Every Anime Officially Nominated for the 2026 Annie Awards

by

Often called the ‘Animation Oscars,’ the Annie Awards have celebrated animated films and series for over fifty years. While they didn’t begin giving awards to specific shows and movies until 1992, the organization has always focused on recognizing American and Western animation. Beloved films like The Incredibles, Coco, The Iron Giant, and Ratatouille have all won many Annie Awards, though there was some surprise when Wall-E, a film that won an Oscar, didn’t receive any Annie Awards.

Anime’s growing worldwide appeal has led the Annie Awards to include it in their judging criteria. The 2026 ceremony already has some exciting nominees, and fans might be in for a few surprises when the awards are presented on February 26th. While KPop Demon Hunters received many nominations, the judges are focusing on true anime. Currently, five anime series have been officially nominated for Annie Awards.

My Melody & Kuromi Is a Stop-Motion Adventure in Dark Delights

Stop-motion animation is still thriving today, as shown by the recent popularity of the My Melody & Kuromi online series. These beloved Sanrio characters have been popular merchandise for decades. My Melody, a pink-hooded white rabbit, first appeared in 1975 and quickly became a favorite across generations. Her rival, Kuromi, a white rabbit wearing a black jester hat, debuted in 2005.

The show consists of twelve episodes, each lasting from eleven to seventeen minutes. It’s a lighthearted story about My Melody and Kuromi competing in a baking contest on their home planet, Mariland – a whimsical place filled with unusual forests and enchanted hearts.

Since it first came out, My Melody & Kuromi has already received an award at the Asian Academy Creative Awards for Best Animation. It’s also been nominated for a prestigious Annie Award in the category of Best Children’s TV/Media for the episode “All for Our Best Friend.” The show’s high-quality animation has earned a lot of positive attention and makes it a likely winner at the Annies.

Dandadan Reframes What Anime Means in the 2020s

If you think classic shonen anime is a thing of the past, you haven’t seen Dandadan. This unique series blends multiple genres but still captures the energetic spirit of traditional shonen. It follows two high school students with very different beliefs about the supernatural, and it’s quickly becoming a standout title with a lot of potential.

After two successful seasons, the anime Dandadan has been highly praised for its stunning animation by Science Saru, engaging characters, energetic storytelling, and clever nods to other works. It was a major contender at the 9th Crunchyroll Anime Awards, receiving an impressive 22 nominations. However, Dandadan ultimately won three awards: Best Opening Sequence, Best Anime Song, and Best Character Design.

Viewers enjoyed the Season 2 finale, especially its well-crafted story and exciting action scenes which blended smoothly with emotional moments. Overall, “Clash! Space Kaiju vs. Giant Robot!” received one Annie Award nomination for Outstanding Directing in an Animated Television Program.

Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc Remains a Force of Shonen Power

Similar to Dandadan, Chainsaw Man shows how shonen anime and manga are moving away from simple, over-the-top action towards stories with more depth and complexity. The anime’s willingness to portray its main character in a harsh and flawed light is a fresh take on the traditional shonen hero, adding moral ambiguity and intrigue. Chainsaw Man was a big winner at the 8th Crunchyroll Anime Awards, taking home six awards from a total of 25 nominations, all based on its impressive first season.

I’ve noticed a trend with anime adaptations, and Chainsaw Man followed suit with its first season’s story being turned into a movie. While it didn’t quite reach the financial heights of Demon Slayer, the movie was still a hit, proving this new approach works. It earned almost $180 million, and critics at Rotten Tomatoes called it a visually stunning and incredibly violent experience – a real ‘bloody feast’ of animation.

The movie Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc has been nominated for four Annie Awards, including three for Best Animated Feature. Director Tatsuya Yoshihara also received a nomination for Best Direction – Feature, and it’s well-deserved. The film successfully expands on the Chainsaw Man series while still feeling fresh and original, a combination that has been widely praised.

Scarlet Is Loosely Based on Shakespeare’s Hamlet

Mamoru Hosoda is a celebrated anime director known for films like Summer Wars and The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, as well as the Oscar-nominated Mirai. More recently, he’s released Belle and Scarlet, with Scarlet receiving widespread praise. This exciting new film is a unique, action-packed take on Hamlet, reimagining the story with a female lead. Scarlet follows a princess on a thrilling journey through time and space as she seeks revenge for her father’s murder.

While the main character in Hamlet faces only death as an escape, this film gives its protagonist a chance for growth and self-improvement. The movie received nominations from the New York Film Critics Online, the Georgia Film Critics Association, and the Women Film Critics Circle, but unfortunately didn’t win any of those awards.

The anime film Scarlet has received more Annie Award nominations than any other anime, including a nomination for Best Feature, as well as Best Writing and Best Direction for director Mamoru Hosoda.

Star Wars: Visions Has Been Consistently Great for Three Volumes

Despite being created by Lucasfilm for Disney+, the Visions series was brought to life through the work of multiple Japanese animation studios. Studios like Trigger, Science Saru, and Production I.G collaborated to give the show a distinctly anime feel, unlike other animated productions. The first two installments were very well-received, and Volume 2 even won two Annie Awards out of six nominations.

The series continued to receive accolades, with the second volume winning an Emmy for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation, highlighting its consistently high quality. While Star Wars: Visions was nominated for an Annie Award for the effects in “The Bird of Paradise,” the finale of Volume 3 is particularly noteworthy.

I was absolutely blown away by “BLACK,” this short film set during the Battle of Endor in Return of the Jedi. It follows a stormtrooper, and what’s incredible is it does so without any dialogue! It’s a really powerful, metaphorical look at the psychological toll of war. It was so good, in fact, that Star Wars: Visions even got nominated for a major award! It really makes you hope the Annie Awards will embrace even more anime in the future, because these shorts deserve all the recognition.

Read More

2026-02-07 20:10