A full rundown of the Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2026 winners. My Hero Academia FINAL SEASON took Anime of the Year over Dandadan, the most-nominated title of the night. Here is how Japanese fans reacted to a result they call both fair and surprising.
Kenshi Yonezu's 'Peace Sign', the My Hero Academia Season 2 opening theme, was certified Gold by the RIAA in May 2026. Following 'KICK BACK' (Gold and Platinum), this is his third RIAA certification, making him the only artist ever to receive three certifications for Japanese-language songs. We look at the milestone, its overlap with the anime's 10th anniversary year, and the 2025 JUNK world tour that drew 440,000 fans.
LINE Manga marked 13 years with a "Favorite Manga Election," and the 2,889,609 votes tell a story. One Piece placed in the top three of five categories; Demon Slayer and the Korean webtoon Teenage Mercenary took two each. With a voter base skewing female and under 40, Japanese manga and Korean webtoons split the categories along clean lines. Inside the hybrid platform that puts both in one app, and where international readers can find each title.
MAN WITH A MISSION announces their 2026 world tour "MARKING NEW GROUND," spanning 10 cities across 7 countries. The wolf-headed rock band will make their first-ever appearances in Chile and Brazil, share the main stage with Iron Maiden at Spain's Resurrection Fest, and perform at Zipangu — the largest Japanese music festival ever held in the US. A deep dive into how anime theme songs built their global fanbase and what this tour means for Japanese rock worldwide.
Detective Conan cosplay and merchandise have been banned at anime events across China. The trigger: a collaboration with My Hero Academia, a manga boycotted in China over a character name linked to Japan's wartime Unit 731. With state media joining the backlash and even traditional Japanese clothing banned at events, we explore how anime culture collides with historical tensions between China and Japan.