Crunchyroll, the world’s most popular anime brand, announced the winners from the third annual Anime Awards, presented by Devil May Cry 5. The annual Anime Awards celebrate the best and brightest in Japanese animation with categories honoring all your favorite series, characters, moments, and more from anime in 2018.
Anime as an industry experienced incredible growth over the last year. With widespread celebrity endorsements, inclusion in mainstream cultural events, and a marked interest from Hollywood, anime has been pegged as a $20B industry, with no signs of slowing down.
This year, over 5 million global votes were cast across 15 categories from fans celebrating their favorite characters, series, and creators, up from 2.1 million votes the year before. Winners of the Anime Awards were announced at a live event in San Francisco, and streamed to anime fans around the world exclusively on Twitch.
Photo: Say Ya! Photography 
Photo: Say Ya! Photography 
Photo: Say Ya! Photography 
Photo: Say Ya! Photography
Winners of this year’s Crunchyroll Anime Awards include:
- Anime of the Year – “Devilman Crybaby” from Science SARU
- Best Animation – for “Violet Evergarden” from Kyoto Animation
- Best Film – “My Hero Academia: Two Heroes” from BONES
- Best Director – Masaaki Yuasa of “Devilman Crybaby”
- Best VA: Japanese – Mamoru Miyano for his character Kotaro Tatsumi from “ZOMBIE LAND SAGA”
- Best Character Design – “JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind” from Takahiro Kishida with Original Designs by Hirohiko Araki
- Best Protagonist – Rimuru Tempest of “That Time I Got Reincarnated As a Slime”
- Best Antagonist – All for One of “My Hero Academia” Season 3
- Best Boy – Izuku ‘Deku’ Midoriya of “My Hero Academia” Season 3
- Best Girl – Mai Sakurajima of “Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai”
- Best Opening Sequence – “DARLING in the FRANXX” for the opening sequence “KISS OF DEATH” sung by Mika Nakashima and produced by Hyde, sequence director Toshifumi Akai and storyboards by Atsushi Nishigori
- Best Ending Sequence – “Attack on Titan” Season 3 for the ending sequence “Akatsuki no Requiem” sung by Linked Horizon, sequence director Satoshi Kadowaki
- Best VA: English – Christopher R. Sabat for his character All Might from “My Hero Academia” Season 3
- Best Fight Scene – All for One vs All Might from “My Hero Academia” Season 3
- Best Continuing Series – “Dragon Ball Super” from Toei Animation
Additional highlights from the Anime Awards:
- Masahiko Minami, President. & Producer at BONES INC., was honored with this year’s Industry Icon Award, which recognizes influential figures who have meaningfully contributed to the art and industry of anime.
- Crunchyroll unveiled the world premiere trailer for the “Made in Abyss” theatrical event and premiered an exclusive sneak peek at “YU-NO: A girl who
- chants love at the bound of the world.,” an anime from studio feel. and Genco premiering April 2019 in Japan.
- Winner of the Best Protagonist award, Rimuru Tempest of “That Time I Got Reincarnated As a Slime,” is currently featured in a special in-game crossover event in “Grand Summoners,” a multiplayer-based RPG available for download now on iOS and Android.
- An exclusive interview with the producer of “The Island of Giant Insects,” a new Crunchyroll co-production coming in 2019.
- Two, limited edition Xbox One X’s with custom Crunchyroll Hime/Devil May Cry 5 skins were given away live on stream.
Presenters at this year’s Crunchyroll Anime Awards include:
- Cristina Vee – English voice actress (“Sailor Moon,” “Hunter x Hunter”)
- Freddie Wong – RocketJump Productions, Director(“Anime Crimes Division”)
- Geoff Thew – Creator/Influencer (Mother’s Basement)
- Justin Briner – English voice actor (“My Hero Academia”)
- Kevin Penkin – Composer (“The Rising of the Shield Hero,” “Made in Abyss”)
- Michelle Phan – Entrepreneur, EM Cosmetics, and influencer
- Miranda Sanchez – Senior Editor, IGN
- Miles Luna – Writer/Director, Rooster Teeth (“gen:LOCK”)
- Roger DiLuigi – Creator/Influencer (Roger’s Base)
- Ryan Potter – Actor (DC’s “Titans” and “Big Hero 6”)
- SungWon Cho (ProZD) – Creator/Influencer (“Anime Crimes Division”)
- Tristan Gallant – Creator/Influencer (Glass Reflection)
- Yssa Badiola – Animator/Director, Rooster Teeth
- Victoria Holden, Miles Thomas and Tim Lyu – Crunchyroll supporting hosts
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