Crunchyroll Anime Award for Best Character
| Crunchyroll Anime Award for Best Character | |
|---|---|
| Awarded for | Best anime characters of the previous year |
| Country |
|
| First award |
|
| Currently held by |
|
| Most wins |
|
| Most nominations |
|
| Website | Crunchyroll Anime Awards |
The Crunchyroll Anime Award for Best Character is a fictional character award given at the Crunchyroll Anime Awards since its inaugural edition in 2017. It is given for the best anime characters from the previous year. Winners are determined through a combined voting process by judges and public voting.[1]
The award splits into four categories as individual characters (Best Protagonist, Best Antagonist, Best Boy, and Best Girl) until 2022, all of which will be consolidated into two categories: Best Main Character and Best Supporting Character, while introducing a new category "Must Protect at All Costs" Character, an award recognizes characters that evoke strong protective instincts in viewers due to their vulnerability or endearing qualities, inspire a strong desire to safeguard them at all costs.
Spy × Family's Anya Forger won the award multiple times, 1 for Best Supporting Character and 4 for "Must Protect at All Costs" Character, with the latter won in four consecutive years, the most of any anime characters to date. My Hero Academia holds the records for both the most wins (8) and nominations (18), with Izuku Midoriya received the most with 3 awards out of 7 nominations.
So far, My Hero Academia was the only series to received seven different categories overall, with Izuku Midoriya earned the most categories with four. Also, the second edition of the anime series earned six nominations in four former categories in a single edition, sweeps all its categories for the first time; the awards for Best Boy and Best Girl received two nominations.[2]
In the latest edition in 2026, three awards were won by Maomao from the second season of The Apothecary Diaries in Best Main Character, Katsuki Bakugo from the eighth and final season of My Hero Academia in Best Supporting Character, and Anya Forger from the third season of Spy × Family in "Must Protect at All Costs" Character.[3]
Current
[edit]In the following list, the first names listed in gold are the winners; those not in gold are nominees, which are listed in alphabetical order. The years given are those in which the ceremonies took place.
Best Main Character
[edit]Best Supporting Character
[edit]| Year | Character | Anime |
|---|---|---|
| 2021/2022 (7th) [4][5] | ||
| Anya Forger | Spy × Family | |
| Ai Hayasaka | Kaguya-sama: Love Is War – Ultra Romantic | |
| Kage | Ranking of Kings | |
| Rebecca | Cyberpunk: Edgerunners | |
| Tengen Uzui | Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Entertainment District Arc (season 2 cour 2) | |
| Yor Forger | Spy × Family | |
| 2022/2023 (8th) [6][7] | ||
| Satoru Gojo | Jujutsu Kaisen (season 2) | |
| Arataka Reigen | Mob Psycho 100 III (season 3) | |
| Zoë Hange | Attack on Titan: The Final Season The Final Chapters Special 1 (season 4 cour 3) | |
| Kana Arima | Oshi no Ko | |
| Power | Chainsaw Man | |
| Suguru Geto | Jujutsu Kaisen (season 2) | |
| 2023/2024 (9th) [8][9] | ||
| Fern | Frieren: Beyond Journey's End | |
| Himmel | Frieren: Beyond Journey's End | |
| Jinshi | The Apothecary Diaries | |
| Seiko Ayase | Dandadan | |
| Senshi | Delicious in Dungeon | |
| Turbo Granny | Dandadan | |
| 2025 (10th) [3][10] | ||
| Katsuki Bakugo | My Hero Academia: Final Season (season 8) | |
| Enjin | Gachiakuta | |
| Jin "Jiji" Enjoji | Dandadan (season 2) | |
| Jinshi | The Apothecary Diaries (season 2) | |
| Loulan/Shisui | ||
| Turbo Granny | Dandadan (season 2) |
"Must Protect at All Costs" Character
[edit]| Year | Character | Anime |
|---|---|---|
| 2021/2022 (7th) [4][5] | ||
| Anya Forger | Spy × Family | |
| Bojji | Ranking of Kings (cour 2) | |
| Kage | Ranking of Kings | |
| Komi Shōko | Komi Can't Communicate | |
| Kotaro Satō | Kotaro Lives Alone | |
| Marin Kitagawa | My Dress-Up Darling | |
| 2022/2023 (8th) [6][7] | ||
| Anya Forger | Spy × Family (season 1 cour 2) | |
| Bojji | Ranking of Kings: The Treasure Chest of Courage | |
| Hitori "Bocchi" Gotoh | Bocchi the Rock! | |
| Miri Unasaka | Buddy Daddies | |
| Pochita | Chainsaw Man | |
| Suletta Mercury | Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury | |
| 2023/2024 (9th) [8][9] | ||
| Anya Forger | Spy × Family (season 2) | |
| Frieren | Frieren: Beyond Journey's End | |
| Hōjō Tokiyuki | The Elusive Samurai | |
| Ken "Okarun" Takakura | Dandadan | |
| Senshi | Delicious in Dungeon | |
| Yuki Itose | A Sign of Affection | |
| 2025 (10th) [3][10] | ||
| Anya Forger | Spy × Family (season 3) | |
| Izuku "Deku" Midoriya | My Hero Academia: Final Season (season 8) | |
| Kaoruko Waguri | The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity | |
| Maomao | The Apothecary Diaries (season 2) | |
| Suika | Dr. Stone: Science Future (season 4) | |
| Takopi | Takopi's Original Sin |
Former
[edit]In the following list, the first names listed in gold are the winners; those not in gold are nominees, which are listed in alphabetical order. The years given are those in which the ceremonies took place.
Best Protagonist
[edit]Best Antagonist
[edit]Best Boy
[edit]Best Girl
[edit]Records
[edit]Anime characters
[edit]BOLD indicates the winner
Anime series
[edit]BOLD indicates the winner
Single edition
[edit]| Edition | Anime | Characters (Categories) | Nominations | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | My Hero Academia |
|
4 | 1 |
| JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable |
|
3 | 0 | |
| Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress | ||||
| Erased |
|
2 | 1 | |
| Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World |
| |||
| Mob Psycho 100 |
|
0 | ||
| 2nd | My Hero Academia (season 2) |
|
6 | 4 |
| The Ancient Magus' Bride |
|
3 | 0 | |
| Little Witch Academia |
|
2 | ||
| Made in Abyss | ||||
| 3rd | Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai |
|
3 | 1 |
| Megalobox | 0 | |||
| My Hero Academia (season 3) |
|
2 | 2 | |
| Aggretsuko |
|
0 | ||
| Golden Kamuy |
| |||
| Zombie Land Saga |
| |||
| 4th | Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba |
|
3 | 1 |
| The Promised Neverland | ||||
| Dr. Stone |
|
2 | ||
| Carole & Tuesday |
|
0 | ||
| Dororo |
| |||
| One-Punch Man (season 2) | ||||
| 5th | Jujutsu Kaisen (cour 1) |
|
3 | 1 |
| Dorohedoro | 0 | |||
| Haikyu!! To the Top (season 4) |
|
2 | 1 | |
| My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! |
| |||
| Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! |
|
0 | ||
| The Misfit of Demon King Academy |
| |||
| Tower of God |
| |||
| 6th | Odd Taxi | 3 | 1 | |
| Tokyo Revengers |
|
0 | ||
| Attack on Titan (The Final Season Part 1) |
|
2 | 1 | |
| Jujutsu Kaisen (cour 2) |
| |||
| Ranking of Kings |
| |||
| Wonder Egg Priority |
|
0 | ||
| 7th | Spy × Family |
|
4 | 2 |
| Ranking of Kings (cour 2) |
|
0 | ||
| Cyberpunk: Edgerunners |
|
2 | ||
| My Dress-Up Darling |
| |||
| 8th | Chainsaw Man | 3 | 0 | |
| Jujutsu Kaisen (season 2) |
|
2 | 1 | |
| Attack on Titan (The Final Season The Final Chapters Special 1) |
|
0 | ||
| Bocchi the Rock! |
| |||
| Mob Psycho 100 III (season 3) |
| |||
| 9th | Dandadan |
|
5 | |
| Frieren: Beyond Journey's End | 4 | 1 | ||
| The Apothecary Diaries | 2 | 0 | ||
| Delicious in Dungeon |
| |||
| 10th | Dandadan (season 2) |
|
4 | |
| The Apothecary Diaries (season 2) |
|
1 | ||
| My Hero Academia (Final Season) |
|
3 | ||
| Gachiakuta |
|
2 | 0 |
Consecutive wins
[edit]| Category | Character | Anime | No. of wins |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current | |||
| Best Main Character | — | ||
| Best Supporting Character | |||
| "Must Protect At All Costs" Character | Anya Forger | Spy × Family | 4 |
| Former | |||
| Best Protagonist | Izuku "Deku" Midoriya | My Hero Academia | 2 |
| Best Antagonist | — | ||
| Best Boy | |||
| Best Girl | |||
References
[edit]- ↑ "Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2024: Your Ultimate Guide". December 5, 2023. Retrieved December 8, 2023.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Jones, Jordan (February 25, 2018). "Crunchyroll's 2017 Anime Awards Recap and Winners". Geeks of Color. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
- 1 2 3 4 Hazra, Adriana (May 23, 2026). "Winners of The Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2026". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on May 23, 2026. Retrieved May 23, 2026.
- 1 2 3 Eisenbeis, Richard (March 4, 2023). "All the Winners of the 7th Annual Crunchyroll Anime Awards". Anime News Network. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
- 1 2 3 Patches, Matt (March 4, 2023). "Anime Awards 2023 name Cyberpunk: Edgerunners as Anime of the Year". Polygon. Retrieved March 4, 2023.
- 1 2 3 Mateo, Alex (January 17, 2024). "Crunchyroll Anime Awards Reveals 2024 Nominees". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on January 17, 2024. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
- 1 2 3 Hazra, Adriana (March 2, 2024). "All the Winners of the Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2024". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on March 2, 2024. Retrieved March 2, 2024.
- 1 2 3 Pedersen, Erik (April 3, 2025). "Crunchyroll Anime Awards Nominations Revealed". Deadline. Archived from the original on April 3, 2025. Retrieved April 4, 2025.
- 1 2 3 Grein, Paul (May 25, 2025). "Crunchyroll Reveals 2025 Anime Awards Winners: Full List". Billboard. Tokyo. Archived from the original on May 27, 2025. Retrieved May 28, 2025.
- 1 2 3 Mateo, Alex (April 2, 2026). "Crunchyroll Anime Awards Reveals 2026 Nominees". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on April 2, 2026. Retrieved April 2, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 "Anime of the Year". The Anime Awards (theanimeawards.com). Crunchyroll. Archived from the original on December 22, 2016. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
- 1 2 3 4 "Yuri!!! on ICE Wins Anime of the Year in Crunchyroll's First-Ever Anime Awards". GlobeNewswire. January 30, 2017. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
- 1 2 3 4 Schley, Matt (February 17, 2019). "Devilman Crybaby Wins Anime of the Year at Crunchyroll Anime Awards". Otaku USA Magazine. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
- 1 2 3 4 Orsini, Lauren (January 10, 2020). "Here Are All The Nominees For The 2019 Crunchyroll Anime Awards". Forbes. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
- 1 2 3 4 Ramée, Jordan (February 15, 2020). "Every Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2020 Winner, Including Anime Of The Year". GameSpot. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
- 1 2 3 4 Luster, Joseph (February 19, 2021). "Rewatch the 2021 Anime Awards Here (and Find Out Who Won!)". Crunchyroll. Archived from the original on February 20, 2021. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
- 1 2 3 4 Schneider, Michael (January 18, 2022). "Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2022 Nominations Include '86 Eighty-Six,' 'Jujutsu Kaisen,' 'Oddtaxi' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on March 25, 2022. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
- 1 2 3 4 Goslin, Austen (February 9, 2022). "Attack on Titan Final Season Part 1 wins top prize at Crunchyroll's Anime Awards". Polygon. Archived from the original on March 8, 2022. Retrieved February 9, 2022.
