The Crunchyroll Anime Awards Are a Glorified Popularity Contest – And That’s Why We Love Them
Let’s be real: the Crunchyroll Anime Awards aren’t some highbrow critics’ choice ceremony. They’re a chaotic, fan-fueled spectacle where hype often beats artistry—and honestly? That’s what makes them fun. For nearly a decade, this glorified Twitter poll has masqueraded as anime’s Oscars, complete with A-list presenters, cringe-worthy acceptance speeches, and battles so toxic they make Attack on Titan’s fandom wars look tame.
From Niche Weeb Event to Hollywood’s Anime Cosplay Party
Remember when this was just a cute little fan-voted award show? Now it’s a full-blown cultural takeover. Crunchyroll somehow convinced actual celebrities—like Stranger Things’ Finn Wolfhard and Brazilian drag queen Pabllo Vittar—to stand onstage and pretend they’ve watched more than three anime in their lives. Is it pandering? Absolutely. Do we eat it up? Hell yes.
The awards have become less about "honoring the craft" and more about proving anime isn’t just for basement dwellers anymore. And honestly? The industry needs this mainstream validation—because no matter how much we scream about "peak fiction," normies still think anime is just Dragon Ball and tentacle monsters.
2025’s Bloodbath: Frieren Stans vs. Solo Leveling Fanboys
This year’s nominations are a battlefield. Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End—the "I’m 14 and this is deep" crowd’s favorite—is sweeping the drama categories, while Solo Leveling fans are ready to riot if Sung Jin-Woo doesn’t win Best Action. Meanwhile, The Apothecary Diaries is the dark horse for elitists who want to flex their "refined taste," and Kaiju No. 8 is here to remind us that cool monster designs can carry a mid story.
And let’s not pretend Best Isekai isn’t just a fight over which power fantasy is least embarrassing. (Mushoku Tensei stans, we see you—and we’re judging.)
Why Voting Matters (Spoiler: It Doesn’t, But Rage Anyway)
Crunchyroll loves pretending this is a "democratic celebration of anime," but let’s be honest—the winners are decided by whichever fanbase has the most bots. Does that stop us from passionately arguing online? Never. This year’s voting is open until April 14th, and you know Twitter will be a warzone of:
- "If [X anime] wins over [Y anime], I’m leaving the fandom."
- "How did that scene not get Best Fight??"
- "This award is rigged!" (Said every year, without evidence.)
And just to rub salt in the wound, Crunchyroll’s "free nomination marathon" is a blatant ploy to boost engagement. But hey, if it means normies finally watch Frieren instead of calling it "that boring elf show," we’ll take it.
The Dirty Secret: These Awards Don’t Matter… Except They Do
Sure, studios won’t suddenly drop better writing because Demon Slayer won Best Continuing Series again. But the real power of the Anime Awards? It forces the world to acknowledge anime isn’t a joke. When a show like Pluto or Delicious in Dungeon gets nominated, it drags casual viewers into the deep end—away from the "My Hero Academia or nothing" crowd.
And let’s face it: anime thrives on chaos. The Crunchyroll Awards are our annual dumpster fire—a mix of cringe, hype, and genuine surprises. Would we have it any other way? Absolutely not.