creepy Nuts – DAN DA DAN
• The Brave – YOASOBI – Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End

Best Score

• BLEACH: Thousand-Year Blood War – The Conflict- Shiro Sagisu
• DAN DA DAN – kensuke ushio
• Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Hashira Training Arc – Yuki Kajiura, Go Shiina
• Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End – Evan Call
• Look Back – Haruka Nakamura
• Solo Leveling – Hiroyuki Sawano

Best Japanese Voice Artist Performance

• Aoi Yuki (Maomao) – The Apothecary Diaries
• Atsumi Tanezaki (Frieren) – Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
• Kenichi Suzumura (Bravern) – Brave Bang Bravern!
• Shion Wakayama (Momo)  – DAN DA DAN
• Sayaka Sembongi (Marcille) – Delicious in Dungeon
• Natsuki Hanae (Okarun) – DAN DA DAN

Best English Voice Artist Performance 

• AJ Beckles (Okarun) – DAN DA DAN
• Aleks Le (Sung Jinwoo) – Solo Leveling
• Jessie James Grelle (Armin Arlelt) – Attack on Titan Final Season THE FINAL CHAPTERS Special 2
• Mallorie Rodak (Frieren) – Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
• Sarah Natochenny (Alya) – Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian
• SungWon Cho (Senshi) – Delicious in Dungeon