A lot of exciting details about the 2026 Anime Awards, which will formally return to Tokyo in May, have been made public by Crunchyroll. The ceremony, which will mark 10 years of commemorating the best anime has to offer, will take place on May 23 at the Grand Prince Hotel Shin Takanawa. And it seems like this year's performance will be something special, with some incredible artists slated.The most important news is probably Yoko Takahashi's performance. She will play A Cruel Angel's Thesis, the well-known Neon Genesis Evangelion opening theme, as part of a commemoration of the series' 30th anniversary. If you have been an anime fan for a while, you are probably familiar with this song. It's practically anime royalty at this point.But the 2026 Anime Awards will have more musical activities. The Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, under the direction of Hirofumi Kurita and with arrangements by Kazunori Miyake, will play symphonic suites during the event. Keep an eye out for more information about performances as May draws near.Sally Amaki and Jon Kabira will host the 2026 Anime Awards for the fourth time. To be honest, the program wouldn't seem the same without them; they have become its most well-known faces. Lauren Moore and Tim Lyu from Crunchyroll will present the global pre-show for the Anime Awards to get everyone psyched before the main event starts.How the Voting Process for the 2026 Anime Awards WorksAnime of the Year in 2025, Solo Leveling (Image Credit: A-1 Pictures)This is the important part. On April 2, when the nominations for the Anime Awards are revealed, fan voting will start. The show features thirty-two categories, from the best TV series and films to voice acting in 10 languages. The 10 languages are Japanese, English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Italian, and Hindi.For the Anime Awards, a team of worldwide experts selects six candidates in each category. After that, judges and fans vote together to choose the winners, with judges' votes making up 70% and fans' votes making up 30%. Any anime that debuted between January 1 and December 31, 2025, is eligible to win the 2026 Anime Awards.Almost everything is covered in the 32 categories of the Anime Awards. You have important awards like Film of the Year and Anime of the Year. Additionally, there are production prizes for Best Character Design, Best Director, and Best Animation. Action, humor, drama, romance, slice of life, and even the isekai anime genre are among the categories.2025's Must Protect At All Costs winner, Anya Forger (Image Credit: Wit Studio and CloverWorks)The character categories include Best Main Character, Best Supporting Character, and the hilarious Must Protect At All Costs award. The music categories include Best Opening Sequence, Best Ending Sequence, Best Score, and Best Anime Song.Ten years of this event that unites the anime world is celebrated with the 2026 Anime Awards. The first event attracted several million votes in 2017. Now we're talking tens of millions of votes from fans worldwide. Rahul Purini, President of Crunchyroll, succinctly stated that the 2026 Anime Awards honor "where these stories begin and the fans everywhere who make them live far beyond the screen."Solo Leveling won the Anime of the Year award the previous year. Heavyweights like Yuri on Ice, Demon Slayer, Attack on Titan, and Jujutsu Kaisen have all won in the past. Another chapter in this history will be added by the 2026 Anime Awards.2025 Film of the Year winner, Look Back (Image Credit: Studio Durian)In conclusionOn May 23, the event will be broadcast globally. The precise viewing details have not yet been disclosed by Crunchyroll. As the date draws near, your best option is to keep an eye on their official YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and X channels for updates. Additionally, keep in mind that you should prepare your watchlist because the 2026 Anime Awards nomination announcements and voting will begin on April 2.