The Results are in! - Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2025
- Kevin Gault
- May 28
- 8 min read
Updated: May 28
The biggest day of the year for anime has come and gone. Trophies presented, interviews had, drinks consumed, and an industry celebrated. Now we tally the results and see how close we got with our picks.
Anime of the Year: Solo Leveling
Our Pick: Frieren: Beyond Journey's End
The winner of the top prize at the Anime Awards was none other than Solo Leveling. Proving that nothing, not even stories of love and heartbreak, or finding the person who accepts you as yourself, can stand up to the power of pure aura.
Film of the Year: Look Back
Our Pick: SPY x FAMILY CODE: White
Admittedly, I did not see this one. I hadn't gotten to watch many anime movies this past year. But this one from what I have heard is a sentimental and profound look at the manga industry and the blossoming closeness that can stem between people that navigate it together. This one is going on my list.
Best Continuing Series: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
Our Pick: ONE PIECE
This one kind of has me scratching my head. Demon Slayer wouldn't have been in my top 3 for this category. ONE PIECE had a fantastic year, My Hero is rocketing towards its conclusion, OSHI NO KO advanced the plot in massive ways, and SPY x FAMILY continued to be a heartwarming adventure in many ways... To me, the Hashira Training Arc was kind of just a building season. It didn't bring the same hype for me that each of the other continuing shows did.
Best New Anime Series: Solo Leveling
Our Pick: The Apothecary Diaries
While I disagreed with Solo Leveling for Anime of the Year, I do think it deserves some recognition for all of the things it did right. It did almost everything right in my opinion except that the narrative was weak. I know we don't watch a show like this for the story usually, but I can't help but see this as a nearly complete package. So I am okay with it taking this spot, I would even say I expected with it, but I voted with my heart.
Best Original Anime: Ninja Kamui
Our Pick: Ninja Kamui
Hey we picked this one too! Honestly, I think it was well designed. A sweet blending of genres and styles that worked really well. I am happy to see it get recognition at the Anime Awards.
Best Animation: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba
Our Pick: Solo Leveling
I mean, sure. Demon Slayer is well known for its animation quality, but I felt like they didn't really take risks this season or give us set pieces that hold up when compared to previous seasons. I STILL hear people talk about the Gyutaro fight from the Entertainment District Arc. I would have liked to see Solo Leveling or DAN DA DAN take this one.
Best Character Design: DAN DA DAN
Our Pick: DAN DA DAN
Our second correct pick was DAN DA DAN, and I stand by what I said previously in our picks article. Everyone from main cast to side characters to villains is memorable, quirky, and has their own identity.
Best Director: Keiichiro Saito (Frieren: Beyond Journey's End)
Our Pick: ONE PIECE FAN LETTER
Y'know, I can't really be mad with this one. While I loved every second of ONE PIECE FAN LETTER, Saito managed to keep the tone and direction of Frieren moving in a constant positive direction that reflects so well in how beloved the show has become. Well earned, I say.
Best Background Art: Frieren: Beyond Journey's End
Our Pick: Delicious in Dungeon
I still think Dungeon Meshi did it better, but Frieren's artwork conveys the bittersweet beauty of a world slowly passing through the decades. The world feels alive and breathing, though complacent in its stagnation. It is a world not really concerned with changes beyond updating the official emblems of the Mage's Association every couple of decades.
Best Romance Anime: Blue Box
Our Pick: The Dangers in My Heart Season 2
I mean, this one is fair, I couldn't pick it because I have yet to see it, but I have heard only good things about this one. I doubt it will unseat my favourite Romance Anime (Kaguya-sama: Love is War) but maybe this should move up my list of things to watch.
Best Comedy Anime: MASHLE: MAGIC AND MUSCLES
Our Pick: KONOSUBA - God's Blessing on This Wonderful World! 3
I am okay with seeing Mashle here since seeing new blood in the categories is undoubtedly a good thing. I didn't think Mashle was THAT funny, but it had its moments. This time I will be that guy and say I preferred the manga, though the adaptation was still pretty good.
Best Action Anime: Solo Leveling
Our Pick: Solo Leveling
Like I said when making the picks, we don't care that we know Hunter Sung is going to win. We are well aware and yet the spectacle of it is so superbly well done, that we need to see HOW he is going to win. I hate to see a single series sweep (remember Yuri on Ice?), but this category just makes sense for Solo Leveling.
Best Isekai Anime: Re:ZERO- Starting Life in Another World 3
Our Pick: Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation
Yeah, I never really expected Mushoku Tensei to win, it IS a bit of a controversial pick. Re:ZERO continue to fire on all cylinders all the way through the first part of season 3 in a way that fans have waited nearly a decade for. It is still talked about constantly as more content is desperately awaited. Also, we need payoff for certain long running storylines, I am running out of material to torture my friends with through jokes about how forgettable a certain character is.
Best Drama Anime: Frieren: Beyond Journey's End
Our Pick: The Apothecary Diaries
It really would have been nice to see Apothecary or Oshi no Ko take this one to spread the recognition and acclaim around. That being said, Frieren didn't feel incredibly dramatic overall, but the moments that it brought the drama, it did so in a way that cut right to the core of the emotions for the viewer. I may not fully agree with it, but I understand it.
Best Slice of Life Anime: Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines!
Our Pick: The Dangers in My Heart Season 2
This category is hard for me to comment on, I did not see most of the nominees as I tend to need to be in the mood for Slice of Life. I do hear good things about this series though, maybe next time I am in that mood, this one will be my choice.
Best Main Character: Sung Jinwoo (Solo Leveling)
Our Pick: Frieren - Frieren: Beyond Journey's End
On the one hand, I get it, but Sung Jinwoo's story is kind of the opposite of Frieren's in a way. While she is on a journey of rediscovering her "humanity" and emotional connections; the stronger Hunter Sung gets, the more of his humanity he sacrifices, which in my opinion makes him a character that loses depth over time. Interesting from an anime perspective but not from a Best Main Character perspective.
Best Supporting Character: Fern (Frieren: Beyond Journey's End)
Our Pick: Senshi (Delicious in Dungeon)
Man... Senshi deserved this one. I honestly did not connect with Fern as much as many people did. She was alright, but doesn't really stand out in the list of nominees for me. I'm going back to reading Dungeon Meshi as inspiration for my D&D cook character that I am writing.
"Must Protect At All Costs": Anya Forger (SPY x FAMILY)
Our Pick: Anya Forger ( SPY x FAMILY)
Again, this one just makes sense based on logic alone. All of the other nominees that I am familiar with can protect themselves. Anya is not a super spy yet! Gotta look after the little gremlin.
Best Anime Song: Otonoke - Creepy Nuts - DAN DA DAN
Our Pick: The Brave - YOASOBI - Frieren: Beyond Journey's End
I am okay with this one going to Otonoke, the main reason I didn't put it here is that I don't really like picking the same song for best song and best opening. I like to spread the support around and recognize as many great musicians as possible.
Best Anime Score: Solo Leveling (Hiroyuki Sawano)
Our Pick: Solo Leveling (Hiroyuki Sawano)
Sawano is known for his musical work in anime and is often included whenever the discussion turns towards anime music. He captured the Solo Leveling vibe very well and helped accentuate the emotional scenes whenever they came up.
Best Anime Opening Sequence: Otonoke - Creepy Nuts - DAN DA DAN
Our Pick: Otonoke - Creepy Nuts - DAN DA DAN
The tone was right, it is catchy, nails the unique vibes. The visuals were compelling, strange, and reminiscent of the manga covers. Honestly, I think this one kind of nailed all the notes it needed to. It wasn't AS TikTok bait as Bling-Bang-Bang-Born and was really just a fun time all around.
Best Anime Ending Sequence: request - krage - Solo Leveling
Our Pick: request - krage - Solo Leveling
This ending made me mad and it is my own fault. I tend to prefer to wait for a season to finish before watching it all in 1-2 sittings. I broke that rule with Solo Leveling, so this would induce rage in me as it meant a week of waiting before being able to see what happens next.
Best Anime Voice Artist Performance - Japanese: Aoi Yuki as Maomao (The Apothecary Diaries)
Our Pick: Shion Wakayama as Momo Ayase (DAN DA DAN)
I picked Momo, but Maomao won... do I get a half point? Aoi Yuki's performance as Maomao was a close second for me in terms of who I was hoping would take this one home. Well deserved, I say!
Best Anime Voice Artist Performance - English: Aleks Le as Sung Jinwoo (Solo Leveling)
Our Pick: Aleks Le as Sung Jinwoo (Solo Leveling)
If not Aleks, I would have liked to see SungWon Cho win for Senshi (I still want him to do an audiobook for a cookbook). Aleks did a phenomenal job with Sung Jinwoo in both of his forms. He put up with a rabid fanbase harassing him to get the "ARISE" line right, and he delivered on every promise he made. Fantastic job, Aleks!
Remainder Languages for Best Anime Voice Artist Performance:
Arabic: Hiba Snobar as Anya Forger (SPY x FAMILY Season 2)
Brazilian Portuguese: Charles Emmanuel as Sung Jinwoo (Solo Leveling)
Castilian Spanish: Masumi Mutsuda as Sung Jinwoo (Solo Leveling)
French: Adrien Antoine as Kafka Hibino (Kaiju No. 8)
German: Daniel Schlauch as Monkey D. Luffy (ONE PIECE)
Hindi: Lohit Sharma as Satoru Gojo (JUJUTSU KAISEN Season 2)
Italian: Ilaria Pellicone as Kyomoto (Look Back)
Latin Spanish: Miguel Ángel Leal as Eren Jaeger (Attack on Titan Final Season THE FINAL CHAPTERS Special 2)
Closing Thoughts on the Anime Awards:
Total Correct Picks: 8
I still think it should be 8.5 for Momo vs Maomao, both are strong women with investigative minds and aren't afraid to throw hands when someone earns it, both are paired with a male lead whose presence of genitalia is up for debate! I'm just saying there is a case for argument.
Oh right, the awards... I would have loved to see more representation in the winners for series like The Apothecary Diaries and Delicious in Dungeon. Overall the musical performances in the awards show were solid. I am very curious as to how the judges selected some of the winners, as I know that fan voting is not the only deciding factor. Another year of anime is complete, and this year has already had some solid contenders as we look forward towards Anime Awards 2026!
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