Fans of both anime and mega-hit songs like The Hills, Can't Feel My Face, and Blinding Lights may want to tune in to this year's Crunchyroll Anime Awards on May 23, as popular singer-songwriter The Weeknd is slated to appear during the festivities. Since 2017, the yearly award show, now held at the Grand Prince Hotel New Takanawa in Tokyo, has celebrated the anime series, characters, and artists that have found favor with the community over the past 12 months, giving studios and creators the chance to spend some well-earned time in the spotlight. Crunchyroll's guest list has become even more impressive over the past few events, with some unexpected faces surprising audiences each year.
The most recent ceremony took place in May 2025, with Solo Leveling controversially taking home Anime of the Year, beating other heavy hitters like Dandadan, Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, and The Apothecary Diaries. Several big names appeared to present awards, including Vtuber Ironmouse, Olympic gold medalist Chloe Kim, and actor Dean Fujioka, with musical acts including Creepy Nuts, Flow, and Lisa. The 2026 event is shaping up to be even more grandiose, with yet another major name joining the list of celebrities set to take the stage next month.
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The Weeknd to Present the Coveted Anime of the Year Award at the 2026 Crunchyroll Anime Awards
As confirmed by Crunchyroll, the Grammy-winning musical artist, producer, and actor The Weeknd will appear during the Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2026 to present the Anime of the Year award. While this may seem like an addition out of left field, The Weeknd (real name Abel Tesfaye) has gone on record to speak about his love of the medium, citing director Shinichiro Watanabe's series Samurai Champloo as an influence on him as an artist throughout his storied career. "Sailor Moon was one of my first crushes, and Goku my first imaginary sparring partner," he said. "Samurai Champloo opened my eyes to a more mature world of anime and helped shape my visual DNA. The works of Satoshi Kon, Mamoru Oshii, and Katsuhiro Otomo became foundational to the look and feel of The Weeknd."
The 10th Crunchyroll Anime Awards will take place on May 23, and fans are welcome to cast their votes across 32 categories until April 15. Sally Amaki and Jon Kabira are set to host the festivities for the fourth consecutive year, and other confirmed presenters include idols Asuka Saito and Nanase Nishino, and rapper RZA, along with actor Winston Duke. Viewers can expect musical performances by Yoko Takahashi, who will commemorate the 30th anniversary of Neon Genesis Evangelion, Dean Fujioka, Porno Graffiti, and Asian Kung-Fu Generation. More names will likely be announced in the coming weeks.
The 2026 Anime of the Year nominees include Dandadan Season 2, Gachiakuta, My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON, Takopi's Original Sin, The Apothecary Diaries Season 2, and The Summer Hikaru Died. Across the 32 award categories, Dandadan boasts the most nominations at 20, with The Apothecary Diaries following at 17 and Gachiakuta close behind at 16 nominations.
Rearrange the covers into the correct Japanese release order.
Rearrange the covers into the correct Japanese release order.
Crunchyroll's grip on the anime market in the West continues to grow, with the service boasting over 17 million subscribers as of 2025 and offering over 1,000 series at the time of this writing. In October 2025, the company announced that it was partnering with Delta to bring its extensive catalog to the airline's in-flight entertainment system. Even more recently, Crunchyroll eliminated its free, ad-supported tier, prompting outrage and frustration among the anime community.