Super-popular anime brand Crunchyroll has crowned the winners of the third annual Anime Awards, presented by Devil May Cry 5. The event celebrates the year’s best in Japanese animation, with categories spotlighting fan-favorite series, characters, moments, and more. Surrealist dark comedy maestro Masaaki Yuasa came out on top, with his Science SARU-produced series Devilman Crybaby winning Anime of the Year — he also scored Best Director honors for the show. My Hero Academia Season 3 and its movie Two Heroes scored the most awards, with five.
Presenters at the San Francisco ceremony, which was live-streamed exclusively on Twitch worldwide, were voice actors Cristina Vee (Sailor Moon, Hunter x Hunter), Justin Briner (My Hero Academia), Ryan Potter (Titans, Big Hero 6); directors Freddie Wong (RocketJump Prod., Anime Crimes Division), Miles Luna (Rooster Teeth, gen:LOCK), Yssa Badiola (Rooster Teeth); creators/influencers Geoff Thew (Mother’s Basement), Roger DiLuigi (Roger’s Base), SungWon “ProZD” Cho (Anime Crimes Division), Tristan Gallant (Glass Reflection); composer Kevin Penkin (The Rising of the Shield Hero, Made in Abyss 2); entrepreneur Michelle Phan (EM Cosmetics); IGN senior editor Miranda Sanchez; and Crunchyroll supporting hosts Victoria Holden, Miles Thomas and Ti Lyu.
Among the highlights of the show, BONES studio President & Producer Masahiko Minami was honored with the Industry Icon Award. Viewers got to see the world premiere trailer for the Made in Abyss theatrical event, and an exclusive sneak peek at YU-NO: A girl who chants love at the bound of the world (studio feel / Genco; April 2019). Two limited edition Xbox One X consoles with custom Crunchyroll Hime/Devil May Cry 5 skins were given away live on stream. And, the producer of The Island of Giant Insects — a new Crunchyroll co-production coming this year — gave an exclusive interview.
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 $20 billion industry. This year, over 5 million global fan votes were cast across 15 Anime Awards categories, up from 2.1 million votes the year before.
Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2019 Winners:
Anime of the Year – “Devilman Crybaby” from Science SARU
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: Japanese – Mamoru Miyano for his character Kotaro Tatsumi from “ZOMBIE LAND SAGA”
Best VA: English – Christopher R. Sabat for his character All Might from “My Hero Academia” Season 3
Best Director – Masaaki Yuasa of “Devilman Crybaby”
Best Animation – “Violet Evergarden” from Kyoto Animation
Best Film – “My Hero Academia: Two Heroes” from BONES
Best Character Design – “JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind” from Takahiro Kishida with original designs by Hirohiko Araki
Best Fight Scene – All for One vs. All Might from “My Hero Academia” Season 3
Best Continuing Series – “Dragon Ball Super” from Toei Animation
