Ahead of the eighth annual Crunchyroll Anime Awards, the categories in which fans around the world can vote in were shared by the streaming giant.
Right now, over a hundred judges from a variety of creative fields, influencers and cultural aficionados, are crafting a list of nominees for these categories before they are formally announced on Wednesday, January 17th, 2024; voting will commence the same day and close ten days later on Saturday, January 27th, 2024. Fans around the world can participate in the voting process by casting ballots for their favourite anime once a day.
See the full list of nominees and winners for the 2023 Crunchyroll Anime Awards.
Once voting concludes and and the ballots tallied, the results will be revealed at an evening gala hosted by veteran voice actress Sally Amaki and radio personality Jon Kabira at the Grand Prince Hotel Shin Takanawa in Tokyo on Saturday, March 2nd, 2024.
This year, three new categories are joining stalwarts like Anime of the Year and Best Anime Song — Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, and Best Slice of Life.
Anime of the Year
This is the show that sets the standard for anime over the last year. Its compelling story, beautiful artistic execution, and unforgettable characters all combine in a unique way to create a masterpiece that deserves singular recognition. Whether the show was an unexpected hit, or delivered on fans’ high expectations, Anime of the Year embodies excellence.
Best Action
This category rewards a show with action at its core. Featuring awe-inspiring scenes of heroes battling villains, life-threatening situations, or overcoming incredible odds, these anime get the pulse racing.
Best Animation
Here we recognize anime that are visually stunning in the ways they bring their stories to life. No matter the style of animation, these shows put on a visual spectacle for viewers to enjoy, immersing audiences into previously unimaginable worlds.
Best Anime Song
This category celebrates a song played during any part of an anime series, including the opening and ending sequences. Whether they make you move or move you, these are the songs that stay with you.
Best Art Direction (New)
Art direction involves all things visual to create the look and feel of an anime. Color, design, and animation style are only some of the considerations, as the tiniest of details must be kept in mind so that a show feels like a cohesive and distinct work of art.
Best Character Design
This category celebrates artists who have either created iconic anime characters or breathed life into one from other sources. A designer who comprehends the essence of character design weaves narratives through the strokes of their drawings.
Best Cinematography (New)
Cinematography focuses on the composition of individual scenes, paying particular attention to the use of light and shadow, camera angles, depth of field, and scene transitions. When combined together, these elements convey an anime’s narrative without saying a word.
Best Comedy
Whether it’s a surprising fresh perspective, or the witty exchanges could’ve come from a comedy mastermind, the humor in these shows make you laugh out loud and have your side hurting by the end.
Best Continuing Series
Sustaining excellence is no small feat, particularly when it comes to anime. This category celebrates the shows that hook audiences with their absorbing storylines, compelling characters, and attention-grabbing artwork.
Best Director
Here we celebrate how a great anime and a great director are almost inseparable. Of central importance, directors work behind the scenes, conveying their vision to animators, making critical decisions, and managing the creative aspects of production. The result? An approach that is uniquely theirs.
Best Drama
These anime convey something essential about the human experience. Their mastery of building and relieving tension sets fans on the edge of their seats, feeling all their feelings, and compelling them to invest deeply in the characters and their stories.
Best Ending Sequence
Similar to the opening, an unforgettable ending sequence pairs design and music to delight and surprise. Often a place where the art style can be taken in entirely new directions, a great ending sequence lets viewers catch their breath and enjoy small moments with a character.
Best Fantasy
Best Fantasy is all about imagination, creativity, and a bit of magic. These shows don’t just take us to other worlds, they craft deep, original universes full of mythical creatures where even the smallest detail is fueled by ideas that previously were unthought of.
Best Film
A great film effortlessly captivates spectators from beginning to end. Here we celebrate non-episodic anime with runtimes longer than a standard episode, whether they were released in theaters, on DVD, or online.
Best Main Character
Whether hero, anti-hero, or villain, a main character is the face of their series. But it’s not just their personalities or characteristics that make them beloved, it’s their well-developed stories and the journeys they take us on that make them worthy.
Best New Series
While countless new anime are created each year, this category honors the series and spin-offs that stand out. These instant classics possess something unique that keeps viewers transfixed and passionately awaiting season two.
Best Opening Sequence
Through striking visuals and irresistible music, a great opening sequence sets the tone for what’s to come. Whether it’s creating a quirky mood for an offbeat rom-com, or striking a dark and serious tone for suspense, a memorable opening has as much creativity and passion as the show it introduces.
Best Original Anime
An original anime is not adapted from source material like manga or light novels; it is a new creation. These original works of art mesmerize audiences with the quality of their stories.
Best Romance
A great romance can thaw the heart of the coldest cynic. These captivating stories draw us in and remind us of the best part of being alive. With their hopeful messages, these shows find a way to make you believe in the power of love.
Best Score
A vital part of an unforgettable anime is the original music composed for it. A well-crafted score adds another dimension of depth and emotion to any scene, with compositions that are not only tightly associated with an anime, but can also stand alone as masterpieces of music.
Best Slice of Life (New)
While these anime focus on everyday events, the best are anything but ordinary. Capturing quiet moments in breathtaking ways, these nominees provide relief from the frantic pace of the world, placing relationships—with all their emotion, humor, and heartbreak—front and center.
Best Supporting Character
This category celebrates a supporting character like they were number one. They come in all shapes and sizes, but the best among them can shine as brightly as their main character counterparts when called upon.
Best Voice Actor Performance
Renowned voice artists breathe additional life into a character, adding depth and realism or re-envisioning what they sound like in a different language . Through their command of tone and the emotions their voices elicit, these talented artists help transform anime characters into anime icons. This award will be honored to voice actors across Arabic, Castilian, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Brazilian Portuguese, and Latin Spanish.
“Must Protect At All Cost” Character
These are the characters that make the world feel like a kinder, more special place. Whether they’re an earnest protagonist who always gets back up or a pure-hearted cinnamon roll who holds a group together, these characters remind us that there are some things in life worth protecting.
Source: Crunchyroll press release
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