Singer The Weeknd has been confirmed as the host of the Anime of the Year award at the Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2026. The ceremony will take place on May 23rd in Tokyo, bringing together big names in the industry and global celebrities.
- Anime Awards 2026 reveals full list of nominees
- The Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2026 will take place in Tokyo
Grammy- winning artist makes no secret of his connection to the world of anime. He revealed that Japanese productions played a direct role in shaping his artistic identity, influencing everything from visual aesthetics to musical compositions throughout his career.
The Weeknd 's career
Among his influences, he highlighted Sailor Moon and Goku as early examples. However, it was Samurai Champloo , directed by Shinichiro Watanabe , that changed his artistic vision by blending hip hop with samurai storytelling.
The impact was so strong that it directly influenced the album House of Balloons. According to him, songs like "The Morning" were created based on instrumentals by Nujabes, reinforcing this connection between anime and contemporary music.
List of nominees for Anime of the Year
This year's main category features some prestigious titles:
- Dandadan Season 2 (Science SARU)
- Gachiakuta (Bones Film)
- My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON (Bones Film)
- Takopi's Original Sin (ENISHIYA)
- The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 (TOHO animation x OLM)
- The Summer Hikaru Died (Cypic)
Voting remains open until April 15, 2026, allowing fans to participate in choosing the winners across 32 categories.
Voting and global impact
Created by Crunchyroll, the event has established itself as one of the biggest awards shows in the industry, highlighting productions released in the previous year. The 2026 edition marks the 10th anniversary of the awards and reinforces the global growth of the industry.
Source: Crunchyroll