Crunchyroll Anime Awards: ‘Jujutsu Kaisen’ Takes Top Honors; Megan Thee Stallion, Bong Joon-ho Among Presenters

Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 was the big winner at Crunchyroll’s Anime Awards in Tokyo over the weekend, taking the top-prize anime of the year honor and triumphing in 10 additional categories, including best director, best character design, best action and best cinematography. The best film prize went to Mokoto Shinkai’s anime blockbuster Suzume, while Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Swordsmith Village Arc won several key categories, such as best animation and best fantasy.

The annual awards show, now in its eighth year, selects leading achievements in Japanese animation across a broad range of categories and picks the winners via a global popular vote. The show aired live on Crunchyroll, the anime specialty streamer owned by Sony Group, with a replay later released over the brand’s YouTube and Twitch channels. Japanese entertainer Jon Kabira and voice actress Sally Amaki hosted the show.

In recent editions, the event’s popularity has grown thanks to its recruitment of international celebrities who are known to be big anime fans to serve as presenters and performers. The eclectic group of personalities who took the stage in Tokyo on Saturday included multi-Grammy winner Megan Thee Stallion, Korean filmmaker Bong Joon-ho (Parasite), Japanese singer-songwriter LiSA, Oscar-winning duo Phil Lord and Chris Miller (Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse), filmmaker Joaquim Dos Santos (Spider-Man: Across the Spider-verse), NFL star DeMarcus Lawrence, actress Iman Vellani (The Marvels), former WWE champion Mercedes Varnado, Indian actor Rashmika Mandanna, recording artist Labrinth, actor-entrepreneur Liza Soberano, Japanese TV personality So Takei, actor-singer-model Chiaki Kuriyama and Japanese personality Roland.

Viewers were also treated to an array of musical performances, including the first live performance of the new, official “Anime Awards Theme Song,” created and performed by composers Hiroyuki Sawano (Attack on Titan, Solo Leveling) and Kohta Yamamoto (Attack on Titan, The Seven Deadly Sins), a rendition of “battlecry”, the opening song of Samurai Champloo, performed by Shing02, Oma and Spin Master A-1 in commemoration of the show’s 20th anniversary; and a performance of “Idol” by popular Japanese pop duo Yoasobi, who will soon play a set at Coachella. A live orchestra also played a medley of iconic anime songs to celebrate fan-favorite series celebrating milestones this year.

Crunchyroll says 34 million votes were cast for 2024’s winners by fans around the globe, an increase from 18 million votes last year.

“Anime fans from around the world have spoken and collectively, they cast more votes than in the history of the Anime Awards to crown the 2024 winners,” said Rahul Purini, president of Crunchyroll. “Anime is a powerful force, driving pop culture and connecting global fans and it is a privilege to celebrate and honor this dynamic artform.”

A full list of 2024 Crunchyroll Anime Awards winners follows.

Anime of the Year: Jujutsu Kaisen: Hidden Inventory/Premature Death
Best Action: Jujutsu Kaisen: Hidden Inventory/Premature Death
Best Animation: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Swordsmith Village Arc
Best Anime Song: Idol by Yoasobi for Oshi no Ko
Best Art Direction: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Swordsmith Village Arc
Best Character Design: Sayaka Koiso, Tadashi Hiramatsu for Jujutsu Kaisen: Hidden Inventory/Premature Death
Best Cinematography: Jujutsu Kaisen: Hidden Inventory/Premature Death
Best Comedy: Spy x Family Season 1 Cour 2
Best Continuing Series: One Piece
Best Director: Shota Goshozono, Jujutsu Kaisen: Hidden Inventory/Premature Death
Best Drama: Attack on Titan: The Final Chapters Special 1
Best Ending Sequence: Akari by Soshi Sakiyama from Jujutsu Kaisen: Hidden Inventory/Premature Death
Best Fantasy:  Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Swordsmith Village Arc
Best Film: Suzume
Best Main Character: Monkey D. Luffy from One Piece
Best New Series: Chainsaw Man
Best Opening Sequence: Where Our Blue Is by Tatsuya Kitani from Jujutsu Kaisen: Hidden Inventory/Premature Death
Best Original Anime: Buddy Daddies
Best Romance: Horimiya: The Missing Pieces
Best Score: Attack on Titan: The Final Chapters Special 1
Best Slice of Life: Bocchi the Rock!
Best Supporting Character: Satoru Gojo from Jujutsu Kaisen: Hidden Inventory/Premature Death
Best Voice Actor Performance (Arabic): Taleb Alrefai, Senku Ishigami, Dr. Stone
Best Voice Actor Performance (Castilian): Joel Gómez Jimenez, Denji, Chainsaw Man
Best Voice Actor Performance (English): Ryan Colt Levy, Denji, Chainsaw Man
Best Voice Actor Performance (French): Martial Le Minoux, Suguru Geto, Jujutsu Kaisen: Hidden Inventory/Premature Death
Best Voice Actor Performance (German):  Franziska Trunte, Power, Chainsaw Man
Best Voice Actor Performance (Italian):  Mosè Singh, Denji, Chainsaw Man
Best Voice Actor Performance (Japanese): Yuichi Nakamura, Satoru Gojo, Jujutsu Kaisen: Hidden Inventory/Premature Death
Best Voice Actor Performance (Brazilian Portuguese): Léo Rabelo, Satoru Gojo, Jujutsu Kaisen: Hidden Inventory/Premature Death
Best Voice Actor Performance (Latin Spanish): Emilio Treviño, Denji, Chainsaw Man
“Must Protect At All Cost” Character: Anya Forger – Spy x Family Season 1 Cour 2