Crunchyroll Anime Awards Upset: Solo Leveling Misses Anime of the Year

So, the latest Crunchyroll Anime Awards have just wrapped up in Tokyo, and let me tell you, the outcome did not go the way most bookies (and basically all the fans on Twitter/X/TikTok) were expecting. If you thought Solo Leveling was going to take home the big one, well... you weren’t alone, but you were wrong.

My Hero Academia Bags the Big One

Right, let’s cut to the chase. With a staggering 73 million votes cast worldwide, this wasn’t just a local affair – even your mate who claims he 'doesn’t do anime' probably chipped in. At the end of it all, the Anime of the Year prize went to the final season of My Hero Academia. After years of being in the conversation but not quite clinching it, the series finally got its moment at the very end. If you're into superhero school drama, I suppose it deserves the victory lap.

If you wanted fireworks, though, Solo Leveling was the one everyone assumed would sweep the ceremony, especially off the back of its wildly successful second season. But no; while it snagged a few shiny gongs – Best Action and Best Animation – Anime of the Year slipped through its fingers. Bit of a shocker.

The Big Winners – Who Got What?

Here’s the quick version if you want to sound knowledgeable at your next anime night:

• Anime of the Year: My Hero Academia (the final season)
• Film of the Year: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle – also hoovered up most of the technical and performance awards, because of course it did.
• Best Action / Best Animation: Solo Leveling (second season)
• Best Continuing Series: One Piece (this juggernaut keeps rumbling along)
• Gachiakuta: Picked up gongs for visuals and design – not the headline act, but well-deserved.
• The Apothecary Diaries: Nabbed Best Drama and Best Main Character for Maomao, in case you’re after something with a bit more brains and less brawn.

A Truly Global Party (With Plenty of Surprises)

What’s interesting about this year’s awards isn’t just who won, but how anime has spread its claws around the world. Fans from everywhere piled in to vote, and the best performances were recognised in several languages, not just Japanese – another nudge that this isn’t just niche pop culture anymore.

There's not a single series that ran away with it – the prizes were spread out across different genres, from non-stop action flicks to slow-burn dramas. Makes for a more interesting field than the usual sweep by one powerhouse, if you ask me.

The verdict? Despite the hype, Solo Leveling only got a piece of the pie – though I doubt its fanbase will let this slide quietly. Meanwhile, My Hero Academia takes a last bow with the top prize, Demon Slayer keeps racking up wins, and niche favourites like Gachiakuta sneak a bit of the spotlight. No single winner, a massive global audience, and enough internet arguments to fill a stadium; it’s been a proper eventful year for anime.

'Around 73 million votes were cast in the tenth year of the Crunchyroll Anime Awards. That is a lot of passionate viewers. Just don’t mention Solo Leveling’s ‘snub’ to its diehards, unless you fancy a row.'